Maybe In Our Next Life

Chapter 9

Nothing had changed when Yvaine returned home, mother was still mother and father was still - well father. 

She had not been able to get any sleep since her last adventure with zephyr, the young Nobel and she hoped that it was the last time she experienced anything outside the norm of what she was used to, 

But did she really mean it 

Yvaine  was also not sure of the answer to that herself.  Yvaine was back to the life of running errands for mother, helping Alice come up with ingredients needed for the day's meal, assisting Rosie with  setting the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, being a mediator between her parents, and escaping to the field behind the communities well to preserve her sanity and recollects her thoughts.

After a while she decided it was better to carryout the chores she had been pushing back for weeks - cutting of the logs. oh how she hated cutting logs and worse, she had two weeks worth to get through.  Alice and mom only had a few left and it  could serve  only  for a meal. 

Thump! Thump! 

Yvaine busied her being with the cutting of the wood but tried to busy her mind with random thoughts that countered her urge to procrastinate and risk the chastening of mother.

she would not have had to this if dad had been a responsible fellow, his only job at home was to eat, sleep and make mom mad daily. 

"I see you decided it was time" Liz, Yvaine childhood friend said setting her plate of raisins on a log that served as a table. Liz Golden was not of the a native of Venemon but of France, her family had moved here for business purposes since the past 12years, and although Liz and Yvaine had not gotten the fairytale beginning of loving each other from the beginning, they had grown to become inseparable. People in the community referred to them as "hip and socket".

"I wasn't given a choice was I?" Yvaine said working the axe back and forth in hopes that she would be able to get her first pile before noon

"My ma and Pa decided to pay a visit to Mr. Windell's raisins farm on their way back from Grandma's house- see " she said pointing to the plates of raisins on the wood

" well....do you have anything to say to me" Liz continued pryingly as she had settled for the pile of logs that had been untouched by Yvaine for a stool, she had learnt of Yvaine trip to the highlands from Rosie. she knew how much Yvaine hated the Nobles so it came as shock to her that she had journeyed to the highlands 

"rosie ?" Yvaine said dropping the axe but quickly changing her mind as she doubted the little  willpower she had to return to the work if she took a break 

"I want all the details....so? " Liz said eyes wide, so wide Yvaine thought she planned to push them out their sockets 

" I rode an automobile"  Yvaine said excitedly waiting for Liz to ask her what an automobile was, these kind of devices did not exist in the low lands so Yvaine was certain she was the only lowlife that had ever beheld only what imagination could conceive.

"with who" liz said doubtingly 

"won't you ask me what an automobile is?" Yvaine asked confusingly as she reached for the plate full of raisins, Liz helped her to it packing a handful into her palms to  Yavine's.

" Dear Yvaine, I'm from France, we have that every where, only Venemon is a victim of the backwardness brought about by tradition- at least from my experience " she said  tossing two pieces of raisins into her mouth 

"If you rode that, that means you had encountered some young noble or - I don't even have any other explanation - Yvaine Pax Marie speak !" Liz said mouthful impatiently 

"Zephyr Rowans"

"ahhh..the rowans- prestige" Liz said with an attempt to hide her fascination." how's he ?"

" well.. weird?- he seems daft but weirdly deep and  pensive- and did I mention impulsive too" Yvaine said reaching out to the plate one more time to drop the raisins that remained in her hands after having her fill.

" are we playing games involving  antonyms - I didnt notice ?" Liz laughed 

"weird I know" Yvaine replied as she returned to her dreaded chore 

"anything else"

 " he wants to join the army "

"In which country- I think France will be pleased to have one of the rowans under their service" Liz joked 

"no ..like venemon military" 

"you dont say" Liz yelled rather surprised  " so like a death sentence then?" she said dusting the crumbs left by the raisins on her  pants 

"hmm" Yvaine replied affirmably 

"and yeah- he asked me to come to his party - he called it his natal day" she continued laughing at the memory 

"please tell me you said yes" Liz said hoping that for once Yvaine had put aside her pride and accepted the invitation to the first party she had ever been invited to

" I didnt reply for fear that you might have my head for taking a decision without you" Yvaine replied flippantly 

"good, id ready our attire"

"there will be no attire because there will be no attendance from either party- mine or yours?"

"yes there will- lets see what fate has in store for us, we already know what parties in the lowlands consist of - and by we I mean we - I have sworn not to attend a party in the highlands because of my allegiance to you but grant me my dying wish before I return to France" Liz said hoping she had tweaked a soft button in Yvaine stubborn demeanor 

"France ?... are you returning to France soon- so your parent decided it finally time to leave his hell hole but to my own detriment"

"well..." Liz had not expected Yvaine to interpret her plea in this form, but she took it as her leverage anyway

- maybe God was on her side   she thought as she looked to Yvaine for her answer earnestly , 

"Im sad to see you go, you're my only friend so I will do anything to grant you last wish" Yvaine said sadly 

- okay this was going to far, liz had gotten the response she wanted  but not exactly in the way she wanted it.

- I didn't lie, Yvaine assumed  she thought easing her jotting conscience 

And besides she planned to set the record straight once they were at the party, what could possibly go wrong !