Devil's Bane

Chapter One - Purgatory

The sun slowly crept over the valley, sending the dark cover that engulfed the buildings, like a blanket covering a small child when something bumped in the night, away for now. Then, as the bright star stretched its long beams through every window in the town, River's alarm rang out, startling her awake. Shooting out of bed like a bullet from a gun, she rushed to the calendar hanging on the slightly rotted wall of her bedroom and proceeded to tear it off with force.

"I don't need you anymore!" She said, picking up a new one from the floor, scattered amongst the moss and grass that created a makeshift carpet. She turned the first page and looked back in wonder.

"Goodbye 1897, hello 1898! I hope this year has some better times, ay?" She chuckled at her little joke before walking over to a bucket of water, staring at her reflection as if she was mesmerised by her beauty. She brushed her messy, long blonde hair behind her head and splashed water upon her dainty face to clean it before her work day covered her in ash and dirt. She looked over at the torn and tattered clothes she had been wearing for the last few weeks and threw them on like they were worthless to her. However, that was the only clothing her family could afford for her. The skirt of her dress dragged behind her, picking up the dirt from her floor and carrying it with every step. She walked down her broken steps, avoiding the holes and cracks, to find her mother, a beautiful woman with hair almost identical to River's brown eyes, standing over the counter serving the few customers who entered their small bakery.

Running the bakery had been the family business longer than River could remember. Passed down from generation to generation, both sons and daughters would learn to work the ovens and how to kneed bread from the age of six until the day they passed.

"Oh! River honey!" Hearing the stairs creaking behind her, her mother called, "Your father has gone to get some more supplies. Could you possibly bring this order over to Mr Fellows? He's expecting it, so be quick, please!" River rubbed her sleepy eyes, attempting to focus on the basket her mother was pointing at.

"But I was going to go out with April and Monty today! We were going to go see the fish in the pond!" River hastily replied, hoping her mother would let her off.

"I never agreed to this? You know you can't go out on your own, River! It's too dangerous. Besides, there's too much work to be done today with the feast in the town hall this evening."

River never understood what was so dangerous, and her mother nor father would ever tell her. She had come to the speculation that they feared someone would take her from them or something of the sort, which was why they were teaching her to fend for herself - her father would take her into the small garden behind the bakery and teach her to use various weapons like bo-staffs, the knives in their drawers and on the odd occasion, he would let her fire his rifle. She had gotten quite handy in combat, more than most seventeen-year-old girls would be.

"But mother!" She began, attempting to make her voice tremble as if she was heartbroken, "I haven't seen them in so long! And father won't be long, so he would be able to help out while I'm gone." Her mother grew angry at River's disobedience, letting out a sigh and began to raise her voice.

"River Bowstrong. For once in your life, please, can you do something without me telling you twice! Now, take these over to Mr Fellows and straight back, young lady!"

River lowered her head in defeat, taking the large basket in one hand and walking out of the bakery to do as her mother instructed. Looking down at her feet, she began to count the stones that made the path as a cure for her boredom, 'One. Two. Three.' She started before noticing a frail duckling being left behind by its family. Feeling sympathy for the little thing, she grabbed it in her arms.

"It's okay little one! I'll get you to your mother, and you'll be home soon!" She told the duck, "Or wherever it is, you're off to Mr Duck." She brought the duckling to the rest of the family, gently placing it on the floor before ripping off the cover on the basket and taking out a small loaf of bread.