The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 21

Then

"Hurry, we're going to miss it!"

Out of breath, I push myself to run faster. "I'm going as fast as I can, Gideon," I duck down to avoid the low hanging branches. "I don't have long legs like you, you know." His laughter fills my ears as I finally catch up to him. "Go ahead and laugh but do remember that I am your little sister."

"Oh, how could I forget," he grabs my shoulders and gives me a tight hug. "We both have the same-colored hair and green eyes! However, you did inherit father's anger and mother's stubbornness." I push him off me and cross my arms. "Yeah? And pray tell, what did you inherit? Papa's inability to tell a joke?" Gideon strokes his chin in thought, a big smile on his face.

"I am funny," I roll my eyes, "but no. I inherited grandfather's adventure seeking heart." He takes my hands and pulls me after him, making me walk. The woods at night have always been our favorite place to explore. It's quiet and solitary, only the moon looking over us. As soon as I could walk, Gideon has taken me out here. But tonight, he wanted to see the stars soar across the sky. "We're almost there."

I glance around, confusion slowly starts to coat my thoughts. "Gideon?" The trees part as we step onto a man-made path. "This isn't our part of the woods. This is.." We come onto a cliff that looks over a grand city, with grand cottages and a glorious castle raised over its people. "Avalon," he finishes for me. I rip my hand away from his and turn to him, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Are you out of your mind?" I nervously crack my knuckles. "We are not allowed to wander too far from the farm! Mama doesn't even know we sneak out at night. Imagine what would happen if she found out we made it all the way to Avalon!" I crack my last knuckle and wince. I really need to get off this habit of mine. "She'll be fine," he grabs my hands and inspect my poor knuckles. "I left a note telling her where we'd be."

I, once again, snatch my hands out of his comforting grasp. "You've really done it this time, Gideon! Mother will bludgeon you and box me in the rear." I can already hear the smack of the wood. I know of it all too well. "Will you relax! We're not entering Avalon. We are here to watch the stars and nothing more. Nothing will happen to us, I promise." I look up at him, anger still simmering in them, and sigh. "Fine," I relent to him, "but if she asks, I'm telling her you snatched me from bed and dragged me here involuntarily."

"Yeah, yeah." He sits at the edge of the cliff, his feet dandling in the air. I follow suit but instead of being so daring as to dangle my feet like my brother, I simply cross my legs. "Would you like me to tell you a story?" I love his stories. Every night, he tells me a new one that he heard from the marketplace. I enthusiastically nod and wait.

Gideon points to the sky, to faraway stars. "You see that constellation there? It's the Cassiopeia constellation," he begins. "It is said that a vain Queen is trapped in the stars. She boasted her power and beauty so much so that it angered the gods. For punishment, they sent her and her people to the sky making them into stars of the night." I admire the sky in wonder and awe. "Could it be real, Gideon? Gods and such?" He shrugs and glances down at me. "I dunno. But I did hear that the closest you could get to seeing Cassiopeia's throne is by going all the way north, towards the mountains. I plan to go someday."

"And leave your 11-year-old sister behind?"

"Leave you behind? Never," he pulls me to his side. "Plus, I have three more years until I turn 18 and be able to join the caravan. Then, I'll break free and see the world." I smile at his dream. Gideon has always been a dreamer and grand storyteller. It has been one of the qualities that I love most about him. He never loses his hope for a greater purpose than being the son of a farmer. I can only hope that my life is worth more than being a farmgirl as well.