The Sword Maiden

Feast Time

I froze for a moment.  Sword maiden?  Did he know the name the King had called me in his summons?  Or had he come up with it on his own?  

But this was not the time to think about it.  

What was I thankful for?

It didn't take but a second for me to know.  

I glanced first to my right and then to my left.  "I am thankful for those who have been with me throughout this last year."  

I fixed my gaze on Valeria.  "For you, Valeria, who have been faithful to me though you don't have to be.  You have sharpened me as iron sharpens iron."

My gaze went to Daxton.  Yes, I was thankful for even this bitter Ravagerian boy.  Thankful for the choices he had made though it had cost him.  Yes, I could not forget it had cost him.  "I am thankful for you, Daxton, who led me to my brother."

His face registered surprise as I looked beyond him.  "I am thankful for you, Redwar.  In more ways than I can say."  

His eyes closed, but for a moment I caught the deep welling of emotion in them.  My own throat closed.  How could I ever tell this man how much he meant to me?  There were not words enough.

I looked back up to Father Mullincay.  "For these people, who mean so much to me, I am thankful to the Life-Giver.  I have lost much this past year, but I have also gained so much."  My throat closed again and I couldn't say anymore. 

He nodded, his gaze filled with a knowing that puzzled me.  Then he turned his eyes to Joel and asked him what he was thankful for.

The ceremony went on like that for twenty minutes or so.  By the time it was over, I and my friends had been thanked so many times for what he had done.  I rarely blushed, but all the praise brought a rosy red to my face.

Then, after a closing prayer, Father Mullincay clapped his hands.  "Let the Feast of Thanksgiving to the Life-Giver begin!"  

A cheer rose from the crowd, mine among them, and with that, the Feast began.

Me and my friends were treated to seats of honor at the feast.  Though I wanted to help with the serving and such, as I'd done at home in times past, the good people of Time's Tale would not have it.

There was too much food to choose from.  There was duck and chicken, and even a roasted pig.  There was all different kinds of sauces and gravies, rolls that were addictive to taste flowed in abundance, and the fruit was all over the place. 

I took in a deep breath as I scanned the table.  Mr. Lotcin sat at the front, with Redwar to his right and Father Mullincay to his left. Then, down the table on the right, was Daxton, Redwar, Derrek, me, and Valeria.  Across from us were the Lotcins'.  

It was a strange feeling.  The Feast, the rituals, the food was all familiar to me.  And yet, this wasn't familiar, because this was not my village or my family.  Instead of Father at the head, there was Mr. Lotcin.  Instead of my mother, there was Redwar.  And instead of Corban beside me-

I flinched at the thought.  Corban had been next to me at the last feast.  Laughing and talking with us.  Eating food and drinking milk as freely as if he didn't have a care in the world.  My hand clenched around my fork and I stared down at the meat for a moment as if it were Corban himself.  

"Hey, Ravine?" Valeria's touch on my arm brought me out of my thoughts.  "You alright?" 

I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them and let out a sigh.  "Yeah.  I'm alright."  

She squinted at me for a moment before understanding lit her eyes.  "You're remembering something, aren't you?" She said softly.

"Yeah.  Yeah I was."  I looked into her green eyes and then shook my head.  What was I doing?  This was a glorious evening with friends!  Corban was not here.  But Valeria, the truest friend I'd ever had, sat by my side now.  Surely, that was something to rejoice in.

I smiled.  "Don't worry.  I really am alright."  I glanced around the table.  "In fact..." I let the smile grow a little wider.  "I'm more than alright."  

And so, the afternoon bled into evening as the Feast went on.  I was eventually allowed to help with the serving of food, as everyone took their turns so everyone else could have a chance to sit down and enjoy the Feast.  It was a tradition at all of our Feasts, but especially at the Thanksgiving one, as it was a way of saying thank you to everyone in your village or town.

As the Feast wrapped up, the tables and chairs were taken aside.  The tables were layered with drinks of different kinds and desserts for those who wanted them, the chairs were placed around so they formed benches for those who wanted or needed to sit.  This left an open space where the dancing would commence.  The musicians of Time's Tale took their place on the platform where Father Mullincay had commenced the Feast and began tuning their instruments in preparation.

I stepped aside into the shadows when the first of the dancing began.  Dancing was my favorite part of the Feast, but tonight something was tugging at my soul that wouldn't allow me to join into the merriment just yet.

It was during the dance, when all the men and women of the village were occupied in our village hall, that the Ravagers had come.  That Corban had slipped away and brought them to us.

I closed my eyes.  When Corban had left at the beginning of the dances, I'd thought nothing of it, though I'd thought he'd come back later and we'd dance then.  So, I'd danced with my brother and other friends and family, but still Corban did not come.

And later, we had danced.  If one could call crossing swords 'dancing'. 

Maybe one could.  

I thought back to when I'd first seen Redwar doing his drills in the morning, how he had enthralled me with the way he was light on his feet and the blade a part of him.  Then I thought back to when I'd seen him dancing.  He was very good at it, not wild and uncontrolled as a lot of people were.  No, Redwar always held himself in check.  

Always.

Redwar had showed me what was possible with a sword.  When next I had crossed blades with Corban, we'd been equal.  And when we crossed blades again, as we surely would, I would be even better than that.  Would he be too? 

I shook my head and my eyes found Redwar as he was making his way towards me.  I'd come far, I still had farther to go.

But tonight, it was time to dance.  Because of how far I'd come.

And because of how far I had to go.