Life After Us

Prologue

"Your grandfather tells me you have a lot of questions about the outside world, Rowan." 

"Yes, ma'am."

"Yet you understand that we must not question his decisions, and that one of his most important rules is that we don't ask questions that we should not know the answer to?" She brushes away some silvery hairs out of her eyes, the crease in her forehead becoming more prominent by the word.

"I do, ma'am."

The older woman sighs. "You are sixteen years old and the eldest grandchild of our leader Benjamin. How is it that you continue to be so impertinent, child?"

"Why is it so bad for me to ask questions? How long until we can leave and explore the world?" The teenage girl asks impatiently. The woman sighs again, her wrinkled hands on her hips.

"You must learn to talk to your betters with respect, young lady. You know perfectly well why we cannot leave the island: the rest of the world is an extremely dangerous and horrific place, full of war, disease and ruin. This is a safe haven, why is it that you can't be happy with the life you've been given? I pray that you will not be so wild once you are the island's ruler." 

"But I don't want to rule the island! I want to explore and find new places." Rowan protests desperately. She knows she's gone too far almost immediately, watching her mentor's face change into one of anger.

"May the Mother have mercy upon you, you ungrateful girl! It is not about what you want, but what is best for our colony. For more than 70 years we have lived in safety, far away from the troubles of the outside world; do you not want your descendants to live long and comfortable lives when we do return to the main lands?" Every word is a bullet from her mentor's mouth. "Your great-grandmother would be ashamed of the way you are acting. I taught your mother and her mother before her and they always behaved in the manner expected of a respectable lady." 

"If you want a noble ruler so much, why don't you just ask Bethany? She'd do anything for a bit of power." Rowan mutters the last part under her breath, but her sharp-eared mentor still catches it and frowns, the lines in her forehead deepening.

"You must talk about your younger sister in a polite way, child. As the eldest, you must also do what is expected of you; that is the reason I am here, to teach you how to govern. Little Bethany has potential, but you are nearing the end of adolescence whilst she is still growing out of childhood. There are also other important matters we need to discuss." She tells Rowan sternly.

"Like what? I mean- Such as what, ma'am?" The younger girl asks anxiously.

"Such as your marriage, Rowan. You are about to reach the normal age of marriage in August; it is natural for you and your family to start considering your options." 

"What?! No! I don't want to get married yet... ma'am!" The student adds hastily at the look on the old woman's weary face.

"Your mother was of a similar age when she married your father, now it is time for you to do the same." 

"No! I won't go through with it. I'll.... I'll run away!" The angry words are met with a blow to the arm by Rowan's governess. 

"We will discuss it later, once you have learned to act unlike a wild cat! Go to your room, immediately."