Winds Of Change

Chapter 1: This is only the beginning

Chapter 1

"Airis come inside and help me finish dinner!" Came an overly sweet calm voice from the kitchen window. My mother Masey, she's such a sweet woman. Well mostly. She has in her short thirty nine years mothered five children. Aiden, my eldest brother whom will be twenty two come springs first day, he has dads blond hair and mums brown eyes. Next there's Arden he's twenty and he too has dads blond hair and mums brown eyes. Armus and Aros, twins whom had just turned eighteen, both of them also have dads blond hair and mums brown eyes. And then you get me Airis a soon to be seventeen year old girl and my mothers last child. I'm the odd one out. I'm the only child in my family that didn't get dads hair or mums eyes.

Instead I got black hair and light blue eyes. Neither my mother nor my father have blue eyes nor do they have black hair. My father thinks I'm strange and my brothers have a sneaking suspicion that I was adopted. Whilst my mother on the other hand swears she was loyal to my father. I don't care, so why should it matter? The answer is it shouldn't and yet it does. I can feel my families apprehension whenever we need to travel together. They hate the judgemental looks thrown their way whenever people realize that I look nothing like them. It hurts sometimes because I still see the way my family distance themselves from me. It's not their fault. over time though it has become a familiar hurt. 

Sighing as I stood from my crouched position I made sure to dust my knees before attempting to enter the house. I had spent the morning picking mushrooms in the clearing closest to the river. This has been my given task for the last six almost seven years. Truth be told I'm probably the worlds worst mushroom picker. Disappointment took hold for a moment as I took a glance into my basket before shaking my head lightly and walking back towards the house. My basket was only half full. I had been daydreaming again. Hopefully mum's in a good mood. And if not well... I'm not hungry anyways. I rarely am these days.

"Give it here" mum asked as soon as I stepped into the kitchen. With one glance into the basket I saw her eyes scrunch slightly. "Daydreaming again?" She asked as she placed the basked on the kitchen counter and began washing the mushrooms two by two. "Yes mum" I answered my eyes downcast. "As always" I heard her mumble.

"Just go" mother sighed as she ran a hand through her long brown hair. Excitement shoots through my whole body. Now I'm free until dinner. "Yes mum" I answered as I turned on my heel I fight the smile that wants to spread across my face. everyday after my tasks I head towards the stables in hopes of either catching my brothers as they spar or practicing on my own. "Stupid girl" I hear her mutter. I guess I wasn't walking quite fast enough and I can't help but flinch slightly as her bitter words cut through my chest and pierce my heart. I should be used to this by now but it still hurts every single time.

I suppose to the average person the stables look like nothing special. But it is special to me. It is the only place I felt I could be free. Free from my families ridicule and the towns hurtful glares. The only place I had been free enough to perfect my sword handling abilities. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I am perfect but at least I can admit that I'm better than some of the village boys my age. Practicing had been my salvation from the pain that runs rampant in my soul after a session with my father. It is also the only thing that makes me feel like I'm not completely helpless.

"Oh brother looky what we have here!" Armus, of course it's him. He's always been the one most vocal about my differences. "What do you want?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Oh nothing dear sister only a little favour... " Armus trailed off. Turning around I came face to face with a grinning Armus and the stoic face of his twin Aros. They're almost always together. "Get on with it then!" I mumbled sighing lightly.

"Ok ugly duckling, let's dual" Armus stated still grinning. over the years his insults had thickened my skin so I suppose I should thank him in a way.  In suspicion I raised an eyebrow challenging him to continue. He almost never does anything if it won't benefit him in some way. Arrogant would probably be the best way to describe him. This is one trait he took from our Uncle Samuel. In the times that he's visited I've always affectionately called him Mule, my mothers brother looks just like her brown eyes and brown hair with the exception that he's relatively nice to me. "If I win... " he trailed off smugly as he shot a look at Aros. "If you win?" I echoed, my voice sounded bland even to my ears.

"Yes dear sister if I win you have to take my place on the next choosing ceremony" now I understood his smug smile. He wanted me to volunteer in his place at the ceremony. The ceremony is a day, always the same day every year come rain or shine, where all the village boys spent their time proving their strengths and smarts in front of the whole village. "Why?" I questioned as a frown pulled at my lips. Armus had never been afraid of anything before. What could be bad enough for him to prefer hiding behind me?

"Why?" He scoffed trying to act uncaring but there's a tremor in his voice that I've never heard before.  "Because this year the boys chosen get sent to Black Mountain" He stated and for a moment I could've sworn I had seen a flash of fear before it was hidden. "And if I win?" I asked barely able to hide the crack in my voice. the stories told of Black Mountain were terrible and left children with nightmares for weeks. "Then I will take my rightful place in the ceremony as well as take on all your chores for a week if I'm not chosen" he said puffing out his chest.

"Aros, I assume you'll keep score?" I asked trying to hide my smirk. Deep down I know I am better than him. I had seen him train throughout the last four years. He still couldn't handle his sword properly. I would win, I had too. 

(Edited 21/01/09)