Pirate's Treasure

Chapter 1

I watched and waited silently for him to leave. The sun was finally creeping over, but I was already awake, up and early as usual. I did it every morning. I never see him anymore.

I sat on my knees and rested my arms on the sill, looking at the red morning sun that was creeping over the hill, silhouetting the castle in the distance. My world revolved around it; the government telling me what to do, telling me how a woman was worth less then grain in this kingdom. We live in England, specifically King James’ kingdom, Ariaus. We were all part of it, but we all had village names, the sections we were from. I live in the village of Kenilworth, in a small stone house with only my brother.

 My parents, along with most of my friends, were taken by the plague five years ago, sweeping our village, our kingdom, maybe even the country. By the time we heard about it, and when we heard about what happened during it, we hid in our house for what seemed like an eternity. What we didn't know was that Dad already caught it. Mom took care of him, but then she caught it. I tried to help, but my brother kept me far away from them. I think it saved my life.

I could have been orphaned, but he wouldn’t allow it, keeping the king’s government on bad terms with him. I didn’t care. If the government wanted to screw with him, they can screw with me too. Which is why it’s him and I versus the kingdom.

My thoughts were broken and I ducked sharply when I saw him with his bow and quiver full of arrows. I should’ve known better, though. My attempt of hiding didn’t matter.

"Elisa!" I heard his voice call, and I slowly peered over. He was leaning against the sign we had in our yard that Mom and Dad made after I was born. The only thing that distinguished us from the other homes in our area, and the only thing I had left of them. "See ya when I get home."

"Don’t have too much fun, Henrik." I called after him, and his smirk turned into a smile as he waved. I watched his tall, muscled figure until it disappeared into the forest, making me sigh. Henrik worked as one of Robin Hood’s merry men, stealing from the nobles of the land, and sometimes, far away land. I would go days without seeing him, and even a couple times when I thought he was never coming back.  But I was always reunited with his smile and comfort. He was the only family I had left, and I was his. He reminded me that I was never alone, even when he was gone.

But, just like how he disappeared into the forest, I was alone again. And the sun had risen to a point to where I had to start doing the housework.

Since Henrik 'earned' all the money we had, I was the one doing everything on the small plot of land. Cleaning, cooking, tending to the crops, and doing laundry. It wouldn’t bother me so much if I didn’t do it every single day.

I stood up slowly, letting my cotton-sewn nightgown ruffle itself off as I walked. I ran my hands through my gold hair as I tried hard not to stumble down the narrow stairs. Taking the grain from the storage, I made the same oatmeal I made every morning for myself. I ate slowly, sipping from the wooden bowl, staring out the window and at the vegetable field. Another day of picking was for me today.

I washed the pot I used to make the oatmeal and the bowl in the river that flowed about fifty feet from behind my stone home before running back to place them in the box where all the other dishes were, slipping into a daytime dress and my worn peasant shoes, and grabbed my basket to hold the crops I was about to go pick.

Where I lived, it never got too hot, but the weather wasn't the problem. The people around me always judged me for what my brother did. They should’ve been glad; he was helping them! But I got used to weird stares and picked the corn, carrots, cabbages, everything else to make a decent dinner for when Henrik got home, and I’d place them in our food storage and I’d be done with that for the day.