Rosa

Chapter 9: Growing Up

I'm seventeen years olds now. I finished Elven school and now all my free time is taken up with training. My mother wants me to be the best at my job. It's a easy and boring job. The more I train for it and go on trips with my parents, I start hating it even more. I can't get away from it. My father had been gone for over a month delivering a message. I don't know where he went. All I know is when he left. I miss him so much. My mother makes me keep training. I'm guessing by training me, it keeps her distracted from thinking about him.

After dinner I'm allowed to do whatever I want. I'm about to head to my room when someone knocks at the door. I quickly go answer it. He asks "Is your mother home?"
"Yeah. I think she's bathing right now. I can leave a message for you."
"Can I come in for a moment?"
"Um....sure...can I...get you anything?"
"No. I won't be here very long."
He comes inside and sits down while I close the door. He's wearing casual clothes. What does he want. My mother comes back into the main room fully dressed with dripping wet hair. She says "oh! I didn't know we were expecting anyone."
He stands up and looks at her. He tells her "please have a seat."
We both sit down and I can see my mother is worried. He looks directly at my mother and says "As you know, Almon left to deliver a message and he's been gone over a month."
She says "Yes I do know that. Why? Did something happen?"
"I'm sorry to tell you but... he's dead."
"He...he can't be dead! That...that..."
My mother buries her head into her hands on shock and confusion. I ask him "What happened?"
He turns to me and says "We aren't entirely sure. Some scouts found his body. He's covered in injures. And all of his belongings are missing. But we do know he hid the letter he was returning before we died. We found it and brought it back. We brought his body back too. We have it in a coffin. I'm so sorry I had to tell you this news. It can't be easy for you."
My mother looks up and asks "Does this affect our payment?"
He sighs and says "It does. Instead of being payed for two people now it's only your partial salary because you don't work full time anymore."
My mother says "Then change me to full time."
The Elf looks surprised and says "But your daughter...who will take care of her while you're gone?"
"She can take care of herself. She's almost eighteen."
"She's still a child."
"A very mature and grown up one."
He looks at me them back to my mother. He sighs and says "I'll make the changes. His funeral is in an hour at the graveyard."
He gets up and let's himself out. I try to say something to my mother but she gets up, rushes to her room, then closes the door. I go to my room and change into funeral clothes. When it's time to head to the funeral I knock on my mother's door and ask "Are you coming?"
She opens the door and she's wearing funeral clothes. There's no expression on her face. We walk out of the house and to the graveyard in silence. Elves of lower to middle class are all here paying there respects to him. The Elf boy I saw in the palace two years ago is also here.

*Picture above is of a message holder*