Spero of Iter

30. Jeans and a Necklace

            Morning came none too soon. The bustling interior of the castle awoke the slumbering heroine with a startle. She found herself still above her covers, sleeping perpendicular on the bed. She quickly shuffled through her new clothes, picking out the most comfortable looking ones. Luckily, they had perceived she was in need of pants like the rest of her companions. She wore a set of white for both. With that, she was off.

The maid walked in, a large smile across her face as she strutted with Jaqueline's old jeans in hand. "They were ripped and stained, but I had them fixed," she stated with glee.

Jaqueline smiled with the warmth she felt in her stomach. Jeans. They were jeans; yet somehow, they now held more sentiment than her last yearbook. "Thank you," she said graciously.

Olivia curtsied zealously. "It was my pleasure, Milady. I'm only glad to help you in any way. Seeing as how you're to save Iter, and all."

Jaqueline nodded, taking her jeans in her hand.

"I just want to thank you," she added suddenly, "and wish you luck. My father... he was killed trying to save us. He climbed the mountain and everything."

"I'm so sorry," Jaqueline responded, her voice low.

She looked down. "Before he left, he gave me a gift." She pulled a necklace of thin string with a strange, golden pendant at the end of it, no larger than the size of a dime. "He said it would protect me in all my endeavors." She ran her thumb over the small embellishments, taking a deep breath. "He needed it more than I did." With those words, she peered up at the young woman. "Now you need it more than I do. If Milady would be so kind, would you please accept this token, and wear it throughout your journey?"

Jaqueline reluctantly took the necklace in her hand. She looked down at the design, believing she saw a small house finch, or something, with spread wings. "A-are you sure? I mean, your dad gave this to you."

Olivia smiled weakly, her blue eyes filling with tears. "It's an old coin. When these creatures began to infest our land, although they were dispersed, our people were oppressed. Fear of morning and evening were all they knew. So, they began telling stories. The only one that's survived today was the story of the tiny bird soaring through the treacherous winds. The bird became tired, hungry and sore, but it kept flying. This, however, made the bird grow bigger and bigger, until it couldn't be recognized by any who knew it before. Turn it over."

Jaqueline did so, revealing the image of a larger bird, some type of owl. "Why an owl?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders, then wiped her tears with the edge of her long sleeve. "It's one of the few remaining ones. The rest have been melted or lost. I hope it will get you through." She looked intently into Jaqueline's eyes. "I hope you get to finish what my father fought for. Thank you."

She smiled weakly back at the maid. "I hope so too," she replied, working hard to speak around the lump in her throat. "I-" she cleared her throat, "I'll try to give this back to you."

Olivia shook her head. "No need. It's yours. You must keep your focus. There's not enough time for you to think about me." She smiled again, this time somewhere in between sorrow and glee.

There was no turning back now. No abandoning ship, no going AWOL. Whether this whole land was real or not, she had to defeat the dragon. She had to save them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jaqueline had beat her companions to the foyer, a few servants carrying bags of clothing and food. She was served breakfast, of which she ate quickly. How she wished for a cup of coffee to wash it all down. However, life goes on.