Jade Medieval

Chapter 5

Ginger stood protectively by me as I slept through the night. The summer breeze woke me in the morning. Ginger was standing asleep as I stirred awake. I left him to sleep as I walked to the river and washed up. After my bath I wade from the calm section of the river and dried off with my blanket. I dressed into yesterday's dress and yawn stretching my arms. I wish everyday could be like this, spent in peace outdoors.

"Jade!" I spin my head to see Sasha waving her arms,"Come back! Michael wants father's furs and I haven't the faintest of where he keeps them!!"

I sigh but gather up my things," Coming!"

I smile as the wind half-dries my wet hair. When I arrive at the house something feels wrong. Father should be home by now. I wave hi to Micheal and head with haste to Father's shed. It is very empty, only four furs line the walls. Outside the shed i peer up at the figure standing in the field. It was a he and he wore a hood over his face. Quil.

I invite Michael inside and speak with Sasha while he seats himself at the kitchen.

"Father is missing," I whisper," keep Michael busy while I freshen up to go looking."

She nods her head and turns to chat with Micheal. He smiles weakly to her but adds to the conversation. I scurry upstairs mouthing a "sorry" to Micheal as his ears are chewed up. Moments later I am ready to search for father.

I mount my horse and gallop to Quil. Quil nods his head at me as I ride next to him. He climbs onto his own horse and we group up at a stone. I clutch the note in my hand and pull it out. Quil and his black horse walk ahead slowly.

Wednesday meet up at old barn house in GreenGrass country. There is a man there who owes the country money. Extract the money, by all means necessary.

I take a deep breath and look up from the note.

Quil shouts over his shoulder," hurry up!"

"Coming!"

When we reach the old barn house we have been riding for hours in silence. I had abandoned father to do what I said I would. I don't go back on my word.

"My father is missing," I say casually.

"Why are you out here then?"

"I said I would be, father is fine I am sure," I speed up Ginger with a swift kick in the side,"so, just us?"

"Nah, two others are meeting us there," Quil says pointing at two figures on a hill across from our own.

"Okay."

The barn is falling apart and it looks like its owner didn't have much cash. We meet up with the others.

"Hey, I'm Lester," The man with a bow and arrows says bowing to me. His blond hair flips into his crystal eyes.

"Jamie," says the other distantly, I realize by the shape its a woman,"let's get this done."

I pull out my sword and follow Quil and Jamie to the doors. Quil has the doors broken down with his foot and Jamie is already proven to be skilled. She surveys the barn and waves us inside after she sweeps it through on her own. My mouth flings open when i see who is tied up in the chair.

"Father?!" I look at Quil, "What the hell?"

"Get her arms, now!" Quil orders to Jamie and she kicks the back of my leg.

I swing my sword around my head slicing Quil in his thigh. He limps trying to catch me. Swinging my sword in front of me for protection i deflect the arrows from Lester. Lester and Jamie slowly push me back, further, and further to Father. I push forwards and stab Jamie in her side. Quil shouts angrily at me, using God's name in poor spirits. I pass Father a small knife from my boot and grin. Lester is hesitant to fight me. His moves are ill-planned and he stumbles backward into a tub. I pull his bow from is scared fingers and snap it in half. I leave Jamie cursing on the floor and move to Quil.

"You know KIara was wrong about you," I seeth,"your worse than a bastard!"

Quil's face shrivels at the insult, a tiny ping of guilt shows and his voice softens," she said that?"

His tone takes me by surprise but i hold me head high," yes, yes, she did."

Quil gives me a sickly grin as I notice Jamie has crawled her way to me and is swinging her sword at my calves. I fall backwards, scrapping my arm on her sword.

"Ahh!"

"Jade?Jade!" I hear my Father running towards me.

Jamie's eyes grow wide and she scowls at Quil who is slowly making his way out of the barn. Jamie groans in frustration and yells for Lester. The two dash from the building as fast as they can. I sigh and pull myself up, trying my best to not be infected by anything. I would have to see mother about my injuries.

"Jade? What were you doing here?" Father sighs as he guides me from the barn.

"Quil offered me some money, said i was helping the king," I say as we pause for Father to strip a piece of cloth from his shirt and wrap my arm," what about you?"

"I had some...financial problems," he said flatly.

"Michael is at the house, at least he was when I left, for your furs."

Father nods his head and looks at my arm again with sorrow.

"I'm fine, I'm going to take Ginger and see mother," I tell him and leave him standing alone outside the barn.

Ginger is still tied up where I left her and I mount my horse. It will take an hour or so to get to mother's small cottage. I sigh and steer Ginger with my good arm.

"How did you manage this cut?" Mother asked propping my elbow on the table

I wracked my brain looking for a reason. I didn't want to lie but it was better if she thought I was safe.

"I was wearing my corset for one of Father's meetings, I suppose It was tied too tight- I got dizzy. When I was in the kitchen helping Felina, one of Father's maids, I fainted and struck my arm along a sharp part of the counter
."
Mother searched me with her eyes and sighed,"surely Felina could've assisted you?"

"She is but young, she was quite frazzled by my behaviour," I respond avoiding eye contact.

"Right," she says flatly, it is at this I know that she is aware of my lie.

I look around at mother's small cottage. She worked so very hard to get by. The tiny kitchen-where we were now- was home to an island, fireplace, a crack for a window and set of three chairs and a table.

I answer honestly,"It's nothing to worry about, honest mother."

Her face warms up and she wipes a smelly solution on my arm which stings. I knew she was cleaning it, she felt the need to do so. After she wraps up my arm in a clean fabric we chat about Sasha, Ryan and his wife. I learned she got a raise at her seamstress job in city centre. She asks me about my life and I reply with a casual swat of my hand.

"Nothing new," I sigh

"I know you love the woods but Jade its time to get out there, enjoy the country you live in," mother sighs and looks to the door," I have to go to work. Lock up when you leave."

I watch mother fix her green dress from wrinkles and take an apple from her counter. She grabs her sewing basket and walks calmly out the door waving goodbye to me.

"Maybe she's right" I say because I know it's true,"I will visit Alexa in town this weekend, even if I hate that part of town. I will learn to like it," I speak aloud as I lock up the house and ride Ginger home.