Chapter One Rude Awakenings Part Nine

Day 806, 13:30 • Published in Philippines Philippines • by Josie Brooks
Hekter rubbed his forearm across his forehead to wipe the sweat away and keep it from his eyes. Looking around he felt despair thinking that this might be his life forever. Wrapping his hands around the handles of the plow he clicked his tongue, which started the donkey forward again. His arms are jostled up and down by the plow pulling through the soil as he keeps it on track. After awhile he knew he would get sore, his shoulders would feel pulled and his hands would feel a little raw. This land was never ideal for farming but his father was so stubborn. The plow jerked to a stop suddenly and Dolly made a noise of annoyance as she looked back at him, an accusation in her eyes.

“What?” he asked the donkey aloud. “I didn’t forget to check for stones….I didn’t.” he defended himself against the imagined onslaught of his work companion for the day.

Moving the plow to the side he found a rather sizable rock that should have been spotted by him when he was out yesterday, looking for just such a thing.

Dolly looked satisfied when he stood up and put the plow back after checking it for damage. There was none, thank the gods in the heavens. Putting the stone in a pouch he brought just for this, he set the plow straight and clicked his tongue.

Dolly didn’t move.

He clicked his tongue again.

Dolly sat down.

Hekter walked around to the front of the donkey and took her face in his hands, looking into her eyes.
“Please get up girl. I promise, there will be no more stones.”
An accusation glares out of her eyes at him.
“I wasn’t daydreaming, I wasn’t! Okay, but no more daydreaming today. Really! Now can we go back to work?” His hands rubbed her soft nose and scratched behind one ear.

Dolly stood up and waited, Hektor returned to his place and clicked his tongue again. Dolly started off.

Hekter did not daydream, at least not at first. But, after awhile with the heat and the monotonous labor he just couldn’t help but wonder what else he might be doing in some other life……….

Breastplate shining he faced the beast. “I am afraid of nothing. Not even you, Dragon”


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“I am sorry Astra, but I have made my decision.” Her father spoke calmly, not caring that he was destroying her dreams. “A foreign prince has asked for your hand, my dear and you must be trained as a proper lady. Not spending your days holding bat guano or playing with village boys.” He leaned forward to emphasize his point. “Don’t you see, dear? You could be royalty.”

“But I don’t want to be royalty. You said if I showed improvement I could continue my classes. I did show improvement. I can cast a spell! I thought your word was your bond.” She didn’t think she could change his mind but she had to try.

Her eyes welled up with tears as he shook his head.

“I am sorry, my dear but I have already agreed. Upon your sixteenth birthday you will be sent to marry a prince. That is final and no amount of crying is going to change it. The paper’s have been signed and it has been agreed upon. I have given my word to the lad’s father and you will not make a liar or a deal breaker out of me. Besides, you can make a little light. What use is that in a real life? None, I say. After all this time, a little light? No, you are much better served as a princess than a mage. Now, if you want to pout you may take supper in your rooms. I will understand.”
He smiled and added one last thing, as though this would make it all alright.
“You may keep your magic things and study in your spare time if you like. You just can not take up your whole day with it anymore.”

Astra fled her father’s office and ran down the hallways of her large home, not caring if she looked less than lady-like or who she might run into. She fled to her room where she opened her wardrobe and, in a fury, tossed all her fine dresses into a pile on the floor. Grabbing hold of the lace and embroidery she gave a mighty pull and pearls went flying every where as the seams gave way. Grabbing another she yanked on the velvet of this dress but it was stronger than the lace of the other and would not tear.

Going to her desk, she withdrew the dagger she was only supposed to use to cut herbs and sliced into the purple velvet of the dress, leaving its thick skirts in tatters. Dress after dress fell to her fury. She had never felt so betrayed in her life. Trade her away like a barrel of ale, will he? Well, she will make sure it isn’t worth the trade, since it is all agreed upon already.

Tears streaming down her face, she destroyed her entire wardrobe of dresses. Everything she had to wear except her apprentice robes, there were two of them, and her riding clothes she wore when her father took her hunting once. These she tossed under her bed in hopes he wouldn’t notice they had been spared her fury and taken them away.

Then, looking at the devastation she had wrought she burst into real sobs and threw herself down on the bed. Utterly exhausted by her outburst, she lay there until her sobs were quieted by the blissful relief of sleep.

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Cast of Today’s Episode

Hekter as Hekter the Focused Farmer?
Astra Kat G as Lady Astra