"Galivan! It's time for breakfast. We need to leave before sunrise else we arrive too late for testing!" Galivan's father shouted from the cramped kitchen in the direction of the sleeping room. The entire house consisted of only four rooms: the sleeping room, storage room, kitchen and library.
With a loud yawn, a barely clad Galivan shuffled out from the sleeping room carrying his formal clothes. He neatly set them on the floor in the small hallway before accepting the plate of rice and eggs from his father. In a daze, he hurriedly ate the meal before placing the plate on the small table and excusing himself to prepare for the trip.
As he departed towards the town's communal bath house, his father and his mother cleaned the clutter from the table and spoke to each other about the coming trip.
"Are you certain you can't come along, honey? The trip will take half the day, and if he is accepted into Jackal Academy, another day to the campus. I know you need to teach the other young ones, but this is the only chance for Galivan to take the Aptitude Test. You know how important it is!" His father tried, yet again, to convince his wife to attend the testing. He already knew her stubborn nature would persist, but his own forced him to ask anyway.
"You have asked me more times than I remember, and you know how I feel about this. Our town depends on us to teach the children who can't join the army. These past few years, we have had more and more born with poor physical foundations. If I were to skip even one day, that may be the day Nomin gets his way and puts them into remedial physical training. You know as well as I do that half of them would die." She knew her husband had good intentions, but she was all too aware of Nomin's stance towards the town's school children.
"Of course, you're right, honey. I knew you were before I even asked, but you know it's Galivan's chance! Don't be upset with me." He gave her a roguish grin to indicate he wasn't upset with her refusal and had brought it up knowing she wouldn't change her mind. She harrumphed and gave him a playful swat before handing him the parcel of books Galivan was currently capable of completing and the lunch for both of them on their trip.
Accepting the parcel, he kissed her cheek and turned to leave. Passing through the small hallway, he paused at the front door and remarked over his shoulder, "Don't worry, honey. He'll pass and I'm sure he'll be the best student in the history of Jackal Academy!"
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Sparing no more time, he stepped through the open door, closing it behind him, and made his way to the baths to collect Galivan. Together, they made their way to the north road and stopped at the little house on the edge of town. Knocking once, Galivan's father opened the door himself.
"You damn buffoon! Who enters someone else's house before the sun has even risen!" A man shouted from the bed in the single room house as he stood up, barely clad. With a look of fury on his face, he quickly approached the pair that had entered without his blessing.
"What? You mean to say you forgot your little nephew was taking his Aptitude Test, today? Some godfather you are. Father would box your ears, you buffoon!" Galivan's father made a point to return the same words back on his brother alongside a pantomime of his waking fury.
"That's today! You should have said so!" Galivan's uncle immediately grabbed his robe and sandals before motioning for the pair to lead the way. He was obviously under dressed, so Galivan's father crossed his arms and stood as still as stone.
"Urgh. Fine. Give me a few moments to prepare. I'll make myself presentable for your sake." His uncle retrieved some formal wear from a trunk in the corner and made his way quickly to the public baths. After he was out of sight, Galivan and his father spared no time before setting off towards the north.
"Father, Mother only gave us two meals for lunch. What about uncle?" Galivan was used to his uncle's lazy attitude, but he was well respected in the town because of his ability as a warrior. For the small town to have a 5th ranked warrior was a point of pride. Despite this respect and deference, Galivan's parents enjoyed needling him when they got the chance. This included assigning him the honor of living in the most northern house in the town, despite most other houses in town having three or four rooms. His uncle, though, took it all as good fun and loved his brothers family as his own.
"I suppose your uncle will smile and feign amazement and appreciation towards your mother anticipating his fast today." As the pair slowly traveled north, their laughter faded into silence and from behind an exasperated call of "Wait for me!" caused them to double over once more.