The heat of the summer sun surrounded me as I sat on a fence post behind the cottage. My long blonde hair, even when braided back, clung and stuck to my skin. I cannot remember what it felt like to not always be sticky and sweaty from the heat. Maybe I had made up the idea of dry skin and clothes altogether. Maybe I had created this idea from staring out at the bone dry fields of dirt that used to be plentiful with crops or from visiting the dried up creek bed nearby with my brother. Not a drop of moisture there or in the dirt anywhere as far as I had seen.

My parents have grown more and more restless each day. My brother, Auden, and I have been entertaining ourselves by leveling up our base skills. Your class slot is unlocked at level 5 and Auden is almost there. He reached level 4 right after his 12th birthday, almost 3 years ago. Most people reach level 5 around ages 16 or 17, unless you come from a rich family who can afford teachers. Those kids reach level 5 as early as 14!

I just reached level 4 yesterday, a week before my 12th birthday. Auden didn't seem impressed though, he said I had an advantage since I had him to guide me. We were down by the dry creek bed practicing our jumping. I had hoped the water would be back so we could practice our swimming instead. After two hours of jumping across the dried creek bed with stamina rests in-between-

General Skill [Jump] Level Up!

[Jump - Lvl. 1] -> [Jump - Lvl. 2]!

Experience Earned for General Skill Level up!

Class[Child] Level Up!

[Child - Lvl. 3] -> [Child - Lvl.4]!

When I raised my arms and jumped toward the sky, Auden sighed and stood up from where he was resting. His last General Skill Level Up was 4 months ago.

Maybe he will be ready to try again today! I should go find him. Right before I hopped off of the fence post, I turned my head toward the sound of hooves running and kicking up against the dry dirt road. A cloud of dust lingered in the air behind two horses suited with a well dressed man and a man in all armor. They rode towards the front of the cottage and I paused on the fence post, puzzled. The well dressed man looked too wealthy for these parts. No one with that kind of fortune ever ventured this far from the castle. Now I should really find Auden and tell him what I saw!

I hopped off the fence post and started to circle to cottage toward the front door but stopped just as I reached the the front portion of our yard. The two men on horses had come to a rest, several feet from our front door, and the wealthy one was conversing with my father who was smiling for the first time in months. My mother stood next to him, a blank look on her face as she looked everywhere but at the men. As she was looking around her eyes met mine and she squared her shoulders while waving for me to join them. She wasn't usually this tense, but I first noticed the blank look she bore about a week ago. Actually she had been quite odd lately, avoiding eye contact with me since then until this moment.

I hesitantly walked to my mother's side, keeping my eyes on the two men. I used inspection on the closest man, dressed in a full suit of armor, as soon as I was in range.

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Class [ Knight Lvl. 34]

My eyes widened in response before I reached my mother's side. I turned and used inspection on the second more wealthy man.

Class [Scholar Lvl. 21] Title [Duke]

I stared at the words above the man's head for a moment, lost in thought. Title? I had never seen that word before when using inspection. All of the people I had ever met only had a Class. Even animals were labeled as a class. And I had most certainly never inspected something or someone that had more than one category listed. Title. [Duke]? What was a [Duke]? Maybe his name was Duke. Could I display my name as Title too? Maybe it was a skill only [Scholar]s could unlock. Maybe he used some of his large fortune to buy a trinket that could change your inspection display. Was that possible?

My mother nudged my shoulder with her elbow while clearing her throat and I realized I hadn't paid attention to anything that was said. I looked quickly between the faces of both my parents and the two men in front of me unsure of who I had unintentionally ignored. Duke smiled down at me from his horse and waved his hand around to get my attention. "Edith, is it? I am more than pleased to finally meet you! My name is Jodocus, Royal [Duke] of Westray. I assume your parents have told you all about me." We both turned to look at my parents who were now both avoiding eye contact with me, then back at each other. Jodocus, not Duke. He WAS a [Duke]. A Royal [Duke]…what was a [Duke]? If he was Royal then he must be from the castle with the rest of the Royals like the King and Queen. But Kings are supposed to be old and withered away aren't they? This man was young, he didn't look much older than my brother except perhaps with more pronounced features. How had he leveled up so fast?! Did being a [Duke] increase experience generation?

"N-no, I don't think so." I stammered quietly.

A look of annoyance flashed across his face but he continued to smile down at me. "One of my scouts spotted you in town recently with your family. And let me just say, as detailed as he was, he could have never done you justice. You really are, truly, breathtaking. How do you manage to keep your skin so perfect and spotless in a shabby pig pen like this?" He laughed and waived his hand in the direction of our cottage. I didn't know how to respond so I stared down at my shoes. A hole in the right one stared back at me by my small toe. These used to be Auden's shoes. He had a charming aura about him and he had complimented me. Was his remark about my home the reason something inside me was clawing desperately at my insides, pleading for me to run away from him? Why was I frozen in place instead?

When he realized I wasn't going to respond he gestured toward my father and continued. "As I was saying, one of my scouts spotted you in town and I knew I had to have you! You were just what I had pictured when I imagined the woman who would be standing next to me at my side. Well…you will be soon enough after some proper training and…bathing." His smile did not hide the disgust in his voice at the end of that sentence. "I quickly arranged a messenger between your father and I and negotiated a price. I am here to see you with my own eyes to complete our transaction. Actually, I think we are done here now."

He snapped his fingers twice in the air and the [Knight] on the horse next to him tossed a small coin pouch at my father. My father quickly pocketed the pouch into his inventory and walked toward me as my mother turned away from us and marched into our cottage. Father didn't make eye contact with me as he grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me up onto the front of the horse the [Knight] rode. I let out a small yelp of surprise as I was lifted into the air, but said nothing. The [Knight] repositioned the reigns to the horse so that his large shiny arms were on either side of me. The [Duke] had negotiated a price with my father. My father who couldn't look at me. My mother seemed a part of it. As our horses turned to leave, I finally spotted Auden, leaning on the other corner of the house, a crooked grin on his face.