The Kingdom of Salara is ruled by the dragon Salacarn and Administrated by the Wizards’ council. In the 1200 years since its inception the dragon has ignored its human subjects, leaving the wizards’ council to rule humans. The dragon revels in its power and control, but quickly tires of the constant complaints of its subjects. Salacarn decrees that no humanoid will meet with her as a single entity. The human race, being the most numerous and divided, forms factions. The wizard c—

Corbin closed his book on the history of the factions, leaning back in the chair, a head of messy brown hair touching the back of the seat. “Ahh!” Catching himself moments away from falling after leaning too far back. “That was close,” he said.

“The history of Salarian factions by Ciphul Manius… sigh. I can’t tell if I should take this seriously, but it sounds a lot of what dad—"

“Corbin!”

“Yes Ma!” responded Corbin. He waited for a response but after five seconds knew none was incoming.

Corbin walked into the living room to see what his mother wanted. “Ma, you need me?” he asks.

Corbin’s mother walks out of the kitchen, ladle in hand, she gestures outside. “Your father is coming home, go with him to work,” she replied.

Corbin rubbed the back of his head. “Ma, why? I have to—”

“Corbin, I can’t protect you anymore, you’ve come of age and need to do something other than read books. Our family relies on the income your father brings in and sweety your books are expensive,” she said.

Corbin stared at his mother, a slightingly plump woman in her late 20’s. Her curly brown hair short, wearing an open robe with a blouse underneath. “Half those books are just faction politics; I need more time!”

“Corbin, please… boy this is important.”

“Ma, I can’t do—”

His mother approached and hugged him, while she rubbed the back of his head. “Baby, you can’t keep delaying this, you need a trade. If you don’t find anything else that interest you after all this time then your best bet is to work with your father, I am worried about your future…”

“I…yes, Ma.” Corbin turned to the door as his mother grabbed his thin shoulders.

“Change your shirt Corbin, I just got some sauce on it.” She waved the ladle to emphasize the point.

Corbin stepped outside, his shirt blowing in the wind. The wind penetrated the light fabric, a chill circling his stomach and chest. Hugging his skinny frame, he rubs his hands together while walking. He ascends a hill, looking down at his village, wooden houses line the valley. He looked out at the mothers doing the washing and the children running around playing. His mind wondered at what his life would be like.

A heavy hand grabbed Corbin’s shoulder. “Uhh….” He turned around to see his father looking at him. A man with a strong build, with a thick mustache. “Pa, you surprised me.” Corbin lowered his head, not looking his father in the eyes.

“Boy, I wish I could say I am surprised to see you out here daydreaming. You’ve wasted enough time; you will come work with me at the lumber mill,” his father said.

“But, Pa, I’m no good at stuff like that.”

“You didn’t even try!”

“I tried.” Corbin’s voice barely a whisper as he stared at his feet.

“For two days then ran to your mother’s skirt, but you’re a man now. If you want to stick your head in books, You need a trade before any guild would have you sullying their pages.”

“Pa… I will change, I promise.”

“Boy, this is not a lesson or a punishment. You’re fifteen now and need work experience before you’re ready to field a family of your own.”

“I… but Maya—”

“This is not about your sister Corbin; she has her own path and you have yours.”

Corbin’s father led him to the lumber mill and instructed him on how to secure the logs for processing. As Corbin struggled to with the ropes around the logs his father watched on and occasionally corrected him.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

“Dad, are you sure there is nothing easier I can do!” Corbin asked while struggling.

With his arms crossed and a stern look, Dalan Storm shook his head at his oldest son. “lad, this is the easiest job any unskilled hand can do.”

Corbin visibly deflated, “Dad, I am just not built for this work like you are.”

“Listen here boy! Any fool can do this job. Hard work isn’t a matter of skill or talent, it’s a matter of dedication and responsibility. You dedicate yourself to the task because people depend on you. Like your wife, children, family, or friends. That’s what it means to be a man, someone that can be depended on be strong not someone that simply possess strength.”

Corbin bowed his head and continued on with his task.

After a long day of work Corbin was finally allowed to drag himself home. Shoulders slumped he shambled up the hill before a hand pressed on his back.

“You did good today son; I know it doesn’t feel like it right now but in time you will come to appreciate this experience.”

Corbin looked up at his dad but couldn’t drum up the energy to match his smile not even for the imitation he felt that he should muster.

After getting home with the help of his father Corbin went straight to bed, in fact it was one of the only nights of dreamless sleep that he could remember. He woke up in a puddle of his own drool.

“Aaah, wha… oh no,” he said.

Corbin dragged his sore body to the wash then got dressed. The cold stream water did not help his tired body much. He drudged his way to the living room to have dinner with his family.

At the table was his little brother Silas, his big sister Maya, His father Dalan and his mother Cintia. Corbin found an open seat and plopped himself down.

“Well whittle arms, how was your first day with dad?” asked Maya.

Corbin looked over at his sister with her long dark hair like his father and deceptively lithe frame hiding her impressive strength. “It was a joy,” he said sarcastically.

Corbin’s father and mother ate in silence while his little brother looked between him and his sister. As he reached over to grab some food from the table Corbin tried to speculate on the reason for the tense atmosphere. He knew it had something to do with his sis—

“Just look at him! He can barely handle on day, but would you give me a chance, nooo!” said Maya.

Corbin’s mother let out an exasperated sigh before addressing Maya. “Sweety don’t be mean to your brother, he is doing his best.”

“This is bullshit! I am the oldest and the strongest, I should have been your apprentice but nooo—”

“Young lady! I understand your frustration, but you and your brother have different paths,” said their father.

Maya cowed slightly, tightened her fists on the table. “This… because I am a girl, if you would just give me a chance I can show you.”

“Maya, you’re my first born and I understand your capabilities very well—”

“Then why won’t you allow me to work at the mill?” asked Maya.

“Then what Maya, what will you do after proving that you can do it?” asked their father.

“I will… huh does that mean you will give me a chance?”

“No, but that is precisely the problem, your only motivation is to prove yourself. You feel the world owes you some kind of understanding or recognition.”

Corbin could hear Maya whisper under her breathe “Not the world, just…”

“What would you do after proving it? continue working at the mill? Take my place and find a husband to support? Would you even want such a man? And what man of any respect would want the mother of his children doing such hard labor?”

The silence in the room was deafening, Maya said nothing, and Silas looked even more uncomfortable at the tense atmosphere.

“Maya sweety, I know how much you want to do what your dad does, but you have to understand that your responsibilities as a woman is no less valuable than a man’s,” said their mother.

“How was your day, Silas?” asked Corbin in an attempt to change the subject.

His brother looked over at him and smiled. “It was boring, but Blake was funny, so it was fun.”

“Yeah, I remember my school days, the faction this, faction that. Boring is the word; you can borrow my books if you want… I am not going to be—”

“Corbin, I understand that you’re too young to understand the importance of the faction or the horror we would be subjected to without it but don’t infect your brother with your cynicism,” said his father.

Corbin sighed and his brother laughed which brought a smile to his face. “Dad is today going to be as hard as yesterday?”

His father put down his spoon, intwined his fingers while resting his chin on his hands with his elbows on the table. “Boy, you do realize that you only worked half the day while doing the easiest job we have available. In fact, if a wasn’t the foreman you would already be fired for your incompetence.”

“Haha!” laughed Maya.

As the whole family joined in on the laughter Corbin couldn’t help but grimace.

“Don’t worry son, we will be taking things slow in the beginning. Things will get easier after you get used to it, you might be overwhelmed in the beginning, but you will quickly grow bored. Until then try to rest as much as you can but come prepared to work hard.”

“Okay dad…,” said Corbin.

The family finished their meal in silence. After dinner, Corbin’s father went to work, his mother cleaned up, his sister ran off to get into trouble and his brother went to school. Corbin went back to bed until his mother woke him up.

Corbin left the house still feeling slightly sore. As he crested the hill, he was almost run over by some kids slightly younger than him.

“Hey Corbin, you want to come play with us?”

Corbin thought about it and really considered it for the first time. “I can’t—”

“Yeah, yeah, we know ‘I don’t keep up with you guys or I am tired’ Lame.”

The kids ran off, and Corbin watched them go as the wind picked up. He turned around and looked into the village from the top of the hill as the kids played and laughed in his peripheral vision.

“I wish I could actually, but I guess it’s too late now,” said Corbin.

Hanging his head Corbin turned and walked down the hill to work.