Chapter One

Jessica and her twin brother, Jeremiah, couldn’t stop talking about the demonstration of the riders they had seen during school earlier that day. Their secondary education was coming to an end and it was time to venture out. “What do you want to do with the rest of your lives?” seemed to be the question of the year. They both didn’t have a clue until today. They wanted to be riders!

“Mom and dad will be so excited,” exclaimed Jessica excitedly.

“You think so,” said her brother, a little more skeptical about what their parents thought about their career choice.

“I think so,” she said with a little shrug, sounding more hopeful than sure. “At least we both have something to work toward. They should be proud of us!”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Proud or not Jeremiah,” she said more seriously, “I’m doing this. I want to be a rider and I believe I have what it takes. I believe we have what it takes.”

“Not doubting you sister, it’d just be nice to have our parents’ blessing. That’s all.”

****

“You want to do what?!” cried out Victor, their father, as their mother dropped her fork against her plate. The chime echoed in their ears painfully.

“Absolutely not,” croaked out their mother as she shook her auburn head vigorously.

Jessica sighed. This was not the reaction she was hoping for. Jeremiah sank slightly in his chair shoving another bite of roasted pheasant in his mouth and looked away. Samuel, a younger brother, looked stunned. “Why not!” she bursted out in dismay as the room suddenly grew warm as the realization came that she might not be allowed.

“Let’s start with it’s not safe young lady,” said her father. “We are farmers. We should keep our feet on the ground where we can do our jobs properly!”

“And it is improper for a lady to go riding those large feathered beast,” said Jean, their mother.

Jessica rolled her eyes at both her parents excuses. “No dad, you’re a farmer. If you had your way I’d cook with mother all day and make clothes and frankly, I feel I was born to do more than just be trapped in a house all day. I want to see the world! I want to make a difference.”

Her mother grew silent at that as her father place his hands on the table and looked at her sternly. “If you leave this house to be a rider, don’t come back. We raised you to be a proper lady to one day marry a fine husband, not to throw it all away to become a soldier where you can die very easily.”

Jessica glanced at her twin brother for help but his shocked expression at their father’s threat dampened his spirits of the whole situation. She lowered her head looking away and stared at her food. Shock at her father’s words. Would he really disown her just because of her career choice? She was only seventeen and marriage was the farthest thing on her mind right now.

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“Papa,” tried Jeremiah after his swallowed his food hoping it wouldn’t be the last bite of the night as he dared to open his mouth. Samuel gave him a cautious look. “We - we really want to do this. We want to make a difference and I believe we’re capable. We want to make you proud. We have two more years for higher schooling. In those two years we have to take the required studies in our chosen career paths before we can even be accepted into the Arch Academy. At least give us those two years to prove ourselves,” he said with hope in his voice as he kept his tone at a respectable level.

Jessica kept her eyes down on her plate but a feeling of hope rose within her.

“If you want to spend your two years of education on this then fine, but my decision still stands,” he said firmly then got up and walked away from the table in brooding silence.

Jeremiah swallowed glancing at his sister and shrugged slightly as if to say he tried. Jessica looked at him and gave him a sad small smile. “May I be excused mother,” she said quietly.

“Sure,” came her answer. Her eyes glistened as they held back the tears.

Jessica’s heart fell as she saw her mother’s eyes. Tears almost came to her own eyes but she took a deep breath holding them back, stood up taking her dishes to the sink and went to her room.

Jeremiah tried to take another bite of his food but seemed to have suddenly lost his appetite. Samuel just lowered his head and ate in silence. Jeremiah also asked to be excused. He cleared his plate off, giving the scraps to the dogs outside and returned to help his mother clean the kitchen saying nothing. He wasn’t sure what to say.

Jean remained quiet. She herself brooding in her silence as they scrubbed the dishes clean, silently accepting her son’s help. Samuel quietly cleared the table.

****

Jessica was in her room, sitting on her bed thinking. How could her father do this? She thought he’d be more excited for her. More understanding. Making a life for herself and not being doted on by a man to take care of her. She’d always been more independent, adventurous and loved the outdoors than an average young woman. She looked up and out her window. The blue skies grew dim as the sun started to set. A small red tailed hawk glided in the distance looking for field mice before calling it a night. Seeing it made her heart ache more. I have to do this. I’ll show him I can she thought to herself as she got up and grabbed her pack. She started packing.

While packing, Samuel walked passed her room to work on his homework and saw her. His heart jumped to his throat. She was going to leave? He quickly turned back and headed to where his mother was working on her knitting. Jeremiah and Victor were outside now doing the evening chores. “Mother,” he said coming to her side. His eyes wide with worry. “Jessica’s leaving.”

Jean quickly put her knitting down, straightening her skirt as she stood. “Go do your homework,” she said kindly as she headed toward Jessica’s room. Peering inside seeing that she was indeed packing. “I suppose this shouldn’t hurt me as you’ve always been a stubborn girl,” she said.

Jessica jumped at hearing her mother’s voice and turned toward her. Her arms were filled with clothes. Her face fell in despair. She then slowly placed them on the bed with her other clothes and started to flatten them out before putting them into a bundle to put into the pack. Tears brimmed her eyes as she looked down at her clothes. “Believe me mom, I don’t want to leave but I need to do this. This isn’t at all the outcome I thought father would take.”

“It goes to prove how well you’ve paid attention. We’ve always wanted a simple life for you. We didn’t want a military life for you. That’s what that is Jessica. It’s not at all glamorous as they make it out to be. Your father and I are old enough to remember what it brought for this country. That’s not what we wanted for you, love,” said her mother.

Jessica sat on her bed in despair. “Jeremiah and I are supposed to choose careers. It’s been pounded in our heads for the last three years from school and the two of you. I don’t want to be a farmer’s wife. I don’t want to be stuck in the house all day doing cooking and making clothes mom,” she said looking up at her with tears in her eyes threatening to fall. “I’m not even ready to be married!” she added with a frustrated wave of her hand. “I want to do something with my life. Make a name for myself. I finally want to do something, and because it’s looked down upon by the two of you, I’m being disowned! I’m surprised really. I had no idea you two disliked the great ones and what they stood for this much. There is a great honor to be a rider! I want to bring that honor to this family.”

Jean nodded her head in understanding. “Very well, daughter, if you want to go, then go live your dreams, however, I cannot promise immediate forgiveness from him. And, if you can go and not embarrass us then you have my blessing.”

Jessica looked at her as if studying her face for a moment wondering if she was serious. A look of excitement slowly came to her face. She stood up holding her hands together tightly in hope. “Really?!” she questioned excitedly. “So I can stay and continue my education here?” She mentally crossed her fingers in hope.

Her mother looked down soberly. “That, you will have to discuss with your father, but, I will speak to him first,” she said.

Jessica threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “Oh thank you mother,” she exclaimed as if she knew she’d change fathers mind.