Jacob’s heart dropped. He had fucked up. Elaria had warned him over and over not to let his emotions get the better of him, but he just had to go and be a loud idiot, like always. He could see the terror on his father’s face as the knights grabbed his kicking and screaming mother from the crowd. He turned to see Elaria looking distraught, hugged tightly in her father’s embrace, and his heart sank. An armoured boot smashed into his nose, twisting his head back to face Sir Faust.
“Well, just what kind of punishment is right for a pair of shoddy parents who raised a rude and ignorant beast of a son,” mused the grinning lord from atop his struggling horse.
He took a moment to think, basking in the sounds of the family pleading and crying. The rest of the villagers could only watch, silently praying for the family, and hoping they wouldn’t be dragged into some kind of collective punishment alongside them. The spectacled official who had accompanied Sir Faust had been watching the entire scene play out like some kind of macabre play, with a neutral expression on his face, his mousey eyes not giving away a hint of emotion.
“Knights, beat the little shit until he is an inch away from death, and make sure his foolish parents watch every moment. This is the price for ignorance and hubris,” he ordered.
Jacob’s parents cried out, but were unable to help their child, each of them restrained by one of the knights as the other six surrounded the boy, hauling him to his feet. The first punch hammered into his gut once more, and he doubled over in pain. He could barely stand, but the knights were holding his arms, preventing him from falling to the ground as the next hit came. Blow after blow rained on his meagre frame and before long he was more bruise than boy. They finally let him drop onto the dirt, but it was far from over. The first knight raised his foot and stomped it down onto Jacob’s shin, and a loud crack rang through the street, causing Elaria to wince and turn away, tears flowing from her eyes. She wanted to run over and help him, to blow those twisted knights and their disgusting master to pieces, tear them apart for their crimes, but she was weak, despairingly so.
What was the point of a second life, of her supposed gift that Zel had given her, if she was unable to protect those she cherished. The brutal beating came to an end, all that was left of Jacob was a bloodsoaked, quivering heap on the floor, just barely alive, wheezing haggard breaths and struggling to stay conscious. His parents were a mess, tears flowing down their face and snot hanging from their noses, their desperate pleas to leave their son alone having fallen on deaf ears. Sir Faust just looked at the battered child and flashed a hideous grin, yellowing teeth on full display.
“Let that be a lesson for any of you filthy peasant trash who have problems with me. It’s only by our protection that you get to live your boring, miserable lives, and don’t you ever forget it,” he shouted, before turning to the boy’s parents before him. “As for the two of you, for raising such a moronic and stupid son, there is only one punishment that fits the crime. Knights, behead these fools.”
The two knights restraining the sobbing couple shoved them down to the ground, revealing their necks. In their final moments, they could only hope that their child would survive and live on, even though the chance of that was ridiculously slim with the wounds he had suffered. Two swords glinted in the torchlight as they cut an arc through the air, spraying blood across the dirt and sending two heads rolling. Jacob tried to scream, but barely a sound came out, and it was only through pure rage and willpower that he was still conscious.
Sir Faust cackled hideously as he ordered his men to depart, a few villagers being conscripted to bring the livestock and carts along with them, still traumatised from witnessing their neighbours’ brutal death. Once his entourage had left, Elaria rushed over to Jacob, checking his pulse to see if he was still alive, and screaming for the doctor.
“Don’t die on me Jacob, if you leave me alone here I’ll never forgive you. How am I supposed to pass the time in this backwater place without our adventures,” she whispered, caressing his limp body in her arms, tears falling onto his face from hers.
– – –
Elaria never really healed from the events of that fateful summer’s day. Perhaps through some miracle, Jacob had survived, making a full recovery with only some nasty scars and deep mental trauma to show for it. He had never been the same since. The once cheerful, mischievous boy became quiet and cold, distancing himself from the rest of the village. Elaria had sought him out a few times, in a desperate attempt to rekindle the bond they had once shared, but it was as if he had forgotten about their friendship, pushing her away each time. She could barely find the energy to get up in the morning. Her parents did their best to comfort her and lift her spirits, but it had little effect. Life couldn’t get much worse. Then, like the harsh and unforgiving mistress that she was, the creeping grasp of winter began to take hold of the world.
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The storehouses of Reissdown Village had barely been full enough to last them through the winter this year, and that was before they had lost a large portion of it to the extra tax imposed by the Baron. The community did their best to share what little they had amongst each family, so that no one would starve, but there wasn’t enough to go round. Parents went without food to ensure their children could eat, and as their bodies grew weaker, the insidious tendrils of plague wormed their way in. It was one of the coldest winters they had endured for the past few generations, and without proper rations, there was little hope of making it through to spring for many of the population. Less than half of the original villagers were there to see the first blooms of the new year, and the once happy and thriving place was now bleak and lifeless.
Elaria’s mother, Vera, had fallen victim to pneumonia a month into the winter, and for the already bitterly depressed girl, it was more than she could take. It was only due to her father’s care and attention that she managed to keep up the facade of existence, getting up only to eat breakfast, and only some days managing to wash herself. Somehow, her second life was even shittier than her pathetic death. One morning, as the first light of dawn teased through the gaps in the curtains, there was a knock at the door.
Her father, who had been preparing breakfast for the two of them, opened it and was surprised to see Jacob standing there, looking much different than his recent cold persona. He wore a fiercely determined expression, and greeted Darius cordially, before entering their home. He sighed when he saw Elaria curled up under her blankets, staring blankly at him. She was actually rather pleased to see him, but wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that after how he’d been treating her the past few months. He sat down on her bed beside her, and in a shocking turn of events, pulled her into a tight hug, whispering into her ear,
“I’m sorry, little Elaria. I’ve not been myself. I’m planning to leave Reissdown village, and head for the capital, to join the adventurer’s guild. In this world, you’re nothing if you don’t have the strength to stand up for your ideals, and the guild is the quickest way for a peasant nobody like me to climb my way up. Tomorrow is my tenth birthday, and that means I’ll be having my birthing ceremony. It’s supposed to be a personal ritual, but you’re the person I trust most in this world, and I want you to be there to watch me. I won’t force you, but it would mean a lot if you were the one to send me on my way.”
She had frozen at first, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, but her true feelings had prevailed, and she leaned into his warm chest. She had missed this Jacob, the kind hearted boy she’d grown up alongside all these years. They stayed like that for a long time, just basking in the warmth and comfort of each other, letting all their feelings melt away. Darius smiled for the first time since the death of his wife, seeing his daughter so happy was like medicine for his soul. When they finally separated, he coughed, letting them know that breakfast was ready. They all sat around the aged wooden dining table. Darius placed two large bowls of soup in front of the children, and tore a loaf of bread in half, giving them a piece each.
“Eat up, especially you Jacob, you look like you haven’t had a bite in days. I know you’ve been through hell, but your parents wouldn’t want you to let yourself waste away. You’ll need strength for your birthing ceremony.”
Jacob accepted the bread gracefully, and tucked in, rapidly shoving spoonfuls of soup into his mouth and only taking breaks to scoff chunks of bread, he was like a ravenous wolf tearing apart a fresh kill. Elaria couldn’t help but laugh, and he slowed down a little, looking sheepish. The rest of the meal passed merrily, with the both of them relishing in each other’s company once more, wondering why they had ever been so cold and distant. Jacob left after the hearty meal, thanking Darius profusely for the generous hospitality. Elaria saw him out, and as he was walking away, suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back.
“I want to be there,” she said, “tomorrow I mean. For your birthing ceremony. I don’t want you to leave though, can’t you stay? At least until I turn ten, then maybe we can set out together, another adventure.”
She stumbled over her words as she spoke, struggling to say what she really wanted to. That these few months had been the worst of her life so far. How much she wanted to leave everything behind and go with him. He looked conflicted, staring deeply into her eyes. In the end, he pulled away, smiling wistfully.
“I’m glad you want to be there, Elaria. It means a lot to me. Come to the grove where we first met at sunrise, I’ll be waiting. My mind is made, as much as I would love to keep you company until you come of age, I cannot delay this. Reissdown Village only holds painful memories for me now.”
She watched him go, a solitary tear rolling down her cheek, tinted red by the chill of the gentle spring breeze, only going back inside once her hands were beginning to freeze.
“The birthing ceremony, huh. I remember Zel mentioning it in that message I received when I was dropped here. The ritual between you and the Chain, upon the day of your tenth birthday, when you are marked as an adult by the world, and receive your personal ability from the Chain. Perhaps I will find out more about why I was brought here when I come of age.”
The next morning, she rose early and rushed to the forest, ambling through the trees and reminiscing about all the time the two of them had spent playing in these woods. It didn’t take her long to reach the grove, and as promised, Jacob was sitting underneath the very tree he had jumped out on her from when they first met. He opened his eyes when he sensed her approach, and smiled warmly.
“Are you ready for this, little Elaria?”
“I should ask you the same thing,” she retorted.