Jeanne stood before the winding road leading up to her family’s homestead. She felt the urge to pace across the width of the road, trying to weigh the risk of coming up to the front steps. The wind blew from behind her with some strength. As if the wyrding hand compelled her forward to this destiny.

The light green stalks of wheat slowly moved back and forth as she moved down the path. The swishing noise sounding similar to soft ocean waves washing over the sand. In her youth this would soothe her fire and bring her unrivaled tranquility. Now it had the same weight of a drum roll as a prisoner marching to their execution.

On the other side was a collection of farm animals. Pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, all running about to their business, each one kept in a section partitioned off with a barrier made from random branches and bits of fallen parts of trees from the woods a distance away. The path before her was lined with fences made of wattled patterned woven to keep the animals from roaming into the wilds.

She remembered watching her father and grandfather put these fences together when she was a little girl. It was impossible for her to keep from smiling as she recalled helping them by grabbing the branches and handing it to them as they moved further down the path. Minor as it was, they acted as if she was performing a monumental task. Jeanne touched the top of one of the fence posts, wondering what it would say if it could speak. Perhaps it would great her as an old friend, perhaps send her off like a scoundrel into the night?

She looked back to farmhouse. Standing off in the distance with the barn and other smaller dwellings for animals to her right. The feeling of apprehension and running into the shadowed veil of the forest and never be heard from again. But despite her wanting, she knew this would still be hounding her until the end of her days.

Even with no one around her, she couldn’t keep her eyes on one spot. She hated this feeling of uncertainty. When advancing into a battle, there was some semblance of control. Even the excitement of that unknown filled her heart with delight and zeal. This was an entirely different matter. At with in a fight she could hit back at what was in her way. The thought of harming her parents in any capacity gave her chills.

Nearing the final stretch of the path, she could hear faint voices from within. Sweat beaded on her brow and some of her clothes matted on her skin. Her lower lip trembled as she stepped to the door. Her hand shook as she lifted it to the door and closing her eyes before knocking on the door.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The voices inside were quiet as Jeanne knocked. Short footsteps from the inside drew closer, Jeanne began breathing heavy, and she forced herself not to wince as the door calmly swung open. A woman peered her head from the other side. She was around Sabine would have been. She looked Jeanne for a moment before saying, “Can I help you?”

Jeanne chuckled nervously for a moment before she said, “Hello there, I was passing by and I wasn’t certain where exactly I was.”

“Oh, where are you trying to get?” the woman asked, stepping out a little bit more from behind the door.

“The village of Teeg-Upon-Avon.”

“Oh,” the woman said with some enthusiasm and pointing down the road. “You’re not that far as a matter of fact. Just a few more miles down the road that way and you’ll see the outskirts before you know it.”

“Thank you,” Jeanne replied. “We’ll I’ll just –”

A man came out from behind the door, placing his hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Is everything all right, Estelle?” the man asked.

The expression of Jeanne’s face dropped as spotted the man’s face. The man seeing her and instantly recognizing her. “J-Jeanne!”

Jeanne took a half step back as the man stepped from the door towards her.

“Jeanne, it’s me. Thom!”

“Been a while, Thom,” she said.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, in all places.”

“It’s kind of a long story.”

The woman turned to Thom. “Wait, is this … is this her?”

Thom nodded emphatically. “This is her!”

“I really should be going,” Jeanne said, taking another step back.

“Please,” Thom insisted, putting his hand on her shoulder. “You must be famished, we could at least give you something to eat.”

Before either could speak the creak of a bowstring being pulled caught their attention. Turning, Jeanne saw Maeryn with an arrow notched and trained to Thom. Silvius stood next to her with a crossbow readied to fire. Jeanne turned to find the others emerging from the wheatfield and moving to the farmhouse.

“Everyone, stop!” Jeanne barked.

The Wolves stopped with Maeryn responding in a slow and menacing voice, “Let her go.”

Jeanne turned to Thom. “I would not test them, Thom, please,” she said to him.

He released his grip. “Are – are you planning to rob us?”

“No, but maybe avoid sudden actions in front of them.”

“Fair enough,” Thom said, both him and Jeanne turning back to see his wife and young son and daughter looking out, worried, on the other side of the door.

“And what exactly are you ding on my family’s farmstead?” Jeanne asked.

“I think it might be wise to take this conversation inside,” he said, still looking at the rest of The Wolves with concern.