Roskva awoke to Pumpkin, the dog stirring and sniffing at her hands. Roskva’s eyes opened and Pumpkin started barking fearfully.

“Whazit?” Friovin sat up from his sleep. “Pumpkin!?” He looked around and saw his dog barking at the now wide awake Roskva and waking the horses.

“Pumpkin! No! Bad dog!” He stumbled out of bed and grabbed her collar. “I am so sorry if she woke you. I don’t know what got into her.”

“That’s okay, I’m not bothered by it.” Roskva said with a smile. “Time to wake up and start the day anyway!”

“Nice to see someone so cheerful this early in the morning.” Friovin yawned, letting go of Pumpkin’s collar and letting her go. Pumpkin sneezed in Roskva’s direction and went off to do whatever else dogs did. Roskva shook off the hay and stomped into her boots.

“Let’s get these animals fed and watered!” Roskva said and went off to begin the work.

“All right… I’ll get breakfast going.” Friovin said, sliding into his coat and rolling up the sleeves.

“All right!” Roskva cheered as she scooped out the feed for the horses.

“Man, you really are a morning person.” Friovin said as he built the fire back up. “Couldn’t be me, I’d much rather have gotten a few more hours.” He yawned and stretched while Pumpkin came plodding back into the stable.

Roskva fed and watered the horses while Friovin woke up and made a vegan batter for hotcakes. The smell made Roskva’s mouth water and when she finally sat down to the breakfast of black coffee and fresh hotcakes she was as hungry as the horses were. Not even cutting the cakes before shoving them into her mouth.

“Have you ever eaten before?!” Friovin laughed. “You eat every meal like it’s your last.”

“Or first!” Roskva laughed. Sipping the coffee for the first time and grimacing.

“Not big on coffee?” Friovin asked, laughing at her reaction.

“Guess not,” she said. Putting the cup down. “I've never had it before. Aneira makes tea for them and cocoa for me.”

“Really? So they kinda treat you like a child?” Friovin asked consolingly.

“What do you mean?” Roskva asked, putting the cup of coffee down and focusing on the hot cakes instead.

“Well, I don’t know anything. But it sounds like they order you around and treat you like you’re a little kid.” Friovin said. “I mean, maybe I’m wrong. I don’t want to cause problems for you and your sibling.” Roskva laughed.

“Oh I don’t think so.” Roskva said, but the thought planted in her head wasn’t so easy to brush off.

“Good morning,” Mr. Midgley called as he entered the stable. “Ah good, you’re awake.”

“Morning!” Roskva waved, “Are we getting ready to leave?”

“Just about, the family’s having breakfast and I was coming to make sure you didn’t miss it.” Mr. Midgley leaned against the stable wall. “But it looks like you’ve already made friends.”

“Yup, got it covered!” Roskva held up her plate proudly. “And Jelly’s been fed too.”

“Good, looks like you got everything under control here. I’m going to have breakfast myself and then we’re gonna get back on the road.” Mr. Midgley said and gave a polite nod to Friovin who nodded back. Then Mr. Midgley left.

“Well, suppose that means after this we should get Jelly ready for travel.” Roskva said, shoving the hot cakes into her face faster.

“Whoa, whoa. There’s no rush.” Friovin said, calming her down. “Your family is still eating breakfast, you have time.”

“I guess.” Roskva shrugged. Holding out a piece of breakfast for Pumpkin who was still staring at her with a suspicious look. The dog slowly approached and took the bite of food and retreated to behind Friovin.

“Pumpkin? What’s wrong with you?” He asked. “What’s gotten into you?”

“She doesn’t seem to like me any more.” Roskva said. “I wonder what happened while I was asleep.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“I don’t know.” Friovin said, petting and trying to soothe her. Roskva stood up and tried to approach Pumpkin but the dog didn’t let her approach. “Pumpkin! Settle down, what is the matter with you?” Roskva knelt down and held out her arms.

“It’s okay, I’m okay.” She said soothingly. Pumpkin slowly approached, looking between Roskva and Friovin but still approaching slowly. She sniffed at Roskva’s hand and gave it a tiny lick.

“See? I’m friendly, I won’t hurt you.” Roskva said coaxingly. Raising her hand around and petting the long haired dog. Pumpkin finally relented and let Roskva shower her with affection. “There we go! See? Everything’s okay.” Friovin smiled. Breakfast continued with quiet conversation which led to Roskva and Friovin feeding the horses together.

“The missus and Narisse are getting ready to head out. Can you help me get the cart ready?” Mr. Midgley asked, returning to the stable.

“Sure,” Roskva stood up and wiped off her hands. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“Oh yeah, no problem.” Friovin stood up, brushing the hay off his clothes. “Y’know if you come by this way, uh. Don’t forget to say hi.”

“I will,” Roskva promised. She and Mr. Midgley took the horse from the stall and got the cart and all the luggage back into the cart. Narisse came skipping out of the inn with her mother behind her.

“Roskva! Where were you?!” Narisse yelled when she saw Roskva in the cart waiting.

“I spent the night in the stable with Jelly.” Roskva said as Narisse climbed into the cart.

“Was it warm enough? Were you uncomfortable?” Mrs. Midgley asked while taking her seat in the cart.

“Yeah, there was a stable hand named Friovin with his dog Pumpkin.” Roskva recounted her night while Mr. Midgley drove the cart onto the road again.

“It sounds like you had a lovely night.” Mrs. Midgley said. “I’m glad. But certainly you wouldn’t want to marry a stable hand.”

“Marry?” Roskva laughed. “Me? Oh no, I’m way too young for that. And besides, Aneira isn’t marrying yet or has any prospects either. I have time.”

“Aneira certainly is setting up to be a spinster of sorts, aren’t they?” Mrs. Midgley said, turning around and hunkering down for a gossiping tone. “What do you think they’ll do when you eventually find a partner?”

“I… I don’t know.” Roskva said, thinking about the idea of leaving the farm for the first time. “I never thought about it.”

“Can they even run the farm by themselves?” Mrs. Midgley asked.

“What if they just want you to stay forever so they never let you meet anyone?” Narisse asked conspiratorially. Trying to be in on the gossip.

“Oh that’s ridiculous.” Mr. Midgley spoke up. “Aneira’s a gentle soul who’s just trying to do their best.” Roskva thought to herself as she stared at the road moving beneath the cart. Thinking through the behavior of their sibling and trying to figure out if it was malicious.

Narisse tried to keep Roskva occupied with travel songs and games but even the young girl grew bored after a time.

“I’m bored!” She whined, draping herself over the luggage in the cart.

“Well, find a way to keep yourself entertained.” Mrs. Midgley said, working on her sewing from the front seat. “Practice your sewing, or read something. There’s a thousand things to do if you only look for them.”

“I’m looking but I can’t see them.” Narisse sighed.

“Maybe you could tell a story?” Mrs. Midgley suggested.

“I don’t know any stories,” Narisse whined.

“I know one,” Roskva said slowly. Narisse sat up and looked hopefully.

“What kind of story is it?” She asked.

“I don’t remember it entirely. But it's about a prince, I think, who fell in love with a Do’laeth.” Roskva stared at the sky, trying to remember how she knew the story or even all the parts of it. “I think it was a bedtime story my parents told us when Aneira and I were kids.”

“Will you tell it?” Narisse asked, sitting up again and looking up with wide, round eyes.

“I can try. It’s been a long time since I heard it.” Roskva said sheepishly. “But I think I know the broad strokes.”

Once upon a time, there was a prince. Beloved by his people. Every day he took a long walk in the forest. Always he found the butterflies that he found so enchanting he followed them until they vanished among a vast and strange river.

Every day he spent hours looking into the river, not realizing how long he was lost in the visions the river showed him. Visions of a life he spent with a beautiful stranger.

His older brother, the King, was so confused that one day he followed his younger brother into the forest. Following him right up to the river’s edge where they both looked into the waters. The King saw only the horrible ways his brother would be lost.

Grabbing the prince, his brother returned him to the kingdom and forbade him from ever going into the forest again.

This saddened the prince so greatly, he became sick. So sick, he couldn’t get out of his bed and the river of death drew nearer and nearer. The King was so afraid of losing his brother, he begged anyone to save him. No matter the reward, it would be granted.

Then a mysterious stranger came to the palace. Cloaked in white, skin glittering like the clearest water in the summer sun. They came to the prince’s side and he recognized them at once as their true love he’d spent hours watching in the river. His illness fled as the two were reunited once again.

The King told the stranger to claim their prize. They asked for the prince, for him to come away into the forest where the two could live together forever. The King was hesitant, for he knew a Do’laeth when he saw one. But seeing how happily his baby brother was with them, he agreed. On the condition he return home for one week of every month so that they may never be truly separated.

And so, the prince and the Do’laeth left the kingdom. Going off into the forest where they lived happily ever after…