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ลำดับตอนที่ #1 : Chapter I: She Who Hails from the North
6:30 AM, 13th of July, 1366.
Cedar Verdel, Aevengaard Empire.
“O’ the lord, ye who brought light upon the earth, and unto heaven.
O’ the lord, ye who are hallowed by thy name.
Amen, for thou art are within the soil and the bounty it brings.
And within thou forgiveness, ‘twas our salvation.”
The chant echoed through the chamber of the monastery as the light of dawn drove the looming darkness of the night down beyond the horizon. Outside the window, the first daylight touched the verdant foliage of the cedar forest. The wind breezed through the hills, brushing lightly against the green wavering grasslands and golden wheat fields. Sitting amidst the breathtaking landscape was the humble town of Cedar Verdel, a gem of the north, a small town at the northmost of the Aevengaard Empire. Being right next to the great wilderness and far from the raging war against the southern and eastern nations, peace always prevailed here.
“God be with you, little miss.”
An elder lady walked up to Anna just as she walked out of the church after the prayer ended.
“God be with you too, sister Bertha.”
The young women replied; her amber eyes glistering in sunlight, chestnut brown hair dancing in the summer breeze. Her porcelain white skin contrasted wither dark brown robe, complimenting her petite figure.
“Is there anything I could help?”
“Ah… yes.” The old priestess sighed. “Father Jeremiah have a matter to discuss with your father…”
Bertha paused for a moment. Her smile faded away.
“About my mother’s funeral. Is it?” The look of sadness shown on Anna’s face. “Thank you, sister Bertha. I shall let him know.”
“Anna…” Bertha said in the voice of grief. “Stay strong, may the lord have mercy on your soul…”
“… and Matthew too.”
“Thank you, sister Bertha.” Anna bowed. Parted as her eyes started tearing up, she walked her way down the road, off to her home at the outskirt of the town. The elder lady, didn’t want to prolong this topic of conversation, stood still and watched the young woman as she disappeared into the gathering crowd.
“I’m back, father.”
Anna said as she opened the door into the living room. An old man in black coat sat in his rocking chair by the window. His hair was grey, skin wrinkled, showing the signs of age. His eyes were staring upon the sky, devoid of sparks; as if something was missing, something important. The man did not utter a word in reply.
“Father.” Anna called him again. He finally noticed her being in the room and turned to face her.
“Oh, Anna.” He spoke with a hoarse voice. “Sorry, my dear. I didn’t see you there.”
Anna sighed.
“Father, father Jeremiah wishes to speak to you…” Anna stated. “…about the arrangement of the funeral.”
“I see…” Matthew said as he returns his gaze to the sky. His voice was filled with regret.
“…”
Anna gasped as if she was about to ask something, but swallowed her word instead. Matthew turned to look at his daughter. Her eyes brimming with tear, her sadness felt like a dagger stabbed him in the heart.
“Anna…” Matthew whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“…”
“I’m a doctor.” He continued. His voice was shaking and light; fragile, as if his soul was to break at the lightest touch. “My work is to save lives, yet I can’t even save someone who’re dearest to me… to you…”
“Father. Please.”
“Anna…”
Anna lunged to embrace Matthew, tear dripping from her eyes. For a moment, silence prevailed in the room once more.
“You did what you could.” Said Anna, sobbing. “So please…”
Matthew held her in his arms. He could feel every bit of remorse, every iota of pain his daughter has to bear. He felt the weight of guilt tearing at his own heart. His wife, Helen, contracted an unknown disease. Though not infectious, the symptoms took heavy tolls on her, mind and body. He tried everything he knew, every remedy, therapy, herbs; all to no avail. Helen passed away last Friday, on her own bed.
After a long moment in silence, Matthew gathered what left of his strength, wiped the tear off Anna’s face. The old man looked up to the sky one more time before closing his eye.
‘O’ the lord, I beg ye forgiveness… Whatever sin we made to deserve this pain…’
He opened his eyes, turned to his daughter, the one last precious thing he have left.
‘May ye guide her in the path that lies ahead, keep her from the grasp of the devil; for she is all that is left of my hope and dream.’
‘O’ the lord, I beg of your greatness. Amen.’
5:30 PM, 17th of July, 1366.
Hallowed Ground, Outskirt of Cedar Verdel.
A grave was dug under the shade of a lone willow atop a hill, overlooking the grassland to the east; ‘twas a beautiful scene, a place most favored by Helen before the affliction. Stood by it was a man in his 60s in white alb. The crowd, all dressed in black, started gathering to say their final goodbye to Helen Whitewillow. Some were friends of the family. Some were Mathhew’s and Helen’s clients. Some, his old comrades; veterans from once Matthew was out at the south frontier as a combat medic. The Whitewillows were well-beloved here in Cedar Verdel. Father Jeremiah’s gaze swept through the mass as Matthew and Anna Whitewillow stepped forth, standing in front of the grave. Seeing everyone gathered, he began chanting the prayer.
“O’ the lord, our father in heaven.
O’ the lord, ye who are hallowed by thy name.
We thank ye for the give of life bestowed upon our soul.
For thy forgiveness upon our sins, our trespasses.
We pray to ye, for those we love but see no longer.
Here lies the remains of fair Helen; a faithful, a devout.
We pray to ye for her. Grant to her eternal rest.
May the soul of she who departed, through thy mercy, rest in peace.”
Anna kneeled; and with a frail, shaking hand, slowly placing a bouquet of white lilies atop the coffin. Jeremiah sounded the bell signing the end of the prayer. The old priest sighed, stepping away from the willow as the men started to bury the coffin. The crowd stood and watched in grief. Matthew stood still; eyes fixated on the coffin as the soil started to cover it. Anna didn’t move; drops of tear rolled from her eyes, slid down her cheek and fell upon the coffin. Her face turned red from crying, yet she let out no sound. Silence claimed to moment, so silent one can hear to sound of wind blowing the rustling leaves of the willow.
The twilight sun dyed the sky crimson. A flock of raven flew past the lone tree. Their cry marked the departure of the last daylight. The crowd started to disperse. Some sat down next to the grave, placing flowers and saying their last goodbye. Some came to Anna and Matthew, offering their empathy, comforting words in this time of loss.
‘Twas not so long till the night came. The blanket of stars covered the sunless sky. The songs of the fowls had ceased. People had gone back to their home. Though it was summer, Anna felt like the breeze of the night was so bone-shattering cold. Matthew took her hand as Jeremiah walked up to them.
“You two should go home too.” Said the old priest. “Night has fallen. Staying here would just get you ill.”
Anna slowly wiped off her tear with both hands.
“Thank you, father Jeremiah.” Matthew said with a shaken voice. “At least, she can rest in peace now.”
“She is with the lord now, in the promised land. May you worry not.” Jeremiah replied. “Go now. You’ve been through enough. You two deserve some rest.”
“Thank you, father. I’m grateful” Anna uttered.
Jeremiah looked at the young women. Face’s red from crying, dirt was all over her hands and knees, eye’s puffy and red.
“Oh, Anna…” The priest sighed. “May time and mercy of the lord wash away your pain.”
“…”
Jeremiah nodded to Matthew, signaling that he should take her away already.
“Come on now.” Matthew said. “Let’s go home.”
“…”
“Anna…”
“…”
“Father, can I ask for something?” Anna, slowly, looked up to her father’s face.
In that moment, Matthew swore, despite the feeling of remorse and despair that hung in the air, he saw a spark in her eyes; a determination, a sign of hope.
“What shall it be?”
“I…”
2:00 PM, 9th of August, 1366.
Barkston Road, North of Lindenvale, Aevengaard Empire.
A carriage rode through the forest. The foliage turned dark green as the end of summer drew near, providing a decent shade to hide from the heat of the afternoon sunlight. Inside the carriage, a young maiden dressed in white. Her chestnut brown hair danced in the wind coming through the window. A pair of beautiful amber eyes peered into the distance; to the path where the carriage would emerge from the forest. Lies ahead, sitting by the foot of Mt. Arda was the capital city of Lindenvale, the heart of Aevengaard. Behind the stone walls were buildings, stone and wooden, surrounding the grand palace. Merchants and travelers roamed the roads leading to the city gates; be it pedestrians, on horseback or carriages.
Anna pulled a letter out of her bag; a fine paper written in strange deep blue ink, stamped with the mark of the Royal Academy. Her glance swept through the town one more time as she found the place, a large octangular building to the east of the palace, surrounding a marble tower. That place shall be her new home, where she can pick up from where her parents left off; for not another soul in her reach would have to suffer the pain the plague brings, and that of losing their loved ones. With the will set straight and resolve in mind, she returned the letter into the bag and closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever the future holds.
‘And so, the chick hatched from the egg, the safety of home.
Setting its eyes upon the blue sky as the birds soar by the canopy.
Dreaming of the day she too, would take her flight.
For there she will have been, and there she will always longs to return.’
4:30 AM, 20th of August, 1370.
Dormitory Lot, Royal Academy of Lindenvale.
A young woman woke up to the sweet scent of lilac. Her brown, untied hair ran along her back as she pushed herself up from the bed. The sun was yet to rise, but the thought running through her mind kept her from going back to sleep.
“That dream again.” Anna murmured as she lit the candle, illuminating the room. The academy dorm room was quite small and fairly simple. The walls and floor were wooden. A small bed sat by the wall across from the entrance; right next to it was a desk full of scribes, a quill pen and bottles of ink. A couple large wooden chests were at the corner of the room by the door. She sat down on her bed, looking out the window. From the fourth story of the dorm, she could see the entirety of Lindenvale, from the bakery right next to the academy all the way to the south gate. People had not woken up yet and the city was still silent. The young woman took a deep breathe, losing herself in thoughts and memories.
It’d been four years since she left Cedar Verdel. With the veteran family scholarship the academy offered, the girl came to Lindenvale to study in medicine, hoping to find cure for diseases and help those in need; in remembrance of her mother. Today would be her graduation date, her last day at the academy. She sighed, stood up from the bed and started to cram the rest of her belongings into the wooden chests. Gretka, her aunt, would come help her move out to her place after the ceremony.
She paused at a bottle of indigo ink. Halqian, the same kind with one on the letter of acceptance she received four years ago. Anna smiled, putting the bottle into the chest. She would write another letter to Matthew this evening, telling him about the graduation and her plans to apply for fellowship here at the academy; not that it would be the first time she wrote him about it. She did want to see him after a long time, but Matthew insisted on her working on her dream first and that the neighbors and clients were taking good care of him; thus, no matter for her to worry, he said. Anna knew the people of Cedar Verdel did know and take care of one another; the town wasn’t so big after all. Maybe she would find some free weeks to go back and visit him sometimes. The young woman finished packing in the last of her papers just as the sun started to rise. She wiped sweat off her forehead.
‘Still pretty early. I should go take a bath and get the clothes ready.’
An hour passed. Anna was tying her long brown hair into a ponytail. She was in a long black garb with the Aevengaardian Royal Academy sigil on the left chest and silvery ivy pattern running along the neck, sleeves and rim; a standard uniform for attending the graduation ceremony. She looked down at the dress; satisfied, the girl put away her comb as someone knocked on the door, accompanied with a small sweet voice.
“Anna, are you awake? We’ve got just an hour before the meeting.”
“I’m already done. Come in, Claire. The door isn’t locked.” Replied Anna. The door opened as a small figure wearing the same garb walked in. Claire Birchmeadow was a girl with pale blonde hair, pure white skin, a pair of bright blue eyes and, almost all the times, an adorable childish smile on her face. Her small figure made it hard to believe she was about to turn 18 in just a few months. She looked at Anna with gleaming eyes.
“My god. You look amazing in that dress.” Claire exclaimed. Anna smiled. “Thank you. You too, Claire.”
The newcomer glanced around her friend’s empty room and stopped at the wooden chests. “You finished packing up already? I still have got a lot of mess in my room.” She said.
“I woke up a bit early today.” Anna replied. “Maybe, I can help you out after the ceremony end?”
“That would help a lot. Thanks.” Claire sighed.
Anna giggled. Her friend’s room had always been very messy since the first week she came here. No doubt she had trouble tidying that up.
“Come now. Let’s go get breakfast.” Anna stated as she stood up from the desk.
“Sure thing. I’m starving.” Claire immediately replied. “Let’s go.”
The girl with chestnut brown hair smilingly followed her friend out of the room and down the stairs. As they opened the door out of the building, a breeze of cold wind touched her face, a reminder of the arriving autumn. The sight of people walking in the streets and chattering noises of the crowd breathed life into the urban scenery around the academy, even more than normal in this ceremonial day. Anna walked the brick path down to the street lane, seeing students in ceremonial garbs walking around. Some started to move things out already.
“Aren’t you excited for today?” Claire asked.
“I do. Don’t I look excited?”
“Well, you just keep smiling to yourself all the time.” She pouted her lips. “Sometime your expressions are just too humble, you know?”
“Hmm… Maybe they are.” Anna chuckled as they arrived at the bakery. A middle-aged woman saw the two and greeted them with a smile.
“Good morning, little misses. You two looks fabulous today.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Winsterswort.” The girls bowed their heads. “You’re as beautiful as ever too.”
“My, my. What sweet little ladies you are.” Mrs. Winterswort laughed. “Now, the usuals?”
“Yes, for two.” Replied Anna as Claire grabbed onto the counter, looking at rows of freshly-baked bread inside the shop with sparkling eyes. Seeing the little girl, Mrs. Winterswort giggled before walking back to the shelves to grab the order. She returned in a few moments with two bags of toasty, fragrant sourdough bread. Anna handed her eight viriden coins for the meal.
The two left the bakery; munching on their favorite breakfast as they walked their way to the meeting hall of the academy. Quite the crowd had gathered in front of the hall already. They managed to squeezed through and secured themselves seats in the hall, waiting for the beginning of the ceremony. Anna could hear her own heartbeat. She could feel the sense of accomplishment; the achievement she had been chasing for years as a tribute to her beloved mother laid just in front of her; so near she felt like she could reach out to that moment awaiting her in just a few hours ahead. She knew that when it finally came, there would be along with it a wave of change that would alter the course of her life; but little did she realize how big that wave would be, and how far the twists and turns of fate would take her.
The bell atop the ivory tower rang. It’s sound signaled the beginning of the ceremony. The students in the hall sat down in their seat as the noises ceased into silence. A middle-aged man with greyish hair walked up to the podium. He wore a black and white doublet decorated with silvery ivy pattern, adorning a silver pin bearing the royal academy sigil. Looking through the hall and seeing all the students in place, the man started giving speech. The ceremony had begun.
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