Preface

I have always been the filthy scullery maid at Hampton’s Inn as long as  I remember.It was dirty work, made for the lowest of the low servants, as I expected, because nobody ever had great expectations of a scrawny petite girl, who kept her mouth shut most of the time to be actually considered mute. Nobody had great expectations… except me.

Of course I didn’t complain, no matter how disgusting and unjust  my life was. I kept my mouth shut, in fear of screaming all the nasty things people had yelled at me.Because inside of me, I was an angry pot filled to the brim , ready to spill over any minute.The only thing that helped me not give the landlord the handful that he deserved was my daily thought:”Someday they’ll be poor and I’ll be rich, and they’ll have to scrub floors and clean chamberpots.Someday I’m leaving this place”. I never thought my daydream would ever happen,but one day…it did.

I sat by myself against a tree in the Paradise Gardens.  Every time I inhaled I smelled the fragrance of flowers. I read a book as sunlight crept through the tree. This part of town was bright, positive, good-spirited, and colorful. I enjoy it here. I have such a good vibe here too.

“AISLINN! AISLINN ! Where are you?”

I lifted my head from reading. My mother was standing in the distance waving for me to come. I got up and held on to my book. I walked over the greenest grass. I stood in front of my mother. She looked happy.

“Aislinn, I have good news.” My mother said.

“Good news? What is it?” I asked excited. It must be something good.

“Well, your father and I found a-”

“A job for Bentley!” I exclaimed, “That’s great! Now, I don’t have to see his face as much around the house!”

“No, sweetie. We found a really nice school for you. It’s one of the best schools-”

“School? I have one already. I don’t need another…” My voice trailed off.

“Well, you have one but it’s not as great compared to this one.” mom explained.

“So?” I asked, “What about my friends?”

“You can visit them on weekends if we have time.” she said, “Your new school will be great. You get a fresh start on 7th grade. I packed most of your stuff, you just need to throw away the old stuff you don’t need anymore.”

“I don’t want a new school or a new home. I perfectly fine here. Old is good.” I argue.

“Aislinn, don’t make this hard. There is no use in arguing. This is your father’s and mine decision.” She says with a sigh.

She leaves the garden. I stand there almost frozen. I was too shocked to notice how long I’ve been standing there staring into nothing.  I felt a feeling in my throat. It hurt a lot and tears built up in my eyes. I didn’t want to go to a new school. I was good here. I have my life long friends and memories here and it’s not fair that I have to just throw it all away. I wiped a tear from my cheek.

I sat right back where I was. Under the tree and laid my head in my arms. I secretly cried for a short period. I heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. I wiped the tears with my sleeve from my sweater. I tried to stop thinking about it. If I stopped thinking about it, then I wouldn’t have a reason to cry. I dared to look who it was. It was Bentley.

“You don’t look so hot…were you crying? I bet you were!” He teased, ” You act like your gonna get killed. Drama queen!”

“Shut up!” I said, “Bentley, don’t you have something better to do?”

“Yeah, my girlfriend!” He exclaimed and laughed hysterically.

I rolled my eyes. He was so childish for 17. I mean I’m 12 3/4 and I’m more mature.

“You know, you’re gonna have to say bye to her.” I say.

“No, that’s were it doesn’t benefit you but me.” He explains, “I can drive and you can’t.”

“Then when you can’t afford gas anymore and dad and mom won’t lend you anymore cash-money, how does it benefit you then?” I ask in a monotone.

“Well… I-uh…I-”

“Yeah, you got nothing. It doesn’t really benefit you.” I say.

“How do you know where we’re moving is far?” He asks.

“I don’t know but there’s a good chance that it will be far.” I say.

“Well, what if it isn’t?”

“Well, what if it is?”

“Well, what if it isn’t?”

Well, what if it is?”

Well-”

“Well, nothing!”

“Aislinn, you’re only mad because you can’t see your little boyfriend-what’s his name?”

“Shut up, Bentley! He isn’t my boyfriend!”

“You wish he was though but he doesn’t like you! Who would, honestly?”

“Look Bentley-”

“Oh, wow! I’m scared!”

“Maybe he does..”

“Maybe he doesn’t.”

“Maybe he does.”

“Maybe he doesn’t.”

“Maybe he does.”

“Maybe he doesn’t.”

“Maybe he do-”

There he was. Leo Roberts. The hottest most cutest boy in school! I just melt whenever he talks to me. Maybe not a real conversation but he asks me stuff about school. He walked by the garden with my best friend. Of course. May was dating him but she doesn’t even deserve him. Okay this is a little weird because she’s my best friend but she is the most popular person here. I’m kinda second but no one pays attention to 2nd only first I guess. I’ll get him to talk to me about real stuff someday.

“Jealous much?” Bentley asks.

“No. I-”
“You what?”

Chapter 5

The Journey To Apet

  The rain had stopped and sunlight was trying to pierce through the lightening clouds. Meadowsweet had to cling to Nick’s back as the horses galloped like lightning across the dirt road the wound deep into the wood. The forest was not the type that Meadowsweet was used to. The trees branches were thick. No light reached the forest floor so undergrowth did not grow. Any herbs to be had would be few and far between.

   Jerard had given Meadowsweet a dagger to protect herself. It had a gold handle and a steel blade. She had a strange feeling that it had been stolen. The story Nick told her seemed to have many holes in it, like a dress that had been ripped up by a dog and been attempted to be sewn back together. She believed the base of what he said was true but it had been twisted.

   Then from the forest five men in black clothes came out to the road. They tried to grab the saddlebags of the horses.  Jerard, Nick, and Harold jumped off the horses and tried to fight them off but because of the robbers’ larger numbers they were quickly overpowered. Thinking quick Meadowsweet grabbed Harold’s sword and swung at the closest man. He was caught of guard and her fierce blow gouged his shoulder. One man got over his surprise quickly and attacked Meadowsweet. She parried and cut under his blow and cut his stomach. His white shirt stained red. The other three did not want to contend with her her and they ran off.

 Meadowsweet was breathing heavily and sweating. She had never used a sword before. The men were looking at her incredulously. “Wow,” Nick said.

  Then Harold said “I agree. Um, who taught you to do that.

  “No one did,” Meadowsweet was embarrassed.

  Nick looked at Harold, “I won’t say I told you so.”