"The Revolt in Ashdale" - Chapter 2: The Young Paul and His Dreams

Paul wanted to be a miller. He had known this since his earliest years in Sunflowervalley, where the grain swayed in the gentle wind and the rain ensured an opulent harvest so that everyone could be satisfied. He was fascinated by the work of the water mill, powered by the slowly flowing river, as well as by the windmill’s steadfastly turning sails, harnessing the power of the wind's invisible spirit.

It was also the technique behind these mechanisms that intrigued him—the large gears and the small, chiseled grooves of the millstones. The grain that became usable flour. A miller was always needed, and he didn’t think about whether he would become rich or not—just the idea that he could make a difference with his work.

Paul had excelled in school and had always helped his father whenever he could. Paul’s father was a cooper, so Paul had learned a lot about working with wood and was skilled at it. But he would rather create something to fill the barrels than make the barrels themselves.

Paul’s father understood his son, although he was saddened that Paul did not want to be a cooper like him. Together, they had inquired with the customers who came to buy barrels about whether there was a mill looking for a diligent and skilled apprentice.

The wealthy lord from Ashdale had come and ordered many barrels, and Paul’s father had also asked him about the possibilities for a mill apprentice. The lord was very satisfied with the barrels he purchased from Paul’s father and had promised Paul an apprenticeship at his mill in Ashdale.

Paul was thrilled at the idea but also saddened to leave his childhood home, especially because he would have to leave Anna behind. Anna was the neighbor's daughter. They had gone to school together, played together, and had always known each other. She was his best friend, and now that he was becoming a man, he could feel a little tug in his stomach when he saw her beauty. For Anna was now a beautiful young woman. Paul also knew that Anna was clever, curious, and brave; she didn’t just accept everything handed to her. He admired her for that.

They had met a few days before he was to leave, and his joy was immense when Anna told him she would be going to the manor in Ashdale to serve and learn. They would still be close to each other. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach; it had to be a sign from Providence that they were meant to be together. He had the sweetest daydreams about holding her hand and being sweethearts. When he woke up, he could see that something was missing in that equation: whether Anna felt the same. Time would tell when they arrived in Ashdale.

Thus, they set off for their respective jobs, and Paul diligently assisted at the mill, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. But then came the strange day when the mill refused to turn; the water wouldn’t turn the mill wheel because it was simply flowing the wrong way in the river. He had never experienced that before, and neither had the miller.

He had been sent to the lord with a message, and it had cost him almost all his courage to knock on the door. The lord had shouted and screamed.

Paul rode back to the miller with the message the lord had given. He had caught a glimpse of Anna down in the kitchen window, which renewed his spark. It would be alright as long as Anna was near.

Paul thought it strange that a lord owned his employees like a kind of slave. That had to change; weren’t all people born of a woman with a man as their father? It couldn’t be right that one person could own another. One thing was to earn a wage and do one’s work, but why should the lord have more rights than he? And why should the lord fill his treasure chest with the profits that the workers helped create?

Paul also didn’t understand the stories about curses and sorcery. To him, they were mere nursery tales, created only to instill fear among honest, hard-working people like him and Anna.

These conditions had to change. But how? He needed to talk to Anna. But first, he had to deliver a load of ground grain to Elyndor, the land to the east. The easiest way would be to take a ship from Sailbury to Elyndor’s capital, Valithar. The miller had told him about the route and which ship to find at the harbor in Sailbury. He had also said that Valithar was a very beautiful city with very beautiful and special people, so he could look forward to the trip. He was set to sail in two days. He would sail—yes, this would be the first time in his life that he would see the sea, and now he would even sail on it. He was very excited.

Anna would be envious because they had often talked about going to Sailbury to look out over the vast sea.

Even more that he needed to discuss with Anna. Paul had to go to the manor tomorrow late in the afternoon to find Anna; hopefully, she could take some time off. He was already looking forward to seeing her.

If you missed the Prologue and the first chapter, you can read them here: