Subsistent Lies

I dropped my water buckets and wiped the sweat off my eyebrow as I looked down at our cottage. From atop the hill I spotted Isabella tending to the laundry and Gabriella was…what was she doing? I scanned the yard more and sighed when I couldn’t spot her or her horse, Epona. No doubt the both of them were out in the woods exploring who knows what. Instead of doing her chores, I’m sure she coaxed Isabella into doing them for her. “She’s in the woods.”

I quickly turned around and pulled out my dagger, making sure that it was pointed to whomever it was that was behind me. I sighed when I saw a laughing Calib slowly pushing the dagger away. “You best be careful, one day you could poke someone’s eyes out and surely get yourself in trouble.”

“I’d only waste any blood on you Calib.”

He laughed some more before embracing me in a strong hug. I laughed and pushed him away when he kissed my cheek. Calib was a long time friend to me, almost like my brother. “What brings you here? Surely you come to speak to father once more.” Calib nodded. “Aye. Colin and I need to speak to him. It is of utmost importance.”

I nodded my head. Colin was Calib’s twin but the complete opposite of him, physically and mentally. Calib had a strong physique while Colin was a bit scrawnier. Calib loved to laugh and Colin only laughed when he was drunk or highly amused. Calib was softer in the heart than Colin and Colin only cared for those who mattered. Even more so, Colin was more serious and rebellious, which was probably why him and Gabriella were best friends. I groaned then. “Aye Zaria, he was the one who told Gabriella to go into the woods.” I sighed and Calib laughed harder. “You worry yourself over nothing. They’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Aye, I’m sure.”

I sighed. I loved that Calib was free natured, but sometimes it killed me. Still, I was somewhat relaxed. I knew that Calib wouldn’t allow Colin to do anything inappropriate. Furthermore, Gabby knew how to take care of herself. I bent down to pick up the buckets and start the long trek down the hill when a warm hand pushed mine aside. “Your father expects too much of you. Here, I will take the water and you will relax.”

I looked up at him prepared to coax him otherwise when I stopped. The two warm gray eyes that were looking back at me were convincing me to not even think of it. I sighed. He knew me inside and out and his eyes had won the best of me, like so many times before. “Fine, do as you will.”

Calib smiled and picked up the buckets with ease. “I had planned too, my lady.”

By the time we reached the yard, Isabella was already starting to do Gabriella’s chores. “’Sabella, what do you do now? You were almost done with your chores when I went to retrieve water for tonight’s supper.”

Isabella dropped the bucket she was holding and sighed. “Gabriella, and…she…”

“Yes?”

“She said she’d cook dinner tonight, and you do know how I hate cooking.”

I nodded and rolled my eyes. As gullible as my little sister was, she wasn’t as stupid as we all thought she was. “On to important matters, do you know where father is? Calib wishes to speak to him.”

“Oh!” Isabella said, averting her eyes toward him.

Calib put the water buckets down and smiled toward her, causing Isabella to turn even redder. She had a small crush on him she had admitted once, and hated to be in the same presence of him. She pointed toward the cottage and said, “He’s inside counting his gold. The King’s tax day is approaching and he wants to be sure he has enough money.”

“Thank you. Finish the chores and I’ll have a talk with Gabriella.”

“Aye.” She nodded, then quickly turned around and headed toward the barn. Calib raised a brow and I waved it off. If Calib knew of my sisters crush on him, who knows what he would do. It was better to not take the chance and to leave him to his own thoughts. Instead I turned and started to walk toward the cottage. When I entered it, the sweet smell of bread and spices filled my nostrils and I started to smile. My mother had indeed started dinner, meaning she would need someone’s help. We walked into the kitchen where she was rolling dough. When she spotted us, she put down the dough she was shaping and went to hug Calib. “It’s been some time since we’ve seen you. Your mother tells us that you and your brother signed to be knights, what an honor that is.”

I turned from my mother to Calib. “Is this true?”

“Aye.” He nodded, turning the other way.

That was why him and Colin had gone into town a month past. He was in training, and if there was ever war, he would be in it. My mother broke the awkward silence by asking, “well, what brings you here Calib? Must you speak to my husband once more?”

Calib nodded. “It is important.”

“For days we have received messages for my dear husband. What is so important that my daughters nor I may not know?”

Calib stiffened and shook his head. “Tis business only me, Colin, my father and your husband should know of. No one else, at least for now. He knows of our affairs.”

“Aye.” My mother nodded. “Follow me.”

Calib looked at me, before following my mother to my fathers study. I sat down in a nearby chair, leaned back, and closed my eyes. My mother was right, we had received more telegrams in the past weeks than we’ve ever received in my lifetime, but why? Why couldn’t they tell us of their business? It must have been of utmost importance, Calib had told me everything that’s gone on in his life. I sighed, well not necessarily, he did not tell me that he nor his brother were to be knights. I started to fiddle with scraps of dough lying on the counter when I heard my mother’s voice. “He has changed.”

I looked up at her and nodded. “Aye, he has.”

She sighed and returned to rolling her dough. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a plait, bits and pieces starting to fall out the loose braid. Her face looked more golden in the August sunlight, and her blue eyes looked weary from the days she sold bread down at the market. It was times like these when I wanted to know how she was my mother. Isabella was the only one who had any of her traits and features, gold hair brighter than the sun and sky blue eyes. Gabriella and I, on the other hand, had darker hair; Gabriella’s reflecting the night sky itself. I had turquoise eyes and Gabriella had green. I had a golden olive complexion while Gabriella’s was a darker olive look. Our father had red hair and creamy skin. I never understood how we all were connected, but we were. “I’ve been curious of what they talk about, your father never tells me. Perhaps you could be my left ear.” My mother said, breaking me of my thoughts.

I got up from my seat and smiled. I started in the direction of the study when I heard my mother say, “and when you return, darling, tell Isabella to come inside and help me prepare dinner.”

**********

“Your daughters are of age to marry, why else would you stop them from doing so?”

“They’re still not ready. They haven’t had the proper training.”

“They’ve done more work around here than most boys in the village alone.”

“I will not have it! I do not care what they are capable of, I know my daughters and know they do not wish to be wed.”

“My lord, what else is left for them? What of their life after this?” There was silence and for a second I could hear my heart beat faster.

I took my head away from the door until I heard my father’s voice again, “Where is Colin?”

I heard Calib sigh and say, “out in the woods with Gabriella…”

“What!? Unattended?”

“Aye, my lord.”

“And you allowed this? You expect me to agree to the marriage of my daughter and then this. Well the answer is what its always been, no!” I heard my father start walking my way and I quickly ran from the door to the tapestry.

Seconds later my father burst out the room, Calib not far behind. “Calib?” I whispered after a while.

“What?!” He yelled, turning toward me with anger in his eyes. When he saw that it was me, his eyes softened and he sighed. “Zaria?”

“Where’s my father headed?”

“Toward the woods. He went in search of Gabriella and Colin.”

“Calib, what’s going on? Why were you two yelling? Why can’t you tell me?”

He walked toward me and grabbed my hands. “Nothing you should worry yourself over.”

I shook my head. “Nay, I must. Mama worries over my father and his health. My father worries over us. I must worry for them all. If you will not tell me, I will find out myself.” I pulled my hands away from him and started in the direction of my father. Instead, I found Gabriella dismounting her steed with Colin close by.

“Gabriella you disgrace father. You know you shouldn’t be left unattended in the woods, no matter if Colin is a friend or not.”

Gabriella rolled her eyes and walked past me, holding on to Epona’s reigns. I sighed and followed her into the stables. “And another thing, why do you coax ‘Sabella into doing your chores? Mother already has it hard selling down at the market to help support father. She has no time to help father, run a household, and watch you as well.”

“Aye, stop your bickering. I’ll tell mother I’ll cook supper.”

“Fine.” I looked around and spotted Calib talking to his brother. “You haven’t spotted father on your way back, have you? He was worried about you.”

“Nay, we’ve only seen Isabella since we’ve arrived.”

I nodded as I walked toward Colin. He immediately smiled when he spotted me. “If it isn’t Lady Zaria here to grace the two of us with her beauty. I hear you are bitter with me?”

I shook my head as I answered, “tisn’t me but my father. Tell me this though, why is it that you as well as your brother had business with my father, but your brother is the only one who spoke to him? Why did you carry my lovely younger sister into the woods?” Colin did not answer me. I sighed. “I suppose you didn’t perhaps see my father?”

This time Colin frowned. “Nay and I still seek word with him.”

“Aye, I’m sure you do,” I sighed again. “I will go look for him. Meanwhile, you two should wait inside, I’m sure supper is almost done and mama would love to have the two of you for company.”

“Zaria…” Calib started but this time I stopped him with a stare.

He nodded, knowing he had lost this one, sighed, and headed with his brother toward the cottage. I shook my head and entered the golden streaked woods. “Father?” There was silence. The sun was just setting and the thin rays of light were setting into the quite lush woods. I heard a rustle and I immediately turned and pulled out my dagger. The woods were an eerie quiet that I did not approve of. I knew my dagger skills were lower than my sister, Gabriella’s, but my throwing aim was precise. There was something in the air that I didn’t particularly trust this noon. “Father?” This time I said it a bit louder.

I knew I walked out of fear, but I didn’t quite understand why. The air was thick with a familiar scent that was burning my nostrils. I held the dagger tighter as I walked deeper into the familiar woods. I heard the rustle again and I quickly turned and threw a dagger. It perfectly hit what was making the noise in the heart. I sighed and walked toward the dead squirrel that was pinned to the tree. “Oye! Gabriella would kill me if she saw this.” I pulled my dagger out of the poor creature and laid him near the ground, then covered him with a few scattered leaves that were lying beside him.

I looked and saw a flash of brown that could only belong to my father. I smiled and walked toward the large figure. “Father, you began to worry me.” I started to say but stopped.

My father wasn’t moving. In fact, he stood lifeless. Fear seeped over my body once more as I moved closer to him, around to the front of his body. “Father?”

I stopped.

Two emotionless pools of dark eyes were looking upon me. I moved to get a clearer look but stopped. Why hadn’t I seen it before? The dark streams of red liquid poured from his neck and fell down his sides. I clamped my hand over my mouth.

“No!” I whispered, backing away.

He was floating above the ground, above the world with nothing but death dripping from him. I tried to scream but nothing came out. Still those eyes were looking at me, showing nothing but pain and fear. “No!!” This time my scream came out and I shook startled. I heard rustling behind me but passed out before I could make out who it was.