The sun was low in the sky, but its rays were already defying me to stay in bed. After an intense but short battle, I pushed away the sheets. The house was silent but the outside was full of life, brimming with the chirping of birds. I changed my nightgown to a simple dress and started to plan my day. The chores should be done first, feeding the hens, preparing the breakfast for my parents and brother and other daily tasks. Thanks to those annoying things, my free time was even more enjoyable. After this I would go meet Victoria and then this evening I would meet Matthew. The mere thought of my day was enough to make me smile.

  I fetched some grains in the cellars and grabbed a basket. Feeding the hens was not of the utmost importance, but eggs were more enjoyable than bread. The last few years were quite bountiful, and sparing some food for the poultry was not a problem. I stepped outside, the morning breeze was cold but it almost felt good on the skin, the cheeks and the nose taking a pinkish tone; it was a beautiful day. I headed to the hen coop. They were lucky to have one, not all households were this generous.

  “Good morning my hard working girls!” I called as I opened the door of their little house. The birds slowly left their nest, one by one, their beady eyes devoid of any thoughts. “I hope you earned your keep! I’m not feeding useless beaks!” I joked. There they were, fresh eggs warm in their nest and soon warm on a pan. I threw the grains that the hens avidly rushed to it as I filled my basket. I smiled at them and tried to pet one, but she dodged my hand. I let out a sigh, why were they so wary of me I thought as I wiped away some saliva.

  “I’m sure they will be happy to start their day with an omelet. I even saw some sorrel growing behind the fence. It will taste great with them.”I gathered the herbs as I was speaking to myself. I plucked a few leaves, then a few more handfuls. Such flavorful ingredients growing without any work was a blessing, and it would be wasteful not to take advantage of it. With a basket full, I went back inside. I tied my apron around my waist, put my basket on the kitchen bench and carefully selected a knife. It was such a noble task, feeding your family members, trying to please them by your experience and expertise; I was glad to be the one doing this chore... I’m just kidding, this was the best spot to sneak bites unnoticed.

  After a while it was ready, a glorious steaming omelet. I set the table for breakfast, a loaf of bread to accommodate the main dish. As I laid out the plates, I realized there was one too many. I paused, looking at one empty seat with melancholy. I was sure Mother would have loved this. When I was a child, I hated sorrel, yet she still forced me to eat. I could still remember my face scrunching at the sourness. I had such fond memories of this time. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed my brother and father sitting down at the table.

  “What is this?”, my brother asked. He was probably nostalgic of Mother’s omelets.

  I sighed, understanding him. Father barely looked up, muttering a gruff “Good morning” before examining his meal with a grim expression.

  I forced a smile.“Good morning to both of you. I made you an omelet like the ones Mother used to make,” As I greeted them, my gaze slowly drifted to the window. The light from the day was so bright today, it was heartwarming.

  “Is this an omelet? Are you sure you didn’t try to roast a salad?”, complained Rhys. I knew he didn’t mean to be cruel, he was not wrong. Even though I tried my best, it was a mere pale copy of our mom’s cooking.

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  “When Margareth gets back from your uncle’s house, she’ll teach you how to cook properly,” father stated calmly.

  “Both of you eat in silence and be grateful! Do you see how late it is?! You lazy buggers, hurry up and get to work!” I snapped at them. Maybe I had used too much herbs. Still, how dared them criticize the food I made for them? I huffed and stormed out of the kitchen head held high.

  For the rest of the morning, I cleaned the house, shook the sheets, and dealt with all the other menial chores. It was dull, and according to Rhys, I sighed so much I sounded like a tired dog. As soon as noon passed I tossed the broom aside and bustled for the door. It was time to meet my friend Bethany.

  I barely stepped outside when my father’s voice called me back. “Elizabeth we need to talk” His tone was serious. That didn’t sound good.

  I cautiously turned back, stepping from the bright sunlit yard into the dim interior of the house “What is it?”. Father stood up and pulled a chair for me. It was unlike his usual serious talk. Uneasy, I sat at the table, my hands pressed against my thighs, my eyes fixed on him. He was not angry... his gaze was low, his eyebrows furrowed.

  Father took some time before speaking with a small voice, “I met the miller earlier. He told me the neighboring lord is gathering mercenaries. It’s expected he’ll go to war soon. We don’t know where he will strike, but if by any chance our village got caught in the conflict there’s little we can do.” He made a small pause, “Your brother is getting married this summer so I can’t send him away, but you… you can leave. For your safety, you’ll go to my brother’s house. He lives in a city; you’ll be safe there until things settle down. I’ll give you money so you won’t be a burden to him.”

  I was speechless the time to register what he just said. “I won’t leave!” I shouted, slamming my fist on the table. “This is only rumors! I lived all my life here and now that there is a shred of risk you want to send me away? If the village gets attacked everyone I know will be in danger! And you expect me to just give up everyone I know?!”

  “Please, Eli, I beg you!” Father pleaded... I had never seen him like this before. “I truly wish to know that both you and Margareth are safe.” However, as sincere as his worries were, I could not listen to this anymore. What he was asking was simply unthinkable for me. I pushed away my chair and stood abruptly, looking at him with a visage probably red from anger before storming out of the house.

  I was angry, truly angry. If I pondered on it rationally I would realize it was the best option. I was powerless, and staying would only put me in danger. But despite the logic of his decision, I couldn’t accept it. This village was my whole world; my friends, my family, everything I knew and owned were tied to it. If the village was destroyed, what did it matter whether I lived or died? The more I thought about it, the more I roused myself. I wasn’t a coward, I wouldn’t flee. If our home was attacked I would stand for it, death or victory; that were the beliefs I held.

  Walking helped me to cool down a bit. I headed toward Bethany’s home; I was not in the mood to play, not today, but just to see her. Maybe I wanted to go over the conversation I just had, or maybe I wanted to forget it altogether. I wasn’t even sure myself.

  “Okay, everything will be fine. Let’s be positive.” I raised my head with a new found vigor and noticed people were staring at me. Heat rushed to my face. That was so embarrassing I should really fix this habit of speaking alone.

  I Finally reached Bethany. We talked for hours, as usual. We talked about inconsequential things, fleeting thoughts, silly gossip, it was light, it was comforting. It was like the conversation with my father never happened. We just strolled along the edge of the fields, gathering herbs and wildflowers, chasing each other like children.

  Even though summer was still far away, the day was unusually hot and we finally took some rest in the shade of an apple tree. The low-hanging fruits had already been picked, probably the young kids, so I climbed and gathered a few for us. I took a bite. They were barely ripe but the tartness of the apples was oddly refreshing.

  Bethany looked radiant today. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, catching in her golden hair and making it shimmer. Everything about her was so neat and tidy, her mannerism too was impeccable; she was the kind of damsel meant to be rescued. I was a little jealous. She was like a rare gem in this village while I was the ordinary pebble.

  “I have something stuck in my hair?” Bethany looked back at me confused.

  “I just thought your hair is very pretty.”

  “Oh, I get it!” She flashed me a knowing smile. “You are anxious about your date with Matthew. Come here I’ll do your hair.” She searched through her dress and pulled out a comb. I let out a sigh, I did not expect her to carry one all the time, that was perhaps one of the secrets of her perfect appearance.

  “I’m not anxious! And that’s not even a date!” I raised my voice in embarrassment, but I still sat down with my back facing her.

  “Sure, watching the sunset from the hill, only the two of you together, that’s not a date.” I could hear from her voice she was mocking me, she truly was a little rascal sometimes.