Not waiting for the others to agree, Garret spun his horse back around and drove his heels into its flanks. His mount erupted forward, blazing down the road away from his companions. Seth looked to Sara, and then to Ashton with a wry grin on his face. All three of them copied Garrets previous actions and burst off down the road at a gut wrenching pace.
They pushed their enormous mounts harder than they had the day before, pushing them to speeds the young companions had not imagined capable by a living creature. They thundered down the road with scenery flashing past them in a blur. They rode like this, nonstop until only the last traces of light remained. Finally Garret reigned in his horse and shortly was joined by his twin and their other companions. They looked still at the horizon ahead of them, still at least three hours away, at the massive city that sprawled across the landscape. The sheer size of it left them in awe. How was it that man could build something this magnificent, this enormous? Even at this distance it was easy to tell that each of the towers rose a full twelve stories from the ground, and the wall that connected them was easily ten stories itself. In the center of the wall facing them was one massive gate. The gate stood half the height of the wall itself, and was twice as wide as it was tall. The light was beginning to fade from the sky, but even so it was apparent from this distance that the twins had been mistaken in their assumptions of how the city would look. Each of them had imagined it much smaller for starters. Also they had each thought that it would be the same dull, blue-grey color as Stone haven. After all it was said that the capital city had been built from stone quarried from the town they had previously visited. But as it stood, magnificent on the horizon, Valdadore gleamed white into the impending darkness.
“So what should we do?” Sara asked no one in particular.
“Well it appears it is at least three more hours at the pace we were just running. We can’t even travel at half that speed in the dark, moons or not. So we are looking at a minimum of six more hours, if not more, if we continue on tonight. Garret replied.
“I say we find a spot. We make camp. Then first thing tomorrow we pick up where we left off, and we can eat breakfast within the walls of Valdadore before mid morning.” Seth stated his mind already made up.
They each agreed with Seth’s idea and headed off the road, spreading out but remaining in sight of one another, to look for a place to make camp. Not able to find anything resembling shelter, Seth led his horse to a large oak that sat alone in a field. No leaves remained on the tree, but they did make a nice soft layer on the ground beneath it, and so he decided it would have to do. Calling to Sara to join him he dismounted his horse, and looked for a place to tie it. Sara called to Ashton, who called to Garret, and the three came to join Seth beneath the large tree. When they arrived they each dismounted and led their horses to where Seth was tying his own to a large branch that hung low to the ground. Tying each of their horses to the branch far from the trunk, they dug through their saddle bags for their food. Carrying their supplies they each walked around the tree, opposite the horses and spread out near its base. They sat to eat in the early darkness, none of them speaking, each of them day dreaming of what they might see the next morning.
They ate quickly and quietly, and without much conversation they each unpacked their blankets and settled down to get to sleep. Seth walked a ways off from his brother and Ashton wanting a bit of privacy with Sara. She followed him to where he laid out their blanket, and when he sat so did she.
Instead of sitting in his lap, as she would have usually done, she sat in front of him. She wanted to be close enough they could talk quietly, privately, but at the same time she wanted to be able to see his expressions as they talked.
“I’ve been thinking today.” Sara stated.
“Thinking about what my angel?” Seth asked lovingly.
“About The Choosing.” She replied
“Ah…” Seth said then asked. “What about it?”
“I’m scared Seth.” Sara whispered, her lower lip trembling.
Instinctively Seth leaned forward and hugged Sara into his chest, hoping to ease her pain. Hoping to make her feel safe.
“Why are you scared my love?” He asked her. “There is nothing to be afraid of. I won’t let anything happen to you. It’s just a ceremony. Nobody is going to hurt you.”
“I know how it works Seth, and that is why I am scared.” She told him.
“Then what are you afraid of Sara? I will be there with you I promise.” Seth replied.
“I know you will, but I’m afraid we are going to go to the ceremony together and they are going to choose us for different positions in different places. I’m afraid they are going to take you away from me.” Sara sobbed no longer able to control her emotions.
The thought had dawned on Seth before, and now that he thought about it, he too was afraid, not only of losing Sara, but as always, of losing his brother.
“I’m so sorry Sara. I hadn’t thought to mention it before. You said you have been thinking about it, have you come up with a plan or solution?” Seth asked.
“No love, the only thing I could think of is us running away. We could go somewhere far away where no one has heard of The Choosing, and we could hide. That way, at least we could be together.” Sara stated still sobbing, but hopeful he would agree with her.
Seth thought it over a moment. It was a good plan. It was simple and to the point, and with the money they had combined they would be able to travel nearly anywhere they wanted if they went on foot. The only thing that kept Seth from immediately agreeing was his brother. Seth and Garret had been not only brothers, but best friends from birth. They had never been apart, not even for a day. Seth could not imagine running away not knowing when if ever he would see his twin again. He knew too that Garret would not agree to run with them. Garret wanted to go to The Choosing, wanted to serve the Kingdom. Seth looked to the beautiful woman who sat in front of him. She sat watching him expectantly, hopeful that he would accept her plan and they could leave this night. He loved her with every fiber of his being and wanted in no way to hurt or disappoint her. Thinking quickly, Seth formulated a solid, mature decision.
“We can’t run away Sara.” Seth started, and seeing Sara’s shoulders slump, and tears fill her eyes, he continued. “Not yet at least. Please don’t cry Sara, hear me out. I think you will agree with my idea, and if you don’t like it we will figure something out together.”
Sara did not trust her voice and so she nodded for him to continue, and he did.
“My dad used to tell Garret and I to never give something up without trying it.” Seth began. “It has always been good advice so far, so I think it should also apply to this. I say we go to The Choosing, give it a try, see what we are chosen for. If they separate us, we make a run for it. Tomorrow night we will be staying in an inn somewhere in the city. Where ever that inn is, is where we will meet if they separate us. As soon as it is dark, just head to the inn and I will be there and we will leave together I promise. If we aren’t separated, then I say we do our five years of service so long as we are together.” Seth finished, his eyes never leaving Sara’s amber gaze.
Sara listened to Seth explain. Seth was, as she expected, easily able to come up with a plan. He was a rational thinking person, an intelligent person. Sara knew if they had any options he would find them, and so he did. She nodded her agreement to him, wiping the tears from her face. She smiled at the man she loved. He would be there for her no matter what, and just thinking about it made the pain of future possibilities vanish. No longer was she afraid of The Choosing. She reached up, placed her hands on his chest and shoved with all her might.