A brand new white dress lay folded on Mel’s bed when she got back into her room after a long bath. She had soaked in the soapy water, scrubbing off all the dirt from yesterday’s trip. With the gray-colored water, her dreams and hopes had drained, and she felt like she had washed off everything that used to be her.
She was a new Melissa. Someone who had accepted her part in the cult and the fact that she had a great destiny. Or at least wanted to accept it. Mel had no other choices left. She had been chosen by the dragons and they would not let her leave Windbrook. Every time she tried, she was pulled back into town. Pulled back into her destiny. It was time she accepted it and received the town's blessings.
Mel put on the white dress and brushed her wet hair in front of the mirror. She took a long, hard look at her face and thought she could see lines forming on her forehead. She looked older, much older than sixteen today. Mel had dark circles under her eyes and the corners were colored red after crying all night.
Her mother had left her room in the morning after Mel woke up, but she could hear her walking around outside her open bedroom door. This was as much privacy as Mel would get today. Soon they would be off to her celebration, filled with guests and obligations.
A knock sounded from her door, and Mel turned to regard her mother standing in the doorway.
“You ready?” her mother asked.
Mel nodded, but didn’t want to look her mother in the eyes. She hated her now for all she had done and hadn’t done for her. For not letting Mel go her own way and forcing her to stay here in Windbrook.
#
Today, the town square looked different. The market stalls were gone, the ground had been thoroughly swept, and a small podium had been dragged out to fill the center. The sky was filled with gray, and only occasional rays of light found its way through the clouds.
Mel walked down the road with her mother and her gaze was held up toward the trees. She felt eyes on her, but she refused to meet them. There were too many people watching her, too much pressure. She wanted to disappear, hide somewhere until this day was over. But that ship had sailed.
She held up her white dress as they continued to walk down the road toward town square, making sure as little of the hem as possible got dirty. She didn’t really know why she was taking care of her appearance when she didn’t even want to be here. But somehow she felt it was best not to agonize her mother more today.
Her mother took her arm in a grip that felt too tight and guided her over to the first couple of guests they encountered. Mrs. Hallden and her husband both gave Mel a loose hug that ended too quickly.
“Best wishings for your destiny,” Mr. Hallden said.
Mel gave him a weak smile and was immediately pulled into another hug by her uncle Joe. His embrace was much warmer, and she felt Joe’s support in it.
“May the dragons watch over you,” Joe said.
Mel kept her fake smile plastered over her face like a shield from their nice blessings and wishful words. She didn’t believe them, anyway. They were just things people said here in Windbrook. Things Mel herself had said many times.
On Minnie’s sixteenth birthday, Mel had whispered in her ear, ‘Dragons bless you’, when they were hugging. She had known Minnie would like that, and Mel had said it for her. Said it like all the others told her their blessings today. Like an obligation or a nice gesture. Not something true, not something that meant anything.
Mel felt her mother drag her away to the next couple of guests and so on until Mel reached Marcus. He stood with his head lowered and his own mother held a tight grip around his arm, like he would run away at any time if she didn’t hold him down.
Mel swallowed a lump in her throat as they approached Marcus’ family.
“May the dragons take you far away,” Marcus’ mother whispered into Mel’s ear as she hugged her.
Mel felt a sting of pain in her heart and watched Mrs. Bruse’s angry eyes peer into her, like a mother bear. She was angry at her for dragging Marcus along to Dragon Lake, and Mel couldn’t really blame her for that. Mel wanted to tell her she was sorry and that she didn’t mean to. But his mom turned her back to Mel before she could say anything.
Marcus leaned in and hugged Mel tight.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Mel felt hot tears burn behind her eyes and she swallowed, fighting the tears down.
“It’s not your fault,” Mel said. “I’m sorry I got you into trouble.”
Mel’s mom pulled her away from Marcus, and Mel saw a sorrowful look on his face when they parted.
This didn’t feel like a celebration at all. Mel felt like she was saying goodbye to people, even though she was going to receive her destiny today. It would most likely tell her she would spend the rest of her life in Windbrook.
Minnie walked up next to Mel and Mel’s mother finally released her arm. Mr. and Mrs. Wickett gave Meg loose hugs and general words of blessing before they gave Minnie and Mel space.
Minnie looked at Mel with sadness in her eyes. A sort of sorrow that was mirrored in Mel’s heart. Mel averted her gaze for a moment, not being able to stand her own feelings. If she kept looking directly at Minnie, she would cry and she didn’t know if she’d be able to stop.
Mel stared with empty eyes out over the crowd, over people’s happy faces and joyful voices filling the air with anticipation of what was to come. This was a big day for Windbrook, Mel knew that.
“I’m sorry for dragging you and Marcus into trouble,” Mel said.
Minnie waved a hand in front of her in a dismissive gesture.
“Don’t worry,” Minnie said. “My father will get over it and so will Marcus’ mom. I still got to see you today on your sixteenth birthday. That’s all that matters. Congrats, Mel.”
Mel gave Minnie a warm smile and dared to look at her again. The sadness was gone from Minnie’s eyes. Maybe they had only been sad for Mel.
“Thank you for coming,” Mel said.
Minnie lowered her voice, despite no one seeming to look at them now. Most people were staring at the podium and the priests and priestesses walking up to it.
“So, have you accepted it yet?” Minnie asked.
“I’m trying,” Mel said. “I want to find peace with this. But it’s hard knowing I will never see Aldrion or work in the dragon forge. I will never cross Dragon Lake or see Auburn Hills. This will be the place I grow old and die in.”
Minnie took her hand.
“Think about how lucky you are, we all are, to grow old,” Minnie said. “Ben Ramsen didn’t get to do that. His destiny was one of adventure and he never got to live until old age. I think you will be lucky to get a destiny to become the next high priestess or to take over the running of town hall from my father.”
“Perhaps,” Mel said. “I wouldn’t want to get Ben Ramsen’s destiny. Only a fool would want that. If I’m going to serve the dragons, I might as well stay here in Windbrook and get to be with you and Marcus till the end.”
Minnie and Mel shared a glance and a smile.
High Priest Alcon occupied the podium, and the entire crowd quieted. They had all gathered here today to hear his speech and to give Mel their blessings, as was expected.
Mel chewed her bottom lip, and above her head, the dark clouds moved closer together. They blocked out the sun, and a darkness fell upon the town. High Priest Alcon cleared his throat and waved for Mel to join him. Melissa let go of Minnie’s hand and stepped up to the podium next to Alcon.
A breeze hit them, and Mel’s white dress rippled in the wind. She felt the cold creep in under the thin fabric and her teeth rattled.
“Today is an important day for all of us,” High Priest Alcon said. “But to Melissa Temper, this day is the most important one of her lifetime.”
Priestess Bridd placed the book of heroes on the stand in front of High Priest Alcon and then took her position on his right side. Mel frowned at the sight of the large black leather book.
“It is not often we get a hero born among us,” High Priest Alcon continued.
The crowd murmured, and Mel felt her stomach sinking.
“On this day,” High Priest Alcon said. “We welcome Mel into the cult. We ask her to accept her destiny, given to her by the dragons. A destiny of great importance to us all.”
Alcon brought up a feather pen from his red robe and dipped it into the ink on the podium table. He opened the book of heroes and flipped the pages. Mel knew the last entry had been Ben Ramsen’s. She swallowed hard.
He brought the inked feather to the page and with squiggly letters he wrote Melissa Temper.
Mel leaned over to take a peek at what he was writing, but like he knew she was watching him, Alcon brought his hand to the side of the page, hiding the words containing her future.
The crowd applauded when Alcon placed the feather back into the ink and straightened up. He looked over the people standing spread out around the town square and filled his lungs with air.
“Melissa Temper will bring back the dragons.”
His voice echoed over the small village and in Mel’s ears she heard it repeated over and over again. She felt dizzy and her knees grew weak.
Mel staggered back from High Priest Alcon like he had punched her in the stomach. The crowd got dead silent and then broke out in loud murmurs. Among the faces of the audience, Mel’s gaze caught with Marcus’. His eyes were wide and his mouth gaped. He shook his head in disbelief.
Mel hadn’t received a destiny, she had received a death sentence.
She felt her hands brush cloth as Priestess Bridd handed her a red cloak. Mel looked down at the coarse fabric and, on top of the neatly folded package, a letter laid resting. Mel didn’t know what was happening anymore. She felt her thoughts sluggish and hard to understand. But somehow the ceremony didn’t seem to be over.
“With such a great destiny,” High Priest Alcon continued. “We cannot leave Miss Temper without a direction. I have personally begged the dragons to give us more for our beloved Melissa. They have been generous and granted us a way forward.”
Mel slid the envelope open with one hand and the letter fell out on top of the cloak. She unfolded it and at the bottom of the paper, Falden’s sigil was stamped in red ink.
Mel’s vision swam and when she lifted her eyes, she thought she saw her family, standing by the edge of the crowd. Her mother crying, her father rubbing her mother’s shoulder and Andrew with a gloomy expression on his face.
“Melissa Temper will attend Falden School of Magic,” High Priest Alcon said. “The dragons have told us she will become a mage smith and in the wastelands, she will find the dragons. She will bring them back to us and fulfill her destiny.”
High Priest Alcon turned his back to the crowd and walked up to Mel. He bent down and kissed her on both her cheeks.
“May the blessing of the dragons be with you, my child,” he said.
Mel met Alcon’s gaze, and she saw sorrow filling his eyes. He knew as well as she did that to look for the dragons was suicide. No one survived beyond Aldrion. No one could travel along the wasteland and be unharmed.
She looked down at the letter in her hand, reading the first lines.
We are happy to inform Melissa Temper that she has been accepted into Falden School of Magic. She will have until the start of summer to join us in Aldrion or else forfeit her place as a student at the school.
Keep safe, Headmaster Lorken
A small water drop fell on the paper and smudged the headmaster's name. The black ink ran across the white surface, and Mel turned her gaze up toward the sky. Dark clouds had gathered over her and another drop fell on her nose, making Mel shiver from the cold. She tucked the letter into the bundle of red cloak and sucked in a deep breath.
She was going to Aldrion, but she was going to die beyond the mountains.
The crowd broke out in cheers and the village applauded. Priestess Bridd closed the book of heroes and tucked it away under her robe, keeping a wary eye on the sky. High Priest Alcon and the others walked down from the podium and left Mel there alone, taking in the cheerfulness of her town.
It felt like they were obligated to celebrate her and her destiny. For they all knew this wasn’t going to end well. They all knew in their hearts that Mel would never find the dragons, no one had. But still they cheered, wished her good luck and then returned to their quiet lives in Windbrook.
The celebration was over quickly and Mel knew this was more than what most people got on their sixteenth birthday. Most often the High Priest would just visit their house for ten or five minutes and tell them their destiny. Maybe give them a card so they would remember. Some could be in shock and forget it almost right away.
But not Mel, she wouldn’t forget hers and they knew it.
A brand new white dress lay folded on Mel’s bed when she got back into her room after a long bath. She had soaked in the soapy water, scrubbing off all the dirt from yesterday’s trip. With the gray-colored water, her dreams and hopes had drained, and she felt like she had washed off everything that used to be her.
She was a new Melissa. Someone who had accepted her part in the cult and the fact that she had a great destiny. Or at least wanted to accept it. Mel had no other choices left. She had been chosen by the dragons and they would not let her leave Windbrook. Every time she tried, she was pulled back into town. Pulled back into her destiny. It was time she accepted it and received the town's blessings.
Mel put on the white dress and brushed her wet hair in front of the mirror. She took a long, hard look at her face and thought she could see lines forming on her forehead. She looked older, much older than sixteen today. Mel had dark circles under her eyes and the corners were colored red after crying all night.
Her mother had left her room in the morning after Mel woke up, but she could hear her walking around outside her open bedroom door. This was as much privacy as Mel would get today. Soon they would be off to her celebration, filled with guests and obligations.
A knock sounded from her door, and Mel turned to regard her mother standing in the doorway.
“You ready?” her mother asked.
Mel nodded, but didn’t want to look her mother in the eyes. She hated her now for all she had done and hadn’t done for her. For not letting Mel go her own way and forcing her to stay here in Windbrook.
#
Today, the town square looked different. The market stalls were gone, the ground had been thoroughly swept, and a small podium had been dragged out to fill the center. The sky was filled with gray, and only occasional rays of light found its way through the clouds.
Mel walked down the road with her mother and her gaze was held up toward the trees. She felt eyes on her, but she refused to meet them. There were too many people watching her, too much pressure. She wanted to disappear, hide somewhere until this day was over. But that ship had sailed.
She held up her white dress as they continued to walk down the road toward town square, making sure as little of the hem as possible got dirty. She didn’t really know why she was taking care of her appearance when she didn’t even want to be here. But somehow she felt it was best not to agonize her mother more today.
Her mother took her arm in a grip that felt too tight and guided her over to the first couple of guests they encountered. Mrs. Hallden and her husband both gave Mel a loose hug that ended too quickly.
“Best wishings for your destiny,” Mr. Hallden said.
Mel gave him a weak smile and was immediately pulled into another hug by her uncle Joe. His embrace was much warmer, and she felt Joe’s support in it.
“May the dragons watch over you,” Joe said.
Mel kept her fake smile plastered over her face like a shield from their nice blessings and wishful words. She didn’t believe them, anyway. They were just things people said here in Windbrook. Things Mel herself had said many times.
On Minnie’s sixteenth birthday, Mel had whispered in her ear, ‘Dragons bless you’, when they were hugging. She had known Minnie would like that, and Mel had said it for her. Said it like all the others told her their blessings today. Like an obligation or a nice gesture. Not something true, not something that meant anything.
Mel felt her mother drag her away to the next couple of guests and so on until Mel reached Marcus. He stood with his head lowered and his own mother held a tight grip around his arm, like he would run away at any time if she didn’t hold him down.
Mel swallowed a lump in her throat as they approached Marcus’ family.
“May the dragons take you far away,” Marcus’ mother whispered into Mel’s ear as she hugged her.
Mel felt a sting of pain in her heart and watched Mrs. Bruse’s angry eyes peer into her, like a mother bear. She was angry at her for dragging Marcus along to Dragon Lake, and Mel couldn’t really blame her for that. Mel wanted to tell her she was sorry and that she didn’t mean to. But his mom turned her back to Mel before she could say anything.
Marcus leaned in and hugged Mel tight.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Mel felt hot tears burn behind her eyes and she swallowed, fighting the tears down.
“It’s not your fault,” Mel said. “I’m sorry I got you into trouble.”
Mel’s mom pulled her away from Marcus, and Mel saw a sorrowful look on his face when they parted.
This didn’t feel like a celebration at all. Mel felt like she was saying goodbye to people, even though she was going to receive her destiny today. It would most likely tell her she would spend the rest of her life in Windbrook.
Minnie walked up next to Mel and Mel’s mother finally released her arm. Mr. and Mrs. Wickett gave Meg loose hugs and general words of blessing before they gave Minnie and Mel space.
Minnie looked at Mel with sadness in her eyes. A sort of sorrow that was mirrored in Mel’s heart. Mel averted her gaze for a moment, not being able to stand her own feelings. If she kept looking directly at Minnie, she would cry and she didn’t know if she’d be able to stop.
Mel stared with empty eyes out over the crowd, over people’s happy faces and joyful voices filling the air with anticipation of what was to come. This was a big day for Windbrook, Mel knew that.
“I’m sorry for dragging you and Marcus into trouble,” Mel said.
Minnie waved a hand in front of her in a dismissive gesture.
“Don’t worry,” Minnie said. “My father will get over it and so will Marcus’ mom. I still got to see you today on your sixteenth birthday. That’s all that matters. Congrats, Mel.”
Mel gave Minnie a warm smile and dared to look at her again. The sadness was gone from Minnie’s eyes. Maybe they had only been sad for Mel.
“Thank you for coming,” Mel said.
Minnie lowered her voice, despite no one seeming to look at them now. Most people were staring at the podium and the priests and priestesses walking up to it.
“So, have you accepted it yet?” Minnie asked.
“I’m trying,” Mel said. “I want to find peace with this. But it’s hard knowing I will never see Aldrion or work in the dragon forge. I will never cross Dragon Lake or see Auburn Hills. This will be the place I grow old and die in.”
Minnie took her hand.
“Think about how lucky you are, we all are, to grow old,” Minnie said. “Ben Ramsen didn’t get to do that. His destiny was one of adventure and he never got to live until old age. I think you will be lucky to get a destiny to become the next high priestess or to take over the running of town hall from my father.”
“Perhaps,” Mel said. “I wouldn’t want to get Ben Ramsen’s destiny. Only a fool would want that. If I’m going to serve the dragons, I might as well stay here in Windbrook and get to be with you and Marcus till the end.”
Minnie and Mel shared a glance and a smile.
High Priest Alcon occupied the podium, and the entire crowd quieted. They had all gathered here today to hear his speech and to give Mel their blessings, as was expected.
Mel chewed her bottom lip, and above her head, the dark clouds moved closer together. They blocked out the sun, and a darkness fell upon the town. High Priest Alcon cleared his throat and waved for Mel to join him. Melissa let go of Minnie’s hand and stepped up to the podium next to Alcon.
A breeze hit them, and Mel’s white dress rippled in the wind. She felt the cold creep in under the thin fabric and her teeth rattled.
“Today is an important day for all of us,” High Priest Alcon said. “But to Melissa Temper, this day is the most important one of her lifetime.”
Priestess Bridd placed the book of heroes on the stand in front of High Priest Alcon and then took her position on his right side. Mel frowned at the sight of the large black leather book.
“It is not often we get a hero born among us,” High Priest Alcon continued.
The crowd murmured, and Mel felt her stomach sinking.
“On this day,” High Priest Alcon said. “We welcome Mel into the cult. We ask her to accept her destiny, given to her by the dragons. A destiny of great importance to us all.”
Alcon brought up a feather pen from his red robe and dipped it into the ink on the podium table. He opened the book of heroes and flipped the pages. Mel knew the last entry had been Ben Ramsen’s. She swallowed hard.
He brought the inked feather to the page and with squiggly letters he wrote Melissa Temper.
Mel leaned over to take a peek at what he was writing, but like he knew she was watching him, Alcon brought his hand to the side of the page, hiding the words containing her future.
The crowd applauded when Alcon placed the feather back into the ink and straightened up. He looked over the people standing spread out around the town square and filled his lungs with air.
“Melissa Temper will bring back the dragons.”
His voice echoed over the small village and in Mel’s ears she heard it repeated over and over again. She felt dizzy and her knees grew weak.
Mel staggered back from High Priest Alcon like he had punched her in the stomach. The crowd got dead silent and then broke out in loud murmurs. Among the faces of the audience, Mel’s gaze caught with Marcus’. His eyes were wide and his mouth gaped. He shook his head in disbelief.
Mel hadn’t received a destiny, she had received a death sentence.
She felt her hands brush cloth as Priestess Bridd handed her a red cloak. Mel looked down at the coarse fabric and, on top of the neatly folded package, a letter laid resting. Mel didn’t know what was happening anymore. She felt her thoughts sluggish and hard to understand. But somehow the ceremony didn’t seem to be over.
“With such a great destiny,” High Priest Alcon continued. “We cannot leave Miss Temper without a direction. I have personally begged the dragons to give us more for our beloved Melissa. They have been generous and granted us a way forward.”
Mel slid the envelope open with one hand and the letter fell out on top of the cloak. She unfolded it and at the bottom of the paper, Falden’s sigil was stamped in red ink.
Mel’s vision swam and when she lifted her eyes, she thought she saw her family, standing by the edge of the crowd. Her mother crying, her father rubbing her mother’s shoulder and Andrew with a gloomy expression on his face.
“Melissa Temper will attend Falden School of Magic,” High Priest Alcon said. “The dragons have told us she will become a mage smith and in the wastelands, she will find the dragons. She will bring them back to us and fulfill her destiny.”
High Priest Alcon turned his back to the crowd and walked up to Mel. He bent down and kissed her on both her cheeks.
“May the blessing of the dragons be with you, my child,” he said.
Mel met Alcon’s gaze, and she saw sorrow filling his eyes. He knew as well as she did that to look for the dragons was suicide. No one survived beyond Aldrion. No one could travel along the wasteland and be unharmed.
She looked down at the letter in her hand, reading the first lines.
We are happy to inform Melissa Temper that she has been accepted into Falden School of Magic. She will have until the start of summer to join us in Aldrion or else forfeit her place as a student at the school.
Keep safe, Headmaster Lorken
A small water drop fell on the paper and smudged the headmaster's name. The black ink ran across the white surface, and Mel turned her gaze up toward the sky. Dark clouds had gathered over her and another drop fell on her nose, making Mel shiver from the cold. She tucked the letter into the bundle of red cloak and sucked in a deep breath.
She was going to Aldrion, but she was going to die beyond the mountains.
The crowd broke out in cheers and the village applauded. Priestess Bridd closed the book of heroes and tucked it away under her robe, keeping a wary eye on the sky. High Priest Alcon and the others walked down from the podium and left Mel there alone, taking in the cheerfulness of her town.
It felt like they were obligated to celebrate her and her destiny. For they all knew this wasn’t going to end well. They all knew in their hearts that Mel would never find the dragons, no one had. But still they cheered, wished her good luck and then returned to their quiet lives in Windbrook.
The celebration was over quickly and Mel knew this was more than what most people got on their sixteenth birthday. Most often the High Priest would just visit their house for ten or five minutes and tell them their destiny. Maybe give them a card so they would remember. Some could be in shock and forget it almost right away.
But not Mel, she wouldn’t forget hers and they knew it.
