Rovelli, the year 961 of the 3rd Dawn
Spring Festival
Edmon Culva woke from his slumber as he always does right before his father would enter his room and gruffly say, “wake up boy.” He always woke before anyone entered his room. He never read too much into it and just assumed it was a special skill he had. This morning the stone floor was cold in his room. He was far too tired to get up in the night and add logs into the fire and just pulled his blanket close and hoped the heat from the kitchen’s fire would keep him warm, It did not. There was no use delaying the inevitable, he would have to get up eventually so he quickly stood and dressed and put his boots on. His father left the door open when he departed a few minutes earlier and the room was already soaking up the heat from the hall. He went to the wash basin and splashed the cold water onto his face and dried it quickly with a rough wool towel. Everything was made of wool here. His clothes, his bedding, and even the curtains and table cloth was. Edmon’s father was a sheep farmer and they had their pick of the finest wool before it would be sold off at market. “That wool will bring more money than all the rest combined,” his father would say when he asked to keep the prime wool for themselves. No instead he was stuck wearing the rough sometimes itchy left over wool that would hardly sell to respectable merchants. Still he never complained to anyone. Edmon was perfectly content in his role in life. He knew he would be a sheep farmer like his father and father before. He knew he would marry a local farmer's daughter and she would bear him sons to keep the farm going. Many boys in the small town nearby dreamed of running off and joining the army or a mercenary legion and exploring new lands gaining fame, but not him he wanted his simple life to be the way it has been for the past 16 years. Edmon sat down to a breakfast of oats and eggs surrounded by his father, mother, 2 younger brothers and 1 younger sister. Edmon was the eldest born son and would inherit the farm from his father. His sister would be married and move away but the other two brothers were faced with a choice. When they turned eighteen they could either take their allotment which was valued at 10 percent of the estates worth, and they would lose all rights and forfeit all connections to the land. They could forgo the allotment in which case they were to be housed and fed and given treatment such as a father would for his children. They would stay and work the lands and be given an agreed upon wage. This was the law of Rovelli and many other kingdoms from low born peasants to lords and kings. Edmons brothers Art, who was 12 and Col who was 10 had a few years to decide still. Edmons sister Avan who was 14 was already dreaming of the prince she would marry and the life of luxury she would have. It was of course nonsense as the chance of a prince finding and marrying her were about as high as a snow storm in the middle of summer. Edmon just chalked it up to girls and their need for attention. Which is why Edmon had his heart set on a wheat farmer's daughter, Aela Adtur. Aela wasn’t like the other girls Edmon knew, she didn’t gossip about boys or spend the morning making herself look just perfect for a day of working in the fields. In fact Edmon was convinced she did not own a comb. Yet her beauty could never be hidden behind the messy wavy red hair and fierce blue eyes that would cause a charging bear to rethink its attack. Ever since she saved him at last summer festival from being beaten by the Twindle brothers after he accidently splashed his grog onto the eldest brother. He was faster than them but turned down a blocked alley and the four of them were closing in when Aela stepped into the alley and with a switch ran all four off without a single one laying a finger on her. Edmon doesn't know why she saved him from his beating but ever since that moment he had decided she would be his wife. All he needs to do is tell her that and tame her spirit. After the duel in the alley it awoke something in Aela and she spent every chance she got practicing fighting with wooden swords and more times than he could count she stole her fathers musket and has honed her skills and accuracy to the point he is beginning to be afraid of her.
Edmon moved through his daily work tasks faster than usual today, it was the first night of the Spring festival and he thinks he finally has the courage to tell Aela how he truly feels. He’s spent the last two weeks whittling a ring from the oak tree where Aela and he would meet up most evenings. After he finally got the last sheep into their corrals and spread the hay he rushed to the tub his mother had already started the fire under. Edmon had a special bond with his mother. Both his parents were kind gentle souls that only wanted the best for their children and would give the shirt off their back to help a stranger, however it was with his mother he felt he could tell her his dreams. In the last couple months he hasn't stopped talking about his feelings for Aela and his plan to propose tonight. She even took his fathers wedding suit and fitted it for him. Edmon was already as tall as his father but hasn't quite filled out yet. This year he hit a growth spurt and is becoming a man. His mother Thera, had the bath water hot and his clothes laid out ready for him. He bathed quickly and dressed himself in his father's suit and went inside to say goodbye to his mother. His father was helping dress Col and stopped and stared when he walked in. After a moment he spoke, “For a moment I thought I was looking at me standing there in the doorway. Aela is a lucky girl.’ He said with a grin growing on his face. “Lucky indeed," his mother said matter of factly.
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Edmon met Aela at the oak tree as they had planned before they were to go to the Spring festival. The Spring festival lasted for 6 days but only the first night was dedicated to dancing and merriment. The rest of the festival was significantly less festive and more all out bartering. The farmers, ranchers and tradesmen used the festival to find new workers for the work ahead, make deals or sell their goods. Many valuable workers were kept year round but many less skilled jobs that a mouse could do were given to seasonal workers that came from the cities to learn new skills. Edmon walked up to the oak tree and as he rounded the trunk he almost tripped and fell into the mud. Aela for the first time since he’d known her, was wearing a dress, and a very well fitting black and blue dress at that, and had her hair neatly curled neatly falling around her shoulders.
“Best close your mouth Edmon or you catch a fly,” she teased him, giving him a smile.
“Well I uh,” he stammered before clearing his throat. “You look lovely,” was all he managed to get out before she stepped close and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
“That is all you get tonight, do you know how long it took me to get this lipstick just right. And I won't be letting you ruin it before I have a chance to find me some dancing partners,” she said.
Edmon knew she was teasing about dancing with anyone else, she barely danced with him, but it put a fire under him and before he could stop himself he blurted out. “WIll you marry me?”
“What?” Aela said, narrowing her eyes. “Oh Edmon if this is to stop me from dancing with anyone else I.”
He cut her off. “Aela I mean it, I have loved you since you fended off the Twindle brothers 2 festivals ago and I.”
Now it was her turn to cut him off. She pressed her body to his and planted a long passionate kiss on his lips. “Of course I will," she whispered in his ear before returning for another kiss but he pulled his face back and said, “Hey remember your lipstick, I will not be blamed for messing it up.”
She leaned back and was about to say something when he grabbed her left hand and slid the ring he had whittled for her on her finger.
Edmon’s mom had found and told Aela’s family what Edmon had planned for the night and they were gathered together to welcome the newly engaged. ‘It’s about time. The boy came and asked for my permission last year and I was beginning to think he would never get around to it.” Aela’s father had said. When Edmon and Aela walked into the festival they were greeted by both their families and much merriment ensued.
The rest of the night and the rest of the festival passed quickly and his father hired on five new workers to help with the summer months. The next two weeks went by slowly as all Edmon could think about was the next time he could see Aela. But the fences needed mending before the herds could be released from their winter corrals. They were almost done with the last pasture when a massive airship floated overhead and moved towards the farm.
