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Authors: Sawyer Bennett
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but not participating. When it was finally decided that they would go fishing, Ava decided this could be her chance to get included.
“We could go fishing on Parness Creek just off the Ainse River.”
All the kids turned to look at Ava, and by the looks on their faces, she was beginning to think that maybe she had sprouted antlers or something.
“Sure,” said one girl who looked to be a few years older than Ava. She thought her name may have been Ralina. “We can just go fishing on Royal land. I bet everyone in Kestevayne is invited and we can all wear our jewels while we fish.” The other kids snickered and Ava realized she was being made fun of.
“No, really,” Ava continued hopefully. “My father would be more than glad to let us all go fishing there. It has some of the biggest and best fish in the area.”
One of the older boys pushed through the others and came to stand in front of Ava. She knew his name was Barney and his dad had a large farm a few miles from the palace. She would often ride her horse that way and Barney’s dad always had a friendly wave for her. Barney was not so friendly. There had been times where he had tripped Ava as she walked by or pinched her if they were standing close to each other in a crowd.
Looking down at her, Barney sneered, “We don’t need your generosity, little Princess. Why don’t you just get out of here?”
Ralina walked up to stand beside Barney. “Don’t you get it? We don’t want your snotty little ass around us.”
“But, I just wanted to play with you and be a part of your group.” Ava could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she hastily blinked them back.
“That’s right, Ralina,” Barney said in agreement. “We don’t want her snotty ass around us.”
Barney pushed Ava in the chest, sending her sprawling backward and landing hard on her butt. The fall didn’t hurt, but boy was her pride taking a beating today.
Before she could even think of anything to say, or pick herself up off the ground, another boy, this one larger than the rest, came forward and with no warning punched Barney in the face. The hit had so much force that Barney’s feet flew out from under him and he landed flat on his back.
Ava looked up at her protector but his back was to her. He was tall and had long blond hair. Then he turned to glance at her and she recognized him. Holy Cow! It was Carrick Dunne, from the Warrior caste. His father, Graeme Dunne, was the Commandant of the Kestevayne Army, the highest rank of the Warrior caste.
Ava was in awe and couldn’t believe she had not seen him in the group before. Maybe he had just arrived. As part of the Warrior caste, Carrick lived inside the palace with his parents so Ava had seen him quite often. But she had never spoken a word to him as she always felt shy and awkward in his presence.
“What the hell did you do that for Carrick?” Barney asked, although his words were slurred due to the split lip he was sporting.
“I did that, you moron, because you don’t hit a girl, and if I ever see you touch her again, I’ll do worse.”
There was such fury in Carrick’s voice that Ava actually winced. His face was full of rage and all the other kids took a few steps backward. Ava found it odd that he was defending her for being a girl, and not as a Princess. She liked that he saw her as just an ordinary kid.
With that, Carrick turned his back on the other kids and walked over to Ava. Still sitting on the ground, Ava looked up at Carrick, fearful as to what he would do next. He gave her a small smile and held out his hand to her. She reached out and grabbed it and he helped her to her feet.
“Are you hurt?”
He still had a bit of anger laced into that question. Ava couldn’t seem to find her voice, so instead shook her head no. He smiled at her again, more warmly this time and Ava felt all of her fear slip away.
“Now, if you will excuse
“We could go fishing on Parness Creek just off the Ainse River.”
All the kids turned to look at Ava, and by the looks on their faces, she was beginning to think that maybe she had sprouted antlers or something.
“Sure,” said one girl who looked to be a few years older than Ava. She thought her name may have been Ralina. “We can just go fishing on Royal land. I bet everyone in Kestevayne is invited and we can all wear our jewels while we fish.” The other kids snickered and Ava realized she was being made fun of.
“No, really,” Ava continued hopefully. “My father would be more than glad to let us all go fishing there. It has some of the biggest and best fish in the area.”
One of the older boys pushed through the others and came to stand in front of Ava. She knew his name was Barney and his dad had a large farm a few miles from the palace. She would often ride her horse that way and Barney’s dad always had a friendly wave for her. Barney was not so friendly. There had been times where he had tripped Ava as she walked by or pinched her if they were standing close to each other in a crowd.
Looking down at her, Barney sneered, “We don’t need your generosity, little Princess. Why don’t you just get out of here?”
Ralina walked up to stand beside Barney. “Don’t you get it? We don’t want your snotty little ass around us.”
“But, I just wanted to play with you and be a part of your group.” Ava could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she hastily blinked them back.
“That’s right, Ralina,” Barney said in agreement. “We don’t want her snotty ass around us.”
Barney pushed Ava in the chest, sending her sprawling backward and landing hard on her butt. The fall didn’t hurt, but boy was her pride taking a beating today.
Before she could even think of anything to say, or pick herself up off the ground, another boy, this one larger than the rest, came forward and with no warning punched Barney in the face. The hit had so much force that Barney’s feet flew out from under him and he landed flat on his back.
Ava looked up at her protector but his back was to her. He was tall and had long blond hair. Then he turned to glance at her and she recognized him. Holy Cow! It was Carrick Dunne, from the Warrior caste. His father, Graeme Dunne, was the Commandant of the Kestevayne Army, the highest rank of the Warrior caste.
Ava was in awe and couldn’t believe she had not seen him in the group before. Maybe he had just arrived. As part of the Warrior caste, Carrick lived inside the palace with his parents so Ava had seen him quite often. But she had never spoken a word to him as she always felt shy and awkward in his presence.
“What the hell did you do that for Carrick?” Barney asked, although his words were slurred due to the split lip he was sporting.
“I did that, you moron, because you don’t hit a girl, and if I ever see you touch her again, I’ll do worse.”
There was such fury in Carrick’s voice that Ava actually winced. His face was full of rage and all the other kids took a few steps backward. Ava found it odd that he was defending her for being a girl, and not as a Princess. She liked that he saw her as just an ordinary kid.
With that, Carrick turned his back on the other kids and walked over to Ava. Still sitting on the ground, Ava looked up at Carrick, fearful as to what he would do next. He gave her a small smile and held out his hand to her. She reached out and grabbed it and he helped her to her feet.
“Are you hurt?”
He still had a bit of anger laced into that question. Ava couldn’t seem to find her voice, so instead shook her head no. He smiled at her again, more warmly this time and Ava felt all of her fear slip away.
“Now, if you will excuse
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