"Chapter 1: The boy named Rue." by Jessi ´LaLuna´ Fila

In the darkness of the night is how it always started. The dream was the same, the same darkness the same fields of green that went out across the horizon. Please... fine me The voice pleaded. My name is Altier... and I need you to find me... Thus ended the dream at the light of dawn. As always at dawn the small farming village of Taleala awoke to start their day. This day was like most others and began for one young man as it always had…

A light rapping on the door was heard from the other side of the thin wooden door and a gentle yet elderly voice spoke up. “Rue? Are you awake yet?”

From inside the room a muffled reply came, “Mmm… Who?” The sounds of tossing around on a bed suggested that the young man, whose voice came from the inside of the room, was still in a very comfortable sleep. The elderly woman that stood in the hall smiled to herself as she heard him begin to snore once more.

She sighed to herself and knocked a bit harder on the door once more before calling out, “Rue… Wake up or you’ll miss breakfast…”

The young man named ‘Rue’ rolled onto his back and rubbed at his green eyes to erase the sleep from them. His voice still tired he called back in a groggy state, “…okay…” He yawned loudly before pushing himself up right. “I’m coming…”

The elderly woman smiled and began to go back downstairs before stopping and calling back at her son, “…. And Rue? Don’t forget to wash up!” Satisfied that she knew he was awake and heard her she made her way downstairs to finish making the mornings meal.

“She makes me sound like I’m an Animal….” He muttered to himself before dragging his way to the bathroom. It took Rue no time to get washed up and dressed for the day, as he soon came charging down the stairs while fixing his bandanna to his head. “Okay I’m ready…” He spoke with his usual gentle smile and kindhearted tone of voice.

His mother turned a bit and smiled at him as he came down. She was in the middle of finishing up his breakfast as she spoke to him, “Good… now eat all of your breakfast. Your father is out in the fields working already….”

Nodding in agreement Rue cheerfully responded, “Right away!” He smiled wide and in a low toned voice he began singing a little breakfast song, “D da a da dada daum…. We put the butter on the toast…”

His mother smiled warmly as she watched him speak to himself about his breakfast. Inwardly she knew this joyful breakfast morning wouldn’t last long and spoke up, “So… do you still plan on becoming a merchant?”

Looking up from his wonderful meal Rue nodded, “Yup…. I want to see what the rest of the world is like…”

Walking over to him she smiled warmly and hugged him as tight as she could. “I understand… But do stay just a bit longer to help out around the farm…”


“I will I couldn’t leave so many things undone before I go on my trip.” He said lifting up a fork to get ready to eat. “It wouldn’t be fare….” he finished before wolfing down his breakfast in one accurate fork stab.

“Don’t eat so fast you’ll get sick again!” She cried out in her motherly tone while lightly hitting his head from behind.

“But I have lots of work to do so I have to hurry……”

“I know you do but it can wait a few seconds while you eat your meal properly...…” She scolded him though not harshly as she smiled at him, inwardly knowing that he wanted to do right by his parents.

“I’m sorry…. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“I know you will…”

Once finished Rue stood up and carried his plates to the sink and places them in. Turning he made his way for the door but not before stopping to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. I’ll be outside if you need anything.” Rue said as he walked outside.

From the door way his mother watched him go and waved, “Have a good day Rue and don’t forget to come back for lunch!”

“I will!”

~~~~

The fields before him stretched out as far as he could see. Within the tall yellow wheat stood the man that was known to him as father. The wind brushed across the field lightly bending each long piece it against its power. The older man waved at his son as soon as he saw him and smiled.

“Good of you to join me m'boy!”

Waving in return Rue called out smiling, “Morning Papa!”

“Ready to work? I'm going to need help getting rid of this pesky crows then harvesting the good crops.…”

“I can take care of that.”

“Alright then boy let's get to work.” he laughed proudly at his son’s enthusiasm in working, before picking up his own tools and continued to work.

“Oki Dokey…” Rue replied before picking up a scythe for cropping the wheat and begins his swinging. But of course can’t help but dance a bit too, just a tiny bit.

Rue’s father worked on setting up a few new scarecrows before chasing away the birds that where there. Once that task was done he picked up the extra set of tools to help harvest the crop that was ready to be removed from the fields along side his son.

Rue looked up and wiped his brow of sweat feeling rather hot under the suns light. As most would have he could have remove his shirt, but had remembered that the site of his tattoo does seems to disturb the other villagers. He opted to keep it on for the sake of his family rather then his own comfort.

Noticing the discomfort in his sons looks he stopped working and sighed before calling out, “Rue! why don't you go wash up and help your mother... I can handle the rest from here…”

“Hmm? Oh, All right..” He called back while buttoning his shirt. Opening his hand the scythe seems to jump into his grasp. “I'll be inside if you need me” Rue replied as he walked toward the house.

“Don't worry I will!”

~~~~

Hearing the foot steps of someone entering the house. The elderly woman looked up from her task of churning butter and smiled seeing her son walk in. “Oh, back so soon?” She asked knowing good and well that her son would work much longer then he had.

Nodding Rue smiled, “Papa said to come inside and see if you needed any help” Carefully removing his bandanna he reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow feeling a bit better to be out of the sun.

“Mmm well you could go feed the animals..... then perhapes you could go and see if you can trade something for more sugar... I'm going to make a cake for you when you leave..…”
“Really? A cake for me? Yay! Cake, cake, cake, cake for me!” Rue’s eyes lit up with delight doing a little shuffle towards where the animal feed was located, before heading towards the animals. Like clock work the first to arrive where the small cluster of chickens they owned. Being happy that they where getting fed the birds quickly flocked around Rue and followed his every step.

“Easy, easy..” he said gently while spreading some chicken feed around for them to eat. They ate quickly where not satisfied with the meal they had. They clucked and continued to follow him more with annoying clucking.

Chuckling to himself, Rue watched the birds follow him before looking up and sighed wistfully. “Oh my….. maybe it's time to havest some of the hens.” This caused his little flock to run off and out of sight.

“Sometimes I think they understand what that means..” He said speaking to himself while looking around for what he was supposed to sell for some more sugar. Upon his searching he found chicken eggs, a chicken, some wheat that was already grinded into flour as well as apple from their small apple grove. Rue settled on taking a few apples, eggs and wheat gathering them together before nodding in approval, “This should be enough”

Running back to the house he peaked in and smiled at his mother, “I'm going to the market, I'll be back real soon!”

“Alright dear hurry back lunch will be soon!” His mother called from the kitchen.

With a quick wave he replied back to her, before leaving, “I will!”

~~~~

The marketplace was full of trade and activity as it had been every day since the village was established. All the farmers from close by and sometimes farther came to trade their hard earned work for other materials they needed. Few centaurs that traveled out to the area work over a hot fires pounding out metal to repair equipment for farmers in trade for grain and other food supplies. Rue smiled noticing the activity of the day and searching for someone who was trading sugar. He was excited to see such a conversion of cultures he didn't noticed that someone was standing behind him as he walked up to the counter of one of the traders.

Raising a finger above a few people in front of him he called out, “Excuse me…”

The trader handed the people their items and nodded politely as they left. He looked up and smiled at Rue, “Yes how can I help you?”
“I'd like to trade these for a bag of sugar please….” Rue replied cheerfully as he placed his bag on the counter to show what he had to offer.

The trader smiled and nodded before getting the proper amount. “Ah..... yes here we go.. Hmm I can give you a bag and a half of sugar..…”

Grinning Rue spoke up “That’s plenty Thank you!” He took the bags from the gentleman and turned around to leave. Upon leaving he walked into the stranger who had been watching him.


The stranger looked at Rue from behind his deep green cloak covering. His/her lips were exposed as they curled into a slight smile. Though covered from head to toe a good look at the figure instantly made it hard to figure out what gender they where suppose to be. The figure continued to smile before speaking up in a gentle voice, “Ah... sorry I didn't mean to get in your way......... good journey to you soon..…” The cloaked person moved out of Rue’s way and gestured that he could pass.

“It's alright really, thank you…” Rue said blinking at the figure and started to be on his way with the sugar.

“Oh…” the figure called out to Rue as he passed, “Young man.... do believe in the voice of Altier?”

“Altier?” he said scratching head in confusion thinking that the stranger had said ‘alter’. Not wishing to be rude for his silence he spoke up, “You mean like where you pray ?”

The stranger tilted its head slightly to one side and watched Rue. “...... I think you mean Alter...... Altier is the voice in our dreams..... If Altier could answer one question for you....... would you go and find her?”

Swaying his head from side to side Rue pondered the question and spoke up smiling awkwardly, “I guess , but church kind of scares me…..”

“But that is the thing my young friend.... who is to say Altier is even part of the church...…” the figure replied before smiling again and calmly bowed to him. “I'm sorry for taking up your time....... go and good journey my friend...…” It spoke before standing up once more. The figure turned and walked off into the crowd becoming lost within the shuffle of the people there.

Spooked by that person’s presence Rue turned around stiffly and began his walk home with the sugar on his shoulder. Calmly he sighed to himself and spoke, “I always attract the strange people….”