Catzenpewters-
Jada watched her father pace the floor of her sister’s room.
Why did he just stay here? Why did he not go after her?
Jandra was her only sister, and she missed her fiercely.
So many times in the last months she had tried to speak
to Eldric about it, but he always turned her away... as he
had always turned her way. Sighing, she walked
slowly back to her room. If she were a boy he would have let
her go after her sister, of that she was sure. But little Jada
he would not take seriously. All her life she had wished to
be more like her older sister, beautiful and charming, witty
and graceful. Now she wished to be more like that
handsome Padraic who had been here, strong and brave.
For not even when she reached sixteen next month would
her father allow her to go after Tegraine. They had argued
about this many times before. Still, maybe it was time to try
again. Changing direction, she headed for her father’s
study. Plopping herself onto his chair, she sat back to wait
for him. She propped her feet (in a most unladylike fashion)
upon the desk, pushing the chair backwards and balancing
precariously. A quick movement of a bird at the window
distracted her, and the chair fell back with a crash, cracking
open the hearth behind. Scrambling to her feet, she noticed
a piece of paper that had been hidden under the broken
stone of the hearth. Curiosity overcame her, and she
scanned it quickly. When she read the contract, and saw
the seals of both her father and Tegraine, her blood ran
colder than even Jandra’s.