Rosemma was frightened by her fathers face.
He always intimidated her, but this time his anger and lack of concern on her part shocked her.
Not once did he ask her what she wanted, not once did he even look her way. When he ordered her to return to the family yurt with all of her belongings in the morning and then stomped out, she suddenly was angered beyond anything she had ever felt before.
He made her feel like a thing, an object, not his daughter. Something likened to a whipped dog, a animal owned by him.
No kind words, no loving glance her way, concern for her, and she felt her heart squeeze.
Then she turned to Grandmother, Great Grandfather, and Charles with a grim look.
And she said" So who's up for a wedding, then a quick pack up to get the hell out of this
place?"
Then turned on her heel and trotted back to Jack Chang's cabin as fast as she could go.
Grandmother caught her half way back. "Rosie, you don't have to do this, not on a whim dear child!" She thought of her daughter, and the repercussions of the days to follow after they had all gone.
Rosemma turned to face her."Yes I do, Grandmother, the Nommos need me to come, and so I will go as a married woman then, but in name only. I need Charles to come, they seem to want him there with me. I have no choice. My father is a difficult man, so let him be difficult. I am not going to stick around and have him treat me like a cow."
She turned and picked up the pace. Once at the cabin, she quickly packed up her clothes, and the meager things she could call her own.
Back outside she whistled for the pup, Chomper came running. He followed past the other three who by this time had arrived. Jack ventured a "Child-!" At which she put up her hand for silence.
Walking up to Charles she held out her hand to him, which he took.
"In name only, Charles, and you travel with me, teach me, and if any of the rest of you want to come, do so." At this she looked over her shoulder to the others with a meaningful glance.
"And otherwise I would clear out anyway. Father will make life pretty miserable for you, none of us should be here in the morning."
Charlie and Jack gave each other a raised eyebrows look in astonishment, then grinned
with some elbow nudging. Grandmother had a shocked face, not believing this was her little
granddaughter giving orders to all of them.
But after some thought she came to realize the Nommos at work, and how desperate they must have made Rosemma feel. They needed her to come to them.
When they came back to the elders still remaining in the Council Hall, and Rosemma
stated her desire to be married to Charles BearTracker, Bertola didn't refuse her request.
She understood completely. And with the other elders as witnesses she married them in a brief ceremony, and their names written in the marriage and death book, and rings given them, ones made to standard sizes as proof of official sanction. She then kissed them both, and
stepped back. Tears in her eyes, knowing they would be gone, and she had regrets over that, but she knew why they had to go.
Two hours later, all were packed, Chomper and Jack Sharp Tooth carrying packs, and they slipped out of the village in the dark.
Rosemma didn't look back, but the lump in her throat felt like a boulder. She hoped someday her family would understand and she suddenly felt very old.
Jack was already making plans, talking low to Charlie Bear Scratcher about finding a boat, where to go to find a boat, all the while working magic to swirl aroudn behind him and erase their tracks. He knew the trail well, and a spirit light he set to guide them floated along as they went lighting the way.
Despite feeling heartsick and unsure, Rosemma thought learning some magic would not be such a bad thing.
Then she glanced at Charles, and realized she wasn't the only one feeling unsure. He glance back at her and offered a slight smile, shyly.
"Charles, I am so sorry it had to be like this. I hope when we find ourselves at the end of our journey, whole and alive, we can then undo the marriage if we both wish, and stay good friends. This is not that way it goes in the village usually. Most parents are delighted to have their son or daughter apprenticed to someone with talent so they can learn a craft. I will not make any apology for my father, I am just sorry I seemed so pushy and I had to go so soon, oh
I would have given anything to not have it go like this!" She felt weary, and stopped talking then.
Both of them walked on under the spirit light for what seemed to be miles. Then Jack stopped them. Grandmother protested, "Father we need to put a lot of distance between us and
William!"
Jack turned to her, "Magnolia, hush for once. I am going to set a guard, and will keep watch for anyone following us. So far, no one has followed us, and if we get up in the morning before first light and keep going, they will not catch us."
At this, he sat down on a rock, the rest of them took out their bedrolls and lay down exhausted. Rosemma suffering from fear of her father again. She just couldn't stop shaking about what would happen if he found them.
Charles whispered quietly so they could all hear" This sure wasn't the kind of honeymoon I would have planned!" And they all laughed together, and soon settled into a cold restless but needed sleep.
He always intimidated her, but this time his anger and lack of concern on her part shocked her.
Not once did he ask her what she wanted, not once did he even look her way. When he ordered her to return to the family yurt with all of her belongings in the morning and then stomped out, she suddenly was angered beyond anything she had ever felt before.
He made her feel like a thing, an object, not his daughter. Something likened to a whipped dog, a animal owned by him.
No kind words, no loving glance her way, concern for her, and she felt her heart squeeze.
Then she turned to Grandmother, Great Grandfather, and Charles with a grim look.
And she said" So who's up for a wedding, then a quick pack up to get the hell out of this
place?"
Then turned on her heel and trotted back to Jack Chang's cabin as fast as she could go.
Grandmother caught her half way back. "Rosie, you don't have to do this, not on a whim dear child!" She thought of her daughter, and the repercussions of the days to follow after they had all gone.
Rosemma turned to face her."Yes I do, Grandmother, the Nommos need me to come, and so I will go as a married woman then, but in name only. I need Charles to come, they seem to want him there with me. I have no choice. My father is a difficult man, so let him be difficult. I am not going to stick around and have him treat me like a cow."
She turned and picked up the pace. Once at the cabin, she quickly packed up her clothes, and the meager things she could call her own.
Back outside she whistled for the pup, Chomper came running. He followed past the other three who by this time had arrived. Jack ventured a "Child-!" At which she put up her hand for silence.
Walking up to Charles she held out her hand to him, which he took.
"In name only, Charles, and you travel with me, teach me, and if any of the rest of you want to come, do so." At this she looked over her shoulder to the others with a meaningful glance.
"And otherwise I would clear out anyway. Father will make life pretty miserable for you, none of us should be here in the morning."
Charlie and Jack gave each other a raised eyebrows look in astonishment, then grinned
with some elbow nudging. Grandmother had a shocked face, not believing this was her little
granddaughter giving orders to all of them.
But after some thought she came to realize the Nommos at work, and how desperate they must have made Rosemma feel. They needed her to come to them.
When they came back to the elders still remaining in the Council Hall, and Rosemma
stated her desire to be married to Charles BearTracker, Bertola didn't refuse her request.
She understood completely. And with the other elders as witnesses she married them in a brief ceremony, and their names written in the marriage and death book, and rings given them, ones made to standard sizes as proof of official sanction. She then kissed them both, and
stepped back. Tears in her eyes, knowing they would be gone, and she had regrets over that, but she knew why they had to go.
Two hours later, all were packed, Chomper and Jack Sharp Tooth carrying packs, and they slipped out of the village in the dark.
Rosemma didn't look back, but the lump in her throat felt like a boulder. She hoped someday her family would understand and she suddenly felt very old.
Jack was already making plans, talking low to Charlie Bear Scratcher about finding a boat, where to go to find a boat, all the while working magic to swirl aroudn behind him and erase their tracks. He knew the trail well, and a spirit light he set to guide them floated along as they went lighting the way.
Despite feeling heartsick and unsure, Rosemma thought learning some magic would not be such a bad thing.
Then she glanced at Charles, and realized she wasn't the only one feeling unsure. He glance back at her and offered a slight smile, shyly.
"Charles, I am so sorry it had to be like this. I hope when we find ourselves at the end of our journey, whole and alive, we can then undo the marriage if we both wish, and stay good friends. This is not that way it goes in the village usually. Most parents are delighted to have their son or daughter apprenticed to someone with talent so they can learn a craft. I will not make any apology for my father, I am just sorry I seemed so pushy and I had to go so soon, oh
I would have given anything to not have it go like this!" She felt weary, and stopped talking then.
Both of them walked on under the spirit light for what seemed to be miles. Then Jack stopped them. Grandmother protested, "Father we need to put a lot of distance between us and
William!"
Jack turned to her, "Magnolia, hush for once. I am going to set a guard, and will keep watch for anyone following us. So far, no one has followed us, and if we get up in the morning before first light and keep going, they will not catch us."
At this, he sat down on a rock, the rest of them took out their bedrolls and lay down exhausted. Rosemma suffering from fear of her father again. She just couldn't stop shaking about what would happen if he found them.
Charles whispered quietly so they could all hear" This sure wasn't the kind of honeymoon I would have planned!" And they all laughed together, and soon settled into a cold restless but needed sleep.
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