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Prophet Destiny
Flightless Feathers and Sunny Skies
Just outside the grand city of Cirian lied farmlands filled with vast crop fields, a variety of livestock, and the families who tended them. It was here where the city received much of its food and produce, where it is taken to the market with hopes of making a profit for these less-than-affluent folk. It was also here where one helped raised his feathery friends while he wasn’t out looking for adventure…
On the land owned by the unassuming Marche Family, a little boy was tending the chicken coop with a bucket in hand. He had short, messy dark red hair and big, dark blue eyes. He wore a light cotton peasant’s shirt underneath a red vest, and a pair of tanned pants with dark sandals. He looked rather scruffy and unkempt, but he appeared quite contempt and carefree amongst the chickens.
Every few seconds he dipped his hands in the bucket and threw out the feed in a spread, where the hungry chickens would run out and peck at every bit of morsel like a gathering race. Once they were done with one spread, the boy would throw it out in another direction, and their feeding rush would begin anew. The boy seemed rather methodic in where he threw it, as he would do it in a way to give each fowl a good chance at equal portions. He groaned and sighed as he felt some birds still managed to receive more of their fill then others, but then he nodded and grinned at his job well done when the bucket was finally empty. He was just about to go right into the coop to continue his usual routine of gathering the day’s batch of eggs when he heard frantic clucking. He turned to the side, seeing a panicked hen rushing off towards an open gate in the fence.
“Ah, Geez! I forgot to close the gate again!” he shouted.
Unfortunately for the boy, he wasn’t exactly a swift runner, and it made chasing the fleeing chicken all the more harder for him. The chicken distanced herself considerably from the boy in pursuit, making its freedom guaranteed.
“Ah!!! Prima! Not that way! Not that way!” the boy shouted frantically.
The chase continued at a hectic pace, right until a figure passed by and compelled the runaway to halt. Immediately after, the same figure picked up the tamed bird.
“Hey! Prima! Get back here!” the boy cried once more.
“Awww, how cute!” a voice squealed.
Once the boy realized what was going on, he quickly skidded to a stop by the gate.
Standing right before him was a little girl in a stylized white dress holding the equally white chicken. She had streaks of fine, neck-length hair curled up at the ends, and a pair of big, bright blue eyes.
“Um… thanks?” the boy muttered.
“Oh, is this your chicken?” the nicely-dressed girl asked.
The boy nodded back quickly.
“Yeah, she must’ve seen her chance to get outside when I left the gate open. Prima’s always gave me some trouble…” he groaned.
“Prima? That’s a nice name.” the girl grinned.
“Yeah, amazing how I came up with that one at random. I actually gave some thought to the others’ names before I started running out of ideas.” The farm boy shared.
“You mean you named the chickens here?” the girl asked.
“I'm the one here when most of these chickens hatched, so yeah. These birds are my best friends at home, you see.” The boy explained.
“Wow, that’s neat! Being able to see tiny little chickens hatching before you’re your very eyes!” the girl answered in amazement.
“Yep. They look like such helpless things having hard time breathing at first, but then when they finally grow their fuzzy yellow feathers, they look really lively and cute.” The boy grinned.
“That sounds so adorable! Do you have any baby chickens around?” the girl asked.
The boy shook his head with a sigh.
“I’m afraid we’re not breeding them now. We’re trying to get as many good eggs as we can for the bazaar season before we get a rooster.” The boy answered with some regret.
“Oh… I really wanted to see some cute little babies…” the girl sighed.
For awhile, the boy gawked at the little maiden as she continued to stroke the soothed bird in her grasp. Eventually, she noticed the pair of eyes that were still on her intently.
“Um… why are you looking at me like that?” the girl asked uneasily.
“Isn’t she kind of heavy for you to hold? That chicken weighs quite a few pounds, and you’re a little girl.” The boy answered rather straightforwardly.
“But I’m bigger than her.” The girl defended.
“Yeah, but--- okay, I’m saying this by experience. Just because something’s smaller than you, it doesn’t make it that much easier to carry it. I’ve carried a crate 1/3rd my size once and I had a real hard time with it. A chicken like Prima, well, as much as I like holding a chicken, my arms begin to tire out in a matter of minutes.” The boy explained.
“Maybe I’m just enjoying myself too much petting her.” The girl answered cheerfully. “I’m not really thinking about how bad my arms might be feeling. Besides, I already have a pet back home about this big, and it doesn’t hurt carrying her around.”
“Great, a little princess who might have better arm strength than me because she carries around a pet every day…” the boy grumbled to himself bitterly.
“What did you say?” the girl asked curiously with Prima looking at the boy alongside her.
“N-nothing. Anyway, thanks for catching that chicken for me, Missy. She likely would’ve gotten away if you hadn’t got here when you did.” The boy answered sincerly.
“My name is Eve, and you’re welcome.” The girl replied as she handed the chicken back.
The boy momentarily struggled with the weight of the fowl, but regained his balance when he held her properly.
“And I’m Kenneth Marche, but you can just call me Ken. A pleasure to meet you.” The young chicken farmer greeted.
Little Prima appeared just as comfortable in the young boy’s grasp as it appeared to start dozing off.
“So, you said you hat a pet back at home?” Ken asked.
“Two, actually. Both are cats. I have white one named Éclair and a brown stripped one named Churo. Éclair’s always so calm and polite, but Churo loves wandering all over the place. I love them both the same, though.” Eve replied.
“Sounds like Churo is a lot like Prima.” Ken noted.
“Yeah. Maybe that’s why she was so easy to reach out to. It must help to get along with somebody when you’ve met another like them.” Eve chirped.
“Or maybe you’re just really good with animals?” Ken suggested.
“Maybe!” Eve cried hopefully. “A few pets around the city like it when I’m around, and there are plenty of cute animals out there in the world.”
“I bet you could just waltz into a forest and charm the wildlife without a fuss, too, eh?” Ken said aloud.
“I don’t know about that. I’m scared to try something like that… going into a forest by myself. I know there little birds and bunnies and squirrels out in the woods, but then I’d be afraid of the bears and snakes and poisonous bugs. And I’d feel really lonely and scared if I wandered where there isn’t that much light. If Papa were still around, I’d like to go explore the woods and see the animals, but he’s gone… so I can’t, really.” Eve replied.
“Wait, what about your father?” Ken asked.
“My papa isn’t around anymore. He’s… dead.” Eve gulped.
The young chicken farmer stepped back in a panic.
“O-Ooops! S-sorry! I didn’t know! You just looked so happy and I thought---“
“No! It’s okay! I’m okay! I still have Mama and my big sister. And my friends at school, too. I’m not lonely. It’s been awhile since he’s been dead, so I’m already over it.” Eve clarified.
“Oh, good.” Ken said with relief. “That’s neat, though. I can tell you really liked your father.”
“I do! Papa was a very brave and strong man! He was really good with magic, but he was like Mama’s knight, too! He used to protect her so many times so valiantly, and they were very much in love!” Eve described.
“Ha, your father sounds like an interesting guy.” Ken smirked. “I don’t know about mine, though. He’s okay, but I don’t get his thinking sometimes. He was a warrior once, himself: a soldier of the great Arvol Army. The guy has way too many memories from some of the battles he was involved in, but I guess they make entertaining stories. What really annoys is that he doesn’t believe in dragons! At all! I mean, those guys fly overhead every once in a while by our home, and he NEVER sees them! They’re even supposed to be a great part of this nation’s history! What’s what wrong with him?!”
“That is strange. But I have met some people from the country who were completely surprised by all the non-human creatures that you see in the city. Though it’s really hard to a miss a dragon if you live around here” Eve explained.
“Ah, so they really are another intelligent race! I’ve been having an argument with some of my neighbors over whether or not they’re just really huge lizard monsters or something.” Ken replied in excitement.
“No! They really do think like people like the rest of us!” Eve insisted. “I’ve met one once! A white dragon, actually! She was really kind and honorable!”
Ken glared in shock.
“A w-w-white dragon? A dragon of ice? Those live around here?” he cried.
“No, silly! She was just visiting! She had a message to deliver somewhere nearby but she decided to see the town.” Eve clarified.
“Oh, well then. I’m jealous. I’ve been to the city a few times myself, and I haven’t experienced anything nearly as interesting that. You must really get out a lot.” Ken groaned.
“Or maybe I’m just… really lucky?” Eve replied shakily.
“Right, I don’t know what to really expect on a daily basis for you.” Ken said with a shrug. “I’m not even sure how privileged a city girl like you can be.”
“It’s… not all that easy for me. With Papa gone, my big sister is trying harder to protect me and do all these things in place of him, but I feel like I’m the one that has to take more care of her more.” Eve said solemnly as her head turned to the side. “She can be so reckless…”
Ken looked on in sudden realization as he witnessed the usually cheerful girl’s maturity exposed.
“I’m sorry… I’m the only child with both parents still around, so---“
“N-no! You really don’t have to feel guilty! I---”
“Hey, Evey! They have a horse barn around here after all! Let’s have a look and have a ride!” an older voice cried out.
Both conversationalists turned towards the gate to see another girl off into the distance. She resembled Eve, only appeared older and was wearing a short red skirt better fit for travel.
“And I assume that’s your older sister?” Ken asked.
“Yeah, that's her. My older sister, Scarlet... she teases me sometimes but she really enjoys a fun time and likes cheering me up.” Eve replied.
“Then I also assume it’s also time for you to leave?” Ken asked again.
The curious little girl looked at the rest chicken for a long time trying to come to a decision.
“If it’s really up to you, I don’t see the hurry.” Ken suddenly mentioned.
Eve still didn’t respond. Instead, she looked past the little chicken farmer and towards the rest of his farmland, and then back towards her not-so-patient elder sister.
“Can I come back here later on?” Eve asked with a small, polite smile.
“Sure, but we’re the farm that has the largest variety of chickens around… and not much else. One farming home right by here raises plenty of fluffy sheep if you’re interested in that.” Ken suggested.
“Do you have more animals here?”
“We have a few pigs and piglets, a cow, and three sheep at best. No horses, though.” Ken told her.
“I’m okay with that.” Eve replied with a very sunny smile.
She then started off towards her sister to visit the horse stable she mentioned. But after a short distance, she briefly turned towards Ken and waved.
“Thank you! And see you later, Ken!” she cried.
“Sure! I’ll be waiting!” Ken cried back.
After the lively young maiden left the premises, Ken closed the gate and went back to his usual morning routine by heading off towards the coup once again.
“And to think, all this time, while that royal brat Rodrian kicks me around like his sidekick and getting me into all kinds of unwanted trouble in the city, a little girl of lesser nobility has actually seen a dragon! And a white one of all kinds! Is the royal family loosing out on some really exciting experiences in their own city or something? I don’t know if Cedric’s really hiding anything special, but if he is, I doubt he’d tell some bumpkin like me. John’s daily schedule as a soldier trainee sounds too strenuous and boring to me… but I’m a little afraid to know how much more thrilling and enjoyable Gades has it compared to me. He’s supposed to be this amazing wizard or something, and I can’t cast a thing.” He complained to himself.
He then clicked his tongue a few times in frustration before his sour face slowly turned into a small, content smile.
“At least I have a new friend or whatever to show around the farm today. She’s even a decent enough person to talk with, too. Looks like I’ll be sticking around for once! Sorry Rodrian…” he said aloud, still heading towards the coop.
Once he finally reached his destination, he carefully placed Prima off to the side to give her some rest and relaxation in the sun. He then stood in attention and made a two-finger salute towards the sky.
“Alright! Back to work!” he loudly declared before heading on in to collect the morning’s bounty.
 Chicken Yuki · Tue Aug 05, 2008 @ 08:44am · 0 Comments |
