Chapter I
"Why are we here? Well that is an interesting story which begins with my mother meeting my father for the first time. Oh, you mean why are we out upon the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful countryside with its lush forests and fields crisscrossed with small paths for the moving of wagons and men. Well, we are here to celebrate! For I have been accepted into the Passion Guarding Castle Sect. Now we shall drink in joy and eat these wonderful pickled onion sandwiches." I said with a goofy grin.
"Onions, Yuck! I shouldn't have to eat that nasty stuff. Get it out of my sandwich!" said my younger brother James with a grimace.
"Even that would not be enough, for surely the buns themselves are filled with onions." I said as the perfect older brother
"Joseph, you should know better than to tease your brother so." My mother said while gently setting down her plate and crossing her arms.
My brother was listening to my mother with a gleeful smile. He stilled and abruptly turned his widened eyes to me. "You glutton, you must have wanted to convince me not to eat so you could eat more!"
"Of course not, there is no way I could keep anyone from having lettuce and onion sandwiches. For it is surely the queen of all sandwiches." I said with a smile
"Bleh, You're weird." My brother said. Then my father piped up with a question "When you comin back to visit, boy?"
"Hopefully next spring. It will probably depend upon how good of an impression I can make on my teacher." I said with measured words.
"Do you know who your teacher will be yet?" My mother asked sweetly, catching me just as I took another bite of my tangy sandwich. I finished chewing the pickled onions in my mouth and said "I don't know who my teacher will be yet. But I hope they are just, kind, fair, and wise."
"Well boy, you shouldn't get your hopes up too high. For all you know your teacher could be a cranky, opinionated man who only cares to do what they view as most convenient. Surely even in such an esteemed sect there would be bad teachers. Perhaps luck will leave you hanging by a rope of your missed expectations." My father says gruffly.
Then my mother says with a bit of strain "Now is not the time for your hopeless pessimism. It is a time for laughter, joy, and happiness in these brief moments we have together before our dear Joseph heads off."
There was a moment of awkward silence.
Then my mother placed her finger on her wrist and looked at me, "Do you have all your bags packed onto the donkey?"
"Mostly, mother. I still have to fill up my third waterskin before I go." I said then paused before continuing "It is always good to have an extra waterskin when traveling. I am planning to take the old Flashfountain highway to the 3rd Castle Tome. It should take me 4 days of travelling."
"Where are you planning to stay on your journey?" My mother said with a caring look.
"I am planning to camp at Timberdrop meadow the first night. Then I can spend the second night at an inn by the border station. For the last night I plan to stop at Fort Temple. But once I get to the Castle who knows what will happen. Anyways, I am going to miss you. But sleep safe knowing that I will be working for justice." I say with a wistful smile.
By this point, everyone but my father had finished eating. And a chorus of "Goodbye" rang from my mother and brother. Meanwhile my father finished off the rest of the rest of his food and chugged down his wine.
When the noise died down. My father stood up, walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "You do me proud, my boy. I love ya. And I'll be prayin for you to be safe as you go and stop evildoers. You're young, and have so much potential. Don't let me hear that you ended up in a ditch somewhere because you angered the wrong person. Now go get em!" He ended his speech by hugging my shoulders and slapping me hard on the back.
I felt the force of the blow even though it did not pain me in any way. Likely due to my effort in cultivating the path of stamina.
I stand up and hug both my mother and brother before strolling to my donkey. My heart feels tight as It hits how it will be a long time till I see my family again. I pet the donkey's neck before starting to walk down the path. My mute guard, Romeo walks beside me. His whistle catches my eye because of the way it glints in the sunlight. I remember when my father first hired him as a guard he was given the same whistle that he carries to this day. I used to have such fun trying to provoke a reaction out of him with my silly faces when I was younger.
Today, my strength has surpassed that of my guard. But I find his presence comforting. It's nice to know that someone has your back regardless of where you are. I suppose that when I begin studying and working under my new teacher that I have to leave Romeo behind. Ihope I can learn to trust my teacher as well as I do my guard.
