The Wolf Heir

Chapter Two: Birthday Morning

The day of my birthday everything changed, and I had a feeling it would. The signs were there.

On the morning of my eighteenth birthday, I woke up at dawn like I usually did. Not even my parents woke up this early. I grabbed my oil lamp and lit it on carefully before changing into my working clothes. My birthday didn’t give me a free pass on chores.

My muddied boots awaited me at the entrance and I quickly put them on and grabbed the lamp before stepping outside into the cool air. I hurried over to the barn and set the lamp on a table before grabbing brushes and food to get started.

The hens, chicks and roosters were already flapping their wings and pipping rapidly with enthusiasm as they saw the sac of seeds, I had for them. After filling up their plates, they quieted down and I let them eat while I walked to our horse’s stall. We only owned one horse, but he was the only one we needed. I carefully placed his bridle on before placing a pile of hay in front of him while opening his stall. The grey horse’s eyes widened, and he neighed with joy. “Easy boy, how are you today Storm?” I asked as I touched the horse’s face. His dark eyes looked into mine and he quickly pulled away and he stepped back while neighing fearfully. “Woah Woah, what’s wrong boy? It’s me, Katherine,” I said, trying to remain calm. He had never acted this way around me before. There was something wrong.

After a couple of moments, I reached for his bridle. When my grip was secure, I pulled him down and petted his head with my arm. Storm started to calm down after that, and soon, he was eating from the haystack while I brushed his hair. That was strange, I thought to myself as I wondered why Storm could have reacted so unusual. Maybe he has something on his shoes. I’ll check his feet just to make sure we don’t have to call the farrier. And so, I did, carefully, I picked up the horse’s feet and examined his hooves and shoes but there was nothing odd about them, in fact, they looked to be in perfect shape. I sighed and shrugged before grabbing Storm’s bridle and leading him out to the corral so he could stretch his legs while I cleaned the barn.

By the time I had managed to finish cleaning the stall, the sun was almost over the horizon. I knew my father was going to be leaving for work soon. Quickly, I left the equipment in its closet and grabbed the lamp to take it back inside.

I could feel my boots muddied and dirty, I just hoped my mother wouldn’t see as I took them off inside our home. Once inside, I saw my father eating his breakfast at the table while doing his daily crossword puzzle from the newspaper. When he heard me approach, he looked up at me and smiled brightly. “Hello kiddo, how are you?” he asked cheerfully as he got up to hug me tightly.

I smiled and hugged him back. “Good morning father, I just finished cleaning up the barn.”

He chuckled and pulled away to continue his meal. “I heard, was there something wrong with Storm? Did he see a mouse? You know how scared he gets when he sees those critters,” he laughed and scratched his bushy mustache. My mother made her way towards us and she eyed me skeptically, making sure I wasn’t leaving trails of dirt on the way inside. Once she was satisfied, she put two plates of food on both of my father’s sides.

“Why don’t you join us, darling?” my mother said sweetly as she sat down. I nodded my head and did as I was told. “I will be making your favorite food tonight, along with that cake you liked so much from Elizabeth’s house last year, I asked her mother if she could give me the recipe,” my mother continued, smiling in my direction and trailing off with a wink at the end.

My eyes widened and I smiled, “really? Yay, thank you mother.” My mother gave me a stern look, she never like the word yay so much. My mother was a very big fan of talking properly and etiquette, I used to wonder if she sometimes wished she had married another man instead of my father, a man from the city, but every time I saw my parents together, they seemed happy and  complete. I could see how much they loved each other, even to this day.

“I’ll make sure to be in time for dinner. That’s why I worked all those extra hours at the factory,” my father said with a smile and I nodded my head. My parents began talking amongst themselves and I trailed off, my mind shifted back to Storm’s scared eyes and in his eyes, I could see a reflection; the reflection of glowing golden eyes.

“Katherine?” my mother asked warily. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and when I looked at my food, I realized I had dropped a spoonful of it on the table.

“I’m sorry, I’ll clean this up,” I said quickly as I headed for the kitchen to grab a towel. My parents’ worried glances followed me, but I ignored them, there was nothing to worry about.

Once my mess had been cleaned, I sat back down an met my parents’ eyes. “I’m fine, just a bit distracted,” I said as I resumed eating. Both of them nodded and didn’t push the subject, that’s something I always liked about my parents; they respected my boundaries. They knew that if I had a problem, I would tell them but if I didn’t say anything, they shouldn’t push me, it would only make it more difficult to express my worries.

The sound of a horse neighing nearby caught our attention. It wasn’t Storm’s neigh. My father pursed his lips and sighed, “well, that sounds like my ride to the city, I have to go. I’ll see you gals this afternoon. Daughter, happy birthday,” my father said as he smiled affectionately at me and hugged me tightly once again. He kissed my mother’s forehead before walking to the door and rushing across our yard to reach the dirt road where a carriage filled with factory workers, was waiting for my father.

My mother took my father’s dirty plate to the kitchen and I followed her to help her clean up. “Katherine, could you fill this bucket with water to wash the dishes?” she asked as she handed me a big wooden bucket. I nodded my head and took the empty bucket in my hand and headed to the well in our backyard. Along the way, I was skipping cheerfully, not caring if I was eighteen and I needed to act like a proper lady now. I was laughing as I neared the well until, a sting of pain coursed through my left leg and I yelped. My footing faltered on the ground and I almost tripped headfirst. Even when I stopped moving, the stinging pain still moved through my leg. I tightened my teeth together to keep from yelping out in pain. My leg looked normal, unscathed, but for some reason it hurt. For a couple of moments, I stood still until the pain subsided and I was able to move again. Letting out a sigh, I kept on moving until I reached the well in front of me. I hooked the bucket to the rope and lowered it to the bottom. Once it was full, I started to pull it back up, it was much heavier now. The rope was tied to a nearby post while I took the bucket from the hook and headed back inside, much slower this time. I was cautious not to spill any on the way. At the kitchen, mu mother had taken a scrub she used to clean the dishes and was waiting for me. “Thank you, sweetie. I’ll take care of this but, can you go over to the Gordon’s? I had to make some adjustments to Amelia’s dress, you know, Mrs. Gordon’s daughter. She is growing very fast. And after that can you go over to Elizabeth’s house? Her mother said she was going to send me the secret ingredient for your cake,” my mother winked at me and I chuckled before nodding. She pointed to a basket on the table where the dress was neatly folded, and I took it.

“Will do, mother. I will get back as soon as possible,” I called from the door before closing it and heading over to the stables to get Storm’s saddle.

This time, he wasn’t afraid or nervous for which I was glad. Once Storm was geared up and ready to go, I pulled his bridle and led him to the corral’s open exit. I saw as he waved his tail in anticipation and excitement and I couldn’t help but laugh, he sometimes acted like a dog.

With the basket resting on my left arm, I got onto Storm’s back and took his bridle between my hands. “Let’s go boy, are you ready?” As if in response, he neighed at me with excitement and, in a moment, we were off.

Storm’s feet fell on the ground rapidly as he trotted towards the Gordons’ home. I knew they lived past Elizabeth’s house, a couple of kilometers north. I had been there a couple of times as a kid when I accompanied my mother on deliveries and some other times recently to see my mother work. I knew the Gordons had three daughters, two twins about 5-years-old and the other one had 12. Also, they had a son around my age, we had gone to school together, but I hadn’t seen much of him since then, we had never been exactly friends, but we were polite to one another the few times we saw each other.

A big white house came into view and I began to slow down Storm’s pace. Storm obediently followed my lead until he was trotting joyfully towards the front door. I could see a couple of workers on the field, they turned to me with curious eyes. The Gordon family was a very well positioned family, financially speaking, and they hired people to tend the crops they commerce and use.

I let out a sigh and got off Storm’s back, then I turned to meet the workers’ gaze and I waved at them politely with a smile, they looked tired but at the same time happy, even some waved back. My attention returned to the front steps leading to the immense wooden door.

Once I was up the steps, I knocked on the door with the metal ball hanging from it. From inside, sounds of laughter could be heard which were interrupted by my knock. Shuffled footsteps made their way to the door until a man was standing in front of me. His kind green eyes and handsome face made me feel self-conscious of my dirty clothes and untended hair, all the sudden. He was taller than me and his dirty-blonde hair shinned under the sunlight. But I knew who he was; Jonas Gordon, the boy I had known from back in school.

“Katherine?” he asked, the shock was evident in his tone. He stepped outside and I saw as his smile widened as he stepped closer to me. My heart was racing in my chest and I was confused as to what I was feeling, it was a sensation I had never felt before. It felt… exhilarating.

After I realized I had just been standing there, gawking at him without responding, I quickly shook my head and nodded with a shy smile. “Yes. It’s nice to see you, Jonas,” I said, trying to keep my voice from breaking. In truth, I was nervous and that wasn’t something I was used to, specially not with a boy I had known from my childhood.

“You too. You look well. What are you doing here?” he asked, his gaze never leaving mine.

When he asked me that question, I remembered the real reason why I was there. “Oh, right. My mother sent me to bring your sister a dress. It’s been fixed,” I said as I handed him the basket that had been resting on my arm.

Jonas took the basket from my grasp and nodded his head. “Thank you, Katherine. Would you like to come in, we were just about to sit down for breakfast,” he offered as he motioned at the door.

I quickly shook my head and smiled. “No, that’s alright. Thank you, though. I should get going, I still have chores to do.” My feet began to retreat towards the steps when another figure joined us.

“Katherine, it’s good to see you. It’s been so long,” Mrs. Gordon said in surprise as she joined us.

“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Gordon. I was just dropping something off, but I should get going,” I said nervously as Jonas’ mother smiled at me.

“Hold on, sweetie, I told your mother I was going to send her my secret ingredient for your cake. It is your birthday today, correct?” I nodded my head and she quickly stepped outside to hug me. “Happy birthday Katherine. You are practically a woman now, soon you’ll be getting married.” My body froze and I let out a nervous chuckle.

“Thank you, Mrs. Gordon,” I said as she pulled away and went back inside to get the ingredient.

Meanwhile, Jonas stood awkwardly next to me, “Happy birthday Katherine, may you be welcomed with many blessings.” He put his hands in his pockets and I smiled at him as I felt my face heat up.

“Thank you, Jonas.” Thankfully, Mrs. Gordon returned with a small paper bag before handing it to me, closed.

“Here you go sweetie, enjoy,” she said with a bright smile before disappearing back inside. I nodded my head and for a moment, I just stood there.

“I should go,” I said finally, Jonas only nodded, and I felt his gaze on my back as he watched me walk away. Something was tugging at my heart, urging me to go back. To embrace Jonas and never let him go. I quickly shook the thoughts away, but I knew I must be blushing vigorously now.

Once I was on Strom’s back, I waved at Jonas one last time before speeding away. Even though something inside of me felt as if I were breaking. That is odd, I thought to myself, but kept my mind set on getting to Elizabeth’s house.