The Perilous Journey

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Andrea's face became creased with worry, her long blond hair whipped across her face in the breeze as it tore through the firs. If not for the danger it held, the day would have been beautiful, and pleasant. Andrea's instincts told her that Benjamin's little brother David would not make it through the night. She fought against the wind that tried to take the rope from her hand. In the bighting cold Andrea at last released the knot. The horse was free of the long, moss-covered, split rail fence.

In one jump she found herself on his back. Not in all her wildest dreams had she ever dreamed of riding to save her best friend’s life! David's temperature had not been normal all day, but not until tonight had it become so high. His little body was red all over, while his mother did her best to cool him with water from the creek. Even though it was very cold it still would not save him.

A mad passion drove Andrea to ride harder than ever before. She would not see David in the grave. Not if she had to die to save him. She also knew that Benjamin would love her all the more if she saved him. But of course she would never admit that it was one of her reasons for offering to make the long journey.

Even though she had ridden the path many times and knew all the surroundings, she did not know what lay ahead. Not a hundred journeys on this path would have prepared her. Robbers lay in wait for a beautiful prey!

Now, don't get me wrong. This doesn't have to be a romance... That could just be an aside while, who knows, the kingdom goes to war, there is treachery and betrayal in the court, or whatever. just a little note :)

Because no one has gone further...

When Andrea was too small to remember a wave of the Black Death crossed the kingdom. As you might have guessed her father died as well as many members of her family, close and distant. When the plague ended she and her mother were alone, with only a milk cow and several chickens to live on. Andrea grew up feeding chickens, milking cows, and sewing. Unfortunately for Andrea, she lost her mother at the age of 12. A mad man had escaped the castle jail just before he was to be executed. Andrea was in the back garden, when she heard a scream. She rushed in and found her mother with a knife in her heart. It was later discovered that the mad man had been the culprit. Because of her predicament her kind-hearted neighbors took her in. Since it was the family trade Andrea began to learn how to take care of the sick and wounded.

Of course you now understand that she lived with Benjamin's family from the time she was twelve. He was a sort of brother at first, but then she saw more in his teasing than just playing, she knew that he liked her. When she noticed this in the beginning she was just annoyed, then it grew. One day Benjamin came home looking tired and stressed.

"What's wrong Benjamin?" his mother asked. "A rough day?"

"No, just... the nurse at the manor has had to leave town, because her mother is getting too old to live alone. I need another helper," he replied as he plopped into a chair.

"I could help! I would love to be up there in the manor with you and all those people!" Andrea suggested nearly jumping into the roof.

"Calm down Andrea," Benjamin's mother soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked at Benjamin. "What do you think? She is 14."

"That is a definite possibility," Benjamin smiled. "Really, I was hoping you would volunteer, but I didn't want to ask you."

Andrea smiled, knowing that her future was set.