Hope in the Rain

It was mid-spring and that meant one thing: Rain. Constant rain. It kept the villagers inside, huddled around weak fires but happy regardless. The market was nearly abandoned except for the few people brave enough to take on the elements and a dark figure huddled under a jutting roof of a home. Blankets were wrapped around the slim body and steel grey eyes stared out at the unforgiving rain. A hood covered the head and kept the rest of the face in shadow.

Needless to say, it made the prince uneasy. He was supposed to be on the way to discuss war negotiations with a foreign kingdom. His father had passed away just a week ago, pushing Prince Zeke into the position of King. A wagon wheel had caught in the mud, though, and his driver was having trouble getting it out of the muck. The person in the shadows was watching them with emotionless eyes. He finally sat back and drew the curtains over the door window pane.

“Lawrence, how are you faring?” he called to the back opposite side.

“Peachy, Your Highness,” the disgruntled driver grumbled.

“Do you need help?” he offered, not pleased with the driver’s attitude.

“Like you could help,” the driver mumbled, apparently thinking Zeke couldn’t hear him.

Zeke pressed his lips together and threw the carriage door open, striding confidently into the rain. His boots squelched in the mud but he ignored it and gestured for Lawrence to get out of the way. He heaved and, just as the wheel was giving leave, a loud crack of thunder and blinding lightning rumbled through the sky. The horses spooked and neighed in fear, rearing up on their hind hooves. The jerk from the horses caused Zeke and Lawrence to fall on their rumps in the mud. All they could do was stare as the carriage started to move with the frantic beasts.

Then he noticed the figure in the shadows jump up and run to the horses, grabbing one by the halter. He didn’t know whether to laugh or be concerned. It was a young woman in a tattered dress, face still hooded. She was dangerously thin and he was sure the horses would throw her across the way. But that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, the woman spoke under her breath to the horses, stroking their noses and pressing her head to their long faces.

Lawrence and Zeke shared a look then stood, rushing over to the young woman. In the middle of calming the horses, her hood had fallen and for a moment Zeke was mesmerized.

She had long auburn hair that framed her pale, thin face. Her grey eyes were guarded but her body gave the impression that she had witnessed many hardships in her young life.

“We have it from here, peasant,” Lawrence spat, jerking Zeke out of his thoughts.

The young woman blanched. “You rich folks are all the same,” she sneered and threw the reins in the mud.

“That is royal property you just ruined!” Lawrence roared.

“It doesn’t look like the only royal property to be ruined,” she mocked. “Clean up your backside, sir. You’ll embarrass everyone.”

Zeke tried not to laugh. “Thank you for your help, miss,” he interjected before things got violent. “What is your name?”

“Nothing of importance,” she said, lifting her hood again. “You might want to hurry if you want to outrun the rest of the storm, Your Highness.”

With that she turned and left, walking briskly past her resting stop. As Lawrence grumbled about insolence and arresting, Zeke climbed back into the carriage, ignoring the mud that caked his rear and legs. He thought about the young woman the rest of the five hour trip. She had looked so familiar.

..

Hope came to an empty alleyway and took a moment to regain her breath. He didn’t recognize her; that was a crushing blow. Perhaps it was all for the best. He had to be king now, after all. A long ago promise to a poor orphan girl didn’t mean anything to him now.

With a sigh, she continued walking through the rain, shivering slightly. Her eyes scanned the doors, wishing that she was behind one. Suddenly, a door opened right in front of her and she groaned as her head rebounded off of it. A female voice gasped and a girl Hope’s age came scurrying out after some mice she had just thrown out.

“I am so sorry!” the girl apologized. “I didn’t expect anyone to be out here. Whatever are you doing in the rain?”

“Nowhere else to go,” Hope shrugged and walked on.

“Well, wait!” the girl called and Hope turned her head slightly. “Come inside by the fire. You must be frozen stiff!”

“Surely you’ve seen me around,” Hope muttered and the girl nodded. “It would tarnish your reputation to take someone like me in.”

“Please come inside,” the girl insisted. “People who would keep a fellow human being from refuge are rotten people indeed.”

Hope battled with herself. She was cold and the rain was only falling harder. Slowly, she walked into the small home and lowered her hood.

“Would you like some tea?” the woman asked.

“Can I know your name first?”

“Oh!” The girl giggled. “Sorry. My name is Michelle. Your name?”

“Hope,” she replied and unclasped her cloak, placing it into Michelle’s waiting hand. “You have a wonderful home.”

“Thank you,” Michelle smiled. “I refurnished it when my parents moved to another village. I can tell you it was a little shabby when they left.”

“Why did they leave?” Hope asked and sat down in a chair at the table.

Michelle didn’t answer for a long time. “I am 21 and I have no husband,” she said simply.

She didn’t need to say anything else. It was tradition in the village that by 21 a woman should marry. Hope herself was an outcast. But for her parents to get up and leave her like that… Hope couldn’t even imagine what it was like. Then again, she never experienced what it was like to have a parent.

“How did you not have any suitors?” Hope asked as Michelle sat down across from her with their tea. “You certainly are beautiful.”

Michelle smiled graciously. “Thank you. I did have suitors but they were as fake as they come.” She toyed with a strand of fabric. “I want to marry for love, as silly as that sounds.”

“It doesn’t sound silly to me.”

“What’s your history? Did you have any suitors?”

Hope sighed and looked at her tea. “My parents passed away when I was very young.” Michelle put a sympathetic hand on Hope’s. “I was a ward of the palace for a few years until the queen died and the king sent all wards away.”

“I remember that. It wasn’t well accepted down here.”

“No one took me in,” she continued. “So I had to fend for myself. It wasn’t easy. While at the palace, there was a boy my age there as well.” She laughed breathlessly. “We ‘fell in love’ if that’s possible. He promised to marry me. He even kept in contact for a little bit after we all left. Then I never heard from him again.”

“I’m so sorry,” Michelle whispered. “What happened?”

“He forgot about me, I guess. But he has responsibilities that I can’t be in his life during…”

“Why didn’t you leave the kingdom, then?”

Hope suddenly remembered where she was. “I’m really tired, Michelle. Is there a place I can sleep.”

“Oh, of course,” Michelle said and stood. “Here, follow me.”