by Hannah Ross
"I hope to have that pleasure ere long."
"If you ever meet any more of us, the ones who were left to live in freedom or die in hunger and disease, you will discover we don't trust easily, don't ask for favors, and don't play games. Our whole existence is brutally honest, and so should you be."
The general's bushy, black and grey eyebrows slightly contracted, forming a furrow in between."I've never had anything else in mind."
"Do you really think the Van Wullen and Dahl clans can ever be displaced?" Kate asked. "They've had this country in their grip for many decades."
"Maybe not displaced," said Senator Newson. "They have too much independent wealth for that. But they can be... brought into line."
Ben, Tom, Jimmy and Shauna excused themselves and strode across the room to huddle near the door. They exchanged whispers for a few minutes until Ben nodded and they returned to their seats.
Ben cleared his throat and said, "All I can say is that those who come as friends, without greed or arrogance or hidden agendas, will always be welcome in our camp. Other camp leaders will likely feel the same."
General Evans nodded, satisfied. "At this point, that is just what I wanted to hear. Come, shake hands."
The scene felt surreal. Ben could hardly believe that this man, who had the control of half the military force in the country, was actually extending a hand to him. The general's grip felt firm and assured.
"It might take a year, or two, or ten," he said, "but believe me, my friends, different times will come."
49
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Tuesday, September 21
Fourteen Months Later
♫ "…Happy Birthday to you." ♫
Priscilla blew out the candles and reached for a knife.
"Let the girl do it," Aunt Daphne said.
"I have to make another wish as I cut the first slice. And I'm perfectly capable of cutting a few slices of cake and putting them on plates."
"I still don't understand why you wouldn't let us have a proper celebration for you," her mother said. "Eighteen is such an important birthday. Stephanie's ball was magnificent, even though…well, never mind."
"Where is she? I thought you said—"
"You know she's a married woman now and Ned had an important dinner party to attend, and of course he couldn't go alone. But she said she'll try to stop by tomorrow with your gift."
"Right. And Daddy? Is he at the same important dinner party?"
"No. He—"
"Never mind. It doesn’t matter."
* * *
"I don't expect you to understand, but I'm not like you," Priscilla said.
Since her mother left twenty minutes ago, her aunt rattled on about the wonders of wealth and power and how foolish she was to continue to pine after a wildling who could have no prospects for giving her all the things that were always taken for granted by the Dahls and Van Wullens due to their money and connections.
"I'm not like my mother or my sister or my brother-in-law. And I'm certainly not like my father. This life of wealth and privilege and power that you all cherish I despise with all my heart, with every bit of my being.
"When I came back with you last year, it was only because I know the value of a good education. Ben and I could have disappeared into the wild lands and never been heard from again. But we didn't. I didn't. I came back for school, not for family or friends or money or anything else. And if you permit me to, I'd like to continue staying here while I attend college. I've signed up for an accelerated three-year program so I'll graduate soon after I turn twenty-one. Then I'll be moving outside the Boundary to marry Ben. Or live with him. I'm not entirely sure of how he wants to do it. It seems some couples just move in together and others have some sort of unofficial ceremony and some have a priest or minister or other official to make it Boundary legal even if they're not legal citizens. I don't care how he wants to arrange things. I just want to spend my life with him. Have a family with him. Why can't you understand that?"
"Because you're young and have no idea what that kind of life can do to a girl…or a woman. While you live in luxury, you don't know what you're talking about when you claim to want to live in a hovel somewhere, scratching in the dirt to grow food. That is no life for a Dahl."
"First of all, you have no idea what life outside the Boundary is really like now. But you're right, Auntie. That's no life for a Dahl. But I've always been a Dahl in name only. Think about me when I was young. Compare me then, and now, to Stephanie."
"Yes, you two have always been different. But you are still a Dahl and that name comes with responsibilities. And if you choose to deny those responsibilities, you deny the name, and everything it stands for and everything that comes with it. You will be disowned. By your father, by me, by all of our society. And there is no coming back from that. You won't be able to show up one day and say 'I made a mistake. I don't want that life after all.' No one will even give you an audience.
"You say you plan to attend college. Did you imagine he would be living with you here? Because I can assure you he will have an impossible time trying to get permission to cross the Boundary, much less live within it. And I promise you that if that good-for-nothing is caught within Boundary limits, your father, uncle, and brother-in-law will do what they must to get him packed off to jail."
Priscilla shook her head. "I've always known the Dahls and Van Wullens were a vindictive lot. But I never realized just how vengeful you could be." Again her head shook. "It doesn't matter what you do. You're still hoping I'm a silly little girl who doesn't know her own mind, but you're wrong. You can't separate me from Ben."
With that, she rose and walked upstairs to her room where she sat on the bed, pulled out her phone, and dialed the private number of WiChi Jewelers in Resurrection Town.
The phone rang twice before a familiar voice said, "Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you, Ben."
"I didn't think you'd be calling until later. How was the party?"
"Party? I'm not sure you could call it that."
Fifteen minutes later, Ben said, "I'm not afraid, Pris. But we can't dismiss these threats either. Your family sure has clout enough to get me arrested. Heck, they could hire someone to just get me out of the way, and they would never face any consequences."
Priscilla paused for a moment. The thought was chilling, but she knew Ben was right.
"Not to worry. I'm also buying a small, used automobile so I can come see you on weekends and holidays and vacations. Or at least when I don't have to cram for an exam or something."
She heard him sigh. "So… Three more years before we can really be together."
"The time will go by fast. With the education, I'll be able to help make people's lives easier. And with the car, I'll be in camp so much you'll probably get sick of seeing me."
"That could never happen."
"We'll see. By the way, when I come down next time, I'll be bringing a tent. A big one."
"A tent? What for? With the new addition, there's plenty of room in the…oh!"
50
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Friday, August 11
Three Years Later
Priscilla tugged at the blindfold. She felt quite secure on the back of the horse with Ben's strong arms encircling her from behind, but she longed to see.
"Come on, Ben. I appreciate you getting me a gift for my college graduation, but did you really have to hide it way out here in the woods? When can I take this thing off?"
"It won't be long, now. Be thankful I didn't decide to make you wait a couple of months more until you turn twenty-one." She heard the smile in his voice.
Gently, he helped her dismount and, having tethered the horse, took her hand and led her down what she surmised was a short, narrow trail. Priscilla felt branches and brambles touch her on both sides. Finally, about thirty steps later, Ben stopped.
"You can look now."
Eagerly, Priscilla tore the dark strip of c
loth off her eyes and gasped.
In front of her, nestled in the middle of a small forest clearing, was a compact, solidly built log cabin. The wood looked fresh, unweathered as yet. The steep roof was tiled, with a chimney protruding up. There was a raised, sheltered front porch, complete with a masterfully built swing-set.
"What is that?" She exhaled, looking at Ben.
He grinned, unable to conceal his delight. "This is your graduation present. Home."
"But I thought we were going to live at the camp. For a while, anyway."
He shook his head. "We'll always be welcome at the camp, but this is a place just for us and, well, for our kids, when they come."
Giddy with joy, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then she grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's go inside!"
They stepped up on the front porch and Ben led the way in. The central area consisted of a kitchen, complete with sink and cabinets and work surfaces, a square, roughly hewn wooden table and a living space with a low, cushioned sofa and a squashy armchair. There were wooden bookshelves, handmade and lovingly polished. There was also a rustic-looking staircase, leading upward.
"That's the loft," Ben said, pointing up. "Our bed is up there."
Priscilla looked around, taking it all in. There was a large banner arched over the window with the words Ben and Priscilla – Congratulations, and a row of hand-painted hearts around the edge.
"How on earth did you manage to do this? When did you even have the time?"
"I didn't work alone. The guys all pitched in. They said it was our wedding present. Tom and Mac and Sidney and Enzo. He built the swing set, by the way, because he said he owed me one. I nearly broke my back a year ago, helping build that house for him and Jen." Ben shook his head with a good-natured grin. "Enzo and Jen. He pined for her all those years it took for her to finally let go of Michael. I don't think anyone thought they'd actually be together one day. Life sure is funny."
"It is. I mean, just look at us." She surveyed her new home. "And this cabin! Oh, Ben, it's beautiful!"
"It's small, I know. But see this wall? Here is where we'll expand the house when we need to. We planned it from the onset, so it should be easy."
"Well, I think it's perfect. I wish Stephanie could see this."
"I doubt Ned Thornton's wife would be very impressed."
"I guess you're right. She'd probably swoon with shock at the notion of her sister living under such primitive conditions." Ben saw the joy drain from her face as sadness stole into her voice. "I mean, she didn't even come to the wedding."
Their wedding, held at the Hursts' farmhouse, was a populous and jolly event, attended by all the members of Ben's camp, young and old, and his friends the Ravens, Mad Monkeys, Dirt Snakes, Bears, and the Spotted Cats, who were invited well beforehand and traveled from all sides of the country to attend. Priscilla's side, however, was represented by nobody but Tilly, who came with Ben's brother Jordan, his wife Allie, and their two children.
The service was freeform, conducted by Ben's father. Needless to say, it was also unofficial, for Ben did not possess a citizenship or any kind of legal status.
He looked at his new wife with some concern. "Are you alright? I did hope, you know, that at least your aunt would come."
Priscilla shook her head. "No. I knew none of them would. Mom took to her bed for two weeks when I told her we were getting married and going to live in the wilderness across the Boundary. Dad threw a fit and wrote me out of his will. I suspect Aunt Daphne did as well. No matter. I have my own bit of money, likely more than we'll ever need around here."
Ben nodded. "Yeah. No need for money around here."
"Oh, I don't know. I've thought of a thing or two we could buy from Resurrection Town and convey here."
Ben looked puzzled. "Like what?"
"Like solar panels. And a water tank with a hose, some piping. I realize this will sound outrageous to you, Benjamin Grey, but you married a pampered woman who is used to all kinds of luxuries. Such as electricity, running water… and an indoor bathroom."
He nodded, making some mental calculations. "We could do that, I think. Water won't be a problem. There's a nice little stream near the cabin," he said. "You can hear it burbling if you open the window. That's why I chose this location."
She smiled and sidled closer to him. "We can plan this later, Mr. Fix It. Right now, I'd like you to show me our bedroom."
He turned to her, his expression playful, and swept her up in his arms. "I'd love to, Mrs. Grey."
"Let me down for a moment, Ben. I want to test these stairs myself."
"Why?"
Priscilla gave him a saucy little smirk. "Because I'm sure they creak."
"They don't!" he said, piqued despite himself. "I made them myself, you know. They're as solid as rock."
"Well, let's see if that's so," she said, tugging his hand and leading him on.
Benjamin and Priscilla made their way upstairs. Around midway, Ben cheated. He stopped and kissed his wife breathless, making her forget all about whether or not the stairs creak.
________________
________________________________
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FREEBORN
By
HANNAH ROSS
~ ~ ~
Mason Marshall Press
Medford, Massachusetts
Wild Children series:
Wild Children
The Hourglass
Freeborn
________________________________
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are entirely the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, persons, or anything else is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be used, reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any manner by any means, known or unknown, without express written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Published by Mason Marshall Press.
Copyright © 2018 by Hannah Ross
Cover copyright © 2018 by Mason Marshall Press.
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 9781632470355
For information, please contact:
Mason Marshall Press
P.O. Box 324
Medford, MA 02155
[email protected]
PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To my husband, who has shown
me the path to freedom.
1
________________________________
The young man walked out of the log cabin on tiptoe so as not to wake the sleeping baby. It was a sunny, breezy afternoon, and he saw a row of clothes drying outside - jeans and working shirts, cotton socks, tiny little outfits. But there was no sign of his wife anywhere.
"Priscilla?" he called out, uncertain. "Pris?"
"I'm here, Ben."
He found her sitting by the little stream and walked over, relieved.
"Oh, hey. For a moment there I didn't know what to think."
"I'm sorry I disappeared on you like that, but when I was in Resurrection Town yesterday, I got a letter from Stephanie, and I only just opened it."
Ben frowned. What could this mean? Stephanie hasn't contacted her sister in years. She's been just as disapproving of us as the rest of Prissy's family. She didn't even come to the wedding! And she didn't send as much as a card or a scrap of a note when Ian was born.
Priscilla held up an elongated envelope that had a crisp, official look.
"What happened?" Ben asked.
"My father is dying."
So! That's a shock!
Alexander Dahl was no longer president, but it was well-known he and his wife's relations, the Van Wullens, ruled the country from backstage.
Could the mighty Dahl actually succumb to t
he human weakness of illness and death?
"It's like Father's desperate chase of that NOAGE formula was prophetic," said Priscilla, shaking her head. "Like he knew that, without a powerful rejuvenation panacea, he'd get cancer at the age of fifty five."
Ben let that pass. The NOAGE thing was sealed and done years ago, to the great disappointment of the White Tower. What interested him right now was more to the point.
"What are you going to do now, Pris?"
"I'll probably have to go home for a while."
"Home?" he echoed.
"No. Not home." She made a sweeping gesture at the forest, the peaceful clearing, the burbling creek. "This is my home now. But you know what I mean, Ben. I'll have to go to Silver Oaks."
Ben stiffened. The estate of Silver Oaks was a symbol of power and status nearly as much as the White Tower itself. Though married for five years now, he had never seen the place where his wife grew up. Not that he expected an invitation for Sunday brunch or a round of golf with her father. He, an Illegal with no official status or documents, was universally despised by the Dahls and the Van Wullens for ruining the prospects of their dear Priscilla. Still, this was not the moment to hold grudges.
He gave a reluctant nod. "Yes. I suppose you must."
"I need to spend some time with Mom right now. I won't stay above two weeks, though."
Two weeks! In five years of marriage, we've never been separated for as much as two days! But I guess in the present circumstances, complaining would be unmanly. "Of course. I understand." I won't offer condolences, though. I can't and I won't regret the demise of Alexander Dahl.
"I'm going to take Ian with me," Priscilla added.
That was a sensible decision. Though he loved his son, Ben wouldn't know what to do alone on an isolated forest homestead with a curious and active one-year-old for two whole weeks, but he felt a pang when he imagined how lonely it would be without Priscilla and Ian around.
"Yes. That's a good idea. It'll help take your mom's mind off things."