by GG Shalton
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Coming Soon
About the Author
Freeing Joslyn
GG Shalton
Freeing Joslyn
Copyright © 2018 by GG Shalton. All rights reserved.
First Edition: November 2018
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Editor: Joy Editing – https://www.joyediting.com/
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Formatting: Streetlight Graphics
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Chapter 1
Joslyn gazed into the looking glass one more time before dressing. The bindings were bothersome but necessary. She had developed too much over the last year and needed to hide her womanly curves. Quickly, she secured the cloth minimizing her bust and pulled a wool gown over her head. Then she carefully twisted her long hair into a tight bun and covered it with a wimple hoping to obscure her natural highlights and beautiful waves. If only her mother would let her cut it! She grabbed a wet cloth to clean her hands, leaving any grit on her face. Keeping herself dirty and hiding her beauty was becoming a challenge with her mother insisting that she bathe often. At seventeen, her parents wanted to marry her off, but Joslyn fought it every chance she could get.
“Joslyn? Where are you?” Her mother’s sharp tone broke her from her woolgathering. She knew she had slept too late and needed to help with breakfast. Hopefully, Mary had already started cooking. Joslyn opened the door and found her mother dressed in her Sunday clothes in the kitchen.
“I must go into town. Your father received a letter last night from the mayor that the Royal Duke and some of his guests will be at the Merle parade. They are asking all the blacksmiths to prepare special pieces for the fair, so he left without his breakfast.” Joslyn’s mother smoothed down her dress before putting some bread into a small burlap sack.
“The Royal Duke? In Merle? Why would he come to our village celebration? We are not a mining town.”
Her mother shrugged. “Who knows? He will be king one day. Perhaps he wants to see his future royal subjects.” She snorted. “We just better be on our best behavior. Now, I need you to clean up the dishes and help your sisters feed the animals. I will be back shortly.”
She leaned over and kissed Joslyn on the forehead. “You are too young to wear a wimple. You will never catch a husband covering yourself up like that.”
Joslyn could smell the scent of roses coming off her mother. “Do not fret, Mama. My wimple allows me to pick the right husband—a man interested in my mind and not my looks.”
Her mother rolled her eyes as she pinched her cheeks to add some color to her face. Joslyn smiled at the extra effort her mother took in her appearance when she went to see her father in the village square. Cassandra Rhodes may be a mother of three young girls, but she looked beautiful for her age. Many people thought Joslyn took after her mother.
Joslyn waved goodbye and watched her mother out the window. She had obviously missed breakfast but was left with the mess. Her stomach growled, and she decided to eat before tackling the chores. Sitting down to eat bread with jam, she thought about the message her father had received. Why would noble visitors visit Merle? They were a poor village and their annual parade was hardly a celebration that would lure a noble member to attend.
She finished her breakfast and wiped the crumbs away. Noticing spilled milk on the floor, she grabbed a cloth to clean it up. How could her sisters be so messy? Probably because father was not at the table. She hoped her father would get a chance to eat. He was not doing well with his arm being cut open last week and an infection that had barely healed. She knew he pushed himself too hard to support his family. He was a blacksmith, but times were tough and sometimes there was not enough work to go around between Merle and neighboring villages. There was much competition for jobs, so oftentimes Joslyn’s family struggled.
“Sister?” Joslyn turned to see her youngest sister standing in the doorway. Her curly blond hair looked a mess as she moved it out of her eyes.
“Yes, Susanna?”
“Mabel had puppies in the stable. Do you think Papa will let us keep them?”
“Perhaps one or two. Give Mable some milk as she needs to be strong to feed her babies.” Joslyn tried to distract her sister from realizing that they would not be able to keep the puppies. More mouths to feed would be a burden.
She watched her sister run back to the stable with a bucket for milk. Living in the farm villages was a hard life. Her sister would not always be so carefree. Susanna was thirteen and would be fourteen in a few months. Yet, she had a mind of a child, being sheltered on the farm left little room for much else. The great country of Mallard did not give their women many choices. Marriage and having children were their destiny and duty.
Taking a deep breath, she thought about her village of Merle. The government shielded most of their inhabitants of anything outside of their village. Only a few could leave to other areas of the country. Their country was landlocked. Most of the country’s income came from the mountains, where mining provided a better living to their citizens.
Joslyn swept the floor and saw her father’s wool cap under the chair. He must have been in a hurry and forgot it. She leaned over picking it up remembering when he bought it last year. There was a traveling caravan from the mining towns that came to Merle. Her father had only visited a mining town once when he was a child before the new laws were enforced. The government did not allow commoners from the villages to live near the mines or the palace. They couldn’t even visit without special permission. They were considered peasants and there was a census every year. Laws were strict and only marriage could provide a way to move to the mining towns. She couldn’t imagine marrying someone from there as it rarely happened. Even though those towns were not considered rich, their homes provided more comfort and it was a dream of village women to marry men from the mines for a better way of life.
The only wealthy inhabitants in their country were the nobles that lived near the palace in the city of Locket. No intermarriages were allowed, and you had to be born noble to marry a noble. Most village citizens went there as servants or slaves if at all. Joslyn had never seen the city but dreamed of going there one day.
She put the broom away and scrubbed the table to remove the stains her sisters left behind. Humming to herself, she thought about the music that would be playing the next day. Dancing was not typical in her village, but during parade days, people seemed to forget their struggles and participated in a day of celebration.
“Josie!” Mary came through the door with a pout on her face, placing her hands on her hips.
“What is it?” Joslyn asked, straightening the chairs around the table.
“Did you tell Susanna she could wear your pink dress to the parade?”
Joslyn rolled her eyes. “What does it matter? It’s too small for you.”
“But I get the first choice, she is younger than me.”
“Only by a year, you are barely fifteen. Besides, I sewed mothers green one to fit you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I wanted the pink one. Henry Markson will be there.”
“Please! Henry would only notice you if you were a fish. All that boy likes to do is go fishing. I doubt he would notice any girl that didn’t have fins.”
Both girls laughed, and Josie put her arm around her sister. “Do not fret, the pink one is old and too small. I can add some ruffles to the green one.”
She nodded her head in compromise. “What about you, Josie? I am sure lots of young men will be at the parade for you.”
Joslyn lifted a flippant hand. “I have no plans to marry anytime soon.”
“Bite your tongue, Josie. You’re nearly eighteen and our parents are worried about your lack of interest in getting married. You better find a husband for yourself before they find one for you.”
Joslyn shook her head in frustration as she watched Mary walk out the door to gather more vegetables for dinner. Hanging up the rag on the mantle, Joslyn went to sit on the chair near the fireplace but noticed the glove Mary had forgotten and opened the front door to call after her.
As the words left her mouth, she noticed movement coming out of the woods and saw a few Mallard soldiers walking up behind the stable toward the house. Grabbing a knife off the kitchen counter, she hid it in her waistband and walked outside.
Giving Mary a warning look with her eyes, she turned to the soldiers, “May I help you?” Her tone was stern as she took in their appearance. They looked at each other as one soldier with a missing tooth lifted the corner of his mouth in a cocky grin. “May we speak to Mr. Rhodes?”
Trying to keep calm, she could feel the sweat moistening her hands. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to calm her voice and mask her fear. “He went hunting and will be back any moment,” she lied. “I will tell him you stopped by.”
The bigger of the two soldiers raised his brow. “He owes the mayor his taxes this month. No more extensions.” Looking around the farm, he sighed in annoyance. “Or I will be forced to take what’s left of the animals on the farm.”
She swallowed hard, finding it hard to make eye contact and responded with a cracked voice, “I will let him know, sir.” She started to turn away, praying that would be the end of their exchange.
“Miss Rhodes?” His voice vibrated through her as she stopped and turned to look at him. He smiled wickedly. “If you cleaned yourself up, we could make other payment arrangements.”
The shorter of the two started laughing as he took a step toward Joslyn. Itching to grab her knife, she felt the bile rise in her throat nearly choking her.
“Josie?”
The strained voice interrupted all of them as they looked toward Mary. “Yes, Mary?” Joslyn replied in a shaky voice.
“I need your help.” She held out the two baskets beside her. “We have to finish dinner. Papa and our uncles will be back any moment. The cabbages are too heavy today, will you take one of the baskets?”
Joslyn slowly backed away from them trying to avoid their scrutiny. “If you will excuse me, I will tell my father of your visit when he returns.”
“Wait!” He looked at his friend who spit on the ground and wiped his mouth. “We will carry the baskets in for you, and then have some fun with you and your sister.”
Joslyn shook her head. “My papa will be here with our uncles shortly, and we have to finish our chores.”
“We are Mallard soldiers. Your papa owes us a debt.” He stepped forward reaching out to touch her face and she backed away from him, tripping and falling onto the ground.
“Johnson!” The men looked up to see a couple of soldiers emerge on horseback. “Leave the peasants alone. We have work to do and must go.”
The man named Johnson snorted. “Yes, sir.” He looked back at Joslyn who remained on the ground and whispered, “I will be back.” His crooked smile unnerved her. She lowered her head as they walked away. After she knew they had left, she stood up and walked toward Mary. “They are gone now. Let’s finish our chores and wait for Mama.”
Mary’s eyes glistened with tears. “I hate living in Mallard!”
Joslyn gasped. “Shh! Don’t say that too loudly. They could take you away to be punished. We are unharmed.”
“Josie!” Susanna came running out of the stable toward her sisters. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were red.
Joslyn embraced her and held her close to her chest. “They are gone. Don’t be frightened.”
“But… But they may come back. I hid in the loft, but I could see them out the window.”
Joslyn looked at both her sisters trying to be brave. She was not much older than them but always took on the motherly role. “Let’s go inside for a bit before we finish our chores. We will make sure they are long gone.”
They returned inside and sat by the fireplace. Mary’s silence was almost as bad as Susanna whimpering. Joslyn tried to soothe her sisters. “I will latch the door just in case, but I don’t think they will come back. At least not today.” Joslyn pulled the latch over the door and pushed it down to make sure it was secure.
“We are helpless out here alone.” Mary cried as she held up her arms in defeat. “This is not the first time the soldiers have threatened us.”
“Don’t complain, Mary. That is the reason they want me to marry so quickly. They feel we are too vulnerable.”
Mary took off her shoes and laid them by the table. “I wonder if it’s only women from Merle who have to endure the Mallard soldiers or if other villages face the same treatment.”
“They know we are peasants and have no men besides Papa to protect us. They take advantage of our circumstances.”
Both of her sisters curled up near the fire, and Joslyn was happy to end the conversation. She needed a few moments to calm her nerves before continuing her chores. Her eyes roamed the room looking at their meager possessions. She noticed the picture she drew of the ocean that her mother framed a few years ago. Village citizens were not allowed to travel outside of the country. But Joslyn dreamed of seeing the ocean one day. She drew pictures and heard stories from the old soldiers who described the waters as far as the eye could see. The only waters she ever saw was the Merle river.
Shifting in her chair, she spotted a few other keepsakes her family had saved. Her father’s Mallard Army medal was hanging on a shelf for visitors to see. She looked at the shiny medal with a feeling of pride that her father had rescued a few men during a border dispute with Burra.
“Did Mama tell you that the Royal Duke was visiting Merle?” Mary asked, looking over at Joslyn.
Fidgeting with her apron, she thought again about the Royal Duke’s visit. The timing of his visit was troubling. Many citizens had lost loved ones in the recent wars and were leery of him. He had supposedly led the peace talks as their king’s nephew and future heir to the throne. Joslyn sighed. “She mentioned it this morning, but it’s probably not true. Nobility doesn’t usually come to Merle.”
Susanna turned on her side. “I wonder if any of the princesses will come. I would love to see one.”
Mary s
norted. “The princesses are too busy with wedding planning to be bothered with one of their poor villages. They are probably afraid to catch some dreadful disease by looking at one of us.”
Joslyn thought about the king’s five daughters, their country’s royal legacy. He planned to marry each of them to surrounding countries, securing the future of Mallard. But unfortunately, not all surrounding countries were interested in making an alliance. The country of Burra refused to make a match. They threatened their borders constantly even after the recent war. Burra was a rich country and had an army twice as big as Mallard. Mallard’s only option was to pay Burra off with their natural resources. That is what most the citizens supported. Peace was more important than the profit of the mines. But Burra demanded an exorbitant amount of coal and copper to keep the peace. Joslyn’s village was known for cotton farming although her family was not farmers. Her father relied on the blacksmith’s trade to make a living.
A knock on the door took her from her woolgathering. She glanced at her sisters and covered her mouth with her finger. “Shh!” She motioned toward the door and quietly stood up to walk to the window.
Peeking out the window, Joslyn looked over at her sisters with relief. “It’s Sara.” Her childhood best friend was a welcomed sight. She took a second to unlatch the door before opening it.
“Why is the door locked?” She stepped past Joslyn and sat at the table. “Did you want to go for a walk today?”
Joslyn bit her bottom lip. “Give me a minute. I need to finish cleaning.”
Sara looked over at the sisters confused. “Why aren’t you outside?”
Joslyn took the rag off the mantle to scrub the dishes. “Mallard soldiers came by today with their usual threats. We were waiting inside to make sure they were gone.”
“It’s getting dangerous with them lurking around all the time.” Sara tapped her fingers lightly on the table. “We can’t stay too long in the woods today. My brothers worked the fields early this morning and Mama had me gathering eggs and milking the cows. She said I had to help them this afternoon.”