The Maker's Garden

Anyway this is hopefully a novel that shall be hopefully published... Hopefully.. I'm only posting the prologue for now but if you want more just ask and I'll post the first chapter.


Prologue



A girl sat, with her back pressed against a barn, staring
out at the woods. She wore a tattered clothing, proof of her time on her own.
Gathering her courage, the girl called out, “Who goes there?”


A twig snapped underfoot as a boy stepped out of the bushes
and into the pale moonlight. Both of the children stared at each other before
sighing with relief. There was no threat. “I’m Dustan. Who are you?” the boy
asked.


The girl opened her mouth to reply but closed it. She paused
to think before saying, “Promise me you will tell no one.”


Dustan shrugged and nodded in agreement. He didn’t see what
was so secret about her name. “I’m Faliashta. I am the princess,” she announced
proudly.


Dustan stared at her for a moment and began to laugh.
Faliashta stood up and glared at him but it only increased his laughter. “What
are you laughing at? Are you laughing at me?” she demanded angrily.


He continued laughing but struggled to contain it. It broke
off into giggles before he calmed himself. “What kind of fool do you think I
am? I’ve heard about princesses. They wear fancy dresses, live in huge palaces,
have tons of servants, get whatever they want, and have tons of food. You’re
just a poor girl. No more than a peasant. I bet you’re an orphan too,” Dustan
told her, more quietly he added, “like me.”


Faliashta sighed and looked down at her ragged attire. “My
riding outfit used to be splendid. I wore fancy shoes but I sold them when I
ran out of food. I had to sell my horse and his saddle too. I ran away Dustan.
My father told me I was to marry a prince. I didn’t want to. The prince was
boring and I desire freedom. I don’t even want to get married. So I left,” she
explained.


All laughter abandoned the boy’s face. He urged Faliashta to
get settled and tell him her story. They both sat down, and she began.