"Drop your ribbon in the bucket before
they start to draw!" Liesel nodded and did as she was told, trying
to ignore the terrified stare of the woman holding the bucket as
Liesel dropped her ribbon in. Only then did it occur to her that
she could have embroidered someone else's name on it. Then, even if
her ribbon was picked, she would be saved from having to
make a fool of herself before the entire village. But it was too
late for that now, and her father was watching her with delight, so
she dropped it in with a sigh. There were lots of other ribbons,
she tried to comfort herself. Surely they wouldn't pick hers for
Summer Maiden.
"Good evening," the mayor's voice boomed
across the square, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.
"Welcome to the Autumn Festival! I'm Mayor Odo, and for those of
you visiting our town, I hope you find your stay here pleasant."
Liesel wondered who he was talking to, as she recognized every face
in the crowd from their Holy Day visits. That she was aware of, she
and her father were the newest people there. The only less familiar
faces she could see were some of the traders and merchants, and she
recognized most of them immediately. One of them seemed to feel her
gaze. When he turned his head to return her stare, she realized it
was the peddler who had tried so hard to warn her. She gave him a
hesitant smile, and he nodded. Just then, her father nudged her,
moving her attention back to the mayor's speech. "I know most of
you are familiar with our tradition of choosing our Summer Maiden.
Each eligible young lady has brought her ribbon this evening.
Whomever has her ribbon chosen first will be our Summer Maiden, and
this year, she shall have the first dance with Landry Stu, winner
of last week's archery contest." Landry walked up to the top of the
stage. His eyes were hidden by the hair that drooped down his face,
but his grin was wide and full of pride. "Are you ready, Landry?"
The mayor pointed at the bucket Liesel had dropped her ribbon in.
Reaching in, he pulled a ribbon out, Liesel couldn't see what his
choice looked like. Landry handed the ribbon up to him, and the
mayor began to read it out loud. He stopped immediately though, and
much to Liesel's surprise, somehow managed to pale in the fading
gray light of the forest evening. Liesel still couldn't see the
ribbon he held, but she did hear him mutter to the young man,
"Pick another one."
"Hold on, now!" Warin shouted out, his voice
indignant. "He pulled my daughter's ribbon! Why would you have him
pull another?"
"Really, Father, it's-" Liesel tried to stop
him, but Warin was already charging up to the stage. Before anyone
could react, he'd snatched the blue ribbon from the mayor's hand
and was waving it in front of the crowd.
"The rule is that the first ribbon pulled is
the name of the first Summer Maiden, and that's my Liesel!" He
looked around at the people, expecting their support. The sinking
feeling in Liesel's stomach intensified when her father realized no
one agreed with him. Instead, they simply stared, and the fear in
the air was palpable.
Liesel had expected nothing different, but
it was clear her father had. Long ago had she accepted her place as
the town pariah, but Liesel could see the rage growing on Warin's
face as he looked for support at all the people he had assumed were
his friends. Turning back to the mayor, he held the ribbon up and
shook it in Odo's face.
"My daughter was right about you people!
You're all addled in the head, thinkin' somethin' like this is
acceptable. I thought perhaps my wife's death was an accident, but
I can see now that Liesel was right. There is evil in this town,
and I won't stand for it! Come, Liesel! We're leavin’!" Murmurs
arose as he stormed off the stage. Liesel nearly had to run to keep
up with him as he stalked back towards the cottage.
Part of Liesel's heart felt giddy as they
arrived home and Warin began throwing everything into piles.
"Where are we going?" Liesel was
they start to draw!" Liesel nodded and did as she was told, trying
to ignore the terrified stare of the woman holding the bucket as
Liesel dropped her ribbon in. Only then did it occur to her that
she could have embroidered someone else's name on it. Then, even if
her ribbon was picked, she would be saved from having to
make a fool of herself before the entire village. But it was too
late for that now, and her father was watching her with delight, so
she dropped it in with a sigh. There were lots of other ribbons,
she tried to comfort herself. Surely they wouldn't pick hers for
Summer Maiden.
"Good evening," the mayor's voice boomed
across the square, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.
"Welcome to the Autumn Festival! I'm Mayor Odo, and for those of
you visiting our town, I hope you find your stay here pleasant."
Liesel wondered who he was talking to, as she recognized every face
in the crowd from their Holy Day visits. That she was aware of, she
and her father were the newest people there. The only less familiar
faces she could see were some of the traders and merchants, and she
recognized most of them immediately. One of them seemed to feel her
gaze. When he turned his head to return her stare, she realized it
was the peddler who had tried so hard to warn her. She gave him a
hesitant smile, and he nodded. Just then, her father nudged her,
moving her attention back to the mayor's speech. "I know most of
you are familiar with our tradition of choosing our Summer Maiden.
Each eligible young lady has brought her ribbon this evening.
Whomever has her ribbon chosen first will be our Summer Maiden, and
this year, she shall have the first dance with Landry Stu, winner
of last week's archery contest." Landry walked up to the top of the
stage. His eyes were hidden by the hair that drooped down his face,
but his grin was wide and full of pride. "Are you ready, Landry?"
The mayor pointed at the bucket Liesel had dropped her ribbon in.
Reaching in, he pulled a ribbon out, Liesel couldn't see what his
choice looked like. Landry handed the ribbon up to him, and the
mayor began to read it out loud. He stopped immediately though, and
much to Liesel's surprise, somehow managed to pale in the fading
gray light of the forest evening. Liesel still couldn't see the
ribbon he held, but she did hear him mutter to the young man,
"Pick another one."
"Hold on, now!" Warin shouted out, his voice
indignant. "He pulled my daughter's ribbon! Why would you have him
pull another?"
"Really, Father, it's-" Liesel tried to stop
him, but Warin was already charging up to the stage. Before anyone
could react, he'd snatched the blue ribbon from the mayor's hand
and was waving it in front of the crowd.
"The rule is that the first ribbon pulled is
the name of the first Summer Maiden, and that's my Liesel!" He
looked around at the people, expecting their support. The sinking
feeling in Liesel's stomach intensified when her father realized no
one agreed with him. Instead, they simply stared, and the fear in
the air was palpable.
Liesel had expected nothing different, but
it was clear her father had. Long ago had she accepted her place as
the town pariah, but Liesel could see the rage growing on Warin's
face as he looked for support at all the people he had assumed were
his friends. Turning back to the mayor, he held the ribbon up and
shook it in Odo's face.
"My daughter was right about you people!
You're all addled in the head, thinkin' somethin' like this is
acceptable. I thought perhaps my wife's death was an accident, but
I can see now that Liesel was right. There is evil in this town,
and I won't stand for it! Come, Liesel! We're leavin’!" Murmurs
arose as he stormed off the stage. Liesel nearly had to run to keep
up with him as he stalked back towards the cottage.
Part of Liesel's heart felt giddy as they
arrived home and Warin began throwing everything into piles.
"Where are we going?" Liesel was
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