Valley of Light

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley of Light. My grandmother says that when she was a girl, it was a peaceful place, a farmer’s village, where neighbors helped neighbors and everyone lived in peace. James hates her stories. He says that they’re just daydreams for those who haven’t accepted the reality. But I like them, it makes me think that peace could come again.

It’s not his fault he’s so angry, we’re all hungry and tired but he never could be exhausted and keep a happy face. He’s too similar to mum, she was always the type to get emotional when she was hungry. I’m more like my dad, or so grandma tells me, he was always the type to smile no matter what. I wouldn’t know, he left when I was five. He was headed with a group to get supplies but he disappeared in the night, like a puff of smoke. I like to think he was dragged away by some kind of beast, maybe even a dragon, one that was stealthy and able to sneak into the campsite without waking anyone else.

Mum and James never could believe that. They thought the story that he got scared and ran off made more sense, but Dad knew what he was getting into. Why would he suddenly get scared? I think that’s why James is so angry and why Mum got so tired. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if she could have believed as I do, would she have stayed well. Would she have been able to run with the others when the dragons attacked?

I can’t even be mad at the dragons, it’s not their fault that they’re hungry. King Julius bred them for his armies and once the last of the islands had given in to him and he had everything that he wanted, he kept a few dragons close to the palace and simply let the rest roam free. Not taking care to make sure they were fed, not caring what happened to them.

Still, why did they have to come here? We are just a small valley, on a small island, far from the mainland, far from the castle that was their home. My grandmother says it’s because they feel the ‘call of the light’. She believes in the stories of old. I don’t. I tell her I do because it makes her happy but they’re all a little bit ridiculous. I’ve been out on the fishing boats, and there’s nothing else out there. There are no other lands. There are no magical people. And there’s no special light.

I think the Valley of The Light was probably just named for sunsets like this one. Sitting up on a rock, overlooking the forest, it’s like the light can find every crevice and make it glow. I wish she could see the magic I see. Then she’d stop telling the old stories. Not that it bothers me. Actually, I kind of enjoy them. It’s something at least a little different. But they make James so mad. The only good news is when they fight, they stop paying attention to me.

James would be furious if he caught me out here at sunset. He’d be furious if he caught me wasting paper as well. But it’s my book, grandma gave it to me. I know normally I only write in you once a month. It’s not like anything much changes around here anyway. But tomorrow it does. Tomorrow I get to go to the mainland.

James says I shouldn’t be excited but that’s just because he’s already been to the castle and served his five years. He just keeps repeating; keep your head down, try and get a job in the kitchen, don’t draw attention to yourself. I don’t know what he’s so scared of, no one ever notices me anyway.

And unlike him, I don’t have to go through training or even do the trials. I just work my five years and come home, exactly like he did. He says I’m lucky I don’t have to do the training or go through the trials but it all sounds kind of fun to me. Even if I don’t believe in the stories of old, even if those old-robed clergymen are wasting their time. I like the idea of studying the stories, learning the chants, and learning the rhythms. Maybe The Light isn’t real and no one can call it but it would still be more interesting than peeling potatoes and washing floors which is probably all I’ll get to do.

At least tomorrow I’ll get to see something other than my valley. Don’t get me wrong, it's beautiful. But I like the idea of heading to the docks tomorrow, getting on the castle boat, and seeing something other than the forest, other than our small stone hut, other than James making moony eyes at the girl across town. He thinks he’s in love but I keep pointing out that she’s the only girl his age on the entire island, it’s not like he has a choice.

I guess that’s what I want. A choice. And yes, technically this is my five years of forced service, which isn’t actually a choice. But it’s more than I’ve ever had before.