Arcane

Chapter 1: To you, my dearest Amren

                "Amarah, wake up." I hear my brother's voice outside the door of our cottage calling out to me. I know it’s time to wake up and face another day in this life I loathe. I open my eyes and just as I thought, the bed across me is now completely empty. I shuffle and stare at the ceiling, how soon can Louise get out of the hospital so Will and I can get out of this shithole of a place? I shuffle once more and the bed creaks. I sigh at the thought of having a nice warm, soft bed to lie down to. Ever since we lost our old home things have been rough for me and my siblings. Will and I work two jobs and so we can pay for our little sister’s bills ever since she fell ill ten years ago. We work in our farmland in the outskirts of a small town named Droit during the day which provides us this small hut to sleep in and a small income from selling our fresh produce, and when night falls we go to the pub in the town center where I work as a waitress and Will does a small show.

                The door swings open and I get disrupted from my thoughts, my brother stomping around the room so we can start our daily routine. He sits on the edge of my bed and his emerald eyes meet mine. “Hey A, it’s a quarter past six we have to go to work already.” I cover my face with the ragged blanket I sleep in which he tugs in return. “Come on Amren” he jokingly said. “I told you never to call me that name William, how would you like being called that?” I teased back. He raised both his hands and says “fair point.”

                Amren. That was what I remember Father calling me when I was little. Our father who I can’t even remember. All I know about him is the tattoo on his right arm. He left a few months after Mother died. That dreaded day put us in this situation. Will and I can’t remember anything that happened before that day. Even the memories I had when Mother died were blurry. After all, it happened 15 years ago. Will was 5, I was 3 and Louise was 2, and ever since we fended for ourselves and made sure to take care of our needs especially Louise’s.

             “It still reminds you of him, doesn’t it? I can’t believe it has been that long.” He paused. He looks back at me and sighed, “Well before I drag this topic on, Happy 18th Birthday Amarah, I found this in the box father left us, I believe it’s for you.” Handing me an old sealed envelope. I completely forgot that it was my birthday today. Well, that is how fifteen years of misery affects you. I squinted my eyes at the letter and reluctantly held it in my hands. “To my little Amren,” it read. I smirked “Why would you spoil my birthday with a letter from a person who left us alone and never came back?” I tossed it back to my brother who is now frowning. “All I want is for the three of us to live in better circumstances, to get out of this horrible place because we can’t continue living like this. I loathed him for abandoning his children. Look at us we are living on a farm, the only thing they left us, with wooden ceiling and floors that creak at night, Louise is still in the hospital, we barely even have food to pass us by.” I quickly stood up to change, annoyance and disbelief evident on my face, my brother held my wrist his head hung low on the floor. “You shouldn’t hold a grudge for this long Amarah.” He paused. That’s easy for you to say, you have a kind heart for people who have done you wrong. “He was still our Father. He must have had his reasons for doing that. At least this once, give him a chance.” I let out a slow breath. I couldn’t ever bear my brother when he is like this. It must have been harder for him all these years since he is the eldest. I sighed and whispered “Fine, I’ll read it later. Now let go, I have to change so we could go to work.” Through gritted teeth. He let go and I went out of the room to get ready. I comb out my platinum golden blonde hair, washed my face, and put on my work clothes. I step outside our small hut to meet my brother already working on the radishes and so I joined him. His dark brown locks hinted with gold falls on his face. He looks as if nothing was wrong and we were going to be fine. I manage to smile at his calmness and began my work. Our days happen on a repetitive routine but as long we’re complete, maybe it is enough for me.