Chapter One

     I follow Dakota through the winding path of the Mountain, swiftly running on the brush yet trampled to the High Priests that await our arrival. Today, our Fates shall be chosen by the High Priests, what we shall do, what we shall be. I smirk as we slow down to a jog, Dakota gasping for a breath of non-labored air. I push myself faster, not even breaking a sweat. My breathing is even and controlled.

     "Remember Dakota. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Control it, don't let it control you." I say, easily increasing my speed even more, and laughing as he curses and pushes harder, his breath coming faster than before.

     "Easy for you...to say...Genevieve. You're the true...runner...crazy about it," He gasps between labored breaths.

     " I'm not crazy, I just live for the burn in my legs, the wind in my hair, dancing on my skin. Not my fault you neglected your training." I say, the first bead of sweat dripping down my strong, muscular back. Dakota huffs a complaint. I smile and wish to close my eyes, to savor the gentle caress of wind on my tan skin, my flying long black braids whipping around eager to be free from restraint. I had to braid it, to make sure my hair wouldn't get caught on the limbs and branches as I passed them by.

     "You knew that you would have to be presented to the priests at your weakest, hence the run up the mountain, to know your strengths. We've learned this in the training specifically to get ready for this. The strongest survive the weak fallback and descend in shame. We are strong Dakota, not weak." I remind him, the reprimand I got from High Mother is still fresh in my mind.

Last night...

     "You should not have run off like that. You know you were to stay in your room, meditate, and clear your mind before tomorrow, so you are strongest. I want none of my wards failing this. I've raised you up in the right environment for keeping a level head, but you had up and ran off, again! This is the fourteenth time, Genevieve. When will you learn?" HIgh Mother asks, huffing a sigh.

The High Mother dragged a hand down her face in distress again, driving me crazy. I hate it when she does that. It makes her skin taut and tight, making her look like a ghoul, with her gray hair in a tight bun at the top of her head, and a long black dress in a shapeless style. She has a fat face with thin eyes, nose, and mouth, all too close together.

     "I'm sorry, High Mother. I'm more clear-headed when I run. It's my meditation." I say, trying to explain something I've tried to explain numerous times to her. I need to run.

"I hope the High Priests have pity on me and send you elsewhere, not to work for me at all. I do not need a mindless fool under my roof. Thank the priests you're being examined tomorrow. I was just waiting for you to turn sixteen. Now, go meditate for the night. Remember, no sleeping." She hauls me up and shoves me towards the wooden door.

Present...

I shake my head, clearing the memory from my mind. I notice we slowed down a bit, so I speed back up, Dakota grunting his disagreement. The run is the easy part, I remind myself, my breathing slightly labored now. It is the fate that is hard to accept. Having somebody else decide my fate, that has not appealed to me in the least.

I have lived in the jungle my whole life in the orphanage here. The boys and girls are kept separate, only seeing each other in training that starts at fifteen or at the gatherings for the new Fate Chosen once your eight. This is all watched over by the High Mother, The High Father, and the High Teacher, all hoping all of the wards will turn into something great. The priests decide your fate, what job you'll have, and, later, who you will marry. No one can see the High Priests until their Trial of Fate, once they're sixteen. The girls wear dresses until they start training, then they wear linen trousers and shirts with the boys, to free up their legs. We are trained a little in all areas for all of the different jobs we could be picked for. After we are picked, we study further into that job with a master as an apprentice, until we are registered and can do the work ourselves.

We reach the summit, a flat clearing of land with a huge temple in the middle of it. We jogged over to the crowd of twelve that came up last night. We come up in five groups an hour before sunset, which lasts five days with one group going up each day. We are of the last group. Then I noticed that we are the first from our group. We run in teams of two, and there are ten teams in a group. Whoever gets to the top must wait through the night without food or water, for us to be at our weakest. Then they test us at our lowest. One by one. We enter and the rumor is that you never come out.

"So, how're your legs, Dakota? Are your legs burning you alive yet?" I tease, grinning at the word he spits out. I never knew a single curse word, but Dakota has helped build up my dictionary for the past year since we became friends. Now I have it to my full use.

"Like they were dipped in lava, cooled, then boiled in a geyser." He says, plopping on his rear to knead his calves easier. The ones that came up yesterday will go in soon at sunset. We will be tested in the morning. Another team tumbles over the summit at a light jog. I recognize them. It's Chandler and Lea. They take a seat on a boulder and calm their breathing. A cog shell is blown for another team making it to the top. I didn't notice ours, but I know it sounded. I got lost in thought, like usual.

"Guess no one else made it up." Dakota says, pointing at the smoke rising from our orphanage. That means that the rest of the teams are back at the orphanage. They are the weak and will work at the orphanage or take the low-class work of farmers and city workers. I hope I get to be an explorer or cartographer, the two things I excelled at in the training. I'm too soft to be an Assassin. Assassins go into the Wild and hunt the rebels down. Dakota said I'm too soft to be a rebel also.

I watch Dakota run his hand over his short hair, distracted. He has brown hair, hazel eyes that change like a kaleidoscope. He's built with lots of muscle that he can use in short bursts of energy. He's wearing the black training linens, like mine but I have on white ones. He's taller than me by a good ten inches. When I met him a year ago, I was taller than him. He still has a babyface, yet his muscles bulge out in his linens.

Me, I have black hair that falls to my waist in shiny waves except in braids. I have soft gray eyes and am about 5'4''. I'm lean and skinny, with compact muscles. I have long legs, a round face, and a button nose. Most people would guess I'm twelve.

"Why are you staring at me?" Dakota asks, drawing me out of my thoughts again. He does that a lot. I'm always in my own head and space.

"There's dirt on your face," I joke and punch his arm. We laugh as I lay back meaning to just watch the clouds. I end up falling asleep.

When I wake up, the sun is just breaking the horizon in a breathtaking view. Dakota has an arm draped over my side and is snuggled up against my back. I gently move away and notice movement to my right. I realize that it's Lea, walking around. I get up and run to catch up with her brisk pace. "What are you doing?" I ask her while matching her pace around the edge of the summit.

"I'm enjoying the last sunrise I'll see for a while. I already know what I'm going to be; I know my fate." She says, gazing towards the east and the rising sun. There is only one way she could know her own fate and job.

"You're going to be a priestess; I guess that's okay. I mean, at least you know your fate, and it's better than being unchosen." I say, a small smile on my face as I stare at the beautiful purples, yellows, oranges, and reds that streak the sky to create a masterpiece of art.

"Yes, I guess so. Maybe I'll be the one who does your marriage fate." She says, a very faint smile on her lips as she jokes, knowing very well of my opinion on that matter. We watch the colors fade into the blue, cloudless sky. We then walk back to Dakota and Chandler, who are both awake now. The boys pace anxiously at the foot of the stairs to the temple, most likely going through hundreds of thousands of situations in their heads for each fate they could possibly get.

Lea joins Chandler in pacing as we reach them, but Dakota stops next to me and waits silently. We watch a messenger with a bald scalp and orange priest robes slowly descend the stairs. He is holding a scroll bound in red ribbon.

The man reaches the middle platform that separates the last bit of stairs and stops. He clears his throat. "When I call you by name, you will enter through those doors and you will walk around until you find the door that seems right. A priest will be in there to name your fate. First name: Leanna Waya!" Lea meets my eyes and smiles sadly, knowing it will be a long time before she ever exits the temple as a messenger.

It's about five minutes before he calls Chandler's name. He stumbles up the steps and enters with slumped shoulders. We wait for what seems like an eternity but in reality only thirty minutes. Then he calls my name "Genevieve Potter!" I time my steps, a whole two seconds between each. I'm dreading walking through those doors. I stop halfway up and take a deep breath, then let it go as I hold my head up, back straight, shoulders back. I time my breathing instead of my steps. In, one two three four, out one two three four five six. The guy's mouth curves up, making me want to punch him and wipe that smirk off his chubby face. His face holds the mark of knowing something I don't, like my fate.

I pass him and keep silently counting my breathing as I slowly ascend the stairs made of faded white marble. I barely blink as I open the dark spruce door that will change everything. But I do allow myself a couple of them as I adjust to the dimness of the hall. The smell of lavender, sage, cinnamon, and something sweet tickles my nose. I sneeze as the dust settles in my nose. My ears prick in the quiet hall to the distant sound of dripping water, a squeak of a rodent.

I walk down the dark hall, my footsteps echoing across the grim marble walls, like thunder in a silent valley. No doors feel right to me, no one comes out to guide me, no dark spruce doors open to invite me in. So, I follow the hall, noting every turn I take. I start to hear voices, quiet and distant, but there in the silence. I follow these and I come up to an ancient hallway. I walk down the even dustier hall and pass ancient doors of oak. The third door I stop at, something tugging me to a stop. This one feels right. As I reach out to knock, I feel something shiver down my spine. I hear someone call out, so small and raspy that I almost miss it.

I enter and welcome the warmth of the fire that is in the wood brazier. Apart from the brazier, the room contains a wooden, uncomfortable-looking chair, a rickety table in the corner, and a sleeping mat, in which an old and frail man lays. He is swimming in his orange priest robes. His skin is thin and translucent; I can see the blue veins standing out against the parchment white skin. His pale blue eyes hold mine in captivity with their strength and passion. He holds out a bony hand for me to take. I go to my knees next to the mat and gently take his hand in mine.

"Finally. My last." He rasps, his voice but a whisper. "Genevieve Maluna Potter, I see your spirit. Your heart is running and kind. I am Priest Mingan Atohi, and I will choose your Fate-" He stops and coughs, blood splattering on his robes and the dusty white marble.

"My time is near, my dear. Your fate is very complex, I see the choices you must make. Hard Choices indeed. But what training do you need to make the right ones?" He coughs again, his breath after it a harsh rattle. "Ah, Assassin and Explorer. Strange, Strange indeed. Seek out Master Solbek, you will find the right training there. Take with you Dakota Wolfe, he will know why, but must not share the reason . Live well, Genevieve, the little rebel-" He coughs again, but goes still, his hand limp and cooling in mine. 

I let go and watch in amazement as a bright light fills the room. I close my eyes and turn my head away to preserve my sight. It dies down and I peel my eyes open once more. All that on the mat is an ivory pendant on a leather cord and a small leather bag. I pick up the things, somehow knowing that it is a gift for me. My senses spike; my eyes can see every string in the mat, I can smell and recognize the sweet smell, but somehow a little spicy and sharp, parsley. I hear a stream of water trickle over water and hear birds chirping happily. I can feel and taste the fine dust mites dancing in the air

I drop the ivory pendant back on the mat and it all fades back to normal. My eyesight returns to normal, I feel normal, nothing different, except the knowledge of how much I really miss with my normal senses. I use my overshirt to stuff the pendant into the leather bag and I wait for something to happen as I touch the bag with my bare hand. Nothing happens. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and leave the room with goosebumps on my skin. The bald messenger is waiting with Dakota outside the room.

"I'll lead you out and to the path, which you'll take back down the mountain to the orphanage." We follow him, not talking but we both take tiny looks at each other to see if we changed at all. He seems a bit prouder and less self-conscious. He opens a door and I squint at the sudden bright light that fills the hall, erasing the dimness that it was before. We follow him to a well-trodden path. "May God have mercy on you and lead you well. Good luck" He leaves and goes back to the temple. We start walking down the mountain at an easy pace. The path winds and turns every which way.

"We have to find Master Solbek. He will teach us what we need to know," I say. He nods and smiles.

"I didn't get what I wanted, but this seems to fit me better. I got two, actually. Assassin and Explorer. I've never heard of such a thing." The shock takes a ride down my spine with goosebumps.

A smile twitches at my lips after the shock disappears. "I am going to be a combination of two, also. Assassin and Explorer. I guess we are stuck together for a while longer." He glances at me in surprise. I smile slyly and start a light jog, forcing Dakota to jog so he isn't walking alone. And so he can't comment or ask questions. I speed up to a straight sprint down the mountain, enjoying the wind caressing my face. Dakota curses and pants like crazy as we run.

My feet fly and my mind churns. How will High Mother react to our strange Fates? She has to have a meal for those whose Fates have been chosen. Then they give us provisions so we can go find our master, wherever that may be.

I slow down a bit for Dakota's sake as we near the valley and the ground levels out. We follow the markers that we made back to the orphanage. As we get closer, I can smell the cooking meat and bread. We look at each other before we sprint into the valley. There are girls making flower crowns, weaving with expertise. There are a few boys playing sword fighting with a couple of sticks. The day we have our last meal here, is the only time everyone eight and up eats together, boys and girls alike. Then we leave early in the morning and go find our place in the world. These days, when we all eat together as a big family, are my favorite. 

The girls finally notice us and hurry over, skipping the whole way. I smile lightly, knowing each one by name. "Clarrisa, how are you?" The girl with wild blond hair giggles, her own crown going lopsided.

"I'm good Genevieve. I'm just sad I won't get to see you run and sing again. Here, I made this for you." Her cheeks turn pink as she hands me a woven crown of flowers. I spot lilies, dandelions, lavender, and small yellow flowers. I hand it back to her and drop to my knees in front of the seven-year-old child. I bow my head and cross my arms ceremoniously. She then places the crown of flowers on my head, the other girls hiding their laughter behind their hands. Dakota does the same, receiving a crown made of sage, rosemary, forget-me-nots, and Indian Paintbrushes. I hide my smile as Claria places it on his head, cheeks the color of ripe tomatoes. We stay on our knees as the High Mother and Father step outside and walk towards us. I spot High Teacher watching through the window of the main school building.

High Mother places both hands on my shoulders and, because the girls go first, she asks "Your Fate has been chosen and spoken. Tell us now, Genevieve Potter, what is your Fate?"

I close my eyes and announce my Fate. "I am to do the work of both Assassin and Explorer. I am to go to Master Solbek with Dakota to train properly, as said by the High Priest Mingan Atohi. I have been given my Fate and I choose to accept it, making me one of the Fate Chosen." I recite the words I've been taught to say when asked about my Fate.

High Father places both hands on Dakota's shoulders and asks "Your Fate has been chosen and spoken. Tell us now, Dakota Wolfe, what is your Fate?"

I keep my eyes on High Mother, but I hear the hesitation in his answer. "I am to do the work of both Assassin and Explorer, as declared by High Priest David Briggs. I am to go to Master Solbek with Genevieve to train properly. Then I am to get a team and go into the forest to hunt the Rebels. I have been given my Fate and I accept it, making me one of the Fate Chosen." High Mother smiles at me.

I'm proud to have raised you up from infant to young woman. You are special, as declared by the High Priest. I hope you fulfill your Fate. You are one of three Specials that have been in this orphanage. Bring Honor to your name, Genevieve Maluna Potter." She takes my hands in hers and draws me up, but where my body stops, my spirit soars into the heavens, filled with acceptance and happiness, completely content. I smile and blink back tears as she hugs me, gently, as a true mother would.

Then I watch Dakota go through his speech and lifting up. He shakes Dakota's hand, signaling that he is a true man now. Only women and children hug in a ceremony. We watch both of them join hands and say "Join us for your last meal with us, for we have done our duty to you."

We take their free and out-stretched hands and they lead us into the dining hall, my heart leaping with joy. The long tables are laden with food, boys and girls sit on the benches of the children benches together, watching our parade up to the adult table, where all of the newly chosen sit, all with flower crowns on their heads. An expression of pure bliss and happiness is mirrored on all of their faces. I sit across the table from Dakota and watch the room thrive with energy and love, like a family. I close my eyes and a slight smile touches my lips as I listen to the clatter of silverware on plates, and the clatter of many voices speaking at once. I sigh and reopen my eyes. My gaze drifts to Dakota and my heart thumps, pounding in my ears. He looks at me and I glance down. I pick up my glass and take a sip, pondering about my strange reaction to him. I've never experienced anything like this. It makes me wonder just what is happening to me. I eat and continue to think.

I walk the familiar path to my sleeping cabin that I shared with twenty other girls my age as we trained. Every other girl in this cabin failed to go up the mountain, so I'm alone, with only one thing to do, one thing I couldn't have done before because I needed lots of peace and quiet, which I could never get. I sit in the middle of the room and cross my legs. I put my hands on my knees, palms up, in my special meditation pose, and take a deep breath. The breath centers my thoughts, spirit, and mind so that I can do what I have to do tonight.

Continuing my deep breathing, I close my eyes and let my spirit float away with my consciousness. It always floats to one place, to a shop where a young man works for his father, Master Solbek, the Master of Assassin and Explorer jobs. He is the one I must bring Dakota and myself to. The shop is in a bustling travel town on the main travel road. It thrives on travelers. The shop is a bakery that sells bread and baked goods. The young man is named Halstien, or Hal, Potter. He has black hair, green eyes, and is tall and quite handsome already for a boy of sixteen.

He knows what the six orphanages around the mountain are for but is happy to not have to go through our hard training. His father has stopped taking students, but we will be his last ones, that I'm sure of. I watch them knead the dough on the counter for a bit longer, then I float back to my body, satisfied. As I settle back into my body, I hear a cough. When I do Spirit Drifting, my breathing and heart rate slows significantly, almost that I seem dead to anyone watching. I've never been watched since High Mother found me doing it once. So naturally, I jump and squeak, startled.

My eyes snap open and scan the room for the intruder. I feel the presence of someone behind me, someone I know. "Hello, Dakota. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be getting a good night's sleep." I say, stretching my back and hearing some satisfying cracks. I stand easily, if not a little sore from sitting on the hardwood floor for who knows how long, and face him.

"You are too. So, how was Drifting?" He asks casually like this isn't some special gift that very few people get. I utter a curse after he speaks. Only the High Mother knows that I could do Spirit Drifting, a rare gift given to few by our God. Only ten are recorded in history and all of the reports mention they have years spanning between the Drifts, mostly because it was supposed to be tiring. I'm usually wide awake and light-hearted after them. I did one just last week in the woods, as a matter of fact.

"It was entertaining and peaceful. I just needed to check on something." I say, pacing the room, my muscles filled with energy that revives me and makes me new.

"Who did you go and spy on today?" He jokes, a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eyes. I shake my head, unamused.

"I only ever see one family until my spirit decides otherwise, which you would know if you didn't doze off in history. I was watching the Solbek Family, the place we have to venture out in the world to go to tomorrow." I give him a smug smile as I watch his face go through many emotions; Shock, surprise, humor, and confusion.

I calm the tightening in my stomach. He doesn't know. He can't know, it's inconceivable. No way could he know my only other hidden secret. My thoughts go to what I've stuffed under my mattress, the very one he's sitting on right now. He doesn't know, Genevieve. He can never know.

"I can't control what I see, you know. I do need some sleep if I want to arrive at the village before the holy day, as do you. Good night, Dakota. You should leave. You should not have come in the first place." I give him a gentle push towards the door when he stands up.

He laughs, laughs! Damn him. "Good night, Genevieve, your secret is very safe with me." He walks out, closing the door softly behind him. I let out a sigh of relief. I wait for a few minutes in strained silence; I must make sure no one is around when I look at my papers. Now that he's gone, I have to make sure that no one has seen my papers. I get down on my knees and lift the mattress with one hand and feel for the papers with the other. I touch the cold and smooth papers and I lift them out of their hiding nook, then lower the mattress back down to its place.

After I light and adjust a lantern, I get situated on the bed and pick up the white envelope. I smile in the dim light as I carefully open it and pull the papers I've collected over the years I have been in the orphanage. I pick up the one on top. It's a letter, the letter I was sent here with. It reads:

As stated in the 4th decree of Amend "ye second Child will be sent forth to an orphanage, along with ye fourth child, and every other child ye wife gives birth to. Once the child(ren) are weaned from thy milk of ye breast, they will be sent. They will be trained to be Fate Chosen, A higher class of people" It is an honor for a child to be sent, as yours has. Tim'kin and May Potter, bring forth your child, Genevieve Maluna Potter, to the Camphill Train Station, to the collector, who will bring your child to their designated orphanage.

Signed,

Taliano, Secretary of Governor Matiato Messenger

I study my parents' names, as I have every other chance I've had to look at the papers. I set the letter aside and pick up the next one. It's a birth certificate, which lists my parents, whom I've never even met or remember, again. Tim'kin and May Potter, it says plainly in print. I set that with the letter and pick up the folded and ripped slip of paper. It is just a small scrap of paper, just barely that, but it is the most important thing there. It lists my parent's town and their address. Something I'm not supposed to ever find out. It's in a scrawled and hurried hand:

Camphill Valley Street 8 Block 10 House 13. Trade and travel town.

I know that it would be on the main road if it's a trade and travel town. It has to be. But I've never found a trace of that town anywhere, not on the maps I've studied or textbooks that I have read. Nowhere. It completely disappeared out of thin air. I tip the envelope and metal flows into my hand. A necklace with a heart locket. I hold it up to the light, like a complete mystery. I've never seen it before. It glistens with polished gold on a gold chain. I pop open the locket. There is a picture of a black-haired couple. The man has emerald green eyes, the woman has gray eyes. They are both good-looking, lean with compact muscles, like me. These are my parents, I realize suddenly. I've had this envelope for two years, and I've never noticed it. I got it from High Mother. It is a secret. No one is allowed to get their envelope till they are about to leave, but she gave it to me two years early, for a reason I don't know.

I can only wonder. I slip everything back into the envelope and place it back in its nook under the mattress. I tug off my boots and give my tired feet a quick and thorough massage to loosen the muscles. Then I lay down, drawing the cool covers up, and try to warm them with my body heat. I drift off to sleep, thinking of Master Solbek's son, Hal, with his familiar green eyes, short black hair, and sharp facial features.