“Sweetheart!” her mother called, “It’s time for dinner!”

A little girl looked up from where she was playing in the mud. Her little fingers were stained brown, and her dress was soaked in dirty water. A mudman stood tall in the puddle of mud, waving his stick arms proudly. With a frown, the girl called back, “One more minute!”

Her mother stuck her head out the backdoor further. She had an identical frown tugging at her lips. She replied, “Neve, now!”

Neve grumbled under her breath, “She never lets me do what I want.”

Like most parents, Neve’s mother seemed to have superhuman hearing when it came to backtalk. She walked out the house with her arms crossed, glaring at Neve from the back porch. Neve knew that she had better get a move on before she got into serious trouble. So, she turned to her mudman and whispered, “Sorry, Osker. The witch has called for me.”

“Neve Usoro! What did you just call me?” 

Neve winced at the sound of her full name. If she wanted to go to bed without a smarting behind, she would need to do some damage control. “I said that you were a beautiful maiden, mother!” 

Neve’s mother raised a skeptical brow, but Neve knew she had won when a faint smile appeared on her mother’s face. However, that did not save her from the light swat she got as she passed her mother to get into the house. Her mother said, “Wash up before you sit down at the table. I’ve no idea how you always manage to get dirt everywhere!”

“Yes, mother!” Neve hopped on one foot, trying to take off her shoe as fast as she could. Balance was not Neve’s best friend, so she hit the ground with an aborted yelp. Now on the ground, she had better leverage to yank off her shoes. Once they were off, she ran upstairs to the bath. Her mother already had the tub filled, and a wash cloth laid on the rim of the tub. 

Neve jumped into the bath, splashing water everywhere. As soon as she had done that, she heard her mother yell, “Don’t jump into the bath! I’m tired of you getting water all over the floor.”

Neve glanced down at the soaked floor with a shrug. While her mother would yell at her about it later, there wasn’t any real consequence to doing it. Neve held back a shudder when she remembered how her mother had reacted to her taking her father’s old military sword to hunt rabbits. It was like she could still feel the stinging pain of her spanks. 

Neve sped through the washing process, so she finished in a few minutes. She dried off and dressed just as quickly before thundering down the stairs to the dinner table. The delicious smell of a warm stew greeted her, and she took her seat eagerly. Her mother came up behind her with a towel, drying the back of her hair.

Neve’s mother tsked, “You’ll catch a cold if don’t dry it properly. How many times have I said that?”

“I don’t know,” Neve said, “A lot.”

Her mother used the grip on her hair to lean her head back. She caught Neve’s eyes and said, “One day you’ll learn just how right I am.”

“Mm-hmm.” Neve’s eyes drifted from her mother’s, landing on the necklace that hung from her neck. Neve wore an identical one. She loved how the metal caught the candlelight and how the cheap rock imbedded in the middle was rubbed matte. Her rock retained a slight shimmer, and Neve couldn’t wait until it dulled like her mother’s. 

“You’re not even listening to me.”

Neve’s eyes shot back up toward her mother’s. “I am!”

“What did I say then?”

“Something about how you’re always right.”

Neve’s mother let her head slump back to its original position. “And don’t you forget it.”

Her mother walked into the kitchen, coming out with a large pot. She set it in the middle of the dinning room table. Neve grabbed the ladle and started to fill her bowl with the stew. Venison was her favorite, and she knew her mother had bought some from the market the other day as treat. They couldn’t normally afford meat, but one of her mother’s clients had been generous with their last payment. 

After stuffing her mouth with the food, Neve asked, “Do you have a new client?” At least, that’s what she tried to say. 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” her mother scolded. 

Neve gulped down what was in her mouth before repeating, “Do you have a new client?”

“Not yet.” Her mother pursed her lips, “Kaylen said that the client flow isn’t good right now for any of the jewelers. Demand’s been down recently.”

Neve never truly knew what her mother meant when she said words like that. Neve had insisted to be allowed to partake in adult talk, and her mother had humored her. Although she didn’t know what those words meant, she knew that her mother was sadder during times when demand was down. She knew that the portions of food became smaller and less frequent, and she knew that her mother prayed more. 

Neve didn’t pray, not even when her mother scolded her for not doing it. But she would watch the Nilalan statue with childish curiosity. Neve didn’t think there was a purpose for prayer. She had been taught that Nilalan saw everything, so why would he need her prayers? He would know when she needed him. If he didn’t come, Neve would deal with the problem herself. She always had. 

“Can you make me a new necklace?” Neve asked.

“Why? Do you not like the one you have now?” Neve’s mother raised a hand to stroke the necklace around her neck. The callouses on her fingers caused a rough glide. 

“I do.” Neve stirred her spoon in the stew, making lazy shapes. “But I want to help you make this one.” When her mother hesitated to answer, Neve added, “I’m old enough to help! I can reach the counter without a stool.”

Neve stood up from her seat, showing how true her words were. Her mother sighed and rested her elbows on the table. She asked, “Are you sure? I feel that seven is still too young.”

Neve ran to the other side of the table to pull on her mother’s skirts. “Please! I’ve never wanted anything more than I’ve wanted this!”

“Even more than a pet astera?”

“Uh-huh!” Neve shook her head vigorously, “Even more than a pet astera.”

“Fine.” Neve cheered, hugging her mother. Neve’s mother chuckled and stroked her daughter’s head. “I do have one condition.”

Neve’s cheer vanished. Suspicion entered her voice when asked, “What is it?”

“I do all of the dangerous work. You can pick the design and the materials, but I make it.”

“But…” 

“No buts,” Neve’s mother continued to stroke Neve’s hair, “I don’t want you to get hurt. How about I let you do the finishing touches as well.”

“Alright.” It was not the victory Neve wanted, but it was the victory she was going to get. She was excited that her mother agreed at all. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Now, go finish your dinner.” 

Neve ran back to her seat. She ate a more sedate pace, matching the speed of her mother’s bites. She was halfway done with her meal when they heard a knock at the door. Neve’s mother wiped her lips with a napkin and said, “Stay here. I’ll go see who it is.”

Neve waited for her mother to get to the door before she hopped out of her seat. She peered around the corner, waiting to see who it was. The door was blocking the view of the person, but Neve could see her mother’s face. She had opened the door with a polite smile, but it had frozen when she saw who was there. Neve always imagined that was how her mother would look when her father came back, so she held her breath. The arguments between the two of them were intense. 

However, Neve had never heard the man’s voice before. It was too deep to be her father’s. When the man appeared, Neve was captivated by his appearance. In Zamsune, it was not unusual for men and women to be seen in uniform, yet the stranger’s was nothing like she had ever seen. Everyone she had seen wore a white uniform with blue and gray stripes. His was gray with blue and white stripes. She had also never seen someone with so many medals. The entire left side of the man’s jacket was covered in them. 

The man looked over her mother’s shoulder, making direct eye contact with Neve. He smiled at her and beckoned her forward. Neve liked how his eyes crinkled when he smiled. It made him look happier. Neve’s mother turned to look at what the man was gesturing to, and her face pinched when she saw it was Neve.

The man asked, “Are you Miss Neve Usoro?”

Before she answered, Neve looked to her mother. The woman nodded, so Neve said, “Yes.”

“I’ve been looking for you. Why don’t you come out so we can talk?”

Neve walked into the room with hesitant steps, aware that her mother did not look happy about the situation. She stopped when she could fist her mother’s skirt in her hands. Neve asked, “Why have you been looking for me?”

The man crouched so he was kneeling on one knee in front of her. “We have very special news for you.”

“What kind of news?” Neve felt her mother’s hand curl around her shoulders, pulling her closer to the woman. Neve glanced at her mother before refocusing on the man. His eyes looked pretty up close, but they didn’t look as happy as she thought. His smile was nice, though. She liked how he didn’t show his teeth. Her father did that.

“You’re going to serve your country. You’ve been selected to represent Zamsune.” The way the man said it made Neve feel like she should be proud. 

The grip on Neve’s shoulder grew tighter. It was starting to hurt. Neve’s mother said, “She’s a child.”

The man’s smile fell for a second before he plastered it back on. He maintained eye contact with Neve when he replied, “It’s a great honor.”

“She’s only seven.” Her mother’s voice wavered, causing Neve to look at her. Neve’s mother’s lips were trembling, and her eyebrows were drawn down. 

The man sighed, showing tired eyes. “I’m sorry, you know how it is. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t be here.”

“But you are.”

“But I am.”

To break the growing tension between the two, Neve asked, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Senior Officer Eamon Oyola.”

“How long does it take to become a senior officer?”

Eamon stood, brushing off dirt from his pants. He smiled gently down at her, “It takes a long time. I’m sure that you’ll be one some day as well.”

Neve’s mother inhaled a sharp breath and turned her head away from the officer. Neve blinked, “Really, you think so?”

“I know so.” Eamon took off his hat and lowered it to his chest. “It’s getting late, and I don’t want to take up more of your time. Ms. Usoro, I will be here to pick up the girl in the morning. Thank you very much.”

Neve watched as the man walked down the path to her house. He got into a stagecoach, waving goodbye as he left. Once he was out of sight, Neve’s mother closed the door with a soft thud. She went to the couch and sat down, covering her face with her hands. Neve sat down next to her. She asked, “What did he mean about picking me up tomorrow?”

Her mother’s voice was muffled by the hands on her face, but she heard her reply. “He’s taking you away.”

“What?” Neve’s voice pitched higher during her question. She didn’t understand why the man wanted her. 

Neve’s mother turned her head toward Neve, dropping her hands from her face. “He’s taking you away so you can become a soldier.”

“But I don’t want to leave!” Neve cried, “I want to stay with you!”

“You don’t have a choice, sweetheart. Besides, you heard what he said. It’s a great honor.”

“I don’t understand.” 

Neve’s mother cupped Neve’s face and pushed back strands of her hair. She wiped at the smudges of food that her daughter missed during her rush to eat the stew. “It’s okay if you don’t. You will understand in time.”

“You don’t know that,” Neve pouted.

“I don’t, huh? What do I say?”

“That you’re always right.”

“If I’m always right, then believe what I say. I promise that you’ll understand.”

Nuzzling her face into her mother’s hands, Neve nodded. When she looked up, she was surprised to see a tear slide down her mother’s cheek. “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so happy for you.” Neve’s mother pulled her into a tight hug. Neve wrapped her arms around her, feeling her mother descend into sobs. They didn’t feel like happy tears. Neve felt tears prick her eyes as well. Her tears didn’t feel happy either.

The next morning saw Neve sitting at the door with a small bag. Sleep had been hard for her as nervousness ate at her mind. She wondered if Eamon and the other kids would be nice to her. She didn’t get along with the neighborhood kids, but maybe the other kids would be more accomodating of her oddities. Neve didn’t think her mother slept a wink. When she came downstairs earlier, she was praying in front of the Nilalan statue. When Neve asked what she was praying for, her mother told her she wanted good fortune for the both of them.

A knock on the door told Neve that it was time to go. Neve’s mother answered the door and greeted Eamon. Neve noticed that she had her polite smile on again. Eamon gave his own pleasantries before he motioned for Neve to follow him. She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. She gave her mother a tight hug and told her that she loved her. 

“Don’t forget about me,” Neve said.

“I won’t,” her mother replied, “We’ll make that necklace you want when you get back.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Neve squeezed her mother one last time. She followed Eamon to the stagecoach, glancing back at her mother, who waved at her the whole time. Eamon let her sit in the front with him and the driver. She looked at him when he laid a hand on her shoulder.

Eamon said, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For everything.”

Neve didn’t know what to say, so she replied, “It’s okay. I forgive you.”

“You’re going to wish you hadn’t.” Eamon said to the driver, “Let’s go!”

Neve watched as her house grew smaller and smaller the further they travelled. She kept her eyes on her mother for as long as she could, but she faded into the background far too soon. She held back the tears that wanted to stream down her face. She shouldn’t be sad. It was a great honor.