Hope's Rebellion

By Jade Varden

Their friendship will test the fabric of tradition, duty and destiny...

There are only two seasons in Godenor: summer and winter. Weather brings the only surprises to a society where everything is planned, and everyone's status is determined at birth...by the color of their hair.

Rinna has the right hair, Drexi the wrong, and Prelly is almost too ordinary -- in every way but one. Small mistakes bring them together, creating ripples in a pond that knows nothing but serenity. If they reach their goals, they can't help but shatter the world they know.

Love of any kind, even the bond of friendship, isn't allowed in their world...but then, the heart can't always follow orders.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jade Varden
• Release date: Dec 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311031006

Jade Varden

Jade Varden is a teller of tales from Louisville, Kentucky. The Deck of Lies series is the first in several young adult series and stand-alone novels Jade will publish in 2012 and 2013.

Book preview

Hope’s Rebellion

a novel

Smashwords edition

By Jade Varden

Copyright 2013 by Jade Varden.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Created and published in the United States of America

Chapter 1

First Exam

The Summer of the Long Storm – First Allocation

Last summer, the sound of drums would have delighted everyone in the household. Today, each sound struck out like thunder, ominous and uncaring. Mara could almost feel them coming closer and closer with each drumbeat. She imagined that they timed their steps to each new note. Clip-bong. Clip-bang. Closer and closer.

They’re coming. The golden-haired woman in the center of the room trotted to the window to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mara. They’re coming. On repeat, the words were laced with doom.

They are, Mara agreed. She couldn't see them through the gray rain, but the sound of the drums was unmistakable.

I didn’t grant you leave to speak, the blonde bit back, her words dripping poison. It was her usual tone, though today there was even more hatred in her voice than usual. Prepare yourself to present the child, and mind you act smart about it. I won’t tolerate any of your insubordination today.

It was on the tip of Mara’s tongue to remind Lexi that she wouldn’t have to tolerate her servants very much longer, but she wisely kept her mouth clamped shut on the nasty words. Instead, she bent to scoop the baby out of the cradle and moved through the apartment to the main entrance.

It was an airy set of rooms, with few walls. Columns and curtains provided separation of space, but today most of them were open to let the breeze in. It swept across the marble floors, cooling the burning heat of the late afternoon. They’d waited for hours for the Pergos to arrive, and now the drums were finally in the distance.

Lexi didn’t move from the window. She stood facing the courtyard, a garden oasis that was watered and pruned to perfection daily by workers who were assigned to the task. For just a moment, the woman at the window looked scared, and maybe a little shattered. She was surrounded by the ghosts of the past, soon to be ripped away from them. But something cold in her face kept Mara’s heart hard against her. It was something in the way Lexi held her head, something in the way she looked down her pert little nose at the world around her. Something about the ice in that green gaze of hers.

Mara saw her flinch every time the drums pounded. When they stopped at the front door, she caught her breath and it held, frozen in her lungs.

The grin came to Mara’s face at once, and she swung the portal open to greet them. Welcome to the House of Lexi, Sirs. Automatically, she bent down at the waist and pointed her eyes to the ground. This was the proper way for her to address one of the soldiers.

We are here to test the child. Stand and be recognized. One of the Pergos answered her. Mara couldn’t tell which it was. All three wore identical helmets and matched armor, and each stood with the proud, erect carriage of their station. She couldn’t stop the blush that rose in her cheeks and spread warmth through her whole body as she rose to an upright position. Like other girls, Mara used to stand on the road and watch the Pergos on their yearly trek to the villages and towns. How fine they looked in their shining breastplates and proud plumes, how perfectly precise they were in their every movement and word. Each one was broad and strong, handsome and finely-honed.

They ought to be. They spent all their time training, and learning, and training some more – when they weren’t ferrying young children between the cities and towns throughout Godenor.

She’d never been this close to one before, and for a moment Mara was too tongue-tied to answer. She would laugh about it later, a woman her age still swooning over the soldiers. But there were none more physically impressive than the Pergos. Isn’t that why they were chosen in the first place?

Yes. Here. She finally gathered her wits and held the baby before her, offering the infant to the nearest one.

She was further impressed by the men when the one closest to her gently took charge of the infant, cradling her in one of his massive arms. The shortest of the three held a recorder in his hand, prepared to take notes. He held it toward the baby for one long, silent minute as the first soldier stood, stoic and expressionless, supporting her in his arm.

Weight is one and one-third buckets, the one holding the device began to read aloud. The second man had produced his own recorder now, and he began to make note of each measurement.

Length is three hands. Nutrition grade one. Bone strength grade three. Overall health…poor. Proceed with reflexes check.

The soldier holding the baby raised one glove-covered hand and began unwrapping the baby. She squirmed and fussed when the cold air hit her, and started passionately squalling after the solider flicked the bottom of each of her feet.

Grade three, he intoned. He spread his fingers and watched carefully as the baby moved to grip them. Strength grade three.

Physical fitness score is grade three, the third Pergo reported. Proceed with physical parameters.

Mara’s heart gave a leap with those words, and began to beat furiously as she saw the gloved hand of the solider moving again. He was taking off the baby’s cap. It hid her hair…and her horrible shame.

Pergos are trained to show no emotion, but even so she heard him catch his breath when the baby’s head was revealed. Hair black. He reported. Eyes green.

The second soldier did a double-take before he logged the information. All the devices disappeared, then, and Mara found herself suddenly cradling the infant again.

Where is Lexi? It was hard to believe a voice so cold could come from a man who had so gently held the squalling, crying baby.

Mara couldn’t even answer; she had to resort to jerking her head toward the back of the apartment. She waited for the Pergos to file past before she followed them. If anyone was going to witness Lexi’s fall from grace, it was going to be her.

Lexi of the Gold, Most Esteemed Mother, mate of Sir Pek, it is my sad duty on this day to strip you of your titles and re-claim these apartments. You will be transferred to the re-Allocation center in Shining tomorrow at daybreak. Please turn over the symbol of your House.

Lexi already had the necklace clutched in her hand. Rather, it was wrapped around it. A long silence followed as she unwound it from around her fingers, moments in which only her ragged breathing filled the room. To her credit, she wasn’t crying, but she did look stark and pale as she handed the necklace to the nearest solider. Mara was pretty sure it was the one who had logged all the data.

Your household is hereby relieved of their duties to you.

They were magic words. Mara placed the baby, who was still making frustrated noises, in Lexi’s unwilling arms. If her green eyes could have spit fire, they surely would have done so in that moment.

Mara didn’t feel guilty about the smile on her lips. It was the moment she’d been waiting for. Without a word to the soldiers or Lexi, she walked straight to the front door.

It was the only time, in her five years of service to Lexi, she was allowed to go through it. Mara wasn’t there to see it, but that’s when Lexi finally broke down and cried.

I must inform you at this time that the child has failed to score grade 2 or above. She will not be Allocated to the education complex. The Pergo whose sad duty it was to make this announcement did not allow his eyes to drift to the baby. He stared at Lexi for a long moment, Lexi who was rigid and white-faced with the fussing baby in her arms. Is…there anything you would like me to say to your mate?

Lexi’s mate left four months ago, when the black-haired baby was born.

You can tell him to go to Hell.

The soldier’s frame had softened when he addressed Lexi. Now, it snapped back to rigid perfection. As you will, madam. You can expect to receive all your necessary documents tomorrow, along with an escort to take you to Shining. Your marriage is hereby dissolved, and this property is officially re-claimed for the citizens of Godenor.

Lexi didn’t answer, and didn’t look at the Pergos as they made their way to the door.

Good day, madam. May rain always fall upon your house.

She shouted at them that she would never need rain, because she would always have tears…but they probably didn’t hear her, anyway.

The room was bursting with visitors. People had come every day since Rinna’s birth, but today it was packed from wall to wall, ceiling to floor. Everyone knew that today the Pergos would come. Today was the day for First Exams. For the last two months, no one in the town of Shoal had discussed anything else. Three babies had been born in Shoal since the last First Exams, but none as famous as Rinna.

Let us see her, Lally!

The cry was picked up by several others, until Lally was forced to hold up her hands. The baby is sleeping, she paused as the room groaned. But I’ll get her once we hear the drums.

This produced a shout of joy, which just as quickly turned into a dull roar of sound. No one wanted to wake the baby, the baby that was going to make the entire town of Shoal famous soon. Once word got out, everyone would know about Shoal. Visitors would come. They would want to drink the water, eat the food, breathe the air. They would need all sorts of supplies, and the town would make money.

All of it was thanks to little Rinna. Already there were several poems about her, and some of the masons had proposed four different statue designs. With the influx of credits coming their way, the citizens of Shoal would have some extra funds to dispense. They could afford a statue now.

When the drums finally sounded, the cheers threatened to shake the straw roof right off the apartment. Rinna, as if she knew the merriment was all for her, didn’t even cry. She simply blinked her eyes open and stared up at Lally when she walked into the cramped bedroom. Mother and daughter regarded each other for an instant, an infinite moment in which Lally’s heart filled with so much love it actually hurt, but the screaming prompted her to action. She gently pulled the infant into her arms, and walked into the next room to present her to the crowd.

They shouted with joy when they saw the baby’s perfectly round, golden little head poking up against the rough woolen blanket.

Rinna of the Gold had been born two months previously to the House of Lally, and as a result the status of everyone in town was going to increase. It was cause for celebration.

The excitement became a quiet, dull throb when the Pergos arrived for the First Exam. Every visitor in the house was suddenly a spectator, whispering amongst themselves as the baby’s measurements were taken. Muffled cheers erupted with each new reading: grade one, grade one, grade one. Rinna was a perfect baby. When one of the Pergos announced for one and all to hear that Rinna of the Gold had been born to the House of Lally, the cheers were deafening. Later, it would be said that the cries echoed out over three villages.

A hush fell over the room as the solider holding the baby moved to stand in front of Lally.

Most Esteemed Mother Lally, it is a proud day. By virtue of your new status, you will be re-Allocated. You have proven yourself to be a valuable woman, and you will be selected for the highest of all honors. You will be the mate of a Pergo.

Lally was too overwhelmed to speak; she merely bowed her black head and nodded.

The next day, servants arrived to escort Lally and Rinna to their new home.

Chapter 2

Education

The Summer of the Drought – Breaking Year

Where are we, again? Genn, Sir Genn to anyone but his fellow soldiers, lifted his helmet to mop his sweating brow with a gray bit of cloth.

Little town called Shining. When we reach the top of that hill, you’ll be able to see the sea. The answer came from a gruff voice just to his right. It belonged to Sir Mok, the de facto leader of their small troupe.

Shining, huh? Genn mused. Is it because the sun shines so bright?

Shining piece of shit is what it is, Mok grumbled back. Nothing grows here but lazy dinwas and the rocks on the beach.

Yeah? Genn had a habit of starting every thought with a question. You been here a lot?

Just about every year I’ve had this detail, Mok nodded. Big housing complex here for potential mothers. They make a lot of new babies.

How many are we collecting on this stop?

They’d reached the top of the rocky hill, now, and Genn understood why the town was called Shining. The water reflected off the coral that lined the coast, and with the sun blazing down it created a blinding effect. The coastline was jagged and rocky, unsuitable for anything but standing and looking. Despite the nearby waters, the air in Shining was hot and arid. Each breath threatened to sear his lungs. It had barely rained all summer, and everything he could see was dry and cracked.

Mok halted the procession by holding up one gloved fist. Just one this time, a little girl. She’s going to the labor complex.

Not the education complex? Genn frowned.

Not this one. She got a low score on her first exam. This one’s destined for slavery. Waste of a stop, if you ask me. We’ve got three to get down south, all of them bound for the education complex. They’ll be useful citizens. Mok said all this grumpily, which wasn’t out of character for him. Sir Mok was an aged man, with no more color left in his hair. Lines crisscrossed his forehead and sharply defined his mouth and eyes. He creaked and rattled when he dismounted, and complained endlessly when he had to mount up again.

But Mok had an answer for everything, and when the kids from Shoal started acting up he knew exactly what to do. He kept the kids and the other Pergos sharply in line with just one look, one word. Genn had just been Allocated to Pergo status, and he was thrilled when he learned he would be pulling a collection detail with the legendary Mok. It was rumored that he’d actually helped quell the rebellion of the Very Dry Winter. Once, Genn heard it whispered that Mok speared a man standing seven dinwa huts away.

Well, let’s go get her. We’ve got to get these wagons moving. He raised his arm again, and the procession resumed its march.

Beneath the mats, the floor was dirt. Lexi thought about it all the time – every day. She thought about it almost every time she took a step. She was born with golden hair, and now she was living in a two-room apartment with no servants and dirt floors.

Once, she’d lived in an airy apartment overlooking a courtyard, in the beautiful region of Grass. Now she lived on the rocky shores of Shining, and had to tend to every single one of her own needs. Lexi had never waited upon herself in her entire life, nor dressed in any fabric that wasn’t silk. Now her skin was being rubbed raw on burlap, and she had to eat potatoes every night.

All while walking around on dirt floors. It was unbearable. It was horrifying. And it was all that despicable baby’s fault.

She’d been forced to bide her time for more than two years, now. Her first two years in Grass had flown by. Her two years in Shining had dragged. They were endless. Lexi felt like she’d aged ten years since her re-Allocation, and there were suddenly thick patches of silver in her golden locks. It never would have happened if she still had her beautiful home and all her servants.

It wouldn’t have happened if Drexi had never been born. Less than half of all the children born in Godenor survived until the Breaking Year, but Drexi had managed to beat the odds despite the steady diet of potatoes and the filthy floors. It was just one more injustice Lexi had to endure. For two years she’d watched the ugly, black-haired little baby toddle around on top of the mats, on top of the dirt floors, and she’d dreamed