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“ Jack get out of bed!”

Jack or her actual name Jacklyn rose out of her bed with a freight as she always had when she slept in late. Every day it was the same thing. Jack milk the cow. Jack chop the wood. Jack get some water from the well. Jack do this and Jack do that. She understood why she was made to do so much. She lived in a small village. It had a black smith and a stable and a cattle farm. She was just unfortunate enough to be born a farmer. Jack pulled the nightgown over her head and put it on a table before going to the next table and getting her work clothing on. Instinctively she grabbed the milk bucked and egg basket that laid beside the door. Her mother was already kneeing some bread for dinner later. Before she went out the door Jack heard something. “ Wait daughter.”

Jack froze. Her mother never called her her daughter unless she was in trouble or about to be. She slowly turns around to find her mother's back to her like it always was. “ This came for you today.”

Jack moved slowly to her mother and she held out a workshop ticket. Jack's eyes went wide. She knew her time for one was coming but she was not thinking it would come till after the next selection. The only thing that was unique to her home. The workshop where no one works but things are made or repaired. Each service was expensive but fast. It was cheaper to have things reforged or made new most times but if you break your mothers favorite honey pot it was well worth the extra money to repair it before she finds out. The price was extravagant and it produced things like medicines none could reproduce either. So it had a lot of business from travelers as well. Except once a year when the old caretaker of the shop comes to town during the fall festival. While the man is in the shop the yellow face on the glass calls out a number on one of the tickets and they may ask for anything and it is normally given to them. Each person in the village ever gets one ticket and each ticket is lost to the workshop in exchange for their wish. But that wish changes lives. One man wished for a potion that would let him live longer. He is in a rocking chair every day beside the village well at the pride age of one hundred and two. Another left after wanting an item that would make him gamble better.

He got an orb that if he held it it would show him one of two colors. Red meant it was ill advised and green said it was in his favor. He soon found that it worked just as well getting women in bed and after six months of being banned from every neighboring towns gambling dens and blacklisted from every brothel he was found dead and the orb smashed when the would be thieves found out it only worked for him when he went down the wrong back alley game. An old woman who won wished for a way for her children and grandchildren to listen to her old stories, who happened to had moved away for said reason. She was found dead in her deathbed two weeks later with a huge grin on her face. That one was from last year. Because of the wish the village was always weary of travelers to let them find out about them, but one happens to show up every now and then and try to get one for themselves. Jack takes her ticket and took it to the table with her nightgown before going to work.

Jack sets the bucket of water in the doorway and closes the door before she takes the bucket again and pours it into a troft on the back of the stove for water to be warmed to do dishes then washing later. After that she puts the bucket by the doorway and moves to her bed and takes out the wooden box under her bed. Every day for years she has been gathering sticks and twigs and using a knife to carve them. All her effort had just led to a bunch of pieces of wood her mother has threatened to use as firewood if she does not behave.

For an hour she worked on one piece that she made into a wheel. When she was done she noticed her mother nearing done. When she was done over the stove she put a bowl of sparse vegetable stew in her daughters hands. She did not mind living this way because she has not known better but often enough she wondered how she could. The stew went quickly in both of them and Jack knew the rest was put in jars for the coming months when food would not be so ready for them. She then took her mothers bowel and put it in the fireplaces troft and took a cloth and wiped them down. Jack did not mind these things. She was poor and she understood. Yet she wanted to make a better life and with her own hands. “ Peters or Timbers.”

Jack paused to the question. All day she knew it would be coming. The moment you have a ticket you were eligible for marriage. A day her mother, she knew, has been waiting for. Both were not bad options. Peters was the son of the woodsman and was a big and bashful boy. She knew she could cook and learn to do such for him till she met his expectations. Timbers, who sounds like the woodsman's son, but is not, is in fact the blacksmiths son. She has met him a few times as well and knew he was a gentle soul that preferred the company of the horses than people. She knows him when she tried to become the blacksmiths apprentice as well but he saw her more interested in making things, improved, ways than the old. “ Tried and true.”

He would tell her. Why cut the thick trees with a saw when a perfectly sharp ax and a breakable back could do the same. Whatever she made that was better he melted down. Most of she made was melted down as well because it did not work as well as she thought it would. The only thing he kept to use was the bell to let him know he had a ever returning grumbling customer, but never a happy one. It was then she noticed most people thought on their wishes to make their lives better. But not her. All she wanted was to make something on her own that would help her village.

A week has passed for Jack and undoubtedly thanks to her mother word was threw the village of her new 'adult' status. Instantly people treated her differently. Before they saw a mongrel child now they saw a 'legal' woman. She was at first caught off guard by the knowledge that those she had known her whole life wanted her only to be in bed. By the end of the second week she had seen all three of the 'young' adults that could be her husband. The first two she expected but the third was a surprise. Carter, the third, was the son of the wealthiest man and leader of the village.

It would be expected of him to find a wife from outside the village, likely from a town with other richer people. She has heard the stories as well as all the woman of the village. It was more likely looking for a mistress than a wife. She did not know what he liked but she was brunet and slightly tall, thin with a modest chest men would like and she was strong but thin. She guessed he would like those features.

Everyone else did, but there was one thing none but her and her mother knew. She had a birthmark in the shape of a dragon on her inner thigh. She was not sure if there was importance but her mother told her the one time she asked about it that it was likely nothing but people are known to go out of their way to be crazy over nothing. She knows this true when the butcher almost killed a man thinking his wife ran off with him when he forgot she was going back to her birth home to bury her mother and the man left the same day. So she never spoke of it sense.

Two weeks suddenly turn to four for Jack and both the suitors and her mother was growing worried. She was never one to make instant decisions. So when pressured she blurted out that she will make her decision known the day after the drawing. It did not give her long but the excuse was a good one. Having one of the boys fate changed would make her decision easier. Having one of them run off without her for their own personal dreams was realistic. It has happened before to others. Her own mother for example. The one that got the gambling orb.

She the result of the only time they were together. That did not stop her mother from planning her wedding the day after as well. Another month passed Jack and her routine did not change. She did her chores, she spoke to the suitors in her free time, and then she would return home. Sometimes she would spend her evening with one of the two. Eating and learning of what would be expected from their families of her. Never the other way around. She understood why. She was a poor farmer and they had a little money to their names. Not enough to have choice pick or leave the town but enough to be a little picky. If she could not appease them then they would send her and her new husband to her mothers who might just lock them out as well. “ Daughter get out of bed.”

Jack rose as she always had to her mothers call. Before she realized she had used 'daughter' she saw a plain dress. It was obviously her mothers but it been changed to fit her. Jack did not even notice the days go by. She was no closer to a decision than before, but she had no more time. No, she had one chance. If one of the two got their wishes then she would not have to decide.

She did not care which but she did not want to make the decision because she knew she did not really want either. What she wants is to make the village stronger and better not just become a cog in it. She knew the one thing her mother would not scorn her for doing nor speak about her wedding after doing it and she did it. She went into the box of scrap wood and dug into the bottom of it and got her ticket out. Her mother paused her tear eyed thoughts and became a little angry. Defiant to the end Jack thought her mother was thinking.

At the workshop it was an old building covered in moss and other plants but two places were kept clean always. The first because of regular use was the booth with the yellow circle that had 2 black eyes and a smile. She was told to beware when it did not. One time shortly before her mothers time soldiers of the king came to claim whatever made the workshop work. They had gathered everyone of the village and threatened to kill everyone one by one the next day if the clerk of the workshop did not comply with their demands. His face turned red and his smile was turned upside down.

That night something had killed all the soldiers. Some animal or beast that tore them to shreds while leaving those of the village alone. Some say it was a dragon while others say it was the sentinel of the workshop or even a few still yet say it was the shops caretaker that did it. One thing was certain. None knew for sure. Jack got another surprise when she found her mother doing the chores with her. After a few minutes of thought it did make sense to her. There was a feast tonight so she would not have to cook. That allowed them to finish up and clean up in time for them to get to the village square for when the workshop caretaker comes. All knew his home in the hills. The solitary path that ran to his house was there for food to be sent to him everyday.

None bothered him and none impeded him. It was not his law but that of the village and none broke it. Jack paused when she came around the corner with her mother. Their house was in the fields but they had a shortcut between the inn and the stable they used and that is when they saw him. He was not in his cloak like he always was. It was only a moment before he was but in that moment she saw him have wings on his back. Old and leathery. Not only that but there was scales around the wings. A deep red color. The color of blood. He turned to them wondering a moment if they saw or not. “ Excuse us caretaker. Do did not mean to block you.”

Jack could tell by her mothers voice she did not see it. Perhaps because she was a step behind or perhaps she did and did not believe it and so it was not real in her mind. Either way Jack could not hide it in her face before her mother spoke and they moved to the side. It was a courtesy Jack knew. He was going in the same direction they were but he did not move till he had his look at the two.

Jack and her mother got to the square just in time for the caretaker to put his hand over the yellow face and the face turned green for a moment before he moves to the side where the only other cleared place of the building was. The entrance to the workshop. Jack could not keep her mind off what she saw but paused when she saw the caretaker entered the workshop. As always it appeared as a blur inside and she could not identify anything in it. She then noticed her ticket in her hand. She thought she left it at the house. She did not care if she won or not. She only wanted to know if one of the two that she would be marrying did. Suddenly it went quiet. “ FOUR SIX NINE ONE!”

There was a shuffle as everyone went to looking at their tickets. Everyone wanted to be the winner but her. She first saw Timbers threw the crowd. The look of sadness in his eyes made it apparent he was hoping for the win more than wanting a horse of his own. Then the young testosterone filled boy sighed and looked around and found her. She felt like the mule that would be the second place prize to the stallion everyone wanted. She turned away to seeing Peters. He had just got done with his ticket and put it in his pocket. Something in her made her think he was not the better choice either. While he would be someone that would appreciate her more it would be for his own needs and not hers or theirs together. “ Everyone, who has 4,691?”

Jack pondered a little why the victor had not stepped forward. Did the clerk give a bad number? She never heard of it making a mistake before. She sighs and lowers her head and finally notices the ticket in her own hand. How did it get there she asked herself again. It was likely her mother put it there when they met the caretaker and she moved them to the side. After the thought she notices that she had her thumbs covering two of the numbers. The ones showing were a 6 and a 9. Slowly she moved one of her thumbs showing she had 469 and either a one or a seven. Something terrified her then. Not if she did not have the number but what if she did. She did not want to move it but her mother noticed her looking at the ticket as well. “ Here she is. Here is the winner!”

The path to the clerk was made for the two and her mother walked as if she had won it herself. She did not even have it in her hand anymore. Her mother was showing it like a stoked hen in heat. Then they arrived and she put the ticket back in Jack's hands. “ Here you go my sweet Jacklin. Get us a better life.”

Jack looked at the ticket then at the numbers just there at the clerk is. She sees the slot where things enter and come out and she slowly starts to put it in but stops. Why should she wish for them both a better life? Just then was the first time in her life that she can remember she had been proud to have her as a daughter. Not some product of a one night stand with a man she was married to. “ Back away mother!”

The supporting hands that was so strange to her that were on her shoulders turned cold. Jacklin knew she had the power and not her. She did as instructed. Jack put the tablet in the tray and the cover closed slowly and the clerk spoke. “ Congratulations winner. What would you like?”

Jack paused. At that moment nothing came to mind. She could ask for anything within reason or madness and it would be given to her. For all she could do she shook her head. “ I don't know. Something that will help the village I guess.”

It was a selfish request she knew. To have something that she could use to help the village in her power but something seemed wrong. Normally the clerk would give a time for such a thing to be made instead it made a face of confusion. “ I don't know what you ask for winner. Nothing that I can make can be given to this village that it needs to help it.”

This was a first. She had stumped the clerk. The clerk that knew what everything was. The clerk that knew how to make the impossible things. Then the face returned to it's default shape. “ The boss has informed me that in order for me to give you what you wish you must pass three tests. Please go to the door to meet the first.”

She did not understand and neither did any of the village but she did as she was told. On the bare door was revealed another thing like that that had the clerk on it. Then the face appeared again. “ For your first test is a puzzle, for if you do not know how you are to use what you are to receive then how are you to use it for the village.”

Suddenly the face vanished and a grid of colored dots appeared in two locations. One grid was eight by eight with four different colors and then two extended points as well. The second set was that all of the same color in a two by five grid. She felt silly but she touched one of those first with no result. She heard a huge sigh when nothing happened. Perhaps they expect her to be dropped into a pit of acid or something for getting it wrong. Then she decided to touch one of the colors on the other grid. The color changed and those right beside over and under it as well and the one she pushed dimmed. One of the ones in the two by five grid did as well. She tried to push that same color again but found nothing happened. So she tried another one and the same happened. She tried this four more times before she found a pattern forming. The two colors outside the normal grid were the same color and several of the other colors were as well. She looked over the puzzle over and sighed disappointed. With her experimentation she has locked one of the key color points. “ Can I start over? I know what I have to do now.”

The face returned in place of the puzzle. “ I am sorry, one ticket one chance.”

The face faded again showing the puzzle again. Then a thought crossed her mind. If she could change the colors of the other two. She pressed one and as she thought it would not work. Then she looked at the board as a whole. The green colored spots were outlined and running threw those that she pushed, no matter the original color. No two points can have their colors changed more than once but perhaps. She pushed the junction of one square and it changed to the color of those pressed and none others changed. It was a gamble and it paid off letting her finish the puzzle with one move left. The face returns. Instead of yellow it was green. “ Welcome, the boss wishes to speak with you.” Then there was a click and the door opened.