Ricardo

Redgrave Girls and Redgrave Boys were the same institution from a high up level but were completely separate in the eyes of the children who lived there. Effort was made to limit as much contact as possible through the year. Both attended the same church on the holy day each week, the church to the Ameyla, Goddess of crops and labour, but the girls went in the morning and the boys went in the evening.
 
The only time the two sides were permitted to meet was at the Festival of Ameyla which happened twice a year, on the spring and autumn equinox. These were to celebrate the start and end of crop season. The festivities happened all day meaning there was no way to keep the two separate.
 
I met Ricardo at the very first one I attended. He was barely two weeks older than me, and was the only half-elf in Redgrave Boys. We became friends very quickly, and from the very first festival would make a point to meet up at every single one.
 
He was my closest friend and confidant and I was his. At seven we agreed to marry. By the time we were nine we realised we were too young to make that decision and called the wedding off, at least until we were old enough.
 
At the autumn equinox, only around a month from his 13th birthday, we snuck off to a secret corner and shared our first kiss. We made an arrangement t meet up as soon as my 13th birthday came and we'd be allowed to leave Redgrave in the evening. We planned to meet at the monastery wall (as that gave me a chance to watch the monks train) the day after I turned 13. We were both excited - I loved Ricardo as much as it is possible to love someone at that age and I have no doubt he felt the same way about me.
 
The day after my 13th birthday hit and I did exactly as planned. He wasn't there. I thought maybe he had misremembered by birthday so I kept going back to wait for him (and watch the monks train). Two or so weeks later he still hadn't shown up and everything went down with monk Julian, where I was invited inside the monastery to begin training.
 
I was pretty angry at Ricardo. I went to the next festival ready to confront him and ask me why he had abandoned our plans, but I could not find him. I summoned the confidence to ask one of the matrons of Redgrave Boys and they told me what had happened.
 
In the two weeks between his birthday and mine Ricardo had been hit with an illness of the lungs. It killed him quickly.
 
I still miss Ricardo. I wish to buy him a proper tombstone when I have the money. As far as I am aware the only memorial to him is in the book that holds a list of children who passed away while living in the orphanage, and I believe his body was cremated.