Chapter 1

Anabel, James, Lord Luviere, Lady Luviere, Michael, John, servant

            I woke up to feel the sting of morning and it felt exactly like before. But I have become a woman now, a spouse, should I not feel different? No, because marriage is the same as birthdays, there is only a change in the way others treat me.

            James slept beside me. His peaceful expression was most alluring, but I refrained from touching him and slipped out of bed. So what is it, married women do? I have not been married before, and Saturday lessons only taught me how to charm a man. And so, I stood beside my new bed where my new life partner laid, my mind in a complete stupor. Should I have started my day with preparing myself or praying to the Lord?

 

            A soft knock came from behind old oak doors, accompanied by a meek voice.

            “Madam, have you awakened yet?”

            “Yes,” I replied. “Who is this?”

            “I am a servant. I have been sent by Lady Luviere to awaken you and to bring you to her. Have you dressed yet?”

            “I will be ready shortly.”

 

            I arrived before Lady Luviere with a smile that I perfected. Meeting Lady Luviere was nostalgic, for she resembled my Saturday teacher. She poised herself on an elaborately carved stool and sat drinking tea, her spine snapped straight. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun, exposing her luminescent skin. I was in complete awe.

            She stared into my eyes. I returned the gaze, only to look away seconds later. Her expressionless stare was so penetrating, I felt as if her hazel eyes saw right through my eyes and peered into my soul. It was almost violating.

 

            “Good Morning, Lady Luviere,” I said, breaking the silence, “I was told you requested my presence.”

            She sipped the last of her tea before speaking.

            “Once you’ve married into the Luviere manor, it is expected for you to accustom yourself to our rules … and punishments.” Though as uninteresting as the subject was, Lady Luviere spoke with a wonderfully musical voice, and my ears forced me to listen. “It is only natural for me to inform you,” she continued, “first and foremost …”

           

I have read, listened, and memorized a majority of what she mentioned already. I wanted to leave the room. Not because I was bored, but because Lady Luviere, herself, made me uncomfortable. Not once did she look at or even address me, as if I were an inferior thing. But the day before I so clearly saw her, and this “Lady Luviere” was different. The day before, Lady Luviere was both graceful and welcoming. But today, she was strict and harsh.

It took me some time to figure out, but my Saturday teacher taught me that a woman must change attitudes suited to the situation. Yesterday was like a festival, so we must be happy and joyful. But today is a day to instruct me, someone she clearly deems inferior. I can accept that, I was taught to.

 

I returned to my room only to find James already gone.

“Master James left for breakfast.”

I swiveled around to see the same servant who brought me to Lady Luviere’s room. Her wiry auburn hair twisted into two braids, and her skin was pleasantly tanned. She looked no more than three years younger than I.

“Then bring me to the dinning hall,” I ordered, “shouldn’t a married couple be able to enjoy their first meal together?”

The auburn-haired servant looked up at me with her head slightly bowed, “I suppose.”

What servant is this? I thought, how uneducated she must be. Poor thing.

 

I walked down a flight of stone stairs, led by the incompetent auburn-haired servant, and crossed a square courtyard. The air was fresh, and the grass was moist. It was very awkward, for the day before was like all the other days before it, and today was different. The day before, and the days before that, my sisters would sit on the sides of the fountain in the center of the courtyard and they would chatter endlessly about people, lessons, or anything of any significance at all. I entered the dinning hall in a daze. How very embarrassing I must have looked.

Several people sat evenly spaced away along a rectangular and polished, wood table. Lord Luviere sat beside Lady Luviere, and opposite of them sat James. On each of the short sides of the table sat a young boy and a servant feeding him.

I was led towards Lord and Lady Luviere, and as common custom, I curtsied.

“Good morning Father, good morning Mother.” Though they are my new “father” and “mother”, I was still required to call them Lord and Lady. Inconvenient, but traditions are traditions. They both nodded curtly in return, not taking a second to even look at me.

I was then led to each young boy.

“This is Master Michael, the second son of Lady Luviere,” the auburn-haired servant whispered in my ear.

“Good morning, Michael.” I curtsied and smiled at the ten-year-old boy.

“Hello, good sister in law,” he replied with a sideways grin.

 

“This is Master John, the third son of Lady Luviere.”

The six-year-old boy gave a wide smile when our eyes met, showing two missing teeth, and began to giggle. Despite his lack of court etiquette, I smiled and curtsied with the same gentle manner. “Good morning, John.”

“Good morning, sister.” He did not address me correctly either. But, oh, what can you expect from a poorly taught child?

 

I stood beside my seat and curtsied to James, “Good morning, James.”

“Good morning,” he mumbled, his eyes were still focused upon his own breakfast.

I only stared, surprised. Does this whole family need to be taught common manners?

 

Breakfast was quiet. I hoped that this was the only time it would be so void. I was beginning to forgive my sisters for interrupting my days with useless prattle. Silence was much more annoying, it was almost unwelcoming. But why? Despite being enemy blood, I believe that I am certainly a good wife.

 

For the rest of the day I toured the manor with my auburn-haired servant. I paid no attention to where we were going. Rather, I observed the people of the manor. How was it possible for my family to be in a feud with these blocks of ice? Accepting this kind of life was becoming more difficult. If only I were trained better. But sooner or later I would become a block of ice as well, perhaps just a woman staring vacantly out a window at the rolling hills beyond.

Author's Note

What time period do you suppose this takes place in? How are the characters? What do you think might happen? What do you think of Anabel's [ the main character's ] attitude or sense of thoughts? [Also, if any grammatical errors or vocabulary errors are spotted please tell me.]