The little Duchess

Chapter three

Unlike some Amina wasn't exactly terrified of her nightmares. Instead she was inquisitive as ever about them and how they worked. She also had a small dream journal where she would write down her most interesting dreams and nightmares. She had to say the worst ones where were her family would meet terrible ends. She didn't get along with any of her siblings but she would not want any harm to come to them and she hoped they felt the same about her. She knew her sister and brothers didn't care for her much and it didn't help that they weren't even related. She still loved them and Delanda. She had no love for her real mother, she didn't hate her but she didn't care for her at all. Why would she? The woman didn't care about her, she left her as soon as she was born, disowned her and ever since then didn't even mail her a letter for any holidays or birthdays.

Amina wasn't even sure she knew her name, as it was her father who named her. Amina did love her name, it was unique. Amina merrily made her way to school, ignoring the pang of loneliness that always sat there just gnawing away at her day by day. She also ignored insults and taunting done by Gwen and her group. Just another day in her life. As she passed by the glade near her home she saw a young doe grazing on the grass, doing so boldly because people could easily spot her. Amina stopped right in her tracks and stared on, fascinated and enamored with the doe. She made no move or sound, in fact she barely breathed or blinked. She just watched on at this pretty animal living its life so peacefully without a care in the world that it was out in the open, prime game for any would be hunter not that there were many who lived there. If they even tried they would be jailed because deer were protected animals there.

Suddenly the doe pricked up its ears and sensed someone was near and now the two were looking at each other intently. Amina did not move her eyes away not for an instance. Then it bounded away into the woods which thought the smart thing to do disappointed Amina terribly so. She wanted it to stay there so she could observe it in its natural habitat but she knew it wasn't going to last and savored it while she could. She went home excited to tell her family about her experience today because to her something about it all was magical. Her siblings wouldn't listen she knew that so she didn't bother even bringing it up to them. Her mother was at work and her father was busy cooking but she tired to tell him. He didn't seem nearly as interested as she was in it all. It's not as if he didn't care or wasn't listening but he didn't put his all into it as she did. She told herself that he was too preoccupied to full get what she was saying or the importance of it all or perhaps, she assumed, it was only truly important to her. When her mother came home it was as it always was.

"I'm tired, sweetie. Let mommy rest and then you can talk."

The resting took forever and with so many people at the dinner table that wanted to talk too Amina felt like her little voice just wouldn't be heard or her story wouldn't be cared about as much as the others. Still she piped up,

"I saw a doe today."

Everyone kept talking around her and her words got swallowed up by a multitude of voices. She felt small in her seat, her world felt small, her stories felt small. She did not like this feeling and so she summoned up a bigger voice, a louder prouder voice to cry out,

"I said I saw a doe today!"

"Amina no yelling at the table," Her mother warned. "If you have something to say you have to wait your turn and no shouting."

"But I did and nobody listened to me!"

"Why do you always feel like you are the most important one at the table?" Damarius pointed out, jabbing his fork in the air directly at her before returning it to his mouth to munch loudly.

"I do not!" She replied back with a pout and a furrowed brow.

"I told you no shouting. One more time and you are going to your room."