Dowager's pride

The Great Feast Chp 2

This was that time of the year again when there was going to be a big celebration and Dukes and Princes would come to buy people from our moor. Those who thought their lives would be better willingly sold themselves off and mothers who desperately wished that their lass would be lucky enough to get hooked on one of them also sold their lass off. They joyfully gave up their children to these aristocrats.

I peeped through the window in my dirty haggard rag clothing and saw my mother dolling up my little sister of 17,Lisa, so that she may be sold off today. Once mother left, I climbed into her room. "Lisa, you look mighty fine this evening", I said as I leaned on her window post made of woods cut from the forest. She looked weary and downcast "I do not wish for you to mock me Ariella". "but I do not mock you sister, I only speak the truth" "a truth I do not wish to hear" she cut in.

"why do you look troubled Lisa?", I asked. She just sighed and looked away "mother wishes to sell me off at the great feast".I looked rather confused and asked " shouldn't you be merry?". She just sighed all the more and replied in a rather dreamy voice like she had been plunged into space "what if I get sold off to a beast? How then would my already miserable life end?". I looked pity fully at her and said "I have an idea, why don't I sabotage their chariots that way they would not be able to come to the feast?" "but mother has arranged with the man that shall come and take my hand", she said alarmed. I looker at her rather exhausted. "had she not just said she wants to wed not",I thought "You do not want to be sold, well then you shan't". She looked uncertainly at me and then finally yielded with a nod.

I rushed off to Tito, my very good friend who always helped me carry out my plans. He was a dark shabby boy with dark wooly hair. He was equally discriminated against for his looks and that is why we make the perfect pair.

Tito came out rather sleepily to the door which I had been banging. "what is all this ruckus about mate?". He asked. "we need to do something Tito..." I paused and took in his appearance. A shabby dirty pants made of cotton and dried grass and a bare chest with a red cap... very ugly indeed. My face contorted to one of disgust. " put on something you silly flee bag" His eyes finally snapped open. "why?" he asked. "are we going somewhere?". I slapped my palm to my fore head. "the great feast is today and yes we are going somewhere",I replied. He nodded and then ran off to change.

Tito and I had a very strong connection. He went where ever I went and I, where ever he went. Mother always scolded me anytime she saw us together but that did nothing to destroy my relationship with the orphan.

"so you're saying that we should rig the aristocrats coaches?", tito asked as we walked through the everglen forest to the clearing where they would normally set up a tent and do whatever aristocrats do. "I think I have said that a hundred times already Tito",I replied exasperated. "you cannot blame me, we are litter ally digging up our own graves Ari". "well it won't be our graves if we do not do this". "all these for Lisa???". He just couldn't believe that I would do it without a catch. I looked at him in awe. I could not believe this boy. "this is all for Lisa, believe it or not I do love my sister.." " but",he cut in. Before I could answer his question, we heard noises that sounded like people laughing. We hid behind the boulder behind a huge lamp lit tent.

I smiled to myself and said to Tito, it's show time.

Find out what happens next in the next chapter😁