Anemoia • Mikaelsons mate

Chapter 5

• • • Cádiz, Spain, June 1701 • • •

"Mama!" Beatriz runs up the creaking staircase. In her excitement, she is careless towards the noise she makes, and she shoots her brother an apologetic look. He had been looking disapprovingly at her from the top of the stairs.

"Must you make that racket? You know papa is resting." Antón admonishes his sister quietly while letting his eyes go over her appearance. Her skirts were once again wrinkled and covered in grass stains. He shakes his head before cracking a small smile. His sister was, despite her adult age, still a child at heart.

"I'm sorry! I just need to talk to ma." Beatriz bounces on the balls of her feet, unable to keep still.

"What could possibly be this urgent?"

"There are new people in town! Francisca told me she overheard them talking about settling here. They are going to live in the vacated estate."

"That's what got you this excited?"

"Of course, it's got me excited! They are a new family. We can befriend them, besides that, there is a very pretty girl. Francisca believes her to be unwed."

"No." Antón holds his hand up at once, halting his sister before she started blabbering about his future plans again.

"Why not? You can try? I'm certain she's lovely!" Beatriz wags her brows. She would love to play matchmaker, so far she hadn't been very successful, but she was certain that practice made perfect.

"I am not marrying anyone. Besides that, the one who should be in search of a spouse is you, darling Beatriz. You are not a child anymore and must start your own family, run your own household." Antón points out.

"Don't be ridiculous." Beatriz huffs, crossing her arms defiantly. She and her parents had already had this conversation the night before her eighteenth birthday. Beatriz had refused to be married off by them. The idea of starting her own family frightened her, and she'd rather spend some more time safely in her childhood home. "Mama and papa need me. I am simply unmissable."

"You wish! If you move out, I will get your room!" Hernando's shout can be heard from one of the bedrooms.

"Don't you have to work today?" Antón snorts, rolling his eyes. There was really no use to get his siblings to quiet down. He was simply cursed with loud, obnoxious family members. Big family dinners were the worst.

"Don't you?" Hernando retorts whilst also joining the hall, scowling at Antón.

"Shut-" Antón shuts his mouth as his mother approaches the group, swatting her hands on her apron.

"What's going on here, my darlings?"

"Mama! We have a new family moving into the estate outside our village! Antón can finally ma-" Beatriz grumbles after receiving a sharp jab to the ribs from Antón.

"Stop screaming, my little dove. My goodness, this sure got you excited." María chuckles at her daughter's enthusiasm. Noticing the scowl her eldest was wearing, she lovingly pats his cheek.

Beatriz simply nods her head, she hoped her mother would allow her to visit the new family soon. Perhaps she could bring her mother's homemade pastries with her to make an extra memorable impression. Beatriz knew half of the village would do the same, but her mother's baking had been described as magical and would surely leave the new family wanting more.

María hums. "Let me guess, you want to visit them?"

"Yes, yes please." Beatriz nods again, curls bouncing loose from her hairpin and were now framing her face in a rather lovely manner.