Claiming What is Rightfully Mine (Walter Deville)

Chapter 1

Viktoria and her friend Colette were walking around the village market, enjoying the day, taking the opportunity to get out of the house and see what the local merchants were selling at their stands that morning.

"So, Colette how does it feel to finally be out of the house for a bit, enjoying this wonderful day? I bet you would agree with me when I say that I told you that taking a walk around the local market is much better than hanging around the grounds of your manor, waiting for something exciting to happen; or waiting on a rich suitor to come along and ask for your hand in marriage, saying the right things that he will take care of you and give you the life that you truly deserve," Viktoria said.

Colette rolled her eyes at her friend knowing what her friend was trying to get at with what she was saying. "Viktoria don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way, because you know you are my dearest friend. And I truly do appreciate you trying to look out for me and only want the best of the best for me; but not all of us need to go around town eying up all the men wondering if they are rich suitors whose attention, I can gain so they will ask for my hand in marriage."

"Oh, come now Colette, you can't be serious with your words. What if your father goes to set you up with someone who isn't worth your hand in marriage? What if your father sets you up with a man, who only claims to be rich, but is lying so he can gain a beautiful woman like you as his wife, so he can treat you anyway as he damn well pleases, get a good meal and have a woman to care for the house and the kids," Viktoria asked showing a bit of concern for her friend.

"Does it truly matter? As long as I do my part as a good daughter and accept the man, he arranges for me to marry, be a good wife to that man and take care of my husbands every need that's all that truly matters. That is the only thing that my father cares about. He cares that I am a proper wife to my husband at the end of the day, not how rich a man is," Colette replied.

Viktoria let out a disappointed sigh. "You know you will regret saying something like that? Especially when your father goes and finds you a man who will treat you like a beating bag or something of the sort."

"When the time comes, I'm sure I will. But for now, I'm not worried about that," Colette said.

"Well, you should be worried about it. Your father could find any man at any time, even right now and you could me married off today for all we know. Do you still want to not care about your future," Viktoria argued.

"As I said I will worry about that when the time comes. But right now, all that I'm worried about is what is going on today at this very moment. I don't want to spend my day worrying about what could happen in my future. If I do that all the time, then I miss out on the moments in the here and now," Emmeline said. "I suggest you do the same thing, unless you want people to go around saying that you are a foolish girl who has her head in the clouds all the time. Do you enjoy when people say things like that about you?"

"Since when do I care what people think about me? They're just words. They can't hurt me as if someone were to take and stab me with a sharp object," Viktoria replied. "Besides there is nothing wrong with having a dream that you could achieve if you put your mind to it. That and have a little determination to make it happen. Be the one in control of your own destiny instead of leaving your destiny in your father's hands."

"You know it's talk like that that will get you in deep trouble with your parents," Colette tried to reason.

"Like I care about that. I'm always in trouble with them about something. So why should that be any different," Viktoria said.

Colette shook her head at what her friend said. "What are you going to do when you have to give up your dream to please your father; and marry the man that he chooses for you?"