Silver Songbird

Ribbons and Silk

My blood boiled underneath my skin as I swung open the front door, nearly breaking it off its hinges. The patter of my younger sisters feet followed me down the front porch, and onto the dirt pathway.

"Marion, wait!" Annora pleaded, "We can work this out, please!"

"We can't fucking fix this." I growled, my head snapping back to look at her.

Annora stood, her chest rising and falling, an exasperated look on her face. The wind blew around her, whisking up her hair and her dress. Her face was red, and she had tears pricking her eyes.

For a moment I saw Annora when she was younger. I saw her curly hair filled with ribbons, and her frilly dresses. I saw her round cheeks and freckled face. I saw her being doted on when I wasn't, and I remembered all she got that I didn't.

"Stay." Her voice was barely a whisper. "You can't leave me here."

I looked past her and saw my father standing on the front porch steps next to Terret Gavinis, the man I was just arranged to marry.

Annora stepped closer to me and took my hands in hers. "I know we aren't close, I know we never have been. But stay."

I stared into her eyes for a moment, and ripped my hands from her grasp. I pushed my face closer to hers, our noses mere inches away from each other. "This whole town knows who I am. I won't change for you, for Father, or for anyone. I won't. I refuse." My words come out nearly a growl. "I will never marry him. I'm not going to get the short end of the stick with this one."

Annora takes a step back, hurt painted on her face. "If you don't accept him now, Marion, you shall never be loved."

I clench my fists. Annora always knew how to hit me where it hurt.

My mind ran with a million things I could say, all the ways I could hurt her back. But instead, I turned back around and walked away.

I heard her crying above the whistle of the hot summer wind.

The clinking of glasses and cheering pulled me back to myself, and I watched as the party started to come alive.

The whole ballroom was enchanting. From the intricate glass chandeliers, to the hanging wisteria along the walls. Candlelight gave the ballroom a fiery glow, and food and drinks filled every table. I never could've imagined anything close to this in my life.

And I was dreading every second.

The corset they shoved me in pinched me in all the wrong ways, and my hair was being held in place by what felt like a million pins stabbing into my skull. My dress was heavy in a way that not only made me slow, but overheated. I decided the best thing I could do was stand on the side, not moving an inch for the entire night. It is a beautiful dress though, a dark green ball gown with lace detailing. Although, I think I'd prefer to see it on another woman instead of myself.

My heart raced knowing that the Queen wanted to see me. Either she is going to have me killed, or she's going to have me tortured and then killed. My sweaty palms gripped onto the cup of wine I held even stronger.

The maids that helped me get ready listed off a million do's and don'ts when it came to an event such as this one. I was told to stand up straight and smile, but not to smile too much or men might get the wrong idea. I was instructed to eat but to not get my dress messy, and told to dance but I have to wait to be asked. Every little thing they told me contradicted the other, so I instead am disregarding their rules and shall drink myself to the point past piss drunk, if that is even a thing.