ANDROMDA

DEAR ANDROMDA..

ANDROMEDA.

Dear Andromeda.

By the time you open this letter I would already be gone. Please do not try to follow me, for I have already crossed the mountains of Vandoza. Your aunt Cathrina will take care of you while I'm away. As you know daughter, I'm venturing to the kingdom of Galinthial to save lives and to stop the spread of the eye disease. I will be back before winter, please keep safe and take the pills I gave you daily. They will strengthen you against the eye disease. Behave and listen to your aunt Cathrina.

Your father.

Cathrina watched the disappointment on her niece's face. 'oh, darling Andro, at least he's gone to save lives and he will be back before winter and that means before your birthday! Cheer up love' Cathrina said, trying to make her niece feel better although she knew that Dr Podia will not be returning sooner. After those comforting words Andromeda gave a faint smile not enough to hide the melancholia within her. Andromeda knew that the eye disease was spreading fast, and no one can survive it even her father who's a doctor. 'Come now dear, your breakfast is getting cold.' Cathrina called. The disappointed niece followed her aunt down to the dining hall where the servants have been waiting. They sat and dined, but no amount of food could distract the poor little girl from her misery.

Andromeda was a very curios girl with the wildest dreams. Ever since she was a babe, her mother died giving birth to her. Dr Podia has loved her and given up a lot to keep her safe and to be with her. Podia raised her to dream and to make all those dreams a reality. Andromeda watched the sunset as the day her father ventured to Galinthial approached its end. While staring out the window she spotted a carriage rushing towards the mansion. 'Perhaps it is father, he came back for me' she thought, as she rushed down the stairs of marble to open the gigantic doors of her father's mansion. A tall man wearing a red frock coat and a black hat glared down at Andromeda. 'Greetings young lady, pardon me for my intrusion, I'm here to see Dr Podia, your father if I'm correct.' The man said with a qualifier smile on his face. The man continued to speak 'where are my manners, my name is E...' 'Estevan?!' Cathrina interrupted, puzzled as her niece was. The only variation between their confusion was that Cathrina knew the man and Andromeda did not. Andromeda observed the man, the hat was made from a very special kind of fabric. Whereas the frock coat was like her father's, with these two observations it was clear that the man was rich. There was something not clear about the man's personality nor his smile, it appeared to be very sly and evil. Cathrina called the man inside the house, but before Andromeda could follow, Cathrina told her to go play outside she has something to sort with the man. Andromeda was alarmed by the sudden change of her aunt's behavior. 'What is happening? .... Aunt Cathrina seems verry odd and that man, there is something dodgy about him.' Andromeda thought. From a distance Andromeda saw a woman wearing a black sacque gown and a vail that was also black. The woman made a sound, she was crying. Andromeda thought of going to her, but she hurried to her aunt to tell her that there was a woman dressed in black crying outside the gate. Cathrina hurried to see the woman, leaving Estevan alone in the house. Cathrina had a thought that, the woman must be the Wailing Woman. However, it was. Cathrina ran to the woman on the gate with her tea gown being blown by the wind. 'There will be no death here! Go cry somewhere else Wailing Woman I banish your sorrows from this house.' Cathrina shouted at the crying woman. "Wailing Woman? What does that mean aunty?" Asked the puzzled young girl. To the young girl, Andromeda this day seemed to be cursed with confusion and loss. A lot has happened in a single day, her father, the sly man in the house and now the Wailing Woman. "she's a bad omen Andro, that's all you have to know." The aunt answered, but her answer was not enough for Andromeda. She was smart enough to understand that when her aunt says it all she needs to know, it means she is not giving her a full answer, perhaps there's more to the subject being answered.

"Come now, let us head back to the house, I left a man unattended." Cathrina called. Andromeda followed, her mind whirling with thoughts. Hours passed Estevan had not yet left the Podia Mansion, this alarmed Andromeda, whatever the man was visiting for was not very good.

It was not until 10pm, when Estavan left. The man climbed into his carriage and headed towards the gigantic gates of the Podia mansion. The next morning Andromeda woke up early, her mind has not yet rested over the night, she was still hungry for the truth. Why the man was here and what does the omen of the Wailing Woman mean.