Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 93: When Will my Life Begin?~

"When Henry turned fourteen years old, my grandparents started to hide away on the fourth floor; refusing the world to come to them, and them to the world. Henry became the face of the house, leaving all the tasks Duncan should of had to him. With Duncan dead, I was...well, I had no purpose anymore. Henry, being the caring brother he is, told me that I must stay in the manor and never leave. If the world saw me, and knew my name, I would be humiliated and catch their diseases. It didn't bother me much, I scarcely left the manor either way, because my grandparents despised the outside world. However, when a child is told they can't do something, they seem to find the urge to do that thing is much greater than before. But, I looked up to my brother, aside from Edward and the servants, he was all I had; so I obeyed him without question. But you'll find that nine year olds seem to grow bored rather quickly. So, when I saw my older brother leave the house so frequently; it made me wonder...just when will my own life begin?"

Late at night, the nine year old girl crept over to her window, and opened the balcony door. She padded softly on the cold stones, and pushed herself up onto her tiptoes, glancing out at the night sky. She sighed softly, staring at the stars and the moon; how they illuminated the sky so gorgeously. She knew she was waiting for someone in the future, the only problem was, she couldn't exactly remember who she was waiting for now. Leora rested her head against the balcony, smiling fondly as she tried to imagine the person.
"Miss Leora?"
The girl yelped, spinning around, with wide eyes. Edward chuckled, raising his index finger to his lips.
"Go back to bed," The butler whispered," It's late."
Leora frowned, glancing back at the sky one final time, before miserably trudging back into the comfort of her room. Edward smiled, shutting the world out of the manor.

"Back then, I didn't know the person I was waiting for was you, Jiu. Perhaps it was for the best I didn't remember, I was a rather impatient child. Impatient to meet you. Impatient to meet the world."

The ten year old girl stood on the peak of the manor roof, wobbling slightly as she tried to maintain her footing in her oversized boots.
"Leora!" The fifteen year old Henry yelled from the garden, furiously," Get down from there at once!"
Leora wrinkled her nose, and stuck her tongue out. The boy let out a furious huff, storming back through the patio into the house. Leora peered down, watching him disappear, with a few maids chasing after him; muttering in worry.
"He just wants to spoil my fun," Leora muttered, stroppily, sitting down on the peak of the roof," Wants it all to himself, like he always does; spoiled boy."
She glanced at the horizon, her expression softening as she saw the grey sky ahead. The sky...it was so pretty to her. She watched as a bird fluttered past, carefree, before flying off into the horizon. Leora let out a longing sigh, staring at it glumly. How she wished she could trade places with that bird. She snapped out of this daze, when she felt a wet droplet on her hand. Rain. It started to patter down, soaking her dress to cling to her body; water pooling in her boots.
"Bloody hell..." Leora muttered.
Suddenly, she couldn't feel the rain on her, and a dark shadow loomed over her. She glanced up, frowning. The butler leaned over her, bowing elegantly; one hand on his chest, the other holding the umbrella over them both, smiling with his eyes shut.
"A lady should never get wet," Edward hummed.
Leora frowned, glancing back at the horizon," A...lady..."

"Growing up was something that was important to my family, something they didn't want me to wait for. Nuisance Leora must be mature, or else, our shame will only rise."

"Recite the poem on page seventeen, Leora," Edward sighed, pushing up his glasses as they sat in the library," I fear you've been...zoning out once again."
The eleven year old glanced away from the window and to him, in surprise, her mouth gaping as she tried to figure out what he'd just asked.
"The poem, Leora," Edward groaned, massaging his temples, frustrated.
"Ah...poem...page...?"
"Seventeen," Edward hissed through his teeth.
The girl flicked through the pages, until landing on the poem.
Leora sighed," 'The Old Astronomer to his pupil'...Though-"
"Leora, re.ci.te!" Edward strained through his teeth," Not read from the book. Eyes away, please."
Leora groaned, snapping the book shut, and putting on a mocking voice:
"The Old Astronomer to his Pupil~!
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be...to be...damn..."
Edward sighed," 'to be fearful of the night'. Honestly, child, you must pay more attention to these things. It's such an easy poem."
"Yeah, well, these things don't come to me easily!" Leora whined," Memorising...I...I can't."
"Then you must try," Edward stood up," I hate to be stern to you, Leora, but you're not trying enough; I feel as if you're putting no effort in at all. Work more, study harder, and then; and only then, shall I start to be softer."