My Way to Freedom

Chapter 1: My Begining

 "Kinzie, Kinzie wake up! We’re going to be late." 

I just rolled over on my paper thin, straw filled mat. “Who cares?” 

At this my friend rolled me off my mat onto the cold, barren floor. "I care and so should you unless you want to get seven lashings." 

“Fine, fine.... I'm up. Are you happy?" 

My friend, Ashley, rolled her eyes. "No. You still haven't gotten dressed.”

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My name? I don't have one, but friends call me "Kinzie". A name I chose for myself after I realized I needed one. My history, however, I know. I was taken eight months after I was born to an orphanage. In the orphanage I was usually just called "girl" or "you", and thus I had no name. I was twelve when the orphanage sold me as a slave to a greedy politician who was almost never sober. Soon after he bought me though, he lost in gambling and handed me over to Sleuth Moon. Sleuth was the best master I have ever had and probably will ever have as long as I am alive. Unfortunately his wife got sick a year after I had come, forcing he and his family to move. I was then sold to my current owner Andy Rockshot. Andy might as well be the son of Hades himself. 

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I had been at Andy's for seven and half years.  Children under sixteen worked fifteen hours. When they turn sixteen they started working sixteen hours until their twenty which is when they started working seventeen to eighteen varying on their job. I was twenty one and a stable girl and messenger which made my work time precisely eighteen hours. I worked all week, just like every for five pence a day just so I can pay him for shelter every month and for food to eat. 

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      "Come on Rein lets go" I tried to coax the stubborn horse out of her stall." Please Rein we have to go" I had to deliver seventeen messages across the ten mile estate in seven hours on the most stubborn, but loyal, horse in the stable.

  "Let’s go girl" I said in a gentle but firm tone then give a strong tug on the lead line. The mare finally gave in and came with me and we started on our way to the first destination.

  Finally Rein and I were on our way to the very last destination. I had already received fifteen letters from my various locations so my bag is nearly the same size that I found it in when I left the manor. My fifteenth manor gave me a lunch of stale bread and their leftovers from breakfast. That was filling to me, a person who barely eats once a day, even though I had only ate half, saving some for Ashley.

       Soon we were at the last destination and I dismount Rein and tie her up near the back part of the manor. I walked up to the back door, I knocked and the laundry maid answered. "I have a letter for Lord William from Mr. Rockshot" I said, nearly growling at Andy's name. The laundry maid nodded and closed the door, going to probably looking for the butler. Five minutes passed and the door opened again but this time it was the butler who opened the door.

    "Do you have the letter?" the butler asks.

    With my head down I simply nodded and opened my satchel to get the letter out. After I had handed him the letter he called the nursemaid and whispered in her ear. When he appeared to be finished the old nursemaid quickly took my hand and sped me to the kitchen where she gave me a plate of sweet rolls, mashed potatoes, and roast beef. I immediately asked out of habit "Who is it for?”

    She looked at me with surprise. "You dear! It's for you!"

    At first I just stood there stunned and dumb and I even dared to look into her eyes, but only for a second before I regained myself and asked politely "Where may I sit?"