Alise

The Beginning

 

I.                   The Beginning

It was yet another cold, foggy day in February. I had made all the appropriate precautions that I could when at home. I had been saving up my allowance for months now, eating only soupy meels. Occasionally I would need to eat a small buiscut to sustane myself, but I only allowed myself this pleasure on Sunday. All the money added up gave me a proper insurance for a travel dress suitable for the sea, and enough money to buy a round trip passage on the Gallespo, a ship I overheard the maids speaking about among themselves. Also, I bought a cape for myself, for Christmas. I felt as if I deserved something for being so brave. Also, and I wouldn’t admit this aloud, but it helped to assist in shielding me from the prying eyes of outsiders. (people that did not know of my horrendousy.)

Adjusting the cloak so that it draped over my shoulders and down over my face, I dared to look in a polished windowpane to see what I looked like. I seemed to fit with my part. My hood created a dark place for me to hide my face behind, without needing to worry about not being able to see. “I’m off then,” I told the shadow of a reflection that the glass created.

I stepped quickly an dquietly down a hallway and listened for some sign of a person. It was Christmas time. Everyone was busy preparing for Christmas Eve, just four short days away. Gold and silver decorations were lined down every hallway; except mine, of course. Paintings that I hadn’t seen in years line the walls. Still wary of mirrors that appeared down various corridors I was wary to avoid them and, in doing so, taking the long winding way through the house I eventually came across the kitchen. From there, many loud voices and sounds of laughter could be heard from the dinning room. Some servants stopped to glance at me, but I knew that they would not bother reporting me to their mistress, my mother; it would be a pointless cause. So I went out through the servants corridors and past the stables, stepping on moist grass to get to the road.

Beginning my endless tread towards the wharf I held my cloak tightly around me. Very little attention was drawn to me, and I thanked the cloak for that. Many people had cloaks dawned to ward off the cold weather, so I did not warrant any suspicion as I would have in the summer. Peddlers filled the streets and shops lined the avenue. Many wares were being sold, even in the cold winter month. Each seller had his (or occasionally her) own stands. The most common wares were winter clothing, jewelry, and warm food. People walked up and down the sidewalks in a hurried bustle, focused on doing whatever particular thing they have in mid at the moment. The streets have carriages and horses clomping too and fro; carrying its passengers to far off places, no doubt.

<<<chapter dedicated to Ciara as a thank you for making the image on the side>>>