Origins Unkown

chapter 2

May 16th 1888

"My darling, you must choose a husband. It is not proper for a woman your age to be unwed." My mother scolded for the hundredth time.

"Mother please! I will not marry just because it is the proper thing to do. I want to marry for love. I want my husband to be my friend as well as my lover." I said dreamily.

"Surely there is someone who has caught your fancy?" She said with a sigh.

"Not in this village. They are all either much older or much younger than I."

"So, what's wrong with either?"

"The much older ones are bossy and too set in their ways and the younger ones are ignorant and still childish. I don't have to tell you that I'm not exactly anyone's first choice either."

"Why would you say such a thing? You're young, strong, beautiful..." She said shocked

"I may be, but I am also my own. I don't like being told what to do. I want a man who will treat me as an equal, not as a baby maker." I said sadly with my anger rising.

"I just don't understand how you became so strong willed." She said exasperated.

"I grew up watching you take orders from men like it was natural, mother. It sickens me to think I have to be obedient to a man and him not to me. I think marriage should be shared responsibility, not women's work!" I spat the last words out like they were venom in my mouth.

As per her usual, my mother heaved a heavy sigh and left me alone. Later that evening my father came in from the fields tired and angry. I could hear him and my mother yelling at each other. Mostly about me. My father kept saying I was possessed or something. My mother just kept begging him to be quiet. After a while things got quieter, so I let myself drift off to sleep.

Two weeks after my birthday, I was in town buying some supplies, when I met the most mysterious man.

"My lady." He said bowing.

"Good day, sir." I said smiling back.

"I don't mean to be rude or forward, but you are absolutely beautiful. May I ask your name?" He asked starring at me with the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. They were the color of the ocean.

"My name?" I stammered.

"Yes, my dear, your name." He said chuckling.

"My name is Twilight."

"Twilight? That's a very odd yet interesting name."

"My mother says she named me that because when I was born I carried a shadow with me, like at twilight time."

"I see. Would you allow me to call on you sometime?"

"I would be pleased." I said blushing.

"Thank you. I will see you soon, my lady." He bowed.

I closed my eyes and nodded at him, when I opened them he was gone. I was confused and excited all at the same time. I didn't get his name or tell him where I lived, I later realized. It never occurred to me that it should matter. I finished my errands with thoughts of the mysterious man popping in at the worst of times, but I managed to make it home with everything on my list. I had no intentions of telling my mother about the man until he showed up at my house the very next evening.

Mother and I were in the middle of putting the little ones to bed, when I heard a knock on the door.

"Who in the world could be calling at this hour?" She asked. Before I could stop her and explain she opened the door. "May I help you?"

"I apologize for the late hour ma'am, but this is the only free time my job allows me. I am here to call on Lady Twilight, with you and your husband's permission of course." He said smiling at my mother.

I thought she was going to faint. She was acting like an unmarried school girl.

"Of course! Please come in and have a seat. I'll get my husband. He will want to speak to you before you see Twilight."

"Naturally." His voice echoed through the house. I could hear my parents whispering. I heard my father groan and walk into the living room.

"Hello young man. My name is Joseph."

"Hello, sir, my name is Drake."

"I must say, son, it's a bit odd to be calling at this hour." My father commented with a raised eyebrow.

"I do apologize, sir. My job has kept me very busy during the daylight hours. This is the only free time I have right now." Drake explained calmly.

"And what is it you do exactly?" My father asked. I could hear the suspicion in his voice.

"I am a painter. I paint portraits. It's hard to paint after the sun goes down."

"I see. So how did you meet my daughter? She doesn't usually talk to men." Father asked.

"I saw her at the flower stand in town. I gathered up my courage and spoke to her. I was amazed she spoke back." Drake said with a small laugh.

"I have to say I'm confused. She has not spoken of meeting you to me or my wife. Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know, sir. Perhaps she thought because she didn't tell me where she lived, I would not show up to call on her." Drake explained with a devious smile.

"If she didn't tell you, then how did you find her?"

"I spoke to some people at the market. Once they knew my intentions, they seemed to all but push me here." He answered laughing.

"Well, I suppose even though it's late, if she will see you, you may call late this one night. After this you must call at a decent hour." Father said with a small smile.

"Yes, sir, I will try."

"I'll go get Twilight." I heard father come back into the room I shared with the older girls. "Twilight, there's a young man here for you. I told him this was an unacceptable hour and that if he planned on seeing you again; he had to make it at a decent hour."

"Okay, daddy." I got dressed and went out to Drake.

"My heavens! You're even more beautiful tonight then when I saw you last."

"Please, don't over do it with the charm and compliments. I hate the fakeness of it." I said rolling my eyes.

"My lady, I would never lie to you. I would sooner rip out my tongue." I winced at the image.

"Okay. I get it. Are you new to the village? I don't believe I've seen you at the market before."

"Yes. I've only been in this village about two weeks. My job has kept me very busy until now." He said starring at me with those eyes of his that were the color of the ocean.

"That many pictures to paint?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, I do trade my services for something of value."

"Such as?"

"Well, for instance, I just did a portrait of the late Mrs. John Haskins. Mr. Haskins bargained two bottles of wine and a bag of grain in exchange for the portrait." He said smiling.

"Oh I see. So you paint whatever someone requests in return for something you need. Very clever."

"Thank you. I wish that I had met you sooner. I feel like the day is stripping me away before I even get a chance." He said sadly.

"Well, I'll be at the market tomorrow. Father just sheared the sheep today. It's my duty to sell them. Perhaps I will see you there?"

"Perhaps. Until then, my lady, sleep well." Drake stood and took my hand. His kiss on my hand set my loins aflame.