Cimmerian Sunrise

Prologue - **REVISED**

Prologue

          1806-Liverpool, England      

The boy's howl of anguish could be heard throughout the small stadium.

Everyone, including the young blonde chit that stood before him, started, and then stared at him in surprise. Her tiny hands were clenched into fists as she glared up at the boy who was at least a foot taller than she, but immediately ducked her head in submission when her mother snapped out her name, her fast footsteps rapping across the polished floor.

 After making apologies to the boy and his family, Breanne's mother ushered her out of the building, her tight grasp fixed firmly on her daughter's upper arm. It escaped her notice that her daughter had already tripped twice in trying to keep up with her.

"Abominable behavior, Breanne! Are you trying to humiliate me?" Mrs. Crabtree furiously yanked her daughter by the arm and roughly gave her a push into the carriage. Once settled into her seat, Breanne gracefully folded her hands and placed them atop her lap, keeping her teary gaze directed on her hands instead of her very angry mother.

"Goodbye Mrs. Hempkin!" her mother called out gaily, elegantly waving at the woman who'd just come out of the musical arena. Mrs. Hempkin returned the gesture; smiled down proudly at her own daughter and walked away. After the woman disappeared from sight, Mrs. Crabtree stepped into her carriage, her smile wiped clean, and all graceful appearance gone as she looked down at her daughter's blonde curls.

"Well?" she said, prompting big blue eyes to meet hers. "What can you say to explain yourself?"

"I'm sorry mother," Breanne whispered.

 Mrs. Crabtree crossed her arms. "'I'm sorry' is not the explanation I want to hear, Breanne. How could you do such a thing to me? Why? A real explanation if you please!"

Breanne's shoulders lifted in a dainty shrug. "I tried mother. I practiced and practiced."

"Not enough," her mother snapped, "and I was not even speaking of your horrid performance this eve. I'm speaking of what you did to that boy in there after it was over."

The carriage jostled Breanne, giving her the opportunity to look towards the window and quickly dash her tears away. If her mother saw that she was crying she would never hear the end of it. A lady must remain composed at all times, in all aspects of life; hadn't her mother told her that very thing? If she noticed her tears, Breanne would receive the same endless lecture that she had been subjected to innumerable times before, and it would only make matters worse.

"I am waiting, miss," her mother warned. Breanne took a deep breath; perfectly composed on the outside as she responded.

"He was rude mother. He laughed at my performance...and another girl's too," she hastily added, hoping to stifle the mounting anger she saw in her mother's eyes.

"Everyone laughed, Breanne. You did very poorly, indeed. Still, that gives you no reason to kick the boy, for heaven's sake! I cannot believe that you actually...you actually..." her mother sputtered, as if she couldn't get the words out. "You spat upon him," she finished, angrily.

"He kicked me first mother, and pulled my hair too! It was him who tripped me on my way out to the stage after calling me a cow, everyone saw it! It was calling me a cow that made me kick him," Breanne protested, the last admission coming out as a whisper. Immediately regretting her outburst, she shifted her gaze to her lap.

"I do not care!" her mother yelled as the carriage continued on through the streets of Liverpool. "You spat on and then kicked the boy. To make matters worse, you did so in front of everyone!"

Breanne stared at her lap. Her mother was right, she behaved badly. It didn't matter what the silly boy did to her. The truth was she shouldn't have retaliated. She'd seen that he didn't have many friends to begin with, and now she humiliated him in front of everyone, making things harder for him. A large tear rolled down her cheek.

"I know that you are not crying," her mother warned again.

Breanne kept her gaze averted as she vigorously shook her head no. Her mother's silence caused Breanne to look up at her in question. Disapproving eyes blasted at her, and she instantly shrank back into the cushioned seat.

"I do not know how I could have had a daughter like you. You have made me the laughingstock of the ton. You are six years old, Breanne. You had better start acting like a young lady; else I shall send you away to someone else who can teach you how to behave!"

Breanne fearfully shook her head; her curls bobbed with the movement. She implored her mother with blue eyes. "I will behave mother, I promise. Please do not send me away." Her lower lip trembled with the effort to keep her composure, and with her next words, offered her mother a small reassuring smile. "I shall make you happy mother, you will see."

Her mother raised a stern eyebrow. "You had better, Breanne. From henceforth on, I shall expect no less than perfection from you. If you ever for a moment display anything but perfect decorum, I shall ship you off with haste, understood?"

"Yes, mother," she quietly replied, her shoulders slumping with discouragement.

"At this rate, you shall never get a husband," her mother grumbled to herself.

Breanne's eyes snapped up to her mother. "But, I do not want a husband. I want to live with you and father forever. I love you. I do want to please you, mother." Slipping her tiny hand into her mother's, she timidly fiddled with the lace and embroidery on her white glove.

Mrs. Crabtree looked down upon their joined hands; immediately retracting her hand from her daughter's grasp, shaking her head. "Show your love by securing a husband, Breanne. You must be perfect to do so, even at your age. Focus on that instead of silly sentimental things and you shall please me just fine."

Lowering her head, Breanne turned, once again, to look out of the window.

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A/N: ***REVISED***  PLEASE NOTE: New readers, this novel is going through major revision. If you do NOT see the word "revised" along with the chapter title, it means that portion of the text has not yet been updated to reflect the altered plot points. Read such chapters at your own risk. Chapters marked "REVISED" have been updated and are perfectly safe to read. :)

Long time, beautiful, precious readers: Please reread the revised chapters as they come out. I know that I am testing your patience (hopefully not beyond the breaking point); but these "new old" chapters pave the way for the ending of the story, and the continued series. So, if you skip the re-read, you may wind up frustrated and confused. Thank you SO MUCH for your continual love and faithful readership!

(This note will accompany each of the revised chapters, until the book is complete.)