Emma

Chapter 1

April 9th 1637,
Its was a sunny afternoon, as I remember it. Everything was as it always was. My mother walked around with her head held high giving orders to people standing around. My father tended to whatever issues were being addressed that day. My older sister Geslyn cared for the children visiting the castle. Victoria,John and Richard played together in the garden while my little sister Verity picked flowers, getting yelled at by our gardeners. It was as every day should have been. As for I, well I was where you could typically find me. In the woods. The woods were a beautiful place. I loved the changing colors in the fall, and the fresh new flowers, and smells of lilac in the spring. I named my daughter Lillian after the Lily pads in the lake half a mile from our home. I was a twenty three year old woman sitting alone on a rock in the middle of the woods near a lake. Feeling the breeze on my skin, hearing the birds whistling beneath the wind. The lilac,lily, baby's breath, and hydrangeas, all mixed to form a perfect harmony in the air. I have to tell you, in that moment I wasn't the happiest person in the world. I know that now. I had an arranged marriage, my mother and father barely paid any attention to us, saying they had other things to worry about. They always said
"Now Emma, it's not the little things we need to remember, we must look at the bigger picture"

"Yes father, I promise" I would respond to him, then scurry off to my bedroom to look out the window and dream of what the future would hold for me. Wonder if I would keep my promise to my father. As an eight year old I didn't even have the slightest clue of what the world was, or could be. You're probably wondering why i'm telling you this. Well you only knew me as a stubborn hot head, who did not trust easily. You should know that I wasn't always like that, not even in the slightest. Anyways, back to the woods.

Sitting alone I thought I was the only one around for miles. Every other time I was out there no one else came this far into the forest other than by accident once many years ago. First it was crunching of leaves made by foot steps. My heart pounded against my ribs. I suppose it could have been only a family of deers crossing by. But it felt eerie unlike anything I ever felt before. The footsteps were getting louder by the second. Whoever it was getting closer, there were more than one set of footsteps i'm sure of it. Possibly about three or four. They didn't sound heavy enough to be men's feet, more petite like of a child. Louder and louder they became until finally my heart jumped in my throat as I see with my eyes the suspects of my weary thinking. Three boys came out from around the trees coming towards me next to the water's edge. All three had on little brown caps, and coats wrapped around them. They had little brown and blonde hairs sticking out from beneath ther caps and wild curious looks in their eyes. What shocked me the most though was not who they were or what they looked like, rather of what they were holding concerned me.

"We were just trying to learn how to hunt like our fathers, please don't tell on us princess Emma" they all gave me equal pleading looks as the blonde haired one held the bow in his two little arms. I could see he was having trouble holding the bow as his arms dropped lower signaling it was most likely heavy for him to have carried such a long distance. James I told you how I became the way that I am. I know that you know but I want to write it down for you, so anyone you wish to let know, can see it as if it happened only yesterday. I stood up to face the boys. Their faces were shocked and scared, they thought that I was going to do something to them. The blonde one I later found out to be named Cam, pulled the trigger of the cross bow by accident sending it flying straight through my chest. I remember the blood, so much blood. I remember dropping to my knees and all three boys fleeing away from the scene. I remember pulling the bow out of my chest while cursing out to anyone and everyone. I felt the pain, running through my body hitting every sense like a bullet to a can. Then suddenly I couldn't. There was a hole in my body, and then there wasn't. I got up from my knees stared down at my bloody body with no wound to be seen. Like I sprayed myself with fake blood as a prank. I was scared James, I was a monster. For as long as ive known you, you saw the best in me. Not for the monster that I was. But for the human that I wanted to be. Running through the forest, miles and miles I ran without feeling tired. I ran for miles with trembling feet, and shaking hands from pure and utter fright. I realized then I could not feel the cold breeze on my face, or the warmth of the sun. I knew it was there but I couldn't feel it. It was an illusion this entire time, I don't know how long for but I made it up in my head that I could still feel it. My entire existence was nothing but a equal normal feeling putting me in complete balance from here on out. It terrifies me, even now as i'm writing this to you. I wish for you to read it all when you feel the time is right, to know what i've tried to hide from you all these years. You have made me realize, you can not control what happens to you, but how you live with it is the real test. My dear James I give to you...me"