-The Human Girl-

Chapter thirteen - Jessica's choice.

Isabella's POV:
(Age fourteen)
(Just so you know, an 'embroidery ring' is a sort of wooden ring which they used to keep cloth taunt while sewing during the Middle Ages and afterwards, also, although thimbles were technically around during the Tudor era they weren't incredibly common, since they were either made cheaply for the poor or expensively for the rich, making acquiring one for a person in between quite hard.)

"Ow," I muttered, glaring at my bleeding thumb before sticking it in my mouth to stop the pain. I set the embroidery ring down in my lap and put the needle carefully on top, wary not to prick myself with it again. Unsurprisingly, I was not very good at needlework — in fact, I was the worst one here, even worse than Angela's little sister, who sent little embroidered handkerchiefs with her letters every few months.

"Be careful, Isabella," said Angela from across the room, where she was listening at the door for the Queen's conversation. "You don't want to have any... accidents." I knew exactly what she meant. If I had pricked my finger while the Queen — or any other vampire — were in the room hen I'd be mincemeat by now. Literally.
"I know," I told her, glaring at the ring like it was the devil himself. "I don't suppose you have any of those... what do you call them? Thumbles?"

Angela laughed and stood up, crossing the floor to the trunk at the end of her bed. "They're called thimbles, Bella," she smiled, rifling through her things. "And as I so happens, yes I do!" She pulled out a small thimble and held it out to me triumphantly. It was tiny, just big enough to fit my finger, and the little pockmarks on one side of it were shaped like an hourglass — the symbol of Angela's family. I took it from her and slid it over my thumb, smiling in thanks.

"Thank you, Ang," I said, picking up the embroidery ring to try and finish what I was making. It was a piece of blue cloth — a little bigger than a handkerchief — which I was sewing a large white swan onto. The swan was, of course, the symbol of my house, and I was making it to be a favour for the May Day jousts, which were coming soon. I doubted that any of the competing knights would ask for my favour to tie on their lance, but all of the girls had one, and it was supposed to be important.

Up and down my hand went, pulling back the thread and then drawing it near again. The work was repetitive, but calming, and I found myself absorbed in the work. May Day was getting closer and closer, the day that officially marked the return of summer. I hadn't seen the celebrations at court before, but I had a lot of fond childhood memories of waking up early to gather wildflowers and herbs, and dancing around the May pole with the rest of the villagers. What the celebrations at court would be like I didn't know, but they would be grand for certain — I'd been told by Angela that there would be jousting, hence having to make a favour, but other than that I had no idea.

The bed beside me dented suddenly as an excited body slammed into me. I looked up from my sewing to see the cause of all the fuss. "Ow, Jess," I moaned, rubbing my sore shoulder. "What was that for?"

She grinned widely, a slightly smug look on her face. "My father wrote to me," she said, brandishing the letter in her hand. "And you'll never guess what, he wants to know if I'd ever think of becoming Dame Newton!" I stared at her in shock. Newton — I knew that name. The only way she could become 'Dame Newton' would be to marry into the family, or in other words, marry Michael Newton, the boy who'd attacked me.

I didn't say anything for a few seconds, trying to think of something. "He's giving you a choice?" I finally spluttered out, because the fact that her father had asked her was surprising enough.

"Well, sort of — it was more like he wanted to see if there was anything really really wrong with him, which there isn't. I mean, I thought he was sweet on you, but his father asked mine, so he must like me more — and goodness, he's so handsome! Of course I'm going to say yes —" she babbled, and I could tell that she'd liked him for a lot longer than she'd let on before.

"Jess, you do remember what I've told you about him?" I asked, starting to get worried about my slightly foolish friend.

She nodded, biting her lip a little guiltily. "Well, yes, but that's to be expected, isn't it? I mean, compared to all the other lords, he's really quite decent!" I glared at her disapprovingly.

"Yes, but the other lords are vampires and they kill their victims, none of the other human boys have done anything like it!" Jess fidgeted next to me.

"Well, that's not a big enough reason not to marry him!" She cried. "He's the best option I have, and its got nothing to do with you!"

I stared at her in shock. Why on Earth was she so angry? It was pretty obvious she wouldn't be swayed by anything I said so I backed off, keeping my trap shut. Angela was looking at us nervously, her opinion on the matter clearly readable from her face. With a sigh I turned away from Jessica, deciding to ignore the way she had stomped off to the corner to sulk. It was far better to keep the peace.

Marriage, though — such a foreign, dirty word. Jessica was just a bit older than me at seventeen, so how long would it be before I was sold off to some callous squire? I felt a slithering snake-like sensation in the pit of my stomach, a rope of fear to make me worry about my future.

So Jessica had made her choice and it would only be a matter of time before she and her new husband retired from court to celebrate the wedding, but where did that leave me and Angela? It was sad, but the way Jessica's father had decided to end her childhood had created a timescale for the rest of us — a new deadline —until we had to marry too.