Crossed

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I bang on the door of the Mayor's Manor and tap my foot impatiently as I mutter curses under my breath. The door opens and I see a smiling face; Evan, a mid forty year old man, who is my Father's manservant. I like Evan more than my Father. He's one of them few people who likes me and understands me. I smile and I take him in for a hug.

"Ren! Great to see you! It's been almost a week! How are you, Dear?"

"I'm alright. How's you?" I ask, pulling my necklace, which bears the symbol of the village, out from under my black vest shirt.

"Not too bad. Sir is very demanding... So I'm always busy,"

"So, he's really ill?"

"I'm afraid so. He's got a few weeks, maybe. Come on in, Dear,"

He leads me into the hall of the manor. All the houses in Dundale are tiny cottages with thatched roofs and only a small allotment for a garden; maybe also a pen for livestock or poultry, if you're lucky.

But the manor is a large brick building with a slate roof and there's around 10 rooms around the house; a cooking area, a living room, a dining room, an actual bathroom, an office, a conference room and 4 bedrooms. I used to live here, but I refused stay any longer just after I turned 10. My room is still exactly the same.

The hall is white walled but red and silver furniture are spread about the room. There are many, statutes, pictures, ornaments and decorations of the sign of Dundale which I hate ever so much. Evan leads me upstairs, into the study.

Sitting at the desk of the study, writing with a quill, is a man. A man who is 44 and has black greasy hair where grey is breaking through in the roots. His eyes are a dark brown which look almost cobalt. We don't look alike. Our only resemblances are the shape of our eyes and our noses.

"Hi Father,"

"Hello Florence, it is great to see you today," He beams, but his voice is weak and croaky. I also notice the sweat beads from a fever on his brow.

"Yeah, yeah. How are you?" I ask, in the tone which sounds like I'm interested, when really I couldn't care less.

"I'm doing fine, Florence," Liar...

I hate how he says my name. Anyone who calls me Florence does not know the real me. The real me is Ren. Not Florence Wolfsbane, the future Mayoress of Dundale; but Ren. Just Ren. I am Ren. I've never been a fan of Martin. I really do not like him. He's never done anything for me. And I'll never do anything for him. He may be my father by blood, but that's it. He's not a real father, all loving and kind.

He sits me down at one end of the table in the conference room and he sits at the other.

He stares at me and smiles gently.

"What are we doing today?" I groan and pick at my nails.

"Knock it off, picking at your nails is unladylike, Florence. Today I'm going to talk to you about the other villages,"

"Other villages?"

I hadn't heard much about the other villages nearby, I obviously thought there must be some, but I don't know where.

"Yes, the other villages behind the wall. Look at this," He says as he passes me a brown, tatty piece of parchment.

On it I see the wall at one end and our village. But after Dundale, I see 5 other villages. Some smaller than ours, others much bigger. They are all labelled: Ashborough, Nettlebourne, Brambett, Stoneson and Vally. Nettlebourne is by far the biggest, followed by Ashborough, Brambett, Dundale, Stoneson and lastly, Vally, which seems tiny.