Finding My Nightingale [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Chapter Eight

Chapter eight

***William's POV***

"Son, how do you know this girl?" My father asked on the way back home. We stopped to pay our respects for Rosemarie, the lady who raised Elena.

She was torn, it was absolutely heartbreaking.

"Elena? She works at John's bakery. We talked a couple of times."

"She seems like a sweet girl." My mother smiled. She thought everyone was nice though. She refused to see the negative side of anybody.

"Where was her mommy and daddy?" Little Elizabeth says.

"I'm not sure, Lizzie, she says they haven't been there for a while."

"What do you mean, son?"

"Well, Elena's parents left when she was six. She didn't say where."

"That poor girl!" My mother gasped. "Does she have anybody?!"

I shook my head. "No, Rosemarie was her last person."

"Let's invite her over to dinner. She seemed so small, so pale."

"I didn't see meat on that girl. Not even a scrap." My father muttered.

"Dad." I say, he's a grumpy old man nowadays. He just looks at me and shrugs. I roll my eyes and look out the window. I felt a pull on my shirt I look down and Victoria is looking up at me.

"What is it, sis?"

"Are you going to invite her?" She says softly. Unlike her loud twin sister, Elizabeth, Victoria is a quiet little girl.

"Sure kid." She smiles big making me smile. She hugs me tightly and talks to Elizabeth about the dinner.

I shake my head and look out the window. Our castle wasn't far ahead and soon we were loading out of the carriage.

I stumble out of the carriage. "Are you okay, dear?" My mother puts her hand of my back as if to steady me.

"Yes! I tripped! The stupid--" I regained myself. "I'm okay, mom."

"Alright sweetie."

I sighed and walked to my horse.

"Where are you going, Will?" Elizabeth asked petting Henry.

"Maybe ride up to the meadow and come back."

"I want to come!" She begs.

"Not this time, honey." My mothers says to her. "You've got to get ready for the royal fitting tomorrow morning."

"Yay!" She jumps up and down and runs into the house with mother and father following behind.

Victoria stared up at me. She was afraid of horses ever since she was almost thrown off when she was smaller. Lucky we were with her to protect her. I kneel in front of her.

"Henry won't hurt you, Tori. He's a calm horse." I try to tell her but she still had a look of fear in her eyes.

I remembered when I took Elena for a ride up to the meadow and she had the same panic look in her eyes.

I smile at the memory but I was pulled out of it when I felt a pull on my shirt. It was Victoria. "You promise?"

"I promise, Tori. You get inside now and get ready for dinner. I'll be back in time for dinner." She hugs me and runs inside. I smile and jump on Henry and rode off into the village.

I stop at John's bakery and look in. He was washing tables when he saw he smiled and shook his head.

He must have given her the day off. That poor girl.

I wave and rode off. I quickly decided that it would be best to just give her some time to rest so I rode to the meadow alone.

***

Back at home everyone was sitting together around the dinner table.

It was awkwardly quite. All I could hear was forks scrapping across the plates. I looked and Victoria and Elizabeth, they looked at me then at each other an giggled. They received a stern look from mother.

"What?" I asked. "What's so funny?"

Silence.

"Mom? Dad?"

More silence.

"Somebody please tell me what's going on!"

"Dear son there's no reason for raising your voice." Mother said sternly but she was smiling.

"Your mother is right, son." Father said and continued, "Lady Edith is coming with her daughter Lady Erica."

"Yeah right." I scoffed. "They say tht every time and they change their mind."

"This time it's true. They'll be here in two weeks."

Two weeks?! I thought, that's too soon.

Copyright by @kelsey_rumsey14