I was to marry a boy. His father lord Abersburth was bankrupt. The fool reached out to my father for a helping hand but my father, the devil, wanted a trade. Our money baught the fools son. I only prayed he wasn't anything like his gambling father. How does one lose generations of money all in a year? I didn't want to find out. I'm sure even with our family's limitless funds Abersburth would make it disappear like magic, or so I'm told by the numerous people who tried to warn me and my father away from the trade.
The whole situation didn't sit well with me. I had thought my family was rich enough to have nothing to do with arranged marriage. I had planned to marry for love. The only good part of this arrangement was that it was a boy. At least my father would respect my decision in that aspect. Maybe me and the boy would get along? I was willing to love whoever it may be as long as they were.
....
"Wrong!"
I flinched away as my father shouted at me.
"You must make sure that the handle is pointing to his right you stupid boy!" He screamed while backhanding me across the face.
I cried, my sobs fell on deaf ears as my father kicked my side amd told me to get up and do it over again. I stood on shaky legs and repeated the process once again.
Pick up the tray from the servants table where the morning servant would leave it. Walk it over to the tea table where he would be sitting. Set the tray down in the middle. Take one empty tea cup from the trey and place it before him without making it clatter. (This was always a hard part for my clumsy self.) Now when putting the tea cup down the ear of the cup must be facing his right hand side for easy access with his dominant hand.
I did it!
I was so proud of myself. I had never made it to the actual pooring of the 'tea' before (we had to substitute water since we couldn't afford tea anymore). My father usually found a flaw and beat me by now. In my overexcitment at the achievment I of course go and spill some. I didn't hesitate to put dowm the pot and run for my life. My father was a split second too slow in realizing what I had done.
As I ran I heard his foot steps fallowing behind. I picked up speed then turned a corner in the hopes of finding another turn and losing him. But of course in my panicked mind I forgot the layout of the castle and was at a dead end. The booming footsteps of my father drew closer and my fear hightened causing me to freeze up. Just before my father reached me though a door opened to my left and someone grabbed me pushing me into the room.
"Mother?"
"Stay here I'll distract him." Was all she said while heading back out the door.
I listened at the door waiting for my chance to escape.
"Where is he!" My father growls as he runs into my mother.
My mother sighs as if annoyed herself. "I don't know dear. What did he do this time?"
"That clumsy bastard is going to be returned to us soiled after only one day Martha! He can't even poor tea for Christs' sake!" My father shouted. I could hear him pacing now.
"It's not that bad. I'm sure Francis will learn it before the time comes. Its just a lot to have to learn all at once. He went from learning the duties of a lord to that of a lady over night. Give him some time." My mother argued.
"We don't have sixteen years to teach him like you had Martha. He needs to learn everythimg in one year. I wrote it all out and did all the math Martha. He only had one hour to waste on learning to pour tea. One hour! Its been three! And he still hasn't got it down.
