Duchess Trilogy: Book 1: Mafia

Preface: The Well of Redemption

Hello. My name is Aubrie Louise-Ann Adelaide.

1902, to be exact, was the year I was born.

I'm writing like this because I'm writing for my life.

When I turned eighteen,

My mother, Queen Mary Adelaide of the Cambridge royal family,

Announced to the world that I would first take the place of becoming a Duchess,

And soon accepted an engagement with my first cousin (whom I knew nothing about).

...How ridiculous does that sound?

I was not in any way ready to become a duchess or be a wife to my cousin like my sister did...

Daniel, A friend of mine, told me about a place where I could run away with him.

We both formed a plan and waited for the right day to leave.

It was a good week of waiting so people would not suspect anything about my departure.

Soon, the morning finally came.

I changed into one of the servant's clothes and ran away with Daniel early that morning.

We went far, close to the border of France, and that took a good week of a trip.

There was a home that he said he had there where we could stay for a while.

I trusted that man...

However, looking back, I realize I was wrong to leave my home...

We approached the cottage, and I felt a little uneasy.

He told me he would return and enter the home to wait for him there.

I walk in to see some strange symbols all around his home.

Suddenly, I realized this was the man my mother warned me about a few months ago.

He came out of nowhere, trying to attack me.

I was so surprised that I fought back!

He kept chanting this name that I was not familiar with.

I got away fast, but I knew I had to hide somewhere.

I ran towards a well and soon felt a force I could not control.

I grabbed the edge and begged him to pull me up and spare me!

He laughed by grabbing my hand and let out a shout,

"Death to the Cambridge family!" And let me fall into the well...

I screamed as I fell. It became pitch black fast, and my eyes grew heavy.

Is this what death felt like?

I was very unsure,

but I let myself go and began on the fall...