A True Southern Belle

)Cover by: Ammad Malik.

Profile: @DesignedUp

Portfolio: www.designedup.weebly.com

Chapter One

February 4, 1861 Bamberg County, South Carolina

 Never had there been a better sunrise.

 The line of sweet-gums obscuring the road from Scarlet Oaks stood silhouetted in the bright light of the rising sun, like giants pleasantly greeting the waking world. Dew glimmered diamond-like on the emerald lawn, covering the ground like a jeweled blanket. In the boughs of the twin magnolia trees on either side of the white columned porch, cardinals sang, perched throughout the branches, like musical red and mahogany ornaments.

  Surrounded by rolling hills varied in shapes and sizes, sat the cotton, corn, and rice fields. The trio lay ready and waiting for spring, summer, and picking and harvesting time when they could blossom with their goods. In the distance, a brook gurgled and laughed, its frigid water flowing freely over rocks and pebbles. 

 A cool wind stirred brown, crackling leaves and brought a few down upon her flaming red hair.

 The changing of the seasons was always beautiful at her Scarlet Oaks. Here, nature seemed to release all of its - 

"Charlie Winter you git outta that tree righ' now!" All at once the serene scene was shattered. The cardinals took flight, the breeze stopped, causing the trees to still, and Charlie grimaced and sighed in exasperation. 

"But Mary," Charlie called down to the Winter's head housekeeper, cook, and honorary member of the family, "I don't want to!" 

She might as well, though, all things considered. The lovely morning was ruined. She could not call back the birds, will the wind to start up again, and find the serenity with the same speed Mary had used to banish them. 

"Charlie! Git down! I ain't got no time to argue with you. Climb down - and don't say you can't; I seen you climb up and down that there tree like you was a squirrel or racon!" Mary meant raccoon, but when she was in a mood, the moodier she became - as she currently was, the less she paid attention to the finer intricacies of language. 

Mary was a thin, angular woman with a long neck and slender fingers, both of which came in handy as she spent most of her time watching and caring for everyone else, craning to see to make sure they were doing exactly what she told them to, the rest of the time doing whatever was left of the day's sewing. The fact that her dress was starched stiff and could most likely stand on its own, apron included, only added to her sharpness. Despite Mary's hard exterior, anyone who spent more than fifteen minutes in her care found that inside she was sweet, kind, and most of all soft. Charlie peered down at Mary's face, with its square jaw, pointedly raised ebony brows, and olive skin. Her hands were on her hips and her mouth was set in a frown. No matter what, Charlie had learned from experience, Mary could not be budged until she had her way. 

"Do I have to?" 

"Yes." 

For her pride's sake, Charlie called it a moot point and scurried down the oak tree, visualizing the previous scene once more. 'If only the rest of the world cared as much about nature,' she thought. 

She landed quietly, with the casual stealth that came naturally to those who lived in the country. Another breeze swept her flaming hair off her shoulders. Charlie looked back to Mary, wondering if she would get scolded. A moment later, a smile parted her lips. Mary was grinning at her. "Lawd, I still ain't never seen a girl climb a tree - or shimmy up and down one 's fast 's you - because it ain't proper," Mary paused to pinch Charlie's cheek between her work hardened fingers. "But now I wish I could. It sure would've helped when I was spendin' half my life, most of your brother's, and all of yours chasing y'all 'round."