Savior

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Juliette:

So many people; I couldn’t remember the last I had seen so many. They scrutinized me with an unhidden curiosity, weapons in their hands, clustered together for comfort.

“What is it?” they whispered amongst themselves. “Is it some sort of creature?”

“Enough!” a woman’s voice barked from the mass, shaking her enthralled audience from their analysis. “Can’t you see she’s nothing more than a little girl? You fools! You’ve let the fear of a man make you tremble in your boots at the sight of a mere child!” She chastised, breaking away from the crowd.

Her thin gray hair was tied in a tight knot at the base of her neck and she carried her torch the way a knight his sword. She came rushing forth towards the small boat I sat in, her brown skirts billowing behind her.

“What’s your name child?” she asked gently, her assuring voice relieving the mountain of panic growing in me. Warm brown eyes looked down at me with a motherly consolation, the one thing I recognized in this land of the unknown – I knew I could trust her.

“Jul- Juliett ma’am.” I stuttered.

“And how did you end up in this situation miss Juliette?” she questioned, a slight smile rippling across her thin face.

“I don’t know ma’am. The last thing I remember, I was with my parents heading back to my home in London on the king’s ship.” I replied, my voice chocking at my parents; my beautiful, honest, loving parents. God knows where they were, if they were safe.

“That’s all dear?”

A quick image of a room submerged in absolute darkness and then a hand taking mine flashed through my mind. But what is reality? Or just another figment of my imagination?

“Yes ma’am, tis all.”

“Alright now Juliette, come with me before you catch a cold dear.” She said, barking at someone in the distance to hand her a blanket. In seconds, a small boy with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that matched the afternoon sky on a summer day ran up to hand her a red quilt. Before turning away, he grinned at me toothily.

“My name is Lady Alexandra but you can address me as Lady Alie, all the other children do.” The woman who had confronted me gently conversed as she gently lifted my tiny eight year old self out of the small dingy and set me onto the soft, wet sand. Without a minute’s hesitation, the quilt was wrapped snuggly round my shoulders and the boy who brought the quilt came running back to Lady Alie’s side.

“I went to fetch Mr. and Mrs. Betoyne just like you asked Mama!” he cried as Lady Alie gave a nod of her head.

“That’s a good boy August.” Lady Alie approved, giving her a son a look that brought tears to my eyes; my own parents had looked down at me with that same adoration and love.

There was an absolute and resounding silence as no one spoke, not even the antsy townspeople that cluttered behind Lady Alie and her son. They stared at me wide- eyed, they arms never lowered, bewildered expressions doing nothing to hide what they thought of me. I was nothing more than an outsider, not at all welcome.

Hesitating, I took an initiative and gently nudged the boy, August with my elbow.

“Who are Mr. and Mrs. Betoyne?” I whispered.

“They are your guardians for the time being- or at least until we learn more about you and where you’ve come from.”

“Oh.” I replied. My guardians? I didn’t want any guardians, nor anyone trying to learn more about me. I just wanted to go home.

August, witnessing my discomfort, nudged me back and said with a smile plastered across his friendly face, “Hey, don’t you fret Miss Juliette. Me and my Mama, we’ll look out for you.”

I smiled back, knowing that I could trust him.

Eleven years later:

My feet ached, my head hurt, my eyes stung, and my stomach grumbled. But I continued to dance, for I knew the consequences of not doing so would be severe. Each step drained more energy as I fought to stay upright. I could feel the icy glare of my aunt's penetrating gaze boring into my back, daring me to take a single misstep. 

"Lady Ashburn?" my partner asked again, frustration quickly seeping into his tone. 

"Hmm?" I queried, my mind still on my aunt. 

"I was saying that I am playing to sell my father's estate and move to London. Or maybe I should just sell the land and join a band of highwaymen. What do you think?" 

"Hm... what a splendid idea." I replied, my focus nowhere in the conversation. 

"I think that'll do Lady Juliette." Sir McAlroy grunted, any semblence of patience with my distracted behavior having run out. Giving my palm a brief kiss with his small mouth, he moved on to find another partner, one that would titter at his comments and blush under his touch. And I was left alone amonst the dancing couples; yet again. 

Don't look at her. Don't look at your aunt. But I turned around anyway, meeting her deathly glare with a full blast; if looks could kill, I would have joined my parents a long, long time ago. She made a small motion with her finger, curling it up and then releasing, letting me know that I was to join her. I walked slowly, suddenly bursting with energy, anything to get out of this situation. Palms sweating, heart racing, I confronted her, standing inches above her squat frame yet feeling like a child under her scrutiny. 

"You drove him away as well, did you not?" she barked a coarse whisper between puckered lips and stared at me through hard brown eyes. 

"He left. I wasn't trying to make him leave. He just did not... enjoy my company." I said with my head bent low. 

"Of course. I shouldn't have expected better. Leave it to you to let me down. I'll deal with your insubordination once we get home. Now, leave my presence before I am ashamed any further." she spit out, slashing my pride. Insubordination? Sure... But I wasn't upset. This had occurred so many times that I could tell at exactly what time my partner would leave me during the dance. 

Deciding that I wasn't going to be getting any more dance partners that night, I began to take a stroll out to the gardens, needing a hiatus from the stuffy, over-perfumed, and over-populated home. Leaving the estate was a breath of fresh air, fueling oxygen to my warm head and trickling adrenaline into my blood. I had the sudden urge to run. Where? I wasn't sure. Why? Not so sure either. But I just wanted to; no I just needed to be free. Away from these expectations, these curious spectators, these people who considered me a burden. 

A light autumn wind whisked through the trees, making the leaves dance with merriment and the lanterns swing in excitement. The sun had disappeared now, the dark clouds blanketing the island in night. Even from the center of the city, I could hear the crash of the ocean, the waves cascading onto the land, churning away in mystery. 

Closing my eyes, I let time stand still. I let myself believe that this was my world, this town, this ocean, these people. This was my home.