i woke up gasping for breath . the same old dream had had come back leaving me trembelling and dreanched me with cold sweat . i looked around my small room which consisted with a bed , a cupbord and a single desk which had one of its legs broken but its stll standing . i sighed and went to my bathroom and washed my face with cold water and looked into my craked mirror . i had silky red hair and amber eyes the traits i had inherited from my mother...my mother i missed her so much . i had visited the same dream or i should say a nightmare , my mother falling into that lake and never returning to the face of earth again . leaving me to suffer and endure everything i still dont know if i deserved them or not .
i got myself to get ready by takeing a cold shower and changed into the only other cloths i owned , even though being the the daughter of a rich and powerfull cout i never had been given anything as a set of cloths since the death of my mother jane vansis the former wife of count auther vansis my father . he was known in high sociaty as a kind , honest and how he spoiles his eldest and youngest daughters to the core , they say he loves his eldest daughter me so much that he never lets her out of his mansion. but only i know how so wrong they are he is not kind thats his mask which he had perfected to the point were even his past misdeeds were forgoten , how he Showered his mistress charoline and their daughter violet who is two months younger than me with love,affection and gifts while torturing me to the point were i started to think death was even better this
violet often bragged to me about the gifts and love she recives from father and charoline while i am stuck with nothing but hatred . but i was different from her , i had long given up the fact i would ever recive love from my family , i dont expect i from anyone or even this world .
i dressed my self and went to greet the only person who respected and protected me in this household " good morning elizabeth "
"good morning miss alina " she replied as i entered the kitchen with that warm voice and smile which comforted me even in the darkest of times . alina
that was my name . i was named by my mother after a flower which has magical properties of healing and is only found in the noth on the highest and most rugged mountain tops
" whats for breskfast " i asked sliding into the kitchen table . i never eat with my so called family , not after what happened
" tomato soup and bread " she said sliding me a tray of them
" mmmm my Favorite " i replied . i was just starting to eat to eat when a maid entered and told
" miss alina the master requests you " my blood ran cold and my face paled instantly, i looked at elizabeth who was looking at me with worry
" i am sure its...um..fine . now get going you dont want to delay " even though her face remained calm her voice wavered . i nodded in reply and followed the maid out
the journey to the study was quite with my mind rising with one thought in my mind ,what did ido, i pushed open the huge oak door with trembeling hands . the cold air washed over me and gave me chills that ran down my spine . i look around a see the two people i never wanted to see charoline and violet sitting in the sofa fanning them selfs with a smug expression on their faces . i turn my backs at them and face my father who is also the least person i wanted to see . " you called father " i ask him with a cold voice
" yes take a seat " he said with a indifferent voice gesturing me to a chair . i took it skeptically and looked at him suspiciously . " i belive you have reached the age of 25 " i nodded in reply " so it is time for you to marry a suitable Suitor "
i froze and told the only answer that came to my mind " no "
he looked at me and said " no , you are not to refuse it . it was the Emperor's decree for violet to marry but you are replaceing her in this marraige "
" i am not marrying anyone " i replied looking at him Straight in the eye " why cant you make violet marry , it was her marriage in the first place "
" thats because sister " a honeyed voice came from behined , it was violet her smug expression replaced with a smirk " you are marrying the duke of the north, he is Rumored to be old , ugly and already has two children , do you think i want to be some step mother to children who are not mine , ofcourse not thats why i have you , my useless sister "
" now that thats over now you are to pack your bag and get ready , tomorrow the carriage from the north will come to get you , and if you still want to refuse the offer maybe you could accept this " he said takeing somethig from the drawer .
my blood ran cold and cold sweat drenched my back when i saw what i was , it was the wip the very thing which he used to hit and and punish me when i refused something , Memories flooded back on how he used to beat me with it till i lost consciousness , till blood seeped through me and onto the marble floor " but it was not for you" he said with a cold smirk . i looked at him and saw a crual thought ran in his mind " i heard there was someone , someone called elizabeth who has been tending to you "
no , no no no no , fear and pain shot through me i stumbled back my breath catching , how..how could he ... thiss is " don...dont hurt her " i said my voice trembeling " dont you dare touch her even a single hair on her "
seeing me like this brought a look of satisfaction in him he said menacingly " well the choice rest with you my dear daughter " how he emphasized the word ' dear daughter ' gave me chills . i didnt have a choice in this , since when did i have a choice in anything
" fine , i will marry the duke , just dont hurt her " i said my voice wavering
" made a good choice have we . mmm just get ready and pack your bags and dont forget the carriage will come tomorrow morning " i left the room my heart pounding , why me , why always me . what the hell did i do to deserve this , i ran to my room and slammed the door , i lay there on my worn out bed silent tears running down my cheak .
the day my mother died i realised i not only had lost a mother but also a father . the only person who respected and wa kind to me was elizabeth and the fact that he used her to threaten me to get what he wanted was the most crual thing he could do
i hoped he wont do anything to her when i will be at the dukes mansion , my stomace churned at the thought . i will have to marry a cold and ruthless man but at the thought of elizabeth , sweet old elizabeth always with her warm voice and smile i had to bear it i have no other choice left
not knowing or understaning what will happen to me and my future i curled in to a small cocoon and slept a unfulling sleep