Chapter 8

• Family Forth
• After returning home, Martin wouldn't leave his sisters alone. The boy hovered around the young ladies, bombarding them with questions and testing their patience with his inquiries about gifts.
• Lucinda was stressed. Unfortunately, the party from the previous night hadn't gone as she had hoped. She hadn't even managed to catch the attention of the Lord's son, who seemed disinterested, and that hurt her deeply.
• At that moment, all she wanted to do was sew a dress even more beautiful than the previous one, hoping to finally capture the man's attention.
• "Martin, please, don't bother us. I have things to do!"
• Lucinda said, her patience running thin with the young boy. Martin looked crestfallen at her response and soon left, heading inside their house.
• "Come on, Luci, calm down. The boy just misses you."
• Cateline said, attempting to ease the tension. Lucinda had seemed calmer before returning home. She despised living in the middle of the forest; she had always preferred towns and cities. She was always in a bad mood after returning from her sales in Springdale.
• Cateline had recovered from her hangover during the few hours of the journey and managed to get some rest.
• Once they had finished organizing everything, they led Drizzle to the stable. The horse seemed happy to be back home and galloped around freely when set free.
• Cateline let out a deep sigh and went off to take a bath. It was still early, and the sun was high in the sky. She stored the herbs her sister had given her. Her nausea had subsided, and they might come in handy later.
• She enjoyed bathing in a small creek located in a reserve close to her home. Since it was within her mother's property, only they had access to it. The creek had clear, crystalline water that flowed down the hills, which were outside their territory.
• Cateline took off her old cloak and wine-stained dress, taking the opportunity to wash them. Then she noticed the necklace that she had momentarily forgotten. She contemplated removing it but remembered the previous night. She didn't want to forget those moments, holding onto the hope of someday meeting the owner of the necklace again.
• Her hair was a bit dirty, so Cateline decided to wash it. It seemed that her energy returned the moment she submerged herself. She recalled the name of the man. He had said his name was Felix. It was one of the few pieces of information she had about him.
• Cateline took her bath and returned to her home, where her mother and Lucinda were waiting to have afternoon tea. Her mother was happy about their successful sales and wanted to congratulate them. Dona Milenna had baked a delicious cake that looked and smelled wonderful.
• They all sat at the table, and as usual, Martin, who was always eager, was the first to grab a slice of cake. The sisters and their mother made way for the youngest, who was hard to control.
• "Cate, how was it in Springdale? You usually come back and complain about the commotion. You've been unusually quiet today."
• Milenna, the girls' mother, asked as she sliced the cake for them.
• Cateline nearly choked when she remembered the events, coughing a bit before responding. "Oh, yes... It was... very noisy, as usual."
• She replied, wiping her mouth with a piece of cloth, trying to breathe normally.
• Her sister and mother exchanged looks, finding the young woman's behavior strange, and they questioned her.
• "Are you okay? You seem lost in thought today."
• Lucinda seemed a bit concerned but soon burst into laughter that echoed through the kitchen.
• "I bet it's the alcohol! She drank two bottles of wine, Mom, all by herself! Can you believe it? Her bed was a mess this morning. I can't even imagine our Cate being drunk."
• She laughed so much that even her mother couldn't help but smile while watching Cateline's reaction.
• "Luci, don't tease your sister like that!"
• She scolded, trying to hold back her laughter. Cateline didn't pay much attention; she was used to her sister always getting into mischief.
• After they finished laughing, they quickly apologized, seeing that Cateline remained serious. "Sorry, dear... but you looked so funny when you opened the door this morning."
• Lucinda said, grabbing a slice of cake that her mother had cut.
• Cateline got up after eating, not wanting to talk much with her mother and siblings. She was no longer a teenager, but her feelings were only now manifesting. She felt foolish; it was the first time she had thought so much about someone, and she didn't even know why.
• Lucinda seemed a bit upset when she saw her sister leave without saying anything, but she left her alone for a while.
• Cateline lay on her bed and tried to relax, placing her hand on the necklace she wore, pressing it against her chest. After a few minutes, she ended up falling asleep, waking up the next day.
• The sound of birds woke her up, and she stretched before getting up to help with the household chores. They needed to gather more materials and make goods to sell in the nearby areas of their farm. It was challenging for them as women, but they never gave up, always doing their best to sustain themselves.
• Martin was already energetic, jumping around and bombarding them with questions as usual. Lucinda was irritated; her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the Lord's sons.
• “Why don't you go play with the animals?"
• Lucinda almost snaps at her brother, who laughs and runs away, making her more and more irritated.
• "Finally, you woke up! I was almost about to kill him!"
• Lucinda exclaims as soon as she sees her sister, pleading with her eyes for her to help. Cateline understands immediately when she sees Lucinda and walks over to her.
• "What will we do today, sister?"
• Cateline asks somewhat dispiritedly, and Lucinda notices this.
• "What happened to you? Since you drank that wine, you don't seem like the same Cate!" She pouts, just like Martin, it seemed to be a family trait.
• "It's nothing... seriously! I'm just a little tired..."
• Cateline says disheartened, as if everything she had experienced had been nothing more than a dream.
• Lucinda approaches, hugging her sister's arm and resting her head on her shoulder, as if she expected to hear the truth. But Cateline remains steadfast in her decision not to say anything and stays silent.
• Their mother soon arrives, bringing a small list of ordered items. The neighboring villages needed some things, and they had to produce and deliver them.
• Lucinda grimaces when she hears her mother speaking, going to her and taking the list. She reads it and then tosses it on the table, thinking about how to start preparing everything.
• A sound outside catches everyone's attention, hooves clattering on the ground; someone had just arrived. Everyone was confused; nobody visited them. Their family was distant, and they didn't keep in touch.
• They rush outside to see who it was and soon spot a different person in a splendidly luxurious carriage, something they had never seen before.
• Someone steps down, holding a cane, an elderly man wearing a top hat and expensive-looking clothes. He also wore a monocle, and just by the way he walked, you could tell he had a lot of money. The eyes of the three women widened in disbelief.
• He walks up to the four of them and looks at Martin, who was a small child, perhaps one of the last to be born, and hands a letter to Lucinda, who is at the front.
• Lucinda takes it, and the man leaves without saying a word, returning to the carriage and driving away.
• She quickly opens the letter, frightened, not knowing its contents, and begins to read it. Despite being a peasant, she was smart and had learned to read and write from a young age.
• Lucinda's expression changes suddenly, her eyes almost popping out as she reads the letter, making everyone around her curious.
• Her mother rushes over, taking the letter and reading it immediately.
• "I can't believe it! God has answered my prayers!"
• Lucinda almost shouts as she twirls around, laughing incessantly. Martin and Cateline don't understand anything; they just wait for their mother to explain what happened.
• "Is this even possible? The Lord is requesting all the young women from the county to attend the palace next month... He's selecting concubines for his sons to have heirs before they return to war..."
• Milenna, the girls' mother, says, her mouth agape in disbelief. It was a significant opportunity for the girls to improve their lives, especially Lucinda, who prayed every day to be noticed by the Lord's sons and get away from there.