Chapter 9

• Family Forth
• After receiving the letter from the Sirio Lord, Lucinda acts as if there is a miracle going on.
• Everyone goes back in the house, without believing it yet.
• Milenna, the girl's mother, not knowing what to do, thinks about going to the village to see what is really happening, maybe she could find out if other girls had received that letter.
• She was very happy for the girls, but a little worried.
• Cateline, not as excited as her sister, thinks the idea of marrying someone just to have children does not please her, would not have love in her marriage, and there would be many other women involved, it was common that the lords had a single Royal wife and several concubines.
• The young heirs of Lord Sirio had not yet married, they were in search of an official wife too, Lucinda had been keeping an eye on Helton for a long time, he was the eldest son of the Lord and also the next to succeed the kingdom.
• “I don’t believe it! I was invited to go to the palace! I can finally leave here and live there... be Helton’s wife.”
• Lucinda was more excited than ever, the smile did not leave her face, and she danced as she imagined what the big dance would be like.
• “Sister... It’s good you don’t get too high expectations about the royal marriage, I’m sure they will choose the daughter of some Lord or someone with high status, I believe that if we are chosen it will only be for concubines..”
• Cateline tells her sister trying to bring her to reality, but she is already dreaming too high and nothing would bring her back or put her feet on the ground.
• “Turn your mouth away Cate! Stop trying to screw up my plans, this time will work! I’ll make the most beautiful dress this kingdom has ever seen, and I’ll have Helton’s eyes all to myself…”
• Lucinda responded stressed, it was visible that she was serious about it.
• Cateline then prefers to leave her sister in the dream world and go back to doing her chores.
• She wasn’t in the mood to go to that ball, she just wanted to ignore all that, maybe pretend she was sick and avoid going, but she knew there might be consequences if she didn’t show up, as it was a royal letter, she couldn’t let go.
• “Girls, I’ll go to the village to see what’s going on and I’ll take Martin with me.”
• Milenna, looking thoughtful as she spoke, Lucinda became euphoric wanting to go with her.
• “Mom! I will go too, I need to buy materials for my dress!”
• Lucinda said already accompanying her mother, until she was interrupted.
• “You need to help your sister, you can go there later, I have to solve some important things today!”
• Milenna talks would be, she understands the animation of her daughter but she had to be sure about the event that would take place in the palace next month, her daughters were her most precious asset and she would not give them to anyone to be used, It’s not as if she could oppose the Sirio Lord, but she at least wanted to know as much as possible of how things would go.
• Milenna then goes out with Martin, she takes the trip to take some items and maybe sell them, it is important to take the time and try to earn some extra money.
• Lucinda and Cateline fired their mother, returning to do their chores, as they had practically sold everything on the night of the party, they had no more goods to deliver, they needed to produce many things.
• They went to the small warehouse that was near the kitchen, which contained materials to make the sweets and some pasta.
• Cateline tries to focus on her tasks, but her sister is out of her mind, distracted just thinking about what she will do when she becomes a Lady.
• “Luci.. Please! we need to finish the orders soon or our mother will be angry when she returns..”
• Cateline tries to get her sister’s attention, but it has no effect.
• It does not take long and Lucinda leaves, with excuses to arrange some of her things in her room, leaving Cateline alone, working.
• Without having much choice, Cateline just does what needs to be done, thinking about how to explain to her mother why they have not finished the orders.
• If a few hours pass and after working so much it’s lunchtime, Cateline arranges something simple to eat, a small sandwich with old bread, butter, meat from the previous day, and a small piece of cheese.
• After a few hours well work, a good snack to reinforce.
• Her sister is not there, nor in her room, Cateline fears that she has gone hidden in the village, unfortunately, she can not leave there to look for her and leave the house alone.
• “I don’t believe it, Luci....”
• Cateline seeks grumbling about the farm and the house, but nothing from her sister, she decides to wait until sunset, and if she does not seem to warn her mother.
• Lucinda was always like that, acted on impulse most of the time, and almost always got into trouble, luckily she had her mother and sister to protect her, unfortunately, she would not have them forever so she needed to mature as soon as possible.
• Time passes and soon her mother arrives with her younger brother in the village, she decides to tell about the day, her sister disappeared.
• “Honey... your sister is fine, she ended up going to Springdale, she said she would stay there until she organized some materials... I’m sorry I left you alone with all these chores..”
• Milenna speaks trying to calm Cateline, who was worried about not knowing where her sister was and could see the lack of patience on her face.
• “I still can’t believe she’s doing these things. I thought we’d be together and go through everything together... his passion for Helton always comes first..”
• Cateline speaks discouraged, her sister was her only friend and whenever the subject was the eldest son of Lord Lucinda was incomprehensible, her actions became others as well as her temperament.
• “Don’t be like that, soon your sister will return to normal, she’s just too happy to fulfill a silly dream... don’t take your tantrums seriously..”
• Milenna talks by putting her hands on her daughter’s back and the two soon enter to finish some of the orders, praying that her sister would return well and soon.
• While they finish packing some things, Milenna talks about what she was able to discover with her friends in the village.
• “I went to Dona Ellen’s inn, she sent her a hug... I found that some of the guests who passed by talked a lot about a prisoner who escaped the night of the party…”
• Cateline stops for a moment, trying to hear better what her mother said.
• “They said that the soldiers as well as the heirs of the Lord went to the kingdom of Wisdy personally, and kidnapped the son of the monster who lives there, bound and gagged him, but the beast was very strong and before arriving at the palace prison to be interrogated he fled, now search for him in nearby towns and villages..”
• Milenna said haunted, afraid of such a beast being near her farm.
• Cateline is worried, she had never seen what these beasts of Wisdy looked like and feared for a war in the future.
• “Are you saying one of Wisdy’s beasts is here? We have to be careful with these animals, they say they are abnormal beasts that kill everything they see ahead..”
• Cateline said getting more and more worried, she had never seen such beings, just heard some rumors, and each more terrible and dark than the other, for her, they were bloody monsters who ripped people with their huge claws and ate their meats, at least that’s what everyone was talking about.
• His mother, Milenna, runs to a nearby closet beating him three times, as in superstition to ward off evil omen.
• “Don’t say such things, miss! God! It gives me chills just to hear you.”
• Milenna runs her hands in her arms trying to calm her goosebumps.
• “In any case, we’ll be careful, we’ll warn the Lord’s guards, I hope they find the monster soon..”
• Milenna finishes talking, looking around still afraid.
• The day passes and ends and Lucinda does not return, Milenna knows that her daughter is probably from Ellen’s inn, so she does not worry too much, even with the rumor of the monster loose in the vicinity she knew that Lucinda would not be crazy to go out in the dark alone.
• Night falls and everyone settles to sleep, Cateline goes to her room and puts on her sweater, the necklace she had found is always with her, as a protective amulet, somehow she knows that he will take her to his owner sometime or another.
• She sleeps clinging to him having a beautiful dream, she is lying with that same man, exchanging caresses, her hands passing through his body as if there were no limits to them.
• Her wonderful dream is interrupted by a loud noise that drags her consciousness back to reality, it is the sound of dawn, the noise of birds next to her mother screaming, for her to wake up. Her sister Lucinda had just arrived and had brought some things for her. The days passed slowly and the day of the selection of concubines approached, Cateline did not know what to do to get rid of that burden, it was the last thing she wanted in her life, but what should she do to get rid of that?