Hello new and returning readers! I finally got around to writing that Attack on Titan fanfiction I've had in the workshop for a year+. So I'm actually working on an original story as I write this, which is one of the reasons I'm posting this right now. The reaction, positive or negative and amount, that I get from this first chapter will probably decide how much time I dedicate to this story. It's hard actively writing two stories at once! Anyhow, as usual, I'll leave out physical description of the main character so you can either imagine her how you want or put yourself in her place. At the last chapter, I'll tell you how I've always imagined her and how some other people imagined her. Please take care of me during this journey of a story.

And without further ado, I introduce you to Edaline.

"Can't we stop for today?" I moan, stretching my arms across the desk. The light streaming in the window has gotten sharper as the sun descends, and it's gone from soft and overhead to glaring at me while it sits just barely above the walls. Its rays have grown burning, concentrated by the glass of the window.

My tutor frowns, pushing up his glasses. "I'm being paid to teach you for at least another thirty minute, Ms. Dante."

"So?" I turn my face towards him, looking up at him innocently through my eyelashes. "It's such a nice day, though, and the sun is nearly set! Surely you don't want to keep me from enjoying such a fine day, even if there is only an hour remaining."

"It's only for a short while longer, I assure you," he says. Even as he denies me, his taps his finger on the desk, agitated. It's a habit I've noticed he has when he's considering his options. "Read another chapter, and then I'll have you recite the cousins of the royal family. We'll be done after that."

I sit up, laying a hand on his arm and leaning in close. Although I act as if I do, I don't miss it when his face flushes and his eyes dart downwards to my chest. "Oh, please? Can't I get off early today? Won't you do me this one favor? Please?"

He clears his throat, sitting up straighter, but not moving so much as an inch away from me. "I guess there won't be any harm done. We'll read and recite first thing during tomorrow's lesson."

"Thank you! Mr. Carlton, you're the best!" I squeeze his arm before leaping to my feet. Hiking up my skirt, I hightail it out of the room without bothering to clean up the study materials. That old man is disgusting! I know Daddy thought he could avoid perverse tutors by hiring aged, married men, but really it doesn't help at all! Mr. Carlton is no better than those young perverts! The only difference is that his skin has dried out and he tries to hide his obvious attraction. Really, I hate men older than me! Daddy is the only exception.

I trudge through the garden at a snail's pace, letting the fragrance of flowers relax me. My room is separate from the main house entirely to give me more privacy. Daddy thought it necessary with me, Mama and Cook being the only girls in the house. I love it, but it gets annoying in the winter. My favorite part about it, though, is that I always get to walk through the garden to get back to the mansion. Today, many of the flowers are in bloom. Even the trees have opened up into crowns of blossoms, filling the air with the most beautiful aroma.

A new yellow catches my eye, causing my feet to come to a stop. By one of the benches is a small, unobtrusive rose bush. As grin spreads across my face, and I kneel down to feel the soft petals. Roses aren't allowed in the garden because of their thorns. Roses are my favorite, and I like how they feel, so I tend to prick myself. When it first happened, Daddy banished them from the garden and forbade them from being planted. He worried over my delicate hands being tarnished. Still, every now and again a little bush like this will appear out of nowhere. In a few days, it's always dug up and thrown out, though. At first I suspected it was the gardener who planted them for me in spite of my dad, but when I asked him about it he said he was only the one to dig them up. The most he does is leave it there for a couple of days for me to enjoy.

In my thoughts, my hand slips from the petals to the stem and I jerk back. Seeing no blood, I sigh. That was close. Daddy would not have been happy to see me injured.

I leave the bush to soak up the last of the sunshine and continue wandering towards the main house. When I finally make it, the scent of roast pig fills my nose. Ah, that must be dinner! Collecting my skirts so I can walk faster, I allow my nose to lead me to the kitchen where the cook rushes about with a couple of our other servants.

"It smells amazing," I enthuse, standing and breathing it in. Now that I'm so near to the source of the smell, I can make out hints of cinnamon, and rosemary, and the sweetness of fruit sauces.

"I'm glad you think so," Cook chuckles. "Usually you're so difficult to please."

"But it smells like you've got it right today!" I pluck a strawberry off a platter and pop it in my mouth. "I look forward to dinner tonight!"

Before I can leave the kitchen, she calls out to me, "You'll be eating in the dining room today! Your brother wanted a family dinner for his birthday!"

I grimace. Why must Easton be such a Mama's boy? Wouldn't it be fine if it was just the two of us who ate together, like usual? But I guess I've got no choice, since it is his seventeenth birthday. I can't help but find him a smidge cute when he gets excited for the one month every year that we're the same age. But that doesn't mean I'm particularly fine with a family meal.

I decide to visit Daddy to vent before I'm forced to sit at the same table as the woman he calls a wife. Up the stairs I go, sweeping down to the glass door that leads to his office. Lifting my hands, I tap lightly with my knuckles.

"Is that Edaline I see outside my door?" a voice muses from within.

I rock back on me heels playfully, grinning. "It is indeed! May I come in?"

"Always, my dear!"

I open the door and close it behind me. Daddy sits settled behind his desk, a jolly expression coloring his face as always when he sees me. Daddy is a regal man, with tall posture and confidence to spare, but lately he's been gaining a few pounds and rounding out. As unpleasant as such a deterioration is, I suppose that is what comes with age. Either that, or one withers away to a skeleton like my tutor Mr. Carlton.

"Edaline! To what do I owe this visit? Sit, sit!" He motions to the plush chair in front of his desk. When I comply, he pulls a sparkly bag out from a drawer. "A treat for you! I picked it up while I was out for a meeting just this afternoon!"

I gladly snatch the bag from his hands and check the contents. Marshmallows. I bite into one and make myself comfortable in the chair. "Cook told me Easton wanted to eat with us and Mama. Did you know?"

His smile twitches. "I...did. I was planning on telling you, but I know your relationship with Lillian is strained, and I could never figure out how to break it to you softly. Please forgive me, sweetheart."

"I'm not mad at you," I correct, stuffing another marshmallow into my mouth. "But I'm irritated! I'll do it for Brother, but of all the things he could have asked for, why'd it have to be this? He knows I hate that woman, and that she hates me!"

"Now, Edaline, she doesn't hate her own daughter."

"Really, how could Easton do this to me? I thought he loved me!"

"E-Edaline," Daddy stutters, "he does! You know better than anyone how much your brother adores you! I'm sure he just wants Lillian to see what a beautiful young lady you've grown into! He's so very proud of you, probably just as much as I. It's been months since your mother has seen you, so he probably just wanted to show you off."

I slow my chewing, upset by the fact that he's undoubtedly right. "I still don't want to look at her. She'll scold me again for doing nothing! Honestly! I never did anything to her! After she birthed me, I haven't troubled her at all! Even as a baby it was the servants that took care of me! So what have I done to deserve that coldness from her?"

"But you'll do it for your brother."

I scowl, growling, "Yes."

"That's my daughter!" he exclaims, taking to his feet and edging around the desk to kiss me on the cheek. "As loving as you are lovely, you are!"

"But I won't talk to him at dinner."

"I'm sure he he won't expect you to, and he'll just be glad you cared enough to come."

"And I'm only coming because Cook is making some of my favorite foods."

"Ah, yes! Those were Easton's request for his birthday dinner. I'm sure he did it to apologize for doing something he knew you wouldn't like."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm going, aren't I?" I stand, twirling to leave. Daddy bids me adieu, sending me smiles and kisses until the door has swung shut in my wake. As I stuff the final marshmallow in my mouth, arms encircle my waist from behind. I let them, knowing only one person who'd dare intrude so far into my personal space.

"Did you save one for me?" Easton asks, his head appearing from my right side.

I crumple the bag. "No."

"You're mad. Did you find out?"

"Did you plan on keeping it from me until dinner?"

He grins sheepishly, releasing me and coming around to face me from the front. My brother is a handsome boy, as handsome as myself I might dare say, with long bright hair that nearly brushes against his shoulders and shimmering blue eyes that girls seem to fall head over heels for. If only he cared a little less for little old me, he might have a girlfriend. Or six. Not that I'm complaining. I happen to find his sister complex a mite adorable. He admits, "I might have been. I was worried you might bail, otherwise."

I flick his forehead, annoyed farther by the fact that he's younger and yet taller. "I almost did."

"But you won't, because you love me."

"Don't push your luck, moron."

"I'll be careful not to, Edalie. But I think you'll enjoy what the cook made for dinner! And I've also got a surprise for you tonight."

I pause. "A surprise? For me? Isn't it your birthday?" With my question in the air, I don't distract him by hissing at the pet name he uses for me.

"It's a surprise for you, and a gift for me!" He kisses the back of my hand. "I hope you like it."

"If you say so." I pull my hand away, confused. "But don't think some surprise for me will make up for you forcing me to eat with Mama. You're not going to be forgiven for that for a long time yet."

His eyes twinkle mischievously, a look he's had since he was small when he's up to something. "Oh, I think you'll forgive me for that soon enough."

"Keep dreaming. I'll be in the garden until the dinner bell, if you or Daddy need me." I dismiss my self with a flip of a hand and hop down the stairs two at a time. As I emerge out into the garden, I spot Mr. Carlton leaving the premises and give him an offhanded nod good-bye before ignoring him completely.

I plop myself onto the bench nearest to the yellow rose bush, elbows on my knees as I examine the flowers. Inside the house had smelled wonderful with dinner cooking, but the flowers...well, they always smell divine! I suspect that they might even relax me more than talking to Daddy.

Shadows stretch as the sun sinks below the walls, shrouding the colors of the garden as I watch. I can't help but liken the ominous onset of darkness to the imminent meeting with Mama looming over my head.

After awhile, the tinkling of a bell rings out over the yard and pulls me to my feet. I brush off my skirt with a huff. I can't wait for this all to be over, for the sun to rise, because something tells me this night is going to be a long one.

And there you have it. Not much has happened yet, I guess. Just characters, really. If you guys think I should, I'll post the second chapter right away and wait for the reactions to both of the chapters combined to determine the time I'll be spending on this instead of my original story. But what do you guys think? She's pretty bratty, no? I myself can't actually say whether I like her or not. I like her as a character, though, so that's enough. It's like I hate Catherine from Wuthering Heights, but love her as a character. Anyway, I look forward from hearing from you all! And if you can't decide whether this story is worth the sticking around for yet, I'd be glad to post chapter two to help you decide.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!