A/N: I normally don't do author's notes at the beginning of chapters, but this is really important. Because of the content of this story (1840's Slavery) there might be some stuff someone might find offencive. It's unavoidable if I want to make it realistic and I do. I'm sorry if you take offense to anything, but please realize that I am not racist in any way and it is simply the opinions of the characters. I hope you enjoy this AU Glesh anyway!
I sighed. The wait was killing me. My father and his business arrangements always took forever. Yes, I know it takes a lot of work to run a plantation, especially one as grand as ours. It must be such a huge responsibility, but that doesn't make it any less boring to sit here doing absolutely nothing at all.
He said by evening he would be done and I could go over to my best friend Clove's house. I've planned to spend the week there and I cannot wait to leave our property.
Unfortunately, I have to; the life of a plantation owner's daughter.
"Glimmer," mother smiled, "if you're this restless, why don't you take a walk? As long as you stay away from the fields I'm sure your father wouldn't mind."
"But Mother! That's all there is here; field, field, field!"
"There's the path around the edge," she suggested.
I rolled my eyes. Sure she was right, I could always follow that infuriating path again, but that wouldn't get me to Clove's any faster. On the other hand, it might make time go by a tad bit quicker.
"Fine, I'll walk the path again."
She smiled her radiant smile at my response. Mother was a truly beautiful woman; no wonder father was always so smitten with her. I'd always been told I'd inherited her good looks, but no one worth my time has tried for my hand yet. I don't want to be tied down to anyone boring. And that is a rather difficult standard, seeing as every well-endowed man I've met has bored me to sleep.
"Be back in a couple hours and remember not to go into the woods. And be careful where you're walking, dear. The ground is full of mud puddles after the latest rain; that dress you're wearing is too light of a color to go splashing around it."
"I know. I'll be good, mother, I promise," I called over my shoulder.
I didn't bother grabbing a coat on the way out the large mahogany doorway, for the air had a nice sweet feel to it; like spring, except not nearly as moist. Even the air smelled of plants and greenery.
I followed the familiar path away from the house to the edge of our land. I would have called it a long walk if it wasn't so familiar. The golden fields were tall and magnificent to my right and the woods dark and dreary to my left. The contrast was startling, in a wonderful way. The beauty of the journey was enough to keep my mind occupied, and I let my thoughts run wild.
I thought of the latest rumors a bit, nothing good really, but mostly about my upcoming week at Cloves. We'd go shopping in Capitol Town, and I'd get up to date on everything, finally; Clove always knows everything of what's going on because her family actually lets her outside once in a while, unlike mine.
A proper "lady" like me isn't supposed to go putting herself in harm's way.
So they say it's to "protect" me, but from what? Doing anything exciting? I'm not even able to explore the woods around our land. So what if it's not "lady like"? It's not like anyone's watching.
What's so dangerous in the woods anyway? Maybe there's a path to Clove's? If only.
I glanced to my left. I've lived here all my life but never actually found out what lies in these trees. It's not proper for a young lady of my status to go exploring, and mother would kill me if I got dirt on this peach coloured dress.
My eyes traveled back to the barely visible house.
She'll have an absolute conniption if she finds out... Oh, I'll just have to be careful.
One last look around to make sure no one's watching and I slipped into the trees.
The thrill of breaking the rules ran through me as I ran through the woods. Sure, running isn't lady like, but no one's here to lecture me and why break just one rule?
It's just trees and dirt, not even much underbrush, but it's new and that's something depressingly rare. There's enough light to see by, but there are plenty of dark shadows to hide in. Instead of making me want to turn back the chance of danger makes me want to keep going.
Danger and excitement are even rarer than new.
Soon my side hurts and I'm almost out of breath. I haven't really had a good run since I was a little girl and it's not the easiest thing to do in a dress and these shoes. Leaning against a tree I try to steady my ragged breathing and calm my beating heart.
That's when I hear a group of voices burst out in laughter.
I freeze against the tree. Oh no, I'm caught. The laughter is slow to die down and I start to wonder why they think this is so funny.
I peak around the tree slowly and mentally sigh in relief. I'm not caught after all. It's a group of, by my count, seven slaves enjoying their time off after their daily chores are done.
Three girls and four boys are chatting and laughing together. In the woods. Off of our property. My father would be livid.
The thought to march straight back up to the house and tell him enters my mind, but I quickly dismiss it. I'd be admitting to being in the woods as well. Besides, the way they're sitting (sprawled in an uneven circle) hides most of their faces. I wouldn't be able to identify any of them.
No, that's not quite true. I can see one of the boy's faces, so I could identify him if I needed to, but it hardly seems worth getting in trouble for. They aren't that far off the property.
"And what about that Glimmer?" one of the boy's I can't see asked.
Perfect, this is just like one of those moments described in mother's novels. The moments where the protagonist stumbles upon information directed at them, hearing things that should have been secret. I don't know if I want to continue listening, but curiosity gets the best of me and I peak around the tree to once again see their heads.
"What about her?" a girl asked.
"What do you think she'll be like when she's older?" the first boy askes.
"As horrible as she is now!" a second boy laughs. "What do you think Marry?"
"I think she'll be like every other white woman, just more annoying. She actually has a chance to do something with her life, with all that money her father has, but instead she'll marry someone even richer and have a nice boring life," the girl who must be Marry answered.
The expression of the one I could see hadn't changed, still serious except for a slight grin.
"Oh lord, can you imagine what type of man she'll marry? Or one that would want to marry her?" another girl laughed.
"Well, she's conceded, has no sense of adventure, and dumber than a log. Sounds like the perfect white woman to me."
Their words stung, creating a flare of anger in me that took all my will power to keep inside. These workers have no right to speak of me this way, and they don't even have the backbone to say it to my face. I've never done anything to them. In fact, I've never spoken to them at all.
The boy I could see finally spoke, "Well she definitely doesn't have much upstairs."
Then he looked directly at me.
I gasped, my heart stopping in my throat like a suffocating lump. I hid back behind the thick old tree, staring at the bark with wide eyes. How long had he known I was here? My cheeks flushed and I took off, back the way I came.
A/N: I know it's a strainge pairing, but after the good response the Glesh one shot (Twelve) I did got, I figured I might as well try it! HUGE thanks to Flutteringphalanges for the idea!
Also a thanks to the amazing Innocentlilly for being my beta!
I had more to say but I forgot, so anyway, please review!