Disclaimer: This is another story entwined with the movie: Stardust. I claim no ownership to anything or anyone except Angela—who is my character.
Chapter 1
As Tristan throws stones at Victoria Forrester's window holding white flowers, I couldn't help but feel jealous. Here I was, and had been since we were five, yet he stills chases after Victoria as if the sun shines from her arse. "God Tristan," I hiss before Victoria finally opens the window with her long blonde curls bouncing and a sweet smile on her face.
"Oh Humphrey-"
"No it's Tristan." Tristan utters looking back at me in my tired state. I usher him on and he turns back.
"Oh...did I leave something at the shop?" She asks scratching her nose as her friends giggle behind her.
"No, I just thought I could give you-" Victoria's poppy, puffy boyfriend, Humphrey, knocks the flowers from Tristan's hand with the cane, after Tristan held it forward for Victoria. Humphrey and Victoria are prim pigs, I have no idea why Tristan would even consider wanting to associate with them.
Humphrey holds his cane across Tristan's chest and stands back in a relaxed pranced stance. "Tristan Thorne, shop boy by day, peeping tom by night." Humphrey has similar hair to Victoria but for men. He has a thick moustache that makes him look sixty and always seems to be wearing the same outfit of a light brown jacket and breeches. His skin is fair and his eyes dark brown. He uses a cane for his weapon of choice. Victoria is the female, no-moustache version, she has blonde hair, fair skin and dark blue eyes.
Tristan turns to face Humphrey who shoves him back with the tip of his cane. "Ow!" Tristan complains.
"Humphrey there's no need to be like that." Victoria says in her snobby voice. "Be nice to the poor boy."
"Ah...were those for Victoria?" Humphrey asks drawing everyone's attention to the white flowers Tristan picked from my garden before we left. Tristan stares from the flowers to a stick not too much further away. He walks over to the stick then back to Humphrey who stands side on in a sword stance. Tristan takes a lazy swing but Humphrey deflects it and gives Tristan another shove back. Tristan stutters back then smiles up at Victoria who sits there smiling. Tristan tries to make a surprise attack but Humphrey, again, deflects the attack then smacks him cane on Tristan's foot. Tristan lifts it sore before Humphrey trips him. Tristan lands with a thud on his back as Humphrey approaches kicking the stick away. "You were always useless at fencing in school Tristan. In fact I'm having trouble thinking of anything you were good at."
"Humphrey, that's enough." Victoria orders and Tristan stands brushing himself off as Humphrey makes his way to Victoria's front door. "You alright?" She asks afterward.
"Yeah, yeah fine." Tristan stutters as Victoria shuts the window bursting into laughter.
"Why her Tristan?" I question grabbing the flowers and throwing them into a garden as he walks me back to my house.
"She's beautiful and funny, did I say-"
"Yes you said beautiful. Is that all men see in women?" I roll her eyes brushing the dirt from his jacket in the chilly night.
"Thanks for going with me, Angela." He smiles.
"I'm here for you. Tell your father I said greetings." Tristan smiles and leaves me at the door without a kiss goodnight. I slowly spin on my heel with a sigh and step into the warmth of my home. I can hear her Nonna snoring in bed and pets the cat as it lays in front of the fire. My home is a two storey house of British style. With old and worn furniture. A stone floor and wooden staircase. My home is in Wall, a village in England.
I dress into my night gown after giving myself a quick wash. I comb my raven black hair and climb into bed shortly after. "What do you see in her Tristan?" I ask the night looking up at the ceiling.
The following morning my Nonna thunders down stairs in her old age to find breakfast set out on the table as always, soon she won't even be able to get downstairs.
"You better get married soon, I can't watch you waste away in here." My Nonna lectures still in her nightgown. I set the porridge and honey in front of her and she begins to eat which ends all lectures, so I had learnt. I have to wait until Nonna is finished eating before I get a chance to clean up and leave Nonna some bread and jam for lunch, it's placed in Nonna's bedroom as the old woman climbs into bed. "Angela, go to the store and get us some more food, supper for tonight eh?"
"Yes Nonna," I reply automatically as I walk back into my room and change into a peach skirt and white blouse adding a dark orange tunic. As I stare into the mirror pinning my hair back into a bun, I see my mother and Nonna- before her Nonna reached old age. Dark hair, olive green eyes and the tanned Italian skin. Nonno was an explorer from Sicily that met Nonna upon his journey here to Wall investigating the stone wall that, supposedly, seals off another realm from England. They would not let him through so he remained in Wall, marrying Nonna and moving into her Nonna's home here. My Ma and Pa became ill and I lived with Nonna and Nonno. Nonno died many years ago.
I work as a maid in a noble house two miles walk from Wall. I clean during the day and leave of an afternoon. I pass Tristan's house but he would have already left for work at the grocery shop.
That evening I walk into the grocer but Tristan isn't there. "Excuse me, sir," I add before leaving with a basket of food. "Where is Tristan?"
"Tristan no longer works here, my dear." I thank him and leave. Tristan you fool! I think as I move into a fast walk to Tristan's house.