Rise of the phoenix
Updated version: 29/10/15
This chapter is a prologue of sorts my main character isn't in this chapter this is about her mother.
Robin hood doesn't belong to me only my characters I claim :)
Life for Catherine had never been easy, for anyone to be born into a working class family life was hard from the start and money was small but never taken for granted, she counted herself as one of the luckier ones who was employed in the Beaumont's house. Her shifts were tiring but she looked forward to a hearty meal everyday unlike some people who begged in the streets for their needs.
Like her mother she was a servant to the household, her duties included cooking and cleaning in order to keep the house clean and the owners happy. She kept her head down and unlike most of the other servants who moaned about their situation everyday Catherine took pride in her duties and knew that by doing so her job would be secured.
The Beaumont's were famous because of their descendants who were successful in battles, their nobility was known throughout the country and they were known to have had dealings with past royalty. When she was younger the house belonged to Lord Francis Beaumont who ruled the household with his wife until her passing, rumour had it that she had difficulty conceiving but after many years together they were finally blessed with a son who they named Francis II.
She died when Francis was 19 years of age, and Lord Beaumont died 10 years later at the age of 55. The household changed after his death, it was no secret that he treated his servants well, he provided suitable housing and food that kept the workers happy, in his eyes happy workers helped keep the house in tip top shape. For those that looked hard enough a sadness could be seen in his once warm eyes, his smile never quite reached his eyes like they used to, he was mourning his wife even after many years after her death.
He thought the world of his only son, who very nearly didn't happen. He spent most of his time teaching his son how to fight and rule land and its people in a way that would encourage production and many years of security in the future. His love for his son in many eyes was seen as spoiling his boy, he had the best education money could buy and everything he asked for he got from a father who was to afraid to lose him.
When Lord Beaumont died, the whole house felt it and a sudden shift in the air could be felt. The responsibility of ruling landed on the shoulders of Francis II who at the time was still seen as a young boy in many eyes. Catherine didn't understand why some of the servants were worried in this change, she could tell the Lord was falling ill and his death seemed inevitable in the end leaving his son to take over. But over time changes, some more noticeable than others appeared in the comfortable daily routines of the workers.
Some servants a lot older than Catherine found themselves thrown out of the house losing their jobs some had held for all their lives. Catherine couldn't understand the decision, these women were still able to work and even more mature and experienced than the younger girls making them more suitable for the jobs. These women were replaced by younger inexperienced girls.
More worrying than the changes in the workers, was when she noticed some of the girls wearing bruises which they tried their hardest to hide in the daytime, even more disturbing was the lack of care these girls were shown in the hands of the guards. Lord Beaumont offered them protection and would publicly humiliate any person who laid a hand on any woman in his household, his son didn't offer the same protection and thus some girls found themselves with child, humiliated and ashamed they often left. One young soul even going so far to take her own life.
Amongst all this tension and terror, Catherine found something unexpected. At the age of 22 like many young girls she liked to spend any spare time out in the open, she had a passion for drawing and liked to capture nature in the form of pencil and paper. It was one of these times that she was walking around the town when she met him: of a night she would read romantic novels, most of them told stories of a mysterious, tall, dark and handsome stranger that would turn up out of nowhere and sweep the woman off her feet, as much as she enjoyed these stories she wasn't a believer of love at first sight or even thought she would fall in love, but that all changed when she met William.
William Topthorne was a kind, young man who travelled throughout his life as a merchant. His horse and cart contained everything he considered valuable in his life, it was a simple way of living but something he wouldn't change for the world. He was bringing the crowd around him encouraging them to buy his wares when his eyes caught the flame headed woman amongst the people. Truly he had never seen such a beautiful woman in all his life, with her long, curly red hair and amber eyes she was indeed a sight to behold.
Catherine was also left speechless when he caught her gaze. He was tall, slim, his brown hair was long touching just above his shoulders and he wore a neatly trimmed beard. His eyes are what held her attention, a beautiful blue colour which held so much kindness within them...looking Into them she was gone!.
They never spoke that day but she found herself returning on a regular basis, it was him that broke the ice and introduced himself and the rest they say was history. Williams job never allowed him to stay and he was forced to leave her promising her with the gift of a new journal that he would return for her.
He came back around a month later with a question. A promise of a new life, love and security. A proposal in marriage, which she accepted with their first kiss.
She had no other family and a life living on the road with William was easy to accept, so they planned their future together and with her deepest sympathies she wrote a letter explaining to Lord Francis II of her upcoming departure.
During his time of running the house, Catherine had only ever met him a few times. She had occasionally been given the responsibility of providing him with his meals and even cleaning his chambers. He had never given her reason to feel uncomfortable, in actual fact they got along quite well when it was just them, he often sought her opinion when writing letters and complemented her on her knowledge in such matters, a surprise to many to see a working lady as educated as she was.
So on her last working day she said goodbye to her fellow employees who wished her luck and happiness in the future. She had been requested by the Lord to attend to his chambers that night, he would be returning home shortly and would likely require the rest after meeting with the other nobility.
She ensured everything was satisfactory before he returned. His bed was neatened, curtains drawn, on a nearby table was an assortment of bread and cheeses accompanied by a bottle of red wine. She turned back to the fire and was stoking the burning coals when she heard the heavy sound of boots coming down the hallway before the door opened, an irritated looking Lord Francis walking in.
Noticing he wasn't alone he was about to shout for them to get out and give him some peace but swallowed his words when he noticed who exactly was in his room; forgetting he had asked her to do this one last time he instead took her in with his gaze. Her red hair for once was loose and with her silhouetted against the flames of the fire she looked beautiful: shaking his head, who was he kidding he'd always found her beautiful. And now he was losing her.
She placed the poker on the slab next to the fire before getting up and brushing down her dress, smiling warmly to him she curtsied in welcome.
"My lord, how did it go today?" she asked, the look he gave her was enough of an answer.
"Tedious my dear Catherine, sitting amongst nobility some too fat to even lift a finger, arguing over when their next meal would arrive" he said removing his leather gloves.
Catherine had always thought Lord Francis had an odd sense of humor and despite her low station she couldn't help but release a chuckle at his statement of the nearby noblemen. He smirked hearing her laugh something which was very rare for her to do around him.
"Forgive me my Lord I shouldn't of laughed" she apologized softly, a small blush on her freckled cheeks.
"Don't apologies my dear, you have the luxury at laughing at folk like me, if only I had the freedom to do so when surrounded by those imbeciles, for that I envy you" he smiled at her and moved passed her towards his wardrobe.
She noticed he was struggling with undoing the buttons to his heavy coat and moved towards him smiling at his fumbling fingers.
"Allow me sir!" she said as he moved his hands out of the way. He stood at least two heads above her and he gazed down at with his pale blue eyes as her nimble delicate fingers made quick work of the stubborn buttons. He was pulled out of his thoughts by her moving around him to pull the coat off his shoulders and down his arms, once free of the coat she hung it up before turning back to him.
He had made his way over to the small tray of food, picking up a small piece of cheese he popped it in his mouth before picking up the bottle of wine and turning to look back at Catherine.
"It occurs to me I don't know anything about you Catherine, our time together has been brief, I know you are a dedicated, kind educated young woman but that's it, and now your leaving me I regret not getting to know you better" he gave her a sad smile and Catherine didn't know how to react, she wasn't anything special just another servant in his eyes, why would someone of his nature want to spend time with someone like her.
"Your my master sir, your not supposed to know me" she replied quietly, grasping her hands together in a nervous habit.
He stepped closer to her his large frame shadowing hers.
"Don't sell yourself short Catherine, you know I think more of you, I'd consider us friends...would You?" he asked her, lifting her chin with his forefinger to bring her gaze to his face.
"I would like that sir" she said with a smile.
He released his hold on her chin and returned her smile "good, now since your leaving me...I Have two final requests for you" he said uncorking the bottle and finding two glasses, which he poured a good measure of wine into both "as of this moment you are a free woman, so no more addressing me as Master or Sir...and Secondly you will join me in a drink to celebrate the years you have worked here" he walked back over to Catherine with both glasses in his hands.
"Be that as it may sir, I address you that way out of respect...and Secondly as for staying for a drink, I really should get going, I had promised William I would meet him earlier than usual"
She saw something flash across his eyes and the edges of his lips appeared a little tighter, but as quick as it arrived it vanished into a large encouraging smile.
"As your friend I'm asking you to address me as Francis, and as for your beloved William he is spending the rest of his life with you, I have one night left of your company" he stretched out his arm, holding out the glass towards her she looked up at his face again giggling quietly at his wiggling eyebrows she hesitantly took the glass from his hands, her fingers caressing his as he passed it over.
"Good girl, now a toast to you Catherine, I don't personally thank my servants if they leave and you probably haven't thought yourself special, but I want you to know that I noticed your hard work and I thank you for it"
He clinked his glass against hers and she couldn't help the blush to her cheeks something Francis found rather adorable.
"That wasn't necessary sir...Francis (he gave her a look) I just did my duty, nothing more" she said taking a small sip of her wine. She rarely drank alcohol someone such as herself didn't have the luxury of drinking expensive imported wine and the unusual taste of this wine burnt her throat making her cough a little.
He took a deep gulp of his wine, drinking half of its contents in one swig, it had been that sort of day. Picking up the bottle and walking around her he gazed at her back following an invisible line from her head to her feet, pausing over her womanly curves he downed the rest of his wine as his hungry gaze drank her in.
"I'm not a man who has the luxury of friends, I'm a man who has lost both parents, who not yet 30 has the responsibility of this household and the land surrounding it, it's my decisions that will see this land flourish or fall...and Yet spending time with you, you make me forget who I am, I can feel like an ordinary man around you"
Despite his sad admittance she turned to look at him and laughed gently.
"Now who's selling themselves short" he looked away from her and instead poured himself a second glass of wine "when Lord Beaumont passed away the whole house felt it, I know how much you miss him, and that its been hard taking over where he left off, but your making something good out of a bad situation, your father would be proud of you"
She watched as her words had an affect on him, he swallowed hard and blinked his eyes from forming tears. She sympathized with him being alone in this and the duty that rested heavily on his shoulders, but she knew with a few more years experience this land would flourish under his hands. He would be a firm leader and hoped he could find the fairness that would win him the loyalty of his fathers people.
"Your confidence in me warms my heart Catherine...now Lets not talk of the past and death, lets live in the moment" he took another big gulp of wine, Catherine sensed he was used to wine of a night, most likely to numb the constant reminder of his responsibility of the day "now come and sit with me and tell me where dear William is whisking you off to".
He gestured to the bench before the fire, and she followed him in sitting amongst the soft cushions and fur coverings, the bench wasn't the largest and they found themselves sitting close to each other. Catherine hadn't been this close to him before and from this distance she could smell the leather of his coat that had rubbed off onto his clothing and could smell the wine on his breath.
His hot breath blowing against her hair snapped her out of her thoughts.
"So then tell me of your plans, when are you intending to marry"
"William is a merchant, so he travels a lot. I will travel with him until we find a new home to settle down in...as For the actual wedding, soon I hope" she said with a smile as she thought of William and their future together.
Francis took in her smile at the mention of Williams name, but a burning feeling deep in his guts made him tighten his grip on his glass. To still the feeling he finished off his glass again and picked up the bottle abandoning his glass altogether.
From the corner of her eyes she could see him drinking more heavily but who was she to judge as she took another sip from her own drink still not getting used to the heavy fruity taste.
"What of you?" she asked out of curiosity.
He relaxed back into his seat before answering her.
"what about me?"
"Sorry I don't mean to pry...I Just wondered if their was a Lady Francis in your life"
He took another drink from the bottle and looked again at the woman sitting beside him. He had been infatuated with her from the moment he first met her, he hadn't realized she worked in his household and when she walked into his chambers for the first time he found himself lost for words. He found himself finding any excuse to ensure her shifts revolved around his personal needs and found himself asking for her opinions, that's when he realized despite her low ranking she was as intelligent as she was beautiful.
Another responsibility was for him to find a wife and to secure his blood line in society, he had past flings with women but nothing ever serious and nothing since Catherine walked into his life, there wouldn't be another woman as long as she was in his life. To say he was disappointed when she walked in one day with in his opinion a gaudy ring on her wedding finger was an understatement. He was livid, his vision turning red as he watched her float around his bedroom giddy and in love with another man. He had to restrain himself from ripping the tacky ring of her finger, to then wrap his hands around her throat, throw her upon his bed and show her what it truly was to be with a man instead of some poor merchant boy.
"There is pressure for me to find a wife, I'm considered a bachelor at the age of 29" he said laughing "It seems men and women of nobility are slaves to our own system, we don't have the freedom to marry for love"
Catherine turned around so she could easily face him.
"Then don't marry for anything less than love, don't subject yourself to a life of misery just to please others" she said placing a small hand on his arm, he watched her move so delicately and gentle, his vision slightly hazy from drinking the wine to fast. He realized that this was the first time she had touched him and despite sitting in front of the fire her touch burned hotter than anything else against his skin.
He placed his large hand over hers, his rough calloused hand feeling the softness of her skin.
"You believe it's that easy, to go against what society asks of me"
She squeezed his arm lightly "You only live once Francis, don't let others dictate your life, you're your own man"
He sat up from his slouched position placing the bottle on the floor beside the bench.
"Fate has a way of surprising us, she could be just around the corner waiting for you, you'll never know till it happens and that's what makes fate a beautiful thing"
His grip on her hand changed and he turned her palm over tracing the lines with the other, gazing up at her his eyes flicked from her warm amber eyes to the fullness of her pink lips. Catherine sensed the change in his behavior but kept the smile on her face, as he brought his pale eyes back up to hers.
"What if I've found her already!" he said, his voice quiet and husky sending shivers down her body in all in the wrong ways, and the smile she had dropped into a questioning frown.
"What?"
"Stay with me Catherine, marry me and become my wife" he brought his face close to hers, his hot breath caressing her face and he gazed deeply into her eyes awaiting her reaction.
"I can't Francis, why would you ask me this knowing I cannot stay" she said pulling her hand from out his grasp when he resumed his caresses.
Her withdrawal from his touch spiked his anger and he was reminded once again of her departure and imminent marriage to her 'beloved' William.
"If you stayed you'd want for nothing, can't you see the better life I'm offering you"
"I can't" she implored, there was something about his gaze, she didn't think pale blue eyes could become so dark and threatening but his gaze was enough to prevent her bolting out of the door.
"Why not, because of your dear William" he grabbed her left hand harshly thumbing the engagement ring "You would wear this traded ring off a bumbling merchant boy than take my hand and have the world at feet, you would become a lady of nobility, a queen in your own house"
She felt disgusted at him touching this ring, a gift a promise from a man she loved who worked his fingers to the bone in order to pay for it out of his own pocket, to hear William insulted made her angry and she felt her eyes prickle with stinging tears.
"You don't know him to insult him Francis, even if I had never met him, someone of your nobility couldn't marry a working girl, it would damage your reputation, dilute your pure bloodline"
"That doesn't matter to me, didn't you just say I should marry for love, well that's you Catherine, I don't want anyone else"
Without hesitating he brought his hand behind her head and pulled her harshly to his lips, the touch of his lips were rough and unkind against her own nothing like Williams who caressed hers like a whisper. She fought back against his strong grip and was repulsed when Francis pushed his tongue past her lips, the taste of wine turning her stomach. The wine reminded her of her nearly full glass still in her hand, so pulling back with all her strength she flung the liquid in his face dropping the glass on the floor as she used the distraction to run towards the door.
She didn't get far before a large hand grasped her wrist flinging her back towards him, but in a rare moment of anger Catherine flung her other hand, catching him across his cheek, the slap ringing through the room.
She realized her mistake when he released her wrist, placing his hand against the stinging redness of his cheek he became instantly awake and he looked livid, he caressed his skin pulling away to check for blood, finding none his burning gaze returned to her...and For the first time in her life she was scared.
"You dare to strike me" he said through gritted teeth.
She began to back away from him "I'm sorry..." She was cut off when his heavy fist caught the side of her face sending her to the floor. The pain was sickening she felt like her jaw had broken it had been hit with such a force. She lay heavily on her side with a hand cradling her face, her pride didn't want her to cry in front of him but she couldn't stop them, how could she of been so blind to his true intentions, how can this be the son of kind hearted Lord Beaumont!
Her body tensed when she felt him approach her, and jumped when she felt his hand try to grab the one cradling her face. He was on his knees beside her but she wanted to get away from him, pushing against the floor she managed to sit up and sat up against the wall, the jolting of her moving made her head spin.
She felt too sick to push away the hand that caressed her bruised cheek, she gritted her teeth when he gripped her face his thumb pressing into her bruise as he pulled her face to look up at him.
"A compromise then" he took out a light blue hanky from a pocket and used it to dab the blood pooling out of the cut to her lip "I can't force you to stay nor would I want to, instead you give me one night and afterwards you can run along and have your happy ending with your merchant boy, what say you my dear?"
What he was asking of her made a fresh set of tears escape her eyes.
"Your better than this Francis...Iv'e Seen you grow into a capable, strong young man why lower yourself to this...what Your asking of me is impossible and I won't do it" she swallowed the lump that was in her throat, and gasped loudly when he grabbed her just under her jaw around her neck lifting her up and pushing her against the wall.
"A promise then!...if You don't spend the night with me I will Kill William, and you'll find yourself back in my service and this little display would have been all for nothing"
She gripped his wrists, nails digging into his skin to make a point that she wasn't as defenseless as he was making herself out to be, her tears had long stopped instead of being scared she was fuelled by anger and she would fight him if needs be.
Despite his hands gripping her throat she released a low chuckle.
"This isn't about loving me, marrying me, this is you being petty and jealous because I love a man you consider inferior to yourself, and it sickens you to know I willingly give myself to him"
She knew he had no answer, she had called him out on his true feelings about her leaving and this gave her confidence when his only reaction was to slam her once more into the wall.
"Your answer Catherine" he asked calmly, a crooked smile appearing at the shake of her head in answering no.
"GUARDS!" he shouted suddenly making her jump, he released the hold on her throat and watched in amusement as she balanced on shaky legs.
The door opened with a bang and two heavily armored men walked in hands on the hilts of their swords. Upon entering the two guards looked to and fro taking in the marks on both their faces it was best that they didn't ask questions.
He hadn't dropped her gaze and held it as he addressed his guards.
"I want you to take a small group into town, the merchant William Topthorne kill him, burn his horse and cart and bring me back his body" Catherine could feel her eyes welling up again, she had believed he was bluffing in his threat but she could tell from the sinister smile on his face how much he loved the idea of killing William and trapping her in this house until he grew bored of her.
He looked to his guards who looked confused over his request but would carry out the task regardless on opinions.
"Dismissed" he said nodding for them to leave
"WAIT!" Catherine quickly shouted as the guards were about to leave.
"Stop" Francis said to the two men smirking at her sudden outburst.
"I'll do it, if you give me your word William won't be harmed"
He nodded slowly in approval of her change of heart "You have my word...gentlemen Forget the merchant back to your posts" he said once again dismissing the men who closed the door behind them, Francis followed and locked the door.
The click of the lock seemed to echo throughout her body, the sound seemed to represent the silence of her heart breaking at what she was about to be subjected to in order to save her beloveds life.
Standing in a daze she didn't notice Francis back in front of her, throughout the whole experience he hadn't lost his smirk and it sickened her that she considered this man once a good person and someone she trusted.
"Don't frown Catherine, you are far to young and beautiful to be marring your face with wrinkles" he whispered to her as he closed the distance before placing his lips against hers. She didn't return the kiss but this didn't stop him encouraging her, he seemed to take the hint as his lips trailed across her face lingering on the cut he caused and beginning to trail down the column of her throat.
His hands joined in with his unwanted assault they gripped her waist hard and moved towards her chest lingering on her breasts until they reached the buttons on the front of her dress, he began undoing the small buttons with eager fingers. With each button undone more of her chest became exposed and his mouth trailed patterns over her skin.
"Your father would be disgusted to see what you've become" she spat out at him
He only chuckled against her skin "For all my father did right he made the mistake of pampering me" he spun her around and used his body to push her against the wall "I grew up with gifts thrown at me from every direction, right now you should be blaming him...if He hadn't been so overbearing and scared of losing me, I wouldn't of grown up expecting to get everything I asked for"
She closed her eyes as he spoke into her ear, his hot stale breath against her neck, his hand lifting her skirts as it slid higher up her thigh, but she promised herself no more tears, she would be strong, had to be strong, to save her beloved William she could do this.
As true as his word could be Catherine was allowed to walk away that night, she couldn't help but feel scared for William as she made her way to his wagon knowing he was likely asleep by now.
She wanted to hide the truth from him but she wasn't able to hide her bruised face and red eyes from him. Only when she found comfort wrapped in his arms did she allow herself to cry, she told him what Francis had ordered and that she did what she did to save him: William shed his own tears that night and told her he would of happily sacrificed himself to save her the pain, but she refused to listen to his heroic words, what was done was done she couldn't change it, instead she wanted as far from the town as possible, for them to begin a new life together.
She realized two months later that she was with child. She had broken down when she was told by the doctors, but William, her gentle William promised that it wouldn't change anything and that he would raise the child as his own.
They were married a week later a simple but beautiful spring wedding for just them and no one else, Catherine promised William that what Francis had done would not take away her happiness.
So I'm back, I've decided to rewrite this story so please be patient for an all new chapter in the story...for Those that have been following this story you will notice that I've completely rewritten chapter 1&2 and combined both of them...I've Written about 3000 new words today so enjoy...thanks For reading, reviewing and all that jazz!
