Gears turned and metal was scraping against one another as the loom girl was rushing between the three looms she had to attend to. It was a complete hell hole, the entire room was filled with dust and lint from the wool being weaved into cloth. (Name) coughed violently, why was such a young girl working in a building full of machines that could easily crush her in two? Why was she in an environment that was polluted? She had to, for her family. Her mother was religious, a pack of wolves attacked their cabin, luckily they survived in the attic. Her mother thought it was the devils upon the earth. So she left with her three younger siblings, her brother and what she'd like to call, the babies, not really, they were her younger sisters who were Alice and Angelina, their ages eight and six.
(Name) quickly gathered her skirts rushing to grab another full shuttle to replace the empty one. She felt eyes on her as she turned off the machine to change the bobbin having to tie one end of the string to another with a weaver's knot. She turned to find no one there, (Name) shrugged, not really caring, the other factory girls were at home, but she agreed to have a yearly work period, no vacations.
"(Name)!" Startled, the said girl turned with a large roll of cloth now in her hands to hand off to the cloth inspectors to find Alfred, who was a good three inches taller then her with dirty blonde hair, added with a cowlick that would never stay down. A pair of glasses shielded over his ocean blue eyes. "You have to stop over working yourself!" He ushered helping her with the overweight roll of cloth. (Name) shook her head.
"You need something with me, what is it?" She asked, wiping her hands on her once creamy white now smudged with dirt apron. Alfred just grabbed her hand winding her past roaring machines and weaving looms a few girls frowned in distaste, some jealous. He led her past the counting rooms to the office. A tall European man with brown hair a curl turned towards them. Violet eyes narrowing at Alfred, but slightly softening at the female.
"I brought her like you said Roderich!" He yelled she had to admit, she always dreamed to explore Europe but what was Alfred going to do? "(Name)? This is Roderich Edelstein, Roderich this is (Name)," Roderich nodded as did she, clutching her dirty apron.
"Vonderful Alfred," Roderich nodded hastily. (Name) noticed how his W was converted into a V, from his German accent probably. (Name) fiddled with the end of her apron, why was she here? Was Alfred firing him and this man in front of them was Alfred's boss? She started to shake nervously as the man's violet eyes peered over at her through his glasses.
"I von't hurt you," he assured her as he signed his name on the parch- wait, parchment? What was he writing his name for? She tried to read it but he signed his name too soon, whisking the papers to Alfred who smiled slightly but it seemed sad, why? Alfred's cheerful eyes gazed over in a blank stare. The Austrian man nodded. "I'll be back two weeks from now," he stated, he brushed any lint or bits of cotton off his velvet looking coat in a rich purple. "Good day," He stated, leaving the building down the spiraling stairs with his tricolor hat. Alfred quickly recovered from his phase smiling down at her, she looked back up at him.
"Mr-."
"Alfred," he stated. She blinked, slightly taken back, but if that pleased him so then.
"Alfred," she repeated. "What were those papers for?" His loose hands quickly tightened to a fist as he turned forcing a smile, which she knew was fake.
"You're going away." She shook her head. "W-"
"You're my best girl," he continued, his hands dropping the crumpled sheets of paper onto the floor. She flinched, the way he said it she sounded like a piece of property.
"To Austria, in Europe, on the other side of the world, away from me." He grabbed her shoulders as fast as a snake would strike their prey. "Don't you forget me," He stated leaning his lips close to her ear, having his breath fan over her ear. "Don't forget me." His hands slid down her shoulders ending at her hands, bringing them up to his face, kissing them both, then both her cheeks. "Don't forget the hero."
"Don't forgot the hero," she repeated, in her best bonnet and cloak, holding a medium sized leather suitcase at her side her family was informed that she was leaving, Roderich was at least well mannered to at least let her say good bye. Her gloved hands folded neatly in her lap she stared at the mahogany velvet floor the ride was bumpy as the stage coach swayed back and forth violently from the potholes and ditches in the road.
Sitting next to the man himself in a dark blue coat, with golden buttons on his chest formatted in a two by four like way, at his neck a white scarf with something that looked like a handkerchief, the outline of the sleeves and embroidery of the coat were stitched with a gold like thread, making him look like a captain of an army. With his navy blue britches accompanied with white stocked and black shoes, well polished. With narrow glances he's peek at her once or twice as she blushed lightly, since she barely knew this man and how he would act around her. The woman across from her was probably his wife she assumed, her rich green skirts would fit her smoothly, instead of (Name)'s dress, gray and made from the farm. Her eyes were a brighter shade of green that matched her clothing, with flowing wavy brown hair with a pink flower acting as if it were a barrette. She would smile once or twice at her, but (Name) would ignore them or slowly smile back kindly which pained her face. Elizabeta, was the woman's name, only a small take between her and the other female and Roderich would silently watch them both. The stage coach halted to a stop as she stood from her seat opening the curtained windows to speak with the driver.
"Why'd you stop?" She hollered up at the man who was trying to get himself comfortable on the wooden seat.
"We've m'de it t' the destination ma'am bes' the lass can git out now eh?" He stated, pointed at a wooden shack with two little girls playing in the front yard full of tulips, poppies and carnations. Elizabeta nodded sliding back in as she motioned to the mill girl that she could say goodbye. With legs asleep from the long ride she stumbled on the steps, but made it with no trouble. The girls squealed in delight as they rushed over bombarding her with hugs.
"You made it!" They smiled in delight as their teeth reflected the light into her eyes. (Name) ruffled her siblings hair, kneeling down to there height and hugging them back.
"I've come to say goodbye."
"Why? You just got here?" Her younger brother David appeared with a bundle of ripe apples, handing one for her to eat. She smiled a sad soft smile, gently taking the apple in her hands.
"Quickly now!" Elizabeta cried, reminding the girl that they had to leave soon. She bent down grabbing them all in a large bear hug. "Aw! (Name)! I'm a man now!" David whined as she placed a small kiss on his soot colored cheek. She smiled as she leaned forward handing him a large chocolate bar. "Split that up evenly for the little ones and you alright?" She turned on her heel and gave a teary goodbye as she stepped up onto the coach. She looked out the window as they waved and she waved back, with a crack of a whip they were off. She thought the little girl in her would show from shedding tears, but only a tight knot where her heart was stopped the water works from leaking.
Goodbye America, David, Alice and Angelina, and...of course you Alfred. Her shoulders shook as she coughed violently into her gloved hand, shaking her body a bit. Roderich scoffed, acting as if she had the Black Plague, but Elizabeta patted her back as support, letting her borrow her handkerchief.
A copper metallic taste squirted from the mill girls lips as it splattered all over the creamy cloth, she stared in horror as she quickly placed it over her mouth again. She could feel some of it drip down her chin as she looked at the Hungarian woman with apology, who was just patting her back comfortably. The German man looked slightly worried through the corner of his eye but only sat there until they got to the shore of New Hampshire. I guess I'm officially leaving America, and if this damn cough keeps going then, then the world then.
The ride again was harsh and bumpy, and stopped around six in the morning, she wished it wasn't spring, since the sun came out around five in the morning which always woke her up early.
The other two haven't woken up yet or so she thought.
She turned to the window, slightly opening the screen to let in the salty sea breeze in. (Name) sighed deeply, she wondered if Austria was close to the sea or had lakes or ponds or-.
"Shut the window!" She quickly shut it, having the bloody cloth Elizabeta handed to her flutter to the floor. Roderich was awake staring at her with a peeved expression. She then noticed the cloth and tried to snatch it, but it was too late.
The man held the cloth between his fingers, keeping a calm face although in the inside he was grimacing. "What is this (Name)?" Said girl twiddled with her fingers but coughed. A small speckle of blood blotted on her chin as she tried to pull out her own handkerchief, but was stopped by him.
"What. Is. This?" He asked again, his violet eyes looking into her (color) ones to intimidate her so he could get an answer. She didn't like to lie, but she couldn't say the mill was the place that made her cough so much, but she did overwork a lot.
"I over worked myself at the mill, sir," her answer was small and weak, almost silent, but his ears caught her lie, his fiance was still sleeping soundly with her head down; bobbing with the stagecoaches movements and hands folded in her lap. The man sighed in annoyance, but didn't question her anymore.
The ship rocked back and forth making her sick and dizzy. The gray blue waves crashing against the boat, clutching the railing trying not to fall over her hands carefully lead her to the shack where Elizabeta was reading a book and Roderich was writing dots on paper, producing music but every time the boat sway violently a large stain from the feather would stretch across the entire page having him crumple it into the compressed sphere and toss it at the sliding waste bucket full of parchment littered with splotched ink. It made no sense, that the waves were violent but the waves were violent and the wind was practically blowing them off course. But they'd make it soon, in about...oh a month.
"(Name)!" Her head snapped to the Hungarian woman who was beaming at her from her sitting position. "Are you enjoying the boat ride?" Said girl shrugged chewing on a ginger root, the stringy hot root having her stomach stifling it to flop around anymore. Then she started to cough again, eyes watering with every sound. Elizabeta rushed to a cupboard, filled with bottles of small round spheres and clear or colored liquids, reading each one then pulling out the ones she needed and a cup.
A vile liquid was shoved under her nose having her gag, but gratefully held it. Through her tears the other female offered her to drink with her hands as if saying "Go on".
"The best medicine is always bitter." She chirped, tipping the glass as it poured down her throat. The girl sputtered at the highly bitter taste. "That's disgusting!" She coughed lightly, although she felt drowsy and light headed. She was about to ask what that horrible stuff before she explained. "Cough Medicine, you'll take my bed until you're not drowsy." (Name) was about to protest but fell forward, face hitting the pillow that cooled her warm forehead. With that everything became a blur, and sounds around the room were slurred, this continued until her eyes finally shut to sleep.