After rather a long hiatus I'm back! This is something a little different than my usual take on things, (AU, set in medieval times) but I'm hoping you'll like it anyway. (It also happens to be my nanowrimo project).
"Miss Brittany!" Emma yelled, chasing after the frolicking ten year old, as she bounced onto and over her four-poster bed, the untied ribbons of her dress fluttering behind her.
"Child, your father will return any minute!" the serving woman scolded, desperately trying to catch hold of the girl.
At the statement the girl's blue eyes grew wide, and she immediately ran to within the woman's reach, and turned obediently, bouncing on the spot as she was laced into her gown.
"You seem excited" Emma commented, moving towards the stone basin situated in the corner of the room, and proceeding to wash her hands, satisfied finally that the Lord's daughter looked somewhat presentable.
"Of course I'm excited!" Brittany enthused, twirling around on the spot, her head back, eyes closed, "I'm getting a new step-mother, step-brother and step-sister, all at once….Ever!" she exclaimed happily.
Laughing to herself, as her maid's eyes grew even wider and she scrubbed harder at her already pristine hands, Brittany's thoughts whirled with the events of that day.
The Manor had been buzzing with activity, as the servants hurried to prepare, and ensure everything was perfect for their beloved Master's return. Brittany and her farther Lord Harold James Pierce, had lived in Tubbington Manor, which had been passed down through their family for generations, all of Brittany's life.
Lord Pierce had loved his late wife dearly, and was crushed when she died in childbirth, but also thanked the gods every day for the blessing which she bestowed upon him before her untimely departure… their only daughter.
Brittany had no recollection of her Mother, and hence didn't really miss her. Her father had brought her up, and fulfilled everything she had ever wanted in a parent. Though she was utterly content with her life, playing and attending her classes, being adored by her father and their staff at Tubbington Manor, the little girl couldn't help be excited for her Father's return, and the arrival of his new bride and her new step-siblings.
Since her mother had passed, Brittany's father had utterly doted on the girl, indulging her in every way possible, lavishing her with affection and gifts. Though this would have made many a child greedy and entitled, Brittany was never anything but sweet and grateful, although the servants did find her boisterous ways and tom-boyish behaviour a bit of a handful, they loved her all the same.
Lord Pierce, although well respected among the upper classes, ran Tubbington Manor with a fair and lenient hand, over the years, their house staff had become more like family, and were always well cared for and appreciated.
Brittany worshipped her Father. His title meant that he was compelled to leave Tubbington Manor often to travel to Europe and other far away nations for business, meaning he was absent from her life for weeks and months at a time. Each day he was gone, the little blonde missed him sorely, and each day he returned, like today, she celebrated and her heart soared.
It was from one of these trips that her father had sent a letter home, telling her he had met and married a wonderful woman, a Marquis from a far away land, and she along with her son and daughter, would be coming to live with them, to join their family at Tubbington Manor.
An errant thought suddenly snapped the little girl back to reality, and she fixed a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear as she turned to Molly Figgins, another member of her father's house staff. "Do you think they'll like me…my new step-mother and step-siblings?" she asked, her voice suddenly small.
"Why of course Miss Brittany!" Molly assured her, smiling as she glanced out of the window and noticed her husband, Arnold, or Mr Figgins as he was known around the Manor, making last minute preparations in the grounds below, "Just be your usual charming self, and I'm sure they'll like you just fine."
Brittany squealed in excitement, and was about to head down from her room, to await her father's return, when a tapping on one of her windowpanes caused her to turn around. Hearing the sound again, she rushed over and threw open the shutter.
"Mike!" she yelled, seeing her friend, who lived on one of the smaller allotments close by, "I told you, I can't play today!" the blonde feigned outrage, but was secretly happy to see her oldest friend.
"You look like a girl!" Mike exclaimed back, a little shocked, by his usually rough and ready playmates pristine appearance.
"I am a girl!" Brittany insisted giggling.
"Yeah right" Mike replied, poking out his tongue and goading the little blonde, who huffed, "That is it!" she called playfully, hiking up her dress as she sprinted from the room, ignoring Emma's mortified cries behind her as she descended the spiral staircase at an alarming rate.
"You get back here Mike Chang!" she yelled out again, almost running into Cook as she skidded across the marble floor of the grand lobby, and out into the gardens to find and seek revenge on her friend.
The clatter of hoof-beats approaching Tubbington Manor down it's long shady driveway, made Brittany's head snap up. She was currently holding Mike down in a particularly large mud puddle in the far corner of one of Mr Figgin's gardens.
"Father!" She called, instantly elated, as she jumped off the grumbling boy, and pulling up her now very dirty dress skirts sprinted back towards the front of the house.
As she rounded the corner and came skidding to a halt, she spared a quick glance a the house staff, who were lined up along the front wall, whose expressions upon catching sight of her changed from those of smiling excitement to utter disbelief.
"Miss Brittany!" Molly chided under her breath. Brittany didn't even notice. Her eyes were now glued to the midnight black horse trotting easily towards them, and the man sat proudly atop it, his blue eyes sparkling in the late afternoon sun, as he urged it gently to a stop.
"Daddy!" Brittany cried, rushing forward, and into the man's arms before his feet had even touched the floor.
"Hello Princess" Lord Pierce greeted her fondly, taking in her muddied attire, "And what happened to you? I suppose your poor friend Master Mike Chang may be the culprit here?" he enquired with a chuckle.
"He got the worst of it Daddy!" Brittany assured him, looking up at the man she had so missed adoringly, as he held her in his arms.
"That's my girl" Lord Pierce confirmed with another chuckle, as he put the little blonde back on her feet, turning to give his staff a heartfelt greeting, before standing up to attention, his eyes looking back down the entryway.
Seeing this, Brittany followed his line of sight, and for the first time was reminded of the new guests she was about to meet. She caught her father's eyes, and grinned up excitedly at him, as a beautiful horse drawn carriage made it's way towards them.
Seeing her father's horse grow uneasy at the fast approaching carriage, Brittany instinctively grabbed his reins and began to run soothing fingers across his neck "Woah, boy, steady Coal" she cooed to him, before turning back to see the vehicle draw to a halt.
As the driver hopped down from his perch and opened the carriage door, Brittany held her breath, suddenly nervous to meet her new family.
First to step out, was a young boy, who looked to be a few tears older than Brittany. He surveyed Tubbington Manor with an air of superiority, before turning back, and extending a hand to help his sister down the coach steps.
The girl who stepped out next, looked to be the same age as Brittany, although she was much larger. She was well built, and tightly laced into a dress that looked far too small for her, Brittany was a little intimidated by the girls sheer mass, but smiled at her all the same, a smile which was not returned.
Finally, the driver extended his hand, and helped a middle-aged woman step out of the carriage. She wore the expensive gown of an upper-class woman, her dirty blonde hair was pristine, and she dripped diamonds and other semi-precious stones.
She, like her son, surveyed Tubbington Manor and it's staff, with an air of disinterest, her nose in the air, as she moved to stand before Brittany's father, "Harold" she greeted him, a tight-lipped smile pulling at her mouth.
"Terry" Lord Pierce greeted her back, smiling warmly. "I'd like to introduce you all to my daughter, Brittany Susan Pierce" he stated proudly, pushing Brittany forward a few paces by the shoulders, the little blonde complied, but her fingers stayed entwined in Coal's reigns for comfort.
"Hello" she said in her sweetest voice, feeling three pairs of unforgiving eyes roaming over her, taking in the mud smeared across her skirts, her dishevelled hair and dirtied cheeks.
"Hello Brittany" Terry's face barely moved as she said the words. "Pleased to meet you, your father speaks of nothing else."
Brittany smiled, although she couldn't help but think that her new mother didn't seem very pleased to meet her at all.
"And Brittany, this is Terry Elaine Honeybadger St James, Marquis of Lima, and her two lovely children, Jesse and Lauren."
"Say hello to Brittany" the Marquis barked out in drill-sergeant like fashion, and the two children quickly dipped their heads, Jesse in a low bow and Lauren in a curtsey, "Mademoiselle" they chorused in exact unison.
"Wow, fancy" Brittany muttered under her breath. She heard her father chuckle behind her, and hung her head, a little embarrassed that anyone had heard her remark.
Without another word, the Marquis and her children filed inside Tubbington Manor, calling back for the house staff to take care of unloading and unpacking their belongings.
With a swift kiss to Brittany's cheek, Lord Pierce set off to make sure they were settling in comfortably and finding all that they needed.
Brittany gave her father her biggest and best smile, trying to hide the concern creeping into her mind. Her new family weren't exactly what she was expecting, but maybe they were just tired. Smiling to herself, content that that was the only problem, she tugged gently on Coal's reigns, politely refusing when Mr Figgins offered to unbridle the horse for her.
As soon as she was out of sight of the Manor, Brittany jumped onto a wall and managed to scramble her tiny frame up to perch on the large animals back. Knowing the horse would be tired after such a long journey with her father, she sighed deeply, and instead of her usual gallop, urged him forward at a steady walk towards the stables.
That night Brittany lay tucked in her bed. Emma and Molly had just finished bathing and readying her for sleep, and she felt her eyes beginning to droop. Before she could nod off, a tapping on her door interrupted, and her father stepped in to say goodnight, as was their custom.
Harold perched on the end of his daughter's bed, as she looked up at him with brilliant blue eyes, which reminded him so of his previous wife. After sitting in a companionable silence for while, Lord Pierce finally spoke. "What do you think of them?" he questioned.
Brittany, instantly realising he was talking about the new members of their family was momentarily lost for words, but seeing the hope in her father's eyes, she decided to ignore the worrying feeling in her gut, "I like them very much"…it wasn't a complete lie, she just omitted the word 'don't'.
Her father simply nodded, sensing the hesitation, and hoping that in time things would come right. "I bought you a gift" he explained, standing and leaving the room, and a very excited Brittany, a few seconds later he re-entered, holding a large box, which he placed on the bed before the little blonde.
Unable to wait any longer, Brittany tore it open, and squealed in delight at what she found inside. A small tabby kitten looked up, surveying his new owner with wary brown eyes. The little girl immediately pulled him out of the box, and cradled him to her chest. "Oh Daddy, he's perfect, thank you so much!"
She used her free arm to pull her father in for a tight hug and he chuckled into her hair. "What will you name him?" he asked.
After some consideration, the blonde spoke up, "I want to name him after you" she admitted, blushing slightly.
"Harold?" Her father questioned, intrigued.
"No the Lord part" the blonde admitted, "And seems he's going to be living here with us, he could be the Lord of Tubbington Manor…So Lord Tubbington?" she offered nervously.
"Sounds perfect Princess" Lord Pierce confirmed, smiling, entranced as always by his daughter's unique way of thinking. "I also brought you this" he continued, handing her a small black book, "So that if anything should go wrong with err…Lord Tubbington" he finally managed, trying the name out, "You'll have some help."
"Thank you Daddy!" Brittany replied, her blue eyes wide as she took the small book in her free hand, running her fingers over the embossed golden lettering that read 'Feline Diseases'.
"You're welcome" Harold smiled, before his expression grew sad. "I must leave again for business tomorrow" he informed his small daughter sadly.
"But you just got back" Brittany cried, suddenly uninterested in the book, her face full of sadness.
"But you know that I must Brittany, it wont be for long this time" he assured her, his heart breaking a little as a fat tear rolled down her cheek, and plopped onto the purring kitten's little head.
"How long?" she questioned, her bottom lip jutted out in an adorable pout.
"Three months" he replied.
"Two" she countered quickly.
"Three" he insisted.
"One" she shot back.
"Two?" he offered. At a small shake of the blonde girls head, he sighed and pulled out his fist, laughing as Brittany's face lit up as she did the same.
After a quick game of rock paper scissors, which Brittany won, it was settled, the Lord would return within a month, and in that time Brittany was to help her new family get accustomed to life at Tubbington Manor, and take care of her new pet.
After she bade her father goodnight, Brittany snuggled lower into her sheets, Lord Tubbington cuddled close to her chest. Her mind raced through the events of the day as she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
The following afternoon, the residents of Tubbington Manor, including Brittany, Lord Tubbington and her new family, were once again lined up in the entry way, all eager to bid Lord Pierce farewell, as he set out again for business.
Lord Pierce said goodbye to them each in turn. First the staff, then his new wife whom he kissed softly on the cheek, then Jesse whom he clapped on the back, and Lauren whose hair he ruffled.
Lastly he bent down before Brittany and Lord Tubbington. "I'll be home before you know it Princess" he promised, scratching the little cat behind the ears, and kissing the crying girls forehead. "I'm counting on you to show Jesse, Lauren and the Marquis the ropes around here."
Brittany just nodded.
"I'm afraid they're somewhat unaccustomed to getting their hands dirty" he added in a whisper with a knowing smirk, which Brittany couldn't help but return through her tears.
"I love you Daddy" she called, as he climbed up onto Coal's strong back.
"I love you Princess" her father called back.
As Harold took the reins from Mr Figgins, he winced at a shooting pain and tingling up his left arm. Putting it down to pre-negotiation nerves however he urged Coal forward into a steady canter, eager to be on his way, have his business complete and return home to his family.
As she watched her father and Coal canter away, Brittany felt her tears brim over once again, though she didn't care. Noticing the Marquis, Lauren and Jesse heading for the door, she quickly called out to them, "Wait! He always waves at the gate, it's tradition!" she informed them, gesturing to her father, who was now almost halfway down Tubbington Manor's long drive way.
Terry simply looked at the little blonde, her face wrinkled in disgust, before proceeding to lead her children inside. Emma, Molly and the other house staff shared worried looks but said nothing, all eager to wave their Master off.
What happened next, would haunt Brittany for most of her adult life.
From where they stood, the staff and the small girl, noticed the Lord seem to pitch forward on his great black horse. Presuming that Coal had merely tripped, or lost his footing, momentarily unseating her father, Brittany thought nothing of it, wiping her tears holding Lord Tubbington close, and preparing to put on her best smile to send her father off, hoping that it would bring him back to her even a minute sooner.
However, before Lord Pierce reached the gate, he pitched forward again, and this time fell to the floor, a cloud of dust forming where he landed with a thud. Coal, aware of the sudden disappearance of the weight of his rider, stopped a few strides later and pawed anxiously at the ground.
"Daddy!" Brittany shrieked, her voice full of fear, as she took off sprinting toward the immobile mass in the dirt, handing Lord Tubbington to a very surprised Emma.
Her cry alerted the Marquis, who came rushing out of the house, and seeing her husband lying on the ground ran towards them, followed by the staff.
"Daddy?" Brittany questioned, kneeling down by her father's side as Terry joined them.
"Oh Harold!" she cried.
Lord pierce groaned, and clutched his chest, his eyes searching, landing on the Marquis' face, "Harold?" she questioned in a whisper.
Without replying Lord Pierce scanned the area again, and forced a small smile when he locked eyes with his daughter. "I love you Brittany…I love you…" he managed, before he breathed his last breath.
The Marquis watched the exchange with jealous eyes, before her tears completely overcame her, and she allowed herself to be pulled away by the staff and comforted.
Brittany shook her father, screaming, "Daddy, wake up, Daddy!" before her screams turned to cries and sobs wracked her small body so hard that she felt sick.
Next chapter picks up 10 years later. I know we're all anxious for Brittana…all good things come to those who wait… and review. More reviews = faster updates. Sorry to be mean, but writing a 50,000 word novel in 30days, and keeping up with Med School, I need all the encouragement I can get :)