Welcome to the story! I hope you enjoy it :)
Just a little disclaimer to start with; this is a story that I have been meaning to write for a while and though I will always do my best to update as soon as possible, sometimes it will be difficult to do so what with busy life and commitments getting in the way.
Some readers prefer to have regular updates but this cannot always be done, so please be patient with me.
But rest assured that I won't abandon this story and am always trying my best to continue this story as swiftly as I can.
Anyway, with all the paperwork done, on with chapter one...
The sun had not yet risen to warm the morning dew off the grass or the amber of the Autumn leaves, but Marienne was already fully awake. It may well have been the loud chirping of the birds outside her window that caused her to stir early, but she was no fool to the real reason. "Dream demons," her Mum had so often referred to it as when Marienne was a child.
Now at the ripe age of 16, she was grateful to have not suffered with nightmares and sleepless nights for a while but for some reason last night had proved the perfect condition for it to arise.
She lay on her back, her tired dark eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, the usual blue hue of its paint turned to a dull grey by the weakness of the early morning sun which had not yet been caught by her window.
6:23 revealed the alarm clock on her bedside table. In about an hour she would hear the routine sounds of her parents emerging from their room across the hall to start their day.
It was a Sunday. But for as long as Marienne could remember, a Sunday had never brought her the relief of a lie in or the quietness of a slow morning. She lived in a household of strong Catholics so a morning of praise and sermons at Notre Dame Cathedral were routine.
Her parents were in no means bad parents. They were strict, indeed, and at times difficult to talk to, but Marienne knew she was loved. She loved her parents dearly and was grateful for their guidance through her years. Yet, though she had not the bravery to admit this to them, she never felt the pull of their strong Catholic faith. This always created a barrier, she felt. One which Marienne had no control over. She preferred to search in her own time and in her own way.
She did however always look forward to visiting the Cathedral every time; its piercing splendour never failed to leave her in absolute awe every time she approached its doors. She was forever grateful to live so near to the church that the sounds of bells, so gorgeous and mighty in their musical tongues, never failed to reach her. On those few occasions when she had to stay home from church to rest an aching stomach or an irritated throat, she would catch herself being swept up by those their resonating chimes as they called the waking city of Paris to worship.
Her everyday seemed to be surrounded by those bells. For celebrations and feasts they'd ring, for Christmas, Easter, for confirmations and baptisms, and for every Sunday worship. She couldn't imagine life without their song.
The sun was shining brighter through her window, its strength telling the girl it was now time to get up. She was not reluctant, it is always easy to get up from a night of restlessness.