Forever and never

"Hi my name is Aurora King and I am telling you the story of my happily ever after. I was abandoned at the age 5 by my mother. Now that I look back I have no memories of my former life nor do I care to. My adopted mothers name is Demy King she was only sixteen when she found me living in a barn on the offsets of town. That barn she had found me I had called my home for a few months it was a quiet place where I knew no one would be able to find me and I had easy access to food and other things that I needed. I regret taking my mother's youth away but as young as I was I would not have lived long on my own."

"At the age of nine my mother married a nice fellow from town. His name was Edward Morningside. Edward treated me as if I was his little princess. He got me everything that I could dream of and more. It was a tragic day for him. The day that mother died giving birth to my younger brother Julian. Father was extremely saddened by mother's death, so much so that he could not stand to look at my brother Julian. Once Julian was of age father sent him to an all boy's military school in Liverpool. I begged father to let him stay and that I would take care of him and he would never have to see his face. But all that father did was look at me and tell me that he did not want to send his only child away over this foolishness but he would if I did not stop the nonsense. I persisted for what seemed like months but father would not cave no matter what I did to try and per sway him."

"From the day Julian was sent away I knew that father had planned for me to forget him and never see my brothers face ever again. But I was determined to save him from that dreadful school when I could. I had promised Julian the night before he left that I would get him out of that wrenched school when I could and he made me promise on my death bed that he would never have to face father again."

"Father had never beaten Julian in front of me but I knew he had, Julian bared bruises up and down his body there was no hiding the fact that it was not an accident and that he had fallen by mistake now that I think about it. I had always wondered what the black and blue spots were on Julian's body. I would sometimes be walking down the hall and hear Julian crying in his room. Julian never did tell me that father beat him but I knew deep down inside if he had the courage to tell me he would have. "

May 24, 1744

Today I had a ton of things planed. A horse ride to stretch out sunset, but that did not happen father had other plans. Father had awoken me early so that we could go to town and pick up another Knight that was going to stay with us whale he was posted in Moranmoor. Father said that I needed to learn how to be a proper lady for Knight Henry. What is a Proper lady? A young woman who sits on her fanny all day and reads or draws? I am not that type of woman at all I love to walk and ride my horse mother had gotten me so many years ago. I loved to help around the house when it came to cleaning the horse stalls and barn.

I knew that the only reason that all the knight's that were coming to stay at our estate was because I was of age to be married off. I had turned 17 years old on April 3. 12 years from the day that mother had found me.

It seemed like town would not come fast enough. Town is an hour's ride by carriage, such a boring ride there was nothing to do in the carriage other than talk to father who is a bore. I would rather had stayed home and read the books I needed to finish for my schooling. We arrived at town in record time thanks to the new driver that my father had hired a fort night ago.

Father and I waited at the tavern for Knight Henry. What a boring place it was, full of drunks and tavern whore's. Dirty also not a place I like to be, all the men always gawked at me when I was there like I was a possession being sold off at market.

Father talked to the men he knew at the tavern as I sat in a dark dusty corner. Every once in a while one of the tavern whores would complement me on my new dress that father had gotten me for my birthday, he only allows me to ware it on special occasions. I don't see how this is a special occasion but father thought it best if I were to ware this dress.

I was sitting quietly watching the people in the crowed tavern till I heard a cry for help. At that moment I looked out the window next to me and saw that a little girl in the street was knocked over by a Knight on a horse. I gathered my items I had with me and ran out into the street to help the little girl up. With a swift fluid motion a handsome man, Tall with beautiful long shaggy hair, on a white horse jumped down to help her up before I could reach her. When I reached the little girl the man was bent down on one knee talking to her to see if she was alright. I quietly walked over and bent down onto my knees next to the man, listening to what he said to the little girl.

"Are you alright?" I asked the little girl between sobs
"Yes my lady" she looked in to my eyes and must have realized that I was not there to hurt her and hugged me. The man next to us stood up and started to walk away towards his horse. That was when my father ran over to where I was and pulled me up off my knees by my elbow. Father yanked at me so that I faced him. I screamed in shock.

"What the hell do you think that you are doing? That is a new dress that you rewind. Father yelled at me.

"Sir" the man who had started to walk away, returned to stand next to my father. "In her defense she was just trying to help the little girl" Father turned to face the man. "Who asked you to come to her defense?" the man gazed into my eyes and then turned around and with one swift movement of his hand another man in armor came to his side. The man turned to me "Do you believe that you are in any danger staying with this man?"

I said to him with as much Venom in my tone as I could muster "This man has never laid a hand on me till this day and I do not believe that he would harm me now after twelve years"

The man came closer to me so that we were nose to nose. He looked in to my eyes with nothing but what I thought was concern for my safety. "My lady you are already bruising and I do not believe that this is the first time that he has laid a hand on you.

I turned to face my father whose face had turned purple because of how close the man was to my face. I turned back to the man "What can I Call my grate savoir?" He bent closer to me so that we were nose to nose once again. "You can call me Prince Jasper, My Lady". I turned red when he said prince and I whispered to him "What if I were to say I need your protection from that man" I pointed to my father "What would you do then. Would you be my grate protector and send him to prison and let me live in poverty?" The man started to laugh. "No my lady I would simply try and help you" The man turned and walked away but before he got up on to his white horse he turned to look for the little girl who had ran away when father and I had our first argument.

The man mounted his horse and rode over to where I was standing "My lady if you find that little girl let my guard who is going to stand watch in the tavern over there know we are going to take her to the castle and if you need anything let him know and he is to help in any way possible." With that said the Prince rode away.

I turned and walked away and back to the carriage. Father fallowed "Aurora you are to go home immediately and change for Knight Henry" at that moment a voice from behind me said "Edward" Father's face letup with excitement for seeing his friend. 'Henry" Father yelled running to his friend's side. The man got down from his Black horse which was about 20 or more hands high. Father hugged Knight Henry. "How have you been Edward?". "Good, good" father pointed to me. "This is my daughter Aurora".

Sir Henry was not a very tall man nor was he short, he looked friendly enough but not the type of person that I would stop to talk to on the side of the road, and he is a bit intimidating. Sir Henry walked over to me and gave me a big hug. "My dear you look the age of my son Ryan" Oh was all that I could say. Henry turned around and whistled and as soon as he did a boy dressed like royalty came to stand beside him. "This is my son Ryan, Ryan this is Aurora" Ryan bowed and I curtseyed. I offered him my hand but he did not take it. Father walked over and told Henry that I was on my way back to our estate. "Ryan can take her back if you would like to stay in town a bit longer Edward" father turned to me. "Is that alright Aurora" I shook my head yes. Father took my hand and led me over to where Ryan was sitting on his horse I cat believe that father made me ride with him instead of letting me take the carriage.

Once home I walked into the house and gave our home nurse the instructions to show Ryan to his rooms. Once they were well down the corridor I walked up the stairs to my room where there was a letter sitting on my bed. I opened the letter and it was from the military school where my brother was staying. The letter said that my brother had the fever and would most likely die within a fort night. I ran to the corner of my room and got my travel bag I changed my clothes to my comfortable riding clothes and packed. I packed a nice dress, my night clothes and a sensible pair of shoes.

I walked into the hallway and started down the stairs towards the barn when father returned to the house, I walked faster to sunset's stall but I was caught. But before I was caught I hid my bag I would try to sneak away when father was asleep;. The nurse pulled me to the side. "What do you think you are doing Rory?" (A nick name my mother gave to me when I was little). I stared at the nurse for what seemed like forever. I tried to gather strength to tell the nurse that I was leaving to collect my brother for that dreadful school but I could not do it. "Was just coming to say good night to sunset" the nurse gave me a strange look over and walked away. I walked back to my room.

Once there I started to gather my books to take back to the library and read when there was a knock on the door. I opened the door and father was there. "Aurora I Have Been called away on business with Knight Henry. We are to leave first thing in the morning". Father paused. I looked up at his face and saw the he had been crying. "Father what is wrong?". Father turned "nothing "ou need to get some rest so that you can see me off in the morning and you have to show Ryan around town. Good night Aurora" Father walked out of the room.

I had been up most of the night wondering what was so upsetting to make father cry. When I had just fallen asleep there was a light knock on the door. "Miss Aurora are you up". "No" I answered. The nurse came in. "Miss if you are to see your father off this morning you better get dressed" I did as the nurse said and dressed in to my best dress for father.

I was walking down the hallway alone when I heard some footsteps behind me. "Aurora" Ryan's voice came from behind me. I turned to see his smiling face. To me for some reason he looked filmier, I just could not figure out where I had seen him before but I knew that I should know.

"You look wonderful this morning Rory". I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned and looked in his face "who told you that you can call me Rory". He gave me a puzzled look. "Your father told me that is what you name is".

"Well you my name is Aurora"

"I am very sorry Aurora". As soon as he said that he turned and walked away as fast as his legs could carry him.