It was only the wee moments of the morning when the young maiden silver eyes opened. The eyes that were claimed to caught the soul of anyone who gazed into them, or at least that was the tale her mother would tell to those that cared for her stories. The maiden however wasn't as willingly to listen to her mother's tales. In fact, Alice Mason D'Cinu the third didn't care for stories, or much of anything for that matter. After learning of her engagement to Douglas Raver Le'Nordat the ninth, she had lost all interest in her daily habits. She no longer busied herself with her painting, or her singings. Not even the piano could bring about her happiness. Only 19 years old, Alice had no wish to be married to a man nearly three times her age! Not to say Douglas was not attractive, for he was; he was not the man she wanted to be with. She was well aware that women in this age could not make their own decision and need a well-off man to succeed in life. Although the idea of her hand being taken by a man never mattered much to Alice, but now with her engagement looming closer, the idea terrified her.

The only thing Alice had to look forward was the arrival of her 10 year old cousin, Anna, who would be arriving the fortnight.

"Ms, Alice," Eisabella, her personal maid, hurried into her room, huffing when she saw Alice still lying on her bed, "Ms. Alice! You mustn't keep your mother and father waiting!"

Alice remained lying, unaware of Eisabella banter; her senses were focused on the raging waters outside of her room. Before, her love for the sea was endless. Now it only brought her dread; a remainder that her marriage would take place on that very sea.

"Ms. ALICE!" Eisabella cried, shaking the unmoving child, "Are you alright? Ms. ALICE?"

"Eisabella..." Alice muttered, pushing the woman's hands off her, "Let's go."

Upset that her focus had been destroyed, Alice rolled away from Eisabella, and climb out of bed, "Heaven, you make it seem as though I'm a sleeping beauty,"

"You should be," Eisabella smiled warmly, beginning to brush Alice' hair, "As your knight shall soon arrival to kiss you and take away you to your castle,"

Lowering her silver eyes to the ground, Alice release the breath she was holding. How she wished everyone would stop mentioning that man! If it were possible, she would cut off her ears just to stop the sound of his name from entering them! Her married was only 2 days away! For heaven sakes, could anyone stop mention him and let her enjoying her remaining days without the constant remaining of her husband to-be?

After her pale blonde hair was combed to a near perfection, Eisabella hurried off to retrieve the elegant white and blue dress her father had purchased the month before. That accursed dress! The only reason she was being made to wear that horrible dress was because it was made to destroy her waist into that of a broom stick and liberate her chest only to make it into a monster act of cleavage. Her village already knew of the married, she didn't need travelers to see her, so out of character, walking around like a well-paid whore. Of course, Alice has never met a whore, but after hearing the rumors and words exchanged in the maids' room about so-and-so stay with so-and-so for his wealth or something of sort, she was able to gather an understanding.

Waiting patiently for Eisabella to return, Alice once again began to loose herself in the lustiest roar of the sea. What had she done to receive such torture?

"ALICE!" Mother called, charging into her room without even so much as a warning, "Child? What is taken so long? Why aren't you dress? The wedding ship is preparing to leave!"

Staring at her mother, Alice tried to understand the phrase her mother has just sprayed. Wedding Ship. Leave. Dress...Why was the wedding ship leaving?

"Mother? I do not understand? Was not Ana suppose to accompany on the fortnight? The ship is two days early?"

"Well, maybe if you'd stop and pay attention to the world around you and your responsibilities you would of realized that today is the date that the ship is departing! Get Dressed! Lord Douglas will not enjoy that his new-wife is a laze-about!"

It couldn't be today...it couldn't! Ana had not arrived! Her father had promised her, not to mention the letters Ana had written to her, to be her before the wedding! "Where is Ana?" Alice asked calmly, unaware of a small vein appearing on her mother's temple,

"Get Dress, daughter! It is your wedding day and you are not at all prepared for this! Where is that maid? EISABELLA! EISABELLA! Get my daughter dressed this instant!"

Eisabella hurried in, the package tightly in her arms and she bowed and apology, "Sorry madam, Right away Madam,"

"She had better be ready with the next moments understood! Or I'll have your head,"

Rolling her eyes, Alice stepped off her bed, and began discarding her night-grown as her mother left in a huff. "You mustn't upset your mother. She is on her last wit!" Eisabella warned her hand on her neck,

"She always on her wits ends," Alice muttered, shifting uncomfortable as her corset was placed around her waist.

Although she never saw herself as chubby, Alice' mother often insisted on her being unattractive, especially in the hips and waist but mainly the bosom...how she hated that woman.

No she didn't, but he mother made her hate herself. Nothing she ever did was ever enough for her mother. Not her paintings, nor her piano lessons…not even her singing. Some days it felt as though she was only dead weight for her mother. Maybe that's why she wanted Alice to be married off so soon...she was only 14 for goodness sake!

Grunting in discomforted, Alice struggled to inhale as Eisabella once again pulled at the string of the corset. "Where...where's Ana?" Alice asked, hiccupping as the breath was taken from her,

"Ana's ship has been delayed from a storm. Your father has arranged it so that Ana will meet you afterwards,"

"So I'm to be married without my cousin by my side?" Alice asked, in a shock, "Is she alright? Is she hurt? How long was the storm?"

"Ms. Alice, Ana is safe with the best sailors in all of England," Eisabella assured her, making Alice frowned,

"I will not go if Ana isn't there? I cannot be married without see Ana as I am before!"

"Ms. Alice, you cannot do that...Lord Douglas will have the last say. So maybe if you dress yourself to glow, maybe Lord Douglas will allow the wedding to be delayed,"

"Why would you want to delay the wedding?" Alice mother snapped, frowning when she saw Alice only half dress, "Eisabella are you taking this seriously? She is not ready? Why do I even bother!" she complained, as Alice father came in

"Dear, calm down," he sighed tiredly, before looking up at his daughter smiling proudly, "Alice, you look like an angel,"

Smiling at the compliment, Alice bowed elegantly.

"Thank you, father," Alice beamed, before remembering Ana, "Is Ana alright?"

"Yes," he sighed, "We received notice yesterday. I wanted to speak to you about it yesterday, but you locked yourself in your room, so I supposed you wanted some time alone. But yes, everything has been pushed up so that Ana can arrive in time. I made the arrangements" he muttered, before looking hopefully at Alice, "hoping that they would please you,"

Smiling at his honesty, Alice bowed again, "I am gratefully for your thoughts. And I am more than happy to board my wedding ship knowing that Ana will be at my side when I do walk down the aisle,"

"I'm grateful," he smiled, as Eisabella finished Alice' dress, "You look so beautiful Alice,"

"Thank you," Alice smiled as her mother rolled her eyes,

"I do beg your pardon but the carriage is awaiting us! We should not keep the Lords and Ladies waiting,"

"Yes dear," Father strained, following his wife as she leave, before looking over his shoulder, "I'm leaving her in your care Eisabella, please take care of her,"

"Yes, your lordship," Eisabella bowed, blushing for the acknowledgement,

Unaware of the exchange between her father and maid, Alice mind wander to her cousin. The last time that had met was 2 years ago, where Ana had just developed longing for a young man (well, not really young as he was about 18 while she was 10) who delivered mail to her parents. This loved seemed to continued for the duration of 2 years until Ana contact her telling her that he was to wed another.

Throughout her childhood, Alice remember watching over Ana as if she was her sister. Because she was the only daughter of Lord and Lady D'Cinu, she was often away from others so when she first met Ana (who went through the exact opposite of her -- having only 12 other siblings), the two seemed to click right away. They were in separate from a early age; always found together, playing or hiding. Their favorite hobby was to paint one another.

Alice laughed at the memories. Ana could not draw as well as she hoped for, especially compared to Alice' drawings, and often complained but it was oh so refreshing when they are together. Oh, how she loved reading the continuous letters from her cousin. Ana experiences never seemed to falter, as the young girl seemed to be everywhere something exciting occurred. So unlike Alice' dull boring life. Ana was always traveling with her family to view new sights, mainly to expanded her fathers fortune, but it was more about the lengths Ana was able to go because of her father's free will...Alice wouldn't admit it but she was terrible envious of her favorite sun spot.

"Alice!" Eisabella cried, coming back into the room, "How can you space out at a time like this! The carriage is waiting!"

Why was everyone yelling at her today? Was it her fault everything was a jumble mess...yes probably because she demanded for Ana to be on her wedding day…

"I am coming," Alice shouted, not be too rude, but to increase her haste.

Picking up the dress, Alice quickly made her way out of her room and down the circular stairs with Eisabella hot on her trails. "Alice," Mother groaned, shaking her head and she made her way out of the house, "You must breathe properly or your chest...if you want to call it that will explode,"

"Yes mother," Alice sighed, taking deep breathes, trying to reduce the redness of her chest. Was it her fault father brought such a small dress?

Truly what women would want to where something so small and tight was beyond her.