My first story -ever-. Be kind and review please!

Thanks to Naisa and apiratesmile for reviewing!
And even more hearts and cookies etc for Apiratesmile for betareading/editing my story :)!

A Highly Unlikely Story

1

Marisa Fielding had no regrets. She was never in doubt. And she certainly never caught herself second guessing. Whatever she did was the right thing to do. Innocent people getting hurt were just casualties for a better cause. Her monkey dæmon would always follow her wherever her decisions would lead her. No one cares what happens to a daughter of servants. The decisions she made now would push her toward a life of power and stature. One day people would see her and gape in awe as she blessed them with her presence.

Her family wasn't rich. They were not prominent members of society—most people looked down on them. She would have to marry a rich and powerful man if she wanted to gain the respect of society. Her parents made it clear that they wouldn't take care of her the rest of her life. They would remind her and prod her about marriage, constantly flaunting the success of her cousin, Ana's marriage. As if marrying a halfwit lawyer was anything to brag about.

When Marisa had reached the age to marry, she was sent to every party and dinner that was given by the families of high society. The parties were lavish and decadent, flourishing the wealth of the upper class. If only the members of the upper class were half as interesting as the decorations. If Marisa was not so ambitious she would not have held her poise in front of the hundreds of men who vied for her attention. By the third party she felt it would be more productive to listen to a brick then the droning of old men.

The first party she was made to go to nearly had her running for the door. The golden monkey climbed on her shoulder as she walked through the hall lit by anbaric lights. The regal paintings glaring down at her, made her stomach flip. They saw that she did not belong here. They knew the kind of rabble she was from. She wanted to run home but her heels continued to clip toward the end of the hall. The low ceiling opened up into an awing ballroom, filled with luxuries Marisa could have only imagined.

Marisa wore a black gown formfitting enough to show off but not so tight as to look desperate. It didn't take long for the men's eyes to begin to follow her movements. Marisa allowed them to gaze relishing the jealous glares of the other women. She did find it strange, however, that people were staring but none dared approach her. Her dæmon sat nervously on her shoulder looking around, seeming to be waiting for something.
Then suddenly she was approached by a mountain of a woman in a cobalt dress. Her chinchilla dæmon scurried across her shoulder as she introduced herself as the hostess.

"This must be your first party as I don't believe we have met," she said, her words dripping superiority, "I am Victoria Coulter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Coulter.' Marisa said, trying to calm her nervous dæmon, "I am Marisa Fielding.

"Fielding? I don't believe I have heard that name before. Is your family new to town?"

"Yes. My father was recently promoted to this bank," Marisa lied smoothly, taking a sip of champagne so Mrs. Coulter couldn't see her frown.

"Have you met my son, Edward Coulter, yet?" she inquired, her daemon twitching its nose toward the monkey, " He is an aspiring politician. Already he has captured His Majesty's attention. Now if he would only find a wife I could die happy."

"It seems like I would enjoy meeting him," Marisa smiled sweetly as she mulled over her luck. Who could help her aspire to greatness more than a wealthy and highly favored politician?

Mrs. Coulter practically dragged Marisa to a group of men that included her son, Edward.
There was a brief introduction between Marisa and Edward Coulter before his mother started talking again.

'Edward, dear, I would like you to introduce this lovely girl to our other guests and make sure she is enjoying herself," his mother twittered, already making her way to another cluster of guests.

'Good Lord,' Edward Coulter sighed to Marisa after his mother had left. " I don't know why she expects me to introduce you to everybody. It seems easier to just present you to my friends. They are probably the only people worth knowing here anyway."

Edward took Marisa to the group he was talking with before the interruption of his mother and introduced her to the men. As Edward joined back into the conversation, Marisa carefully scrutinized the young man. He was handsome enough with his wavy hair and tall build. She tried to ignore the fact that her daemon was eyeing his raccoon with growing disdain.

Edward talked with the men until the party was over, seemingly to have forgotten Marisa's existence. She didn't really mind, she didn't know what to think of him, she only knew he was a rising politician.

Yet in a few years he could rise to a high political position and if she was careful he would raise her up with him. This Edward could be the man that would relinquish the hold of her family and lead her to her place in high society. Without blinking she made up her mind—she would be Mrs. Coulter by the end of the year.

She didn't mention her decision to her family when she got home. She simply told them nothing special had occurred and that she hadn't met anyone of importance. Marisa could hear them talking about her and their disappointment as she walked to her room. She picked up her golden monkey when he started to make furious movements and talked to him about her plans on marrying Edward Coulter. This seemed to calm him down.

After that meeting when she would enter the buildings where those events always took place, people were always reluctant to approach the girl with black hair and a golden monkey by her side. There was something about Marisa and the golden monkey that made them look at her from a distance without daring to go near her. Marisa didn't mind this because she only wanted to talk to Edward Coulter, though her family made clear she would have to change if she ever wanted to marry. Little did they know about her plans.

The only problem at that point was how she would manage to convince him to fall in love with her.