Serenity May Whittacker sat on the floor of her room, cross-legged in her pale pink nightgown, the bow tied tightly up to her neck, waiting for her maid to come and dress her for the day. A few jacks and a rubber ball sat in front of her, showing that she had been playing just recently. The tiny girl was shocked as her mistress swept in instead of her maid. Her mistress usually did not bother with her except for lessons.
"Serenity Whittacker, get up off of that dirty floor!" Serenity, silently, got up from her usual waiting spot by her fireplace.
"Where is Marie, Mistress Hayl?" She asked quietly as the nightgown was pulled roughly from her shoulders and she stood shaking in the cold room.
"Your maid has fallen ill. I will help you dress and pack, and we will leave with your father for the country house." Mistress Hayl said, bustling around Serenity's room.
"Why must we leave for the country house?" Serenity asked, as Mistress Hayl was putting her dress over her head.
"There is a disease that is spreading rampant through the city and is killing many people. You have not heard of it? Surprising. It is said that it is not in the country. I highly doubt that, however, your father wishes to retain both his and your health, so we will retire to the country for the remainder of spring and summer." Mistress Hayl said, as she laced Serenity in.
Serenity stepped out of the dark interior of the carriage, blinking in the bright sunshine. Her father started with a snore, rubbed his nose, then fell against the side of the carriage again. He had fallen asleep half way to the country house. Serenity did not see how he could do it, what with all the rocking. Her stomach was as queasy as it had ever been, but then again, they had been traveling at a fast rate to get out of the city. The butler helped her down out of the carriage. All of the servants, except her mistress and the carriage attendants, had left early that morning to prepare the house. The butler turned to help Mistress Hayl, and Serenity walked a bit away to stretch her muscles after the long strenuous journey. That was when she noticed a boy of about 13 with dark hair unhooking her horse from the back of the carriage.
"You, boy, what business do you have with my Sugar?" Serenity asked, puffing herself up. She had not seen this boy before, and she was worried about leaving her horse in the hands of this urchin if he was incapable of treating her correctly.
"I have orders to settle her and bring her to the stables to rest." The boy said, hurrying about.
"What training have you?" Serenity did not trust just anybody with her beloved horse.
"Ma'am, if you would?" The boy turned and looked at her for the first time. He realized how young she was, probably not much older than 10. She looked ridiculous in that dress, all frilled up just to be stuffed away. Her face looked younger, but her voice spoke of belying wishes to be grown up. He looked her up and down, and he smiled as he realized that she had no chest, unlike the women who worked in his mother's pub. What little she did have, she was now sticking out, with a dissatisfied pout on her face. He handed her the lead rope. "If you will lead her, I will grab what I need, and tell you my training on the way to the stables." He stifled a laugh as she curtly nodded her head and took the lead rope from him.
"I am Endymion. All my friends call me Endy for short." Endymion stated as Serenity led her horse. "I am being apprenticed here as a horse hand, seeing as how my mother refuses to let me get into the pub business like her and my father did," Endymion said, staring at the box full of items for the horse.
"Endymion, its a good name," Serenity nodded in approval as she began to walk. The light wind felt refreshing after having been in the carriage for hours. "May I ask," Serenity started quietly. "What did your father die of?" She watched as Endymion took a deep breath and looked over at her.
"A man came into my parents pub one night, late when most of the patrons had either left or gone up to their rooms. My father was in the back, and my mother was at the bar. He demanded a drink, and then another, and then another. Finally, my mother suggested that he might stop, which upset him. He wanted another one, and when my mother wouldn't serve him, he became violent. My father came out of the back room to see him dragging my mother across the bar, and when my father tried to stop the man, the man stabbed him. After that, he ran away, and my mother tried to stop the bleeding, but the man had hit something that bled and bled, and he died soon after," Endymion sighed, looking down at his feet as he walked.
"Endymion," Serenity said slowly. "I'm so sorry for the loss of your father. I, myself, have lost my mother. She died when I was three years old." Endymion brushed away the sentiment and asked her to call him Endy. "Endy..." Serenity breathed.
Not long after Serenity had gotten settled in, she found herself out in the stables, absently stroking Sugars soft muzzle. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Endymion come up behind her. She jumped as he gently tapped her shoulder.
"Want to go for a ride, miss?" he grinned cheekily. Serenity's face lightened up at the mention of a ride on her beloved horse and she nodded enthusiastically, her curled hair bobbing.
"Oh, yes, I would love it!" she exclaimed. Endymion gave a mock salute and set off to the tack room to get the saddle and bridle for the young girl. When he returned, he set them on the stall door and Serenity got an inspired look on her face. "Saddle a horse for yourself once you're done with Sugar," she said. Endymion looked at her askance with a questioning look. Serenity looked around her and noticed a groom down the way a little. "I may need your help if I would like to get down to pick flowers for my father," she said loudly.
"Yes ma'am," Endymion grinned and winked. 15 minutes later they were riding out of the stables side by side. They chatted a little on the way around the bend, and then when they were out of sight, Serenity looked back to make sure no one was around.
"Race you to the creek," she laughed, prodding Sugar into a run. Endymion was right behind her, but let her win anyways. Endymion slid down off of his horse and then helped Serenity down from Sugar. He tossed the reins for both horses over a low hanging branch near the creek and then shimmied out of his breeches and shirt until he was in nothing but his underclothes. "What are you doing?" Serenity shrieked.
"I'm going for a swim," Endymion stated. He then threw himself into the creek. Serenity crouched on the edge of the small bit of flowing water, holding her skirt high above the mud while she watched him swim for a short time. Finally, she gave a sigh and walked over to Sugar. Endymion watched as the petite dress was thrown over the back of the horse, who stood surprisingly still, and then the little girl came out from behind the horse in her slip.
"I'm coming too then," she said as she stepped gingerly towards the water. She made a face as the mud squished beneath her feet and around her toes, but bravely reached for the water... until she slipped and fell on her backside, slipping into the water up to her waist. Endymion howled with laughter, nearly choking himself on water while Serenity sat pouting with her arms crossed over her chest. "It's not very funny you know, it hurts," she stuck her bottom lip out even further.
"All right, all right, I'm sorry," he said, coming towards her to help her up. He then pulled her down into the water and wiped some of the mud off of her slip. Serenity continued to pout while he did this. Only when he turned away to wash his hand off did he catch that mischievious grin that he was already beginning to like, but it was too late, as Serenity was already splashing water on him and swimming in the opposite direction. When he caught her, he promptly tickled her until she begged him to stop.
Not a week later, Serenity and Endymion were fast friends. They could be seen everywhere together. Serenity would always come up with some excuse or another to have him come with her. One particularly sunny day, Endymion led Serenity towards a wooded corner of the grounds. They left the horses outside, tethered to a tree, and picked their way through. At the last minute, Endymion covered Serenity's eyes so she couldn't peek, then walked her forward a few more steps. When his hands were removed from her eyes, Serenity gasped in awe. They were in a beautiful little clearing in the woods. At this place, the sun shone brightly through the high leaves on the trees, giving a greenish tint to the air and casting dappled shadows onto the moss covered ground. To complete the beauty, there was even a little spring running along the further edge of it.
"Oh, Endy! It's magnificent!" she exclaimed.
"I know, I found it not long after I was employed here. But," he said, suddenly a little shy, and Serenity thought she saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks. "You're even more magnificent," he mumbled. Serenity giggled, and Endymion looked away into the woods for a moment, but then he dropped the pack that he had on his back to the ground and knelt before it. "What say we make this place even more pretty?" he asked as he looked up at her.
"Ok," she smiled and nodded. Endymion turned back to his pack, fumbling to open it, and then finally he pulled out a smallish burlap bag. "We're going to plant potatoes?" Serenity asked, very puzzled.
"Just wait," he said as he pulled the bag away to reveal a small root. He looked up to Serenity with a grin to find her with her head tilted, clearly confused.
"What is it?" she frowned. Endymion sighed, realizing that she had probably never seen plants in their early stages ever, just the end product.
"It's a rose bush. I saw one in the gardens and it reminded me of you, so I thought we might plant it here together. I asked Jones the gardener if I could have a bit and he dug a root up for me and showed me how to prepare it so that it will grow into a big bush."
"Oh!" Serenity exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "How wonderful! Lets do plant it." Endymion nodded and asked her where she thought they should plant it. Serenity pointed to a little hill beside the stream and they walked over to it. They each knelt down and with their hands dug out a hole. Serenity looked up at Endymion and smiled into his dark blue eyes as they worked. After digging out the hole, they planted the tiny bush and packed the dirt around it. Endymion got up and got some water out of the stream.
"How long do you think it will take for it to have its first flower?" Serenity asked, sitting back and wiping the dirt off of her hands as Endymion was scooping water from the stream and bringing it to dampen the soil around the tiny twig that stuck out of it.
"It won't bloom for at least a year I should think. It has to be big enough to have flowers first," he answered.
"Hrm, well, I hope I'm here when it does bloom for the first time," she smiled brightly as only a child with a dream can.
"I hope you are too," Endymion answered as he came and sat beside her and they looked at their handiwork.
Sadly, the day finally came when Serenity had to return back to the city. The illness had all but died out, and the merchants were finally returning. The day of the trip back, while her maids were packing her things for the ride back, Serenity went out to search for Endymion. She found him in the stables, in an unused stall where hay was piled high. The boy was trying rather unsuccessfully to stifle his sobs.
"Endy?" Serenity said softly, coming up behind him to touch his shoulder. "Are you alright?" Endymion whipped around, hastily wiping at his red eyes and nose.
"Of course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be?" Endymion snapped.
"Endy, why were you crying?" Serenity asked quietly. Endymion softened a bit. He patted the hay beside him, inviting Serenity to sit down. She sat beside him gingerly, careful of her dress. She was told that she wouldn't be able to change her dress again before they returned to the city.
"Serenity," Endymion said quietly, hugging her close to him. "I'm going to miss you so much! I had so much fun with you this summer."
"I did too, Endy. It is going to be dreadfully boring without you around," Serenity laughed nervously. Endymion smiled.
"Just think of me. I'll always be with you in your heart," He said, standing up. "Shouldn't you be going now?" He asked with an almost imperceptible sigh, holding out his hand to help her up.
"Yes, I suppose I should," Serenity said, taking the proferred hand and standing up. Endymion embraced her again.
"I suppose I will say good-bye to you now, Lady Serenity Whittacker. I hope to see you soon, you know that," Endymion said.
"Yes, I will come and visit as often as Daddy lets me, I promise," Serenity said. She was surprised as she felt Endymion's warm lips upon her cheek, softly wishing her farewell. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling, long after Endymion had dissapeared again. She walked out to the carriage, and nobody noticed as a silent tear slipped down her cheek.
A/N: Here's the prologue for the rewritten version of Sugar Binds. My writing had improved as I hope you see, and I elaborated on some things to make it flow more easily. I'm going to start on the first chapter immediately, although I can't promise when it's going to be coming out. I have a lot going on right now, but I'll do my best. Happy New Year to everyone.