Hey everyone! So, I've updated, and I know it's short, I'm really, really sorry! Again, more bad news, but I don't know when the next time I'll update be… :(. However, here's some good news! That site that I have up? Well I've added pictures to help you guys visualize…but it's totally fine if you don't want to ruin the images you've conjured up in your pretty little heads. :) For those who DO want to look at them, I'll copy and paste the site at the end of this chapter! Alright, onto shout outs!
a: Why thank you! I've been trying to update better so I remember more things about the chapter before. Boys = crazy huh? There's a surprise ;D hahaha, and asking a boy about a girl…sounds like fun shiz! Mwahaha, anyways, thanks for your input, I really enjoyed answering!
Aly Goode: I am too, and I have another one right here for you ;). Sweet funny jocks? Can I come move to YOUR school? PLEASE? ;D Yes, idiots with hot bodies are the worse kind because really what kind of insults are you going to say? "Oh hey, you're a dick with too many muscles." I honestly think they would be a little gratified to hear a girl say that (even one they didn't know), which just proves the part of them being complete idiots, ;).
oxBronwynxo: OMG you're review was amazing, it really did make me LOL (if I'm going to sound like a total dork ;D). The British accent was truly awesome, and it made me update even faster. You are a funny one, Bronwyn, indeed you are. :) Really, though, thanks so much for that amazingly saucetastic (amazing new invention of a word, I know, I'm awesome ;)) review!
Katerina stared up at her ceiling, thinking through the events that had happened earlier that evening. So many dances, so many possible suitors, it made Katerina's head swirl with just the thought. None knew of her past, of anything. The only one that Katerina even considered as a suitor however, was Mr. Trumble. He was dashing, handsome, but something was strange about him. Katerina knew she would never be in love with him, perhaps love him, but not ever in love.
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"Marriage isn't about love. It's about commitment. Are you willing to commit your life to your family; to your husband? To respect your household and never question the man that becomes your husband?" Mrs. Petrova stared at a small Katerina hard. The nine year old Katerina stared back at her Mother, confused.
"B-but I thought that marriage was like love, like in fairytales." Katerina's eyes were watering. Her mother sighed, pushing Katerina's curly away from her face.
"Oh dŭshterya*, moi ̆sladŭk**. It's time you know the truth. Fairytales are just fairytales. There are no princes that come sweeping in to take you off your feet. There are no handsome men with crazy amounts of money that would ever look at someone as low standing as we are. No, Katerina, fairytales are just that. Tales that one spreads to make the world seem like a better place." Katerina was staring at her mother, a horrified expression on her face.
"B…but майка*** how can I marry someone I don't love?" Asked little Katerina. Katerina's mother stared down at her daughter, a strange expression across her face.
"There are other things in life, little one, that are more important than love."
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Katerina awoke suddenly, her heart racing, and her eyes sore. She'd been crying in her sleep. Sitting up slowly, Katerina blinked, trying to brush away the sore affect the salty tears had given her eyes. "Stop that, Katerina. They've given you away. You're no longer a Petrova, and you never will be again," Katerina scolded herself harshly, and it helped. Some more tears came, and helped the dry ache that had settled over them. Katerina blinked them back down, and got dressed slowly. Time for her chores, which actually weren't really a lot. All she had to do was sweep and mop the floors, clean the basement (her least favorite job), and dust off the cabinets. Sometimes Mrs. Levski needed her to do something more, and Katerina really didn't mind. To be staying here for free was a gift in itself.
"Good morning, Ms. Katerina," Mr. Levski greeted her as he sipped his tea. Katerina nodded and did a small curtsey as she walked by.
"Good morning Mr. Levski. I trust you slept well?"
"Oh did I ever," he grinned at her, and Katerina smiled back. The likeliness between Mr. Levski and Mr. Petrova had faded away after a few fortnights of staying in the same dwelling. Where they might have the same eyes, Mr. Levski's was full of warmth and interest, while Katerina's father's was full of disdain. Where they might have the same lips, Mr. Levski's was always smiling, whether it be a secret smile, or an open one, while Mr. Petrova's was either in a frown, a greedy smile, or a thin line, and so on and so forth. However, there was something about Mr. Levski that still did slightly unsettle Katerina, however she knew not what it was. He was kind, generous, considerate, warm, and treated her like a long lost daughter. But something was different about him, and Katerina didn't know if that was good or bad.
"Ah, Mrs. Levski! Good morning, my dear," Mr. Levski smiled affectionately at his wife, and she offered a strange smile back. Katerina frowned, studying her. Mrs. Levski's stomach had been growing little by little everyday, and she ate twice as much as she used to. There was definitely a suspicion that she was pregnant. However, instead of being overjoyed by the news, Mrs. Levski seemed more tired and run down.
"Morning," she said softly, sitting down in her chair lightly. Katerina looked at Mr. Levski, who was frowning in concern. She quickly left to go to the basement, letting the married couple talk about whatever it was they wished to speak of. As Katerina swept the floors and dusted off the cask, she thought. Why was it that Mrs. Levski was in such a horrid mood? She had been snapping of the late, and then quickly apologizing after, which was something Katerina had been used to with her Mother, but she hadn't known it was in Mrs. Levski's personality to do something so brash. Was that why Mr. Levski was worried? Katerina hummed quietly to herself as she cleaned, when a small noise behind her made her gasp slightly and turn, a hiccup stuck in her throat. There was no one there, only the shadows dancing with the flicking candle light.
"H-hello?" Katerina stuttered, blinking. A soft breeze blew through Katerina's curls, and she hugged herself, rubbing her arms. As she quickly finished her cleaning, she hurried back upstairs, ignoring the eerie feeling the basement still gave her. She ran into Mrs. Levski, blinking as she leaned backwards, arms flailing and cleaning materials scattering everywhere as she started to fall down the stairs. Mrs. Levski reached out quickly and grabbed Katerina, and with shocking strength, pulled her back up the stairs. Katerina stumbled, falling onto her knees in front of the petite woman.
"You ought to be more careful," Mrs. Levski chided tightly, though not unkindly, eyes darting back and forth.
"But how…?"
"All in good time, my dear, all in good time," Mrs. Levski answered, and Katerina stared after the woman she barely knew, but yet seemed to trust, in confusion. She slowly picked up the cleaning supplies, thinking about how this all added onto Mrs. Levski's mysterious ways.
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"Ms. Katerina, are you almost done in there?" One of the servants asked.
"Yes, almost thank you," Katerina called back, to the maid she thought the name was Mae. As Katerina pulled her dress down over her body, she exited the bathroom, her gown as extravagant as ever.
"My, that is a lovely dress, Ms. Katerina," Mae breathed, smiling. Katerina grinned back.
"Yes, I think so," she agreed, turning so the maid could tie her. It was long a flowing, looking almost like water, all the way down just covering Katerina's white dance shoes. Her dress was light green and cream colored, ruffles seen in many places, and fell down to her shoes.
"You will be the eye of every man tonight," the servant praised her, and Katerina smiled coyly at the mirror. Her confidence had sky rocketed ever since she met Trevor. He made her feel like her old self: careless, fun, and full of spirit. Yet Katerina knew that she still had an edge.
"Thank you. You are dismissed," Katerina waved off the girl, and she scurried away. Katerina slowly put in her earrings, thinking. Tonight, she would find the man of her dreams; she was sure of it. Well, Trevor had told her, with a wicked grin, but Katerina thought so for herself. After all, it was a private ball full of rich, single men looking for a woman to bare them an heir, which she had proven more than capable of doing.
"Tonight…is going to be magic," she told herself softly, walking towards the door and grabbing her shawl. "Tonight, I'm going to fall in love."
Ok, so apparently I'm not allowed to paste sites at the bottom of my updates? So, if you still really want to go see the pictures, go to my homepage, and click on the first site you see. Then you'll reach my webpage, and on the side, you'll see labels such as: Home, Blog, Gallery, About Me, Links, and Guestbook. You then click on Gallery, and after that opens up, click on the album! Sorry, I wish I could've pasted it here...hope it wasn't too problematic!
Oh...and PLEASE REVIEW!