Dahlia rolled her eyes as she continued to listen to the squabbling going on upstairs. The dinner had been quite successful and now all Enid and Arium could talk about was how wonderful Geoffrey Hampton was and how obvious it was that he was in love with them. Mrs. Haverfield naturally voiced her agreement but encouraged her girls not to give him all their attention, for there were many worthy gentlemen and they didn't want to break any hearts, not yet.
Mrs. Haverfield was no fool and Dahlia believed her comments were more of a reaction to Mr. Hampton's character than out of concern that her daughters would break too many hearts. Mr. Hampton was a very spoiled son and lived his life exactly as he wished. A wife was the last thing on his list. He wasn't in need of the money a dowry would bring in, for his father was wealthy; and he wasn't in need of pleasure, for rumor had it that he visited the local brothel's quite frequently. That only left love, and as far as Dahlia was concerned, that was never going to happen. Love was a thing of legend. It would take a goddess to get Geoffrey Hampton to marry, and neither of her step-sisters fit that description.
However, her opinion and observations didn't matter. Mrs. Haverfield would fill her girls up with lies until they were convinced that it was them who had decided not to pursue Mr. Hampton. Then they would move to another victim who didn't have the common sense to avoid marriage. Until that day came, Dahlia would just stand around doing dishes, as she was doing now, and listening to her family discuss the future and all its possibilities, something Dahlia knew she could never be able to do.
She suddenly looked up when she heard a bell ring, and was surprised to see it wasn't the one hooked up to the breakfast room but the one hooked up to the front door. Putting the pan down, she quickly dried her hands on her skirt and hurried to the front of the house.
Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of a young man dressed in a light blue coat and matching breeches. Behind him she could see an ornately decorated coach. Just below the window, gilded in gold, was a picture of a griffin. That's when Dahlia finally grasped the enormity of this man's visit. Shifting her gaze back to the man standing in front of her, she saw him give her a small bow and then stick out his left hand. She gently pulled the letter out of his hand, and then gave him a small curtsy in return. She watched the carriage until it faded into the distance and then hurried to the breakfast room to deliver the message to Mrs. Haverfield.
Mrs. Haverfield had been miffed when Dahlia interrupted her breakfast, but all anger was lost upon the opening of the prized letter. Her eyes grew a bit larger, her nostrils flared, and there was even a hint of a smile on her usually stoic face but she did not read the letter out loud, and it drove her daughters into a frenzy. They too had seen the emblem imprinted on the letter and were eager to know what royalty wanted of them. Dahlia knew it had nothing to do with her and so stood silently behind Mrs. Haverfield's left shoulder, quietly hoping that it would be a notice of arrest. Judging from her step-mother's reaction though, she was going to be horribly disappointed. Besides, there had been no guardsmen left behind to carry out an arrest.
The only one in the room who was not interested in the crisp, white sheet of paper held tightly in Mrs. Haverfield's right hand was Dahlia's father. She could not tell, however, if this was from lack of curiosity or simply from being oblivious. However he did raise his head when Mrs. Haverfield began to speak, which startled Dahlia, for she suddenly realized that he was fairly lucid this morning.
"My dears, we've had remarkably good news from the royal castle." There was a glint in her eyes as she gazed at her two daughters. "It has finally become time for the prince to get married, and he is having a ball to which he's inviting all eligible maidens to come. Naturally, meaning the noble daughters. It seems the royal family has finally come to its senses and will stop allowing ignorant, uncivilized foreigners to marry into their family. Unfortunately we only have a week to get ready! So my dears, it's time to make a fabric selection so that we can send her on her way." She said the last line with a flick of her wrist to indicate Dahlia behind her.
"Oh, I want a gold dress mama!" Enid shouted out eagerly.
"Gold my dear? Perhaps that material might be a bit...overwhelming for the prince." She tried to hold back a grimace but was only partially successful.
"Mama! You know that's not fair. You said we could always have the fabric of our choosing. Gold would be perfect, for it will show our wealth."
"Very Well. What would you like, Arium?" There was really nothing Mrs. Haverfield could do if one of her daughters had made up her mind. They were more stubborn than a mule stuck in mud and had less of a brain. However, Dahlia knew she would have to search throughout the fabric shop for a dull gold that might actually compliment Enid's complexion instead of overpowering her.
"White."
"White?"
"Yes, white. It's the color of purity."
"Ah, okay. Well I guess that just leaves me then." Dahlia smiled to herself when she heard Arium's choice. Her step-sisters really had no clue about fashion. White was only worn when one was getting married and at special church occasions. Though no one would say anything to her, it would definitely be looked upon as odd as soon as she showed up at the ball. However with Mrs. Haverfield's last comment on how she was the only one left, Dahlia felt a sudden wave of sadness rush over her. She knew that she would not be invited, but still deep down inside she knew that she belonged at the ball. After all, she too was a noble. Her father carried an even higher title than Mrs. Haverfield which Dahlia shared, but her step-sisters did not. However, it was not to be. She would simply make their dresses and watch them enter their carriage and fade off into the distance just like the messenger had.
She waited patiently for Mrs. Haverfield to decide on a color but after a short time her eyes began to wander. Enid and Arium were whispering quietly to each other with huge grins plastered on their faces. They were no doubt speaking of how the prince would fall instantly in love with them. It was possible that the prince would like them, Dahlia mused, but fairly unlikely. They did have good manners and knew of social graces but they lacked beauty and wit. Men usually preferred girls with one of the two traits. While her step-sisters were not ugly they lacked any features that could make truly beautiful. As for wit, they could talk about clothes and the aristocracy but they were unaware that there was anything to talk about besides those two topics.
Her gaze shifted to her father, whom she was surprised to see staring right back at her. He had a thoughtful look upon his face but Dahlia could not figure out why. She gave him a tiny smile and a questioning look but all he did was continue to stare at her. So much for communication, she thought to herself and returned her gaze back to Mrs. Haverfield, trying to ignore the eyes that were boring into her. It was with great relief that she heard Mrs. Haverfield finally make her decision.
"Mauve. A mauve dress would be perfect for the occasion. It's the color of femininity and will bring out the color of my cheekbone." Not to mention that pink is the most fashionable color this season, Dahlia thought quietly to herself. "Hurry along now Dahlia. There's lots to be done when you return." And with that Dahlia had been dismissed. She rushed out the door grabbing her shawl along the way, thankful for the chance to get some fresh air. She followed the road into town, knowing that if she cut across the grass her step-mother would most likely see her and punish her upon her return.
She arrived at the fabric store quite content, for she had not passed any loud carts and was given the chance to simply enjoy listening to the birds. The shopkeeper greeted her warmly, for he had known her since before her mother had died and held a place in his heart for her. He himself had four daughters and liked to think of Dahlia as his fifth, but he never came to visit, as he knew of her current situation and held no love for Mrs. Haverfield.
Dahlia's good mood quickly vanished after searching throughout the store for some decent cloth that would please them. Mrs. Haverfield's request had been easy to fulfill since the color she had selected had been requested several times in the past week, but the other two colors were not so easy. First she searched for Arium's white. She had found some white cotton easily enough but she knew the material to be too plain for a ball. Satin would not do either for it would look like a wedding dress. That left silk, which it took nearly a half hour to find. The gold caused a little less trouble but Dahlia still found it hard to find a color that would not cause Enid to look washed out yet still please the girl. With a total of an hour spent trying to find the right fabric, Dahlia was nearly frantic to get home. Mrs. Haverfield would undoubtedly be furious. The shopkeeper promised that the fabric would be delivered the next day and Dahlia quickly thanked him before running out the door.
Quickly weighing in her mind the levels of punishment, Dahlia decided that she should take a shortcut through the forest. It would be better to be dirty than late. Her looks would not be appealing but at least they wouldn't affect the amount of work she'd be able to get done. Besides, she enjoyed walking through the woods. It was always so peaceful. It was true that she probably wouldn't be able to enjoy it much since she was in such a hurry, but perhaps the quiet would help ease her mind.
It did end up giving her a false sense of calm. She'd gone through those woods hundreds of times and so even in her hurried state she gazed up at the treetops and watched the sun filtering through the branches. It was in this state of oblivious bliss that she suddenly felt a hand wrap around her mouth and another wrap around her waist.
A different man came out from behind her holding several pieces of dirty, burgundy cloth strips. The first was used as a gag and the hand on her mouth was only gone for a second before she felt the soiled rag inside her mouth. She then had her back shoved up against a tree and her hands were pulled around the trunk and tied together.
That was when the third man showed up. He was very good looking with sharp features and shoulder length black hair. The look in his eyes were anything but handsome. They were blue, the palest blue that Dahlia had ever seen but there was a glint in his eyes that Dahlia feared. Even Mrs. Haverfield had never given her a look such as that. He came right up to her and looked her straight in the eye. He gave vicious sneer and then spat in her face. Her automatic reaction was to move her head back, but she just smacked her head against the tree and he let out a deep chuckle.
"Why shy away from it my dear? God knows you need a bath. Dirt everywhere, all over your clothing and even your face. Hell, even your eyes are brown. Nothing but dirt, though I guess it's fitting, for that's what you are. Dirt. Meant to be walked upon and completely forgotten." Dahlia did not pay much attention to his words but frantically tried to figure out what exactly she'd gotten herself into. There were only three of them and the man standing in front of her was dressed in merchant's clothes, but she had an odd suspicion that that wasn't what he was. The other two men appeared to be under his command and stood off to the side staring at her with daggers. She soon realized the situation when she felt the man's hand on her skirt.
Her skirt was lifted almost up to her head but he made sure that he could look into her eyes to see the reaction to his actions. She felt a searing pain shoot through her and tried to cry out but the rag simply choked her. She saw a small smirk on his face and as the pain continued she could not stop the tears from falling. His smile broadened but then he gave out a large grunt and let her skirt drop.
He nodded to one of his men and he untied her hands. She merely slumped to the ground shaking uncontrollably. She heard hoofbeats suddenly and realized that the horses must have been behind her. She lay on the ground for a long time after the last hoofbeats had faded away but she knew the longer she waited, the harsher her punishment would be. She stood up shakily but soon collapsed to the ground. So she stumbled home half crawling, half hobbling until she reached the door, upon which she was greeted with the sight of her step-mother sitting in a plush chair waiting for her return.
******
So what did you think? It's a lot longer than the first chapter at least. I'm terribly sorry it took me so long to write the next chapter but I was on vacation for a month and a half and...well, I rather forgot about it. I promise however that it won't happen again! I would like some more feedback on this chapter. I'm not sure I'm happy with it. Not completely as I thought it would be. *sigh* Oh well, I'm never happy with my chapters.
Anyhoo thanks to my chapter one reviewers!
Waterlily - Ok so I didn't exactly write more soon but I hope you continue to read anyway.
Kirjava - Well that would pretty much be how it gets darker. I mean there are elements throughout the story that are somewhat dark but I didn't want to make it too depressing of a story. As for the father, I think you're right that it would be neat to draw him in more but I'm not sure how quite yet. I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out:)
Jenny the Chica - Thanks for the congrats and I'm glad you like it.
Stuntwoman - I'm glad you find this story appealing. Hmmm, The Little Mermaid huh? I don't think I've seen many retellings of that story.
Blazing-moon - I'm glad you like her name. I actually think I'd decided on her name before I had the story. Pretty silly right? Oh well that's me.
Zackire - Ah, more chapters. I'm working on it!
Angel of Drama - Yeah I think the relationship between the two (Dahlia and her father) is going to be pretty important. I always hated that she just obeyed her step-mother. I mean what would she put up with it for. But if she has emotional attachment to one of them it makes more sense that she would accept such treatment.
The Excessively Loud Waterfowl - I love Ever After!! Though I'm trying not to be influenced by it. I wouldn't want to get in any trouble for it. As for dramatic scenes....we'll see. I'm not particularly good at drama but I'm trying.
Mrs. Haverfield was no fool and Dahlia believed her comments were more of a reaction to Mr. Hampton's character than out of concern that her daughters would break too many hearts. Mr. Hampton was a very spoiled son and lived his life exactly as he wished. A wife was the last thing on his list. He wasn't in need of the money a dowry would bring in, for his father was wealthy; and he wasn't in need of pleasure, for rumor had it that he visited the local brothel's quite frequently. That only left love, and as far as Dahlia was concerned, that was never going to happen. Love was a thing of legend. It would take a goddess to get Geoffrey Hampton to marry, and neither of her step-sisters fit that description.
However, her opinion and observations didn't matter. Mrs. Haverfield would fill her girls up with lies until they were convinced that it was them who had decided not to pursue Mr. Hampton. Then they would move to another victim who didn't have the common sense to avoid marriage. Until that day came, Dahlia would just stand around doing dishes, as she was doing now, and listening to her family discuss the future and all its possibilities, something Dahlia knew she could never be able to do.
She suddenly looked up when she heard a bell ring, and was surprised to see it wasn't the one hooked up to the breakfast room but the one hooked up to the front door. Putting the pan down, she quickly dried her hands on her skirt and hurried to the front of the house.
Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of a young man dressed in a light blue coat and matching breeches. Behind him she could see an ornately decorated coach. Just below the window, gilded in gold, was a picture of a griffin. That's when Dahlia finally grasped the enormity of this man's visit. Shifting her gaze back to the man standing in front of her, she saw him give her a small bow and then stick out his left hand. She gently pulled the letter out of his hand, and then gave him a small curtsy in return. She watched the carriage until it faded into the distance and then hurried to the breakfast room to deliver the message to Mrs. Haverfield.
Mrs. Haverfield had been miffed when Dahlia interrupted her breakfast, but all anger was lost upon the opening of the prized letter. Her eyes grew a bit larger, her nostrils flared, and there was even a hint of a smile on her usually stoic face but she did not read the letter out loud, and it drove her daughters into a frenzy. They too had seen the emblem imprinted on the letter and were eager to know what royalty wanted of them. Dahlia knew it had nothing to do with her and so stood silently behind Mrs. Haverfield's left shoulder, quietly hoping that it would be a notice of arrest. Judging from her step-mother's reaction though, she was going to be horribly disappointed. Besides, there had been no guardsmen left behind to carry out an arrest.
The only one in the room who was not interested in the crisp, white sheet of paper held tightly in Mrs. Haverfield's right hand was Dahlia's father. She could not tell, however, if this was from lack of curiosity or simply from being oblivious. However he did raise his head when Mrs. Haverfield began to speak, which startled Dahlia, for she suddenly realized that he was fairly lucid this morning.
"My dears, we've had remarkably good news from the royal castle." There was a glint in her eyes as she gazed at her two daughters. "It has finally become time for the prince to get married, and he is having a ball to which he's inviting all eligible maidens to come. Naturally, meaning the noble daughters. It seems the royal family has finally come to its senses and will stop allowing ignorant, uncivilized foreigners to marry into their family. Unfortunately we only have a week to get ready! So my dears, it's time to make a fabric selection so that we can send her on her way." She said the last line with a flick of her wrist to indicate Dahlia behind her.
"Oh, I want a gold dress mama!" Enid shouted out eagerly.
"Gold my dear? Perhaps that material might be a bit...overwhelming for the prince." She tried to hold back a grimace but was only partially successful.
"Mama! You know that's not fair. You said we could always have the fabric of our choosing. Gold would be perfect, for it will show our wealth."
"Very Well. What would you like, Arium?" There was really nothing Mrs. Haverfield could do if one of her daughters had made up her mind. They were more stubborn than a mule stuck in mud and had less of a brain. However, Dahlia knew she would have to search throughout the fabric shop for a dull gold that might actually compliment Enid's complexion instead of overpowering her.
"White."
"White?"
"Yes, white. It's the color of purity."
"Ah, okay. Well I guess that just leaves me then." Dahlia smiled to herself when she heard Arium's choice. Her step-sisters really had no clue about fashion. White was only worn when one was getting married and at special church occasions. Though no one would say anything to her, it would definitely be looked upon as odd as soon as she showed up at the ball. However with Mrs. Haverfield's last comment on how she was the only one left, Dahlia felt a sudden wave of sadness rush over her. She knew that she would not be invited, but still deep down inside she knew that she belonged at the ball. After all, she too was a noble. Her father carried an even higher title than Mrs. Haverfield which Dahlia shared, but her step-sisters did not. However, it was not to be. She would simply make their dresses and watch them enter their carriage and fade off into the distance just like the messenger had.
She waited patiently for Mrs. Haverfield to decide on a color but after a short time her eyes began to wander. Enid and Arium were whispering quietly to each other with huge grins plastered on their faces. They were no doubt speaking of how the prince would fall instantly in love with them. It was possible that the prince would like them, Dahlia mused, but fairly unlikely. They did have good manners and knew of social graces but they lacked beauty and wit. Men usually preferred girls with one of the two traits. While her step-sisters were not ugly they lacked any features that could make truly beautiful. As for wit, they could talk about clothes and the aristocracy but they were unaware that there was anything to talk about besides those two topics.
Her gaze shifted to her father, whom she was surprised to see staring right back at her. He had a thoughtful look upon his face but Dahlia could not figure out why. She gave him a tiny smile and a questioning look but all he did was continue to stare at her. So much for communication, she thought to herself and returned her gaze back to Mrs. Haverfield, trying to ignore the eyes that were boring into her. It was with great relief that she heard Mrs. Haverfield finally make her decision.
"Mauve. A mauve dress would be perfect for the occasion. It's the color of femininity and will bring out the color of my cheekbone." Not to mention that pink is the most fashionable color this season, Dahlia thought quietly to herself. "Hurry along now Dahlia. There's lots to be done when you return." And with that Dahlia had been dismissed. She rushed out the door grabbing her shawl along the way, thankful for the chance to get some fresh air. She followed the road into town, knowing that if she cut across the grass her step-mother would most likely see her and punish her upon her return.
She arrived at the fabric store quite content, for she had not passed any loud carts and was given the chance to simply enjoy listening to the birds. The shopkeeper greeted her warmly, for he had known her since before her mother had died and held a place in his heart for her. He himself had four daughters and liked to think of Dahlia as his fifth, but he never came to visit, as he knew of her current situation and held no love for Mrs. Haverfield.
Dahlia's good mood quickly vanished after searching throughout the store for some decent cloth that would please them. Mrs. Haverfield's request had been easy to fulfill since the color she had selected had been requested several times in the past week, but the other two colors were not so easy. First she searched for Arium's white. She had found some white cotton easily enough but she knew the material to be too plain for a ball. Satin would not do either for it would look like a wedding dress. That left silk, which it took nearly a half hour to find. The gold caused a little less trouble but Dahlia still found it hard to find a color that would not cause Enid to look washed out yet still please the girl. With a total of an hour spent trying to find the right fabric, Dahlia was nearly frantic to get home. Mrs. Haverfield would undoubtedly be furious. The shopkeeper promised that the fabric would be delivered the next day and Dahlia quickly thanked him before running out the door.
Quickly weighing in her mind the levels of punishment, Dahlia decided that she should take a shortcut through the forest. It would be better to be dirty than late. Her looks would not be appealing but at least they wouldn't affect the amount of work she'd be able to get done. Besides, she enjoyed walking through the woods. It was always so peaceful. It was true that she probably wouldn't be able to enjoy it much since she was in such a hurry, but perhaps the quiet would help ease her mind.
It did end up giving her a false sense of calm. She'd gone through those woods hundreds of times and so even in her hurried state she gazed up at the treetops and watched the sun filtering through the branches. It was in this state of oblivious bliss that she suddenly felt a hand wrap around her mouth and another wrap around her waist.
A different man came out from behind her holding several pieces of dirty, burgundy cloth strips. The first was used as a gag and the hand on her mouth was only gone for a second before she felt the soiled rag inside her mouth. She then had her back shoved up against a tree and her hands were pulled around the trunk and tied together.
That was when the third man showed up. He was very good looking with sharp features and shoulder length black hair. The look in his eyes were anything but handsome. They were blue, the palest blue that Dahlia had ever seen but there was a glint in his eyes that Dahlia feared. Even Mrs. Haverfield had never given her a look such as that. He came right up to her and looked her straight in the eye. He gave vicious sneer and then spat in her face. Her automatic reaction was to move her head back, but she just smacked her head against the tree and he let out a deep chuckle.
"Why shy away from it my dear? God knows you need a bath. Dirt everywhere, all over your clothing and even your face. Hell, even your eyes are brown. Nothing but dirt, though I guess it's fitting, for that's what you are. Dirt. Meant to be walked upon and completely forgotten." Dahlia did not pay much attention to his words but frantically tried to figure out what exactly she'd gotten herself into. There were only three of them and the man standing in front of her was dressed in merchant's clothes, but she had an odd suspicion that that wasn't what he was. The other two men appeared to be under his command and stood off to the side staring at her with daggers. She soon realized the situation when she felt the man's hand on her skirt.
Her skirt was lifted almost up to her head but he made sure that he could look into her eyes to see the reaction to his actions. She felt a searing pain shoot through her and tried to cry out but the rag simply choked her. She saw a small smirk on his face and as the pain continued she could not stop the tears from falling. His smile broadened but then he gave out a large grunt and let her skirt drop.
He nodded to one of his men and he untied her hands. She merely slumped to the ground shaking uncontrollably. She heard hoofbeats suddenly and realized that the horses must have been behind her. She lay on the ground for a long time after the last hoofbeats had faded away but she knew the longer she waited, the harsher her punishment would be. She stood up shakily but soon collapsed to the ground. So she stumbled home half crawling, half hobbling until she reached the door, upon which she was greeted with the sight of her step-mother sitting in a plush chair waiting for her return.
******
So what did you think? It's a lot longer than the first chapter at least. I'm terribly sorry it took me so long to write the next chapter but I was on vacation for a month and a half and...well, I rather forgot about it. I promise however that it won't happen again! I would like some more feedback on this chapter. I'm not sure I'm happy with it. Not completely as I thought it would be. *sigh* Oh well, I'm never happy with my chapters.
Anyhoo thanks to my chapter one reviewers!
Waterlily - Ok so I didn't exactly write more soon but I hope you continue to read anyway.
Kirjava - Well that would pretty much be how it gets darker. I mean there are elements throughout the story that are somewhat dark but I didn't want to make it too depressing of a story. As for the father, I think you're right that it would be neat to draw him in more but I'm not sure how quite yet. I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out:)
Jenny the Chica - Thanks for the congrats and I'm glad you like it.
Stuntwoman - I'm glad you find this story appealing. Hmmm, The Little Mermaid huh? I don't think I've seen many retellings of that story.
Blazing-moon - I'm glad you like her name. I actually think I'd decided on her name before I had the story. Pretty silly right? Oh well that's me.
Zackire - Ah, more chapters. I'm working on it!
Angel of Drama - Yeah I think the relationship between the two (Dahlia and her father) is going to be pretty important. I always hated that she just obeyed her step-mother. I mean what would she put up with it for. But if she has emotional attachment to one of them it makes more sense that she would accept such treatment.
The Excessively Loud Waterfowl - I love Ever After!! Though I'm trying not to be influenced by it. I wouldn't want to get in any trouble for it. As for dramatic scenes....we'll see. I'm not particularly good at drama but I'm trying.