Just Another Damsel in Distress
Her bosom heaved, her lips trembled, as she watched his tall figure
appear in the frame of the door. Silky black hair, that was tied in a
ponytail, framed his clear-cut features, and his amber eyes blazed at
her. She backed even deeper into the room, looking timidly at
the man, who was now slowly walking towards her.
"Are you ready?"
She shouldn`t have those impure thoughts about this man, a pirate. She shouldn`t long to lie in his strong
arms, shouldn`t desire to drink from his lips, shouldn`t crave for the
feeling of his gentle hands on her naked skin.
"Kate, it`s time."
She should keep her distance instead; keep up her mask of arrogance. Soon her fiancé would come, soon she would be saved
from this criminal and her own treacherous desires.
"Kate, get yourself ready." The voice was harsh with impatience.
She had to be cold, show him her contempt a little bit longer. Just a few more hours.
But when she looked into his brown orbs, she knew
her attempts of resistance were to no avail.
"What keeps you so long?"
With one more step he stood right before her.
"My Love!" His voice was coarse with passion; a passion
that overflooded her with a wave of lust.
"Kate, answer me!" Now the voice held an unmistakenly threatening tone.
Her knees trembled and she would have fallen, if it wasn`t for him pulling her tenderly in his arms. Her
heart hammered inside her chest, as she looked up at him, unable to
say anything. But the flicker in her eyes showed him all, her mouth didn`t dare to speak of; all, he had to know.
The voice had grown silent, but there were steps coming closer.
He embraced her even tighter and the heat of his body clouded her mind. As she gazed helplessly in his eyes, she feared, yet anticipated the pressure of his lips on her own. Slowly he lowered his head...
"Kathryn Mary Sanders! I hope for your own good, you`re not reading one of these silly books again"
Kate hurled her book away, that slid across the floor under her desk, where it came to a halt. She turned her head just in time, to see her stepmother open the door and rush to the bed, she was lying on. Jocelyn Sanders`blonde hair wiggled in carefully combed curls around her round face and her navy blue dress wasn`t more than half a number too small. Only her cheeks were more flushed than usual, and Kate had a distinct idea who the reason for this excitement was.
"What are you doing there, Kate?" Her stepmother stood before her, her arms set akimbo. "Have you forgotten, it`s your birthday party? Or did you plan to show up in your underwear?" Knitting her brows she walked over to the wardrobe and searched for an appropriate dress. Obviously she wasn`t particularly content with what she saw and turned to Kate again. "Really Kate, I don`t understand, what you need all these trousers for. That`s man`s clothing, and definitely not appropriate for a young lady."
Kate didn`t reply, but when her stepmother continued her searching for a lady-like dress, she sighed inwardly.
"Ah, here it is." With a relieved sigh her stepmother turned to Kate and handed her a dress of mossgreen silk; the lower part was so long and swinging that she would have to walk really slow to prevent herself from tearing it by tripping on the seam; the bodice on the other hand was so tight, that she wouldn`t be able either to hide anything nor to breathe.
Kate groaned. "No, mother not that ...dress." The last word was spoken, as if it was something nasty and disgusting.
"What do you mean, my dear?" warbled her stepmother, her old charming self again, now she knew Kate would do as she wanted her to. "You`ll look pretty in it. The colour will complement the green of your eyes perfectly; And the cut will show what a nice figure you have. You`ll charm all young gentlemen down there, especially Thomas Winston."
"Oh,no," Kate rolled her eyes. "He`s a bore."
"He`s a very well educated young man, coming from a rich, honoured, noble family." Her stepmother said sharply. "And you`ll behave like a lady, is that clear?" Her watery eyes glittered.
"I am no lady!" Kate shouted, stamping her foot, as if to emphasize her words.
"Then it`s time you learn to behave like one. I want you to wear this dress and come down. And I assure you you`ll charm Mr Winston - at least, until you open your mouth and start speaking." She sighed, looking resignated at her stepdaughter. "I only hope, your beauty will suffice to make him forget your language."
"I ..."
"No more word." Her stepmother`s voice sounded final. "You know, even though we`re rich, we aren`t noble." A dreamy gleam appeared in her eyes. "Maybe Mr Winston will propose to you. If you marry him, we`ll be a noble family, too. Then you`ll be Lady Kathryn Mary Winston, and I`ll be the mother of a real lady. Lady Winston - doesn`t that sound good?" Her eyes cleared again. "I`m gonna go downstairs and keep your guests entertained. And you better come down within the next minutes."
When she finally was gone, Kate gave a sigh of relief; but then her heart became heavy once again. She knew she wouldn`t have much of a choice, and it wasn`t like she despised Thomas Winston. She just didn`t feel enough for him to get so emotional. Sure he was rich and noble and polite and friendly - and boring.
She shot a longing look at the book, she had thrown away. A pirate`s life - passion and freedom, that would be her style of living. She knew she would enjoy it so immensely, travelling over the oceans, free as a bird, a seagull or no, even better than this, a sparrow. A cheeky sparrow with glittering eyes, enjoying the company of others, never staying long at one place, but sometimes coming back to a favourite, demanding and stealing, but doing it so charmingly, that noone would ever mind.
With a deep sigh Kate tore her look from the book and turned it onto the green silken cage that was lying on her bed. Mechanically she put the dress on and sat down before her mirror to comb her hair. Her stepmother was right. The green was almost the same colour as her eyes, and her long brown hair flowing in waves around her shoulders, would direct all looks on her low neck. Looking at her reflection she saw a young, beautiful lady - and despised her with her whole heart. Lady - just another word for doll, puppet, attached on invisible strings.
She took the golden locket, that was hanging at the mirror, in her hand and caressed its surface tenderly. Her father would never make her wear this awful dress, he would never ask of her to be a lady, he would let her do as she pleased, would let her run around in the sun without nagging her to come inside to save her delicate pale skin; he would allow her to wear trousers, so she didn`t have to watch every step she made. He would let her read her books and encourage her dreams of freedom and independence. Oh God, how much she missed him!
Kate felt tears well up in her eyes and wiped them away with the silken sleeve. She opened a drawer and put the locket inside, when her look fell on the scarf. She drew it out and looked at it. It was made of rough wool and a glittering silver thread went through the red, lilac and orange material. It was a screaming mixture, an insult for everyone, who wasn`t completely colour-blind. But it was the last gift of her father and Kate loved it dearly. She remembered exactly the moment he had given it to her. He had come into her sleeping room late at night and told her it reminded her of him; that she was as vivid and untamed at the red colour, as straight and independent as the orange, and as vulnerable and tender as the lilac. Her character was like a patchwork, but over all her different shades laid the gleam of natural nobility: the courage to stay true to herself. A gleam that often dazzled other people, who hadn`t this glittering core inside. He then had layed the scarf on the pillow beside her, bent over, kissed her forehead and left the room. It was the last time she had seen him.
Kate sniffed, but managed to surpress the rising tears, and put the scarf loosely around her neck. Of course her stepmother would be in a fit of rage, but she didn`t mind. She just needed something that reminded her of him to survive this evening.
God, if life was really fair, a goodlooking pirate would come. One, who was maybe despised by society, but as she knew from her books, he would have a heart of gold, an inner nobility, society would never see. He would take her away with him, and she would finally be free. Free like a seagull, or - she smiled to herself- like a cheeky sparrow. But it didn`t seem, as if life wanted to be fair to her today, she realized, as she remembered the party, that was waiting for her. Happy birthday, Kat! She muttered, as she got up and left the room to join the guests she hadn`t invited.
Her bosom heaved, her lips trembled, as she watched his tall figure
appear in the frame of the door. Silky black hair, that was tied in a
ponytail, framed his clear-cut features, and his amber eyes blazed at
her. She backed even deeper into the room, looking timidly at
the man, who was now slowly walking towards her.
"Are you ready?"
She shouldn`t have those impure thoughts about this man, a pirate. She shouldn`t long to lie in his strong
arms, shouldn`t desire to drink from his lips, shouldn`t crave for the
feeling of his gentle hands on her naked skin.
"Kate, it`s time."
She should keep her distance instead; keep up her mask of arrogance. Soon her fiancé would come, soon she would be saved
from this criminal and her own treacherous desires.
"Kate, get yourself ready." The voice was harsh with impatience.
She had to be cold, show him her contempt a little bit longer. Just a few more hours.
But when she looked into his brown orbs, she knew
her attempts of resistance were to no avail.
"What keeps you so long?"
With one more step he stood right before her.
"My Love!" His voice was coarse with passion; a passion
that overflooded her with a wave of lust.
"Kate, answer me!" Now the voice held an unmistakenly threatening tone.
Her knees trembled and she would have fallen, if it wasn`t for him pulling her tenderly in his arms. Her
heart hammered inside her chest, as she looked up at him, unable to
say anything. But the flicker in her eyes showed him all, her mouth didn`t dare to speak of; all, he had to know.
The voice had grown silent, but there were steps coming closer.
He embraced her even tighter and the heat of his body clouded her mind. As she gazed helplessly in his eyes, she feared, yet anticipated the pressure of his lips on her own. Slowly he lowered his head...
"Kathryn Mary Sanders! I hope for your own good, you`re not reading one of these silly books again"
Kate hurled her book away, that slid across the floor under her desk, where it came to a halt. She turned her head just in time, to see her stepmother open the door and rush to the bed, she was lying on. Jocelyn Sanders`blonde hair wiggled in carefully combed curls around her round face and her navy blue dress wasn`t more than half a number too small. Only her cheeks were more flushed than usual, and Kate had a distinct idea who the reason for this excitement was.
"What are you doing there, Kate?" Her stepmother stood before her, her arms set akimbo. "Have you forgotten, it`s your birthday party? Or did you plan to show up in your underwear?" Knitting her brows she walked over to the wardrobe and searched for an appropriate dress. Obviously she wasn`t particularly content with what she saw and turned to Kate again. "Really Kate, I don`t understand, what you need all these trousers for. That`s man`s clothing, and definitely not appropriate for a young lady."
Kate didn`t reply, but when her stepmother continued her searching for a lady-like dress, she sighed inwardly.
"Ah, here it is." With a relieved sigh her stepmother turned to Kate and handed her a dress of mossgreen silk; the lower part was so long and swinging that she would have to walk really slow to prevent herself from tearing it by tripping on the seam; the bodice on the other hand was so tight, that she wouldn`t be able either to hide anything nor to breathe.
Kate groaned. "No, mother not that ...dress." The last word was spoken, as if it was something nasty and disgusting.
"What do you mean, my dear?" warbled her stepmother, her old charming self again, now she knew Kate would do as she wanted her to. "You`ll look pretty in it. The colour will complement the green of your eyes perfectly; And the cut will show what a nice figure you have. You`ll charm all young gentlemen down there, especially Thomas Winston."
"Oh,no," Kate rolled her eyes. "He`s a bore."
"He`s a very well educated young man, coming from a rich, honoured, noble family." Her stepmother said sharply. "And you`ll behave like a lady, is that clear?" Her watery eyes glittered.
"I am no lady!" Kate shouted, stamping her foot, as if to emphasize her words.
"Then it`s time you learn to behave like one. I want you to wear this dress and come down. And I assure you you`ll charm Mr Winston - at least, until you open your mouth and start speaking." She sighed, looking resignated at her stepdaughter. "I only hope, your beauty will suffice to make him forget your language."
"I ..."
"No more word." Her stepmother`s voice sounded final. "You know, even though we`re rich, we aren`t noble." A dreamy gleam appeared in her eyes. "Maybe Mr Winston will propose to you. If you marry him, we`ll be a noble family, too. Then you`ll be Lady Kathryn Mary Winston, and I`ll be the mother of a real lady. Lady Winston - doesn`t that sound good?" Her eyes cleared again. "I`m gonna go downstairs and keep your guests entertained. And you better come down within the next minutes."
When she finally was gone, Kate gave a sigh of relief; but then her heart became heavy once again. She knew she wouldn`t have much of a choice, and it wasn`t like she despised Thomas Winston. She just didn`t feel enough for him to get so emotional. Sure he was rich and noble and polite and friendly - and boring.
She shot a longing look at the book, she had thrown away. A pirate`s life - passion and freedom, that would be her style of living. She knew she would enjoy it so immensely, travelling over the oceans, free as a bird, a seagull or no, even better than this, a sparrow. A cheeky sparrow with glittering eyes, enjoying the company of others, never staying long at one place, but sometimes coming back to a favourite, demanding and stealing, but doing it so charmingly, that noone would ever mind.
With a deep sigh Kate tore her look from the book and turned it onto the green silken cage that was lying on her bed. Mechanically she put the dress on and sat down before her mirror to comb her hair. Her stepmother was right. The green was almost the same colour as her eyes, and her long brown hair flowing in waves around her shoulders, would direct all looks on her low neck. Looking at her reflection she saw a young, beautiful lady - and despised her with her whole heart. Lady - just another word for doll, puppet, attached on invisible strings.
She took the golden locket, that was hanging at the mirror, in her hand and caressed its surface tenderly. Her father would never make her wear this awful dress, he would never ask of her to be a lady, he would let her do as she pleased, would let her run around in the sun without nagging her to come inside to save her delicate pale skin; he would allow her to wear trousers, so she didn`t have to watch every step she made. He would let her read her books and encourage her dreams of freedom and independence. Oh God, how much she missed him!
Kate felt tears well up in her eyes and wiped them away with the silken sleeve. She opened a drawer and put the locket inside, when her look fell on the scarf. She drew it out and looked at it. It was made of rough wool and a glittering silver thread went through the red, lilac and orange material. It was a screaming mixture, an insult for everyone, who wasn`t completely colour-blind. But it was the last gift of her father and Kate loved it dearly. She remembered exactly the moment he had given it to her. He had come into her sleeping room late at night and told her it reminded her of him; that she was as vivid and untamed at the red colour, as straight and independent as the orange, and as vulnerable and tender as the lilac. Her character was like a patchwork, but over all her different shades laid the gleam of natural nobility: the courage to stay true to herself. A gleam that often dazzled other people, who hadn`t this glittering core inside. He then had layed the scarf on the pillow beside her, bent over, kissed her forehead and left the room. It was the last time she had seen him.
Kate sniffed, but managed to surpress the rising tears, and put the scarf loosely around her neck. Of course her stepmother would be in a fit of rage, but she didn`t mind. She just needed something that reminded her of him to survive this evening.
God, if life was really fair, a goodlooking pirate would come. One, who was maybe despised by society, but as she knew from her books, he would have a heart of gold, an inner nobility, society would never see. He would take her away with him, and she would finally be free. Free like a seagull, or - she smiled to herself- like a cheeky sparrow. But it didn`t seem, as if life wanted to be fair to her today, she realized, as she remembered the party, that was waiting for her. Happy birthday, Kat! She muttered, as she got up and left the room to join the guests she hadn`t invited.
