Chapter One
Life at Home
Marianna woke to the sound of rain outside her window. The faint pitter-patter drummed on the roof and the wind moaned consistently.
"Ugh, stupid rain." Marianna said gruffly. She was planning on riding her horse, Sunshine, but due to the rain she would have to stay at home, which was even drearier than the rain. Marianna yanked her rough blanket off and stood up, shivering as her feet touched the cold floor. She then walked to her dresser and looked in the mirror. A beautiful young woman stared back at her. Marianna had wavy, honey colored hair that reached her hips. She had hazel eyes specked with a dark gold and high cheekbones. Her complexion was light brown, which would have been appalling to ladies who thought pale skin was the fashion. Many suitors came for her, but she was able to make them flock away in horror. Marianna smiled as she remembered the time when she stepped on a suitor's foot precisely 20 times. He had left limping and in complete agony. She suddenly heard a shrill cry,
"Marianna, come here this instant."
Marianna sighed as she listened to her mother's voice. She put on a drab homespun dress and made her way down stairs. Her mother, Susanne, was at the bottom, her hands on her fat hips. Susanne was the total opposite of Marianna. She was a huge woman with large hands and mousy brown hair. Her mother had a frown on her face and she spoke again,
"Where were you this afternoon?" Marianna quickly racked through her brain for a suitable lie.
"I was picking, um...flowers and didn't realize it got so late." In fact, she was shooting an arrow with a bow that she found. Her mother scowled again.
"Picking flowers, eh? We'll see what your father thinks of that. The Duke of Torms will come today, probably asking your hand in marriage. You better be on your best behavior." The huge woman turned away and stalked towards the kitchen, ordering the cook to begin breakfast. Marianna sighed and followed. How many dukes were there in England, this was probably the fifteenth duke so far. She turned around to see her little sister, Sara, tugging on her dress. The three-year old girl spoke with a lisp,
"Are you gonna get married Marianna?" Marianna hugged the little girl and said,
"Oh, I hope not Sara." Marianna had 7 sisters and she was one of the eldest, being seventeen. Mary was the oldest sister and probably the stupidest, Janine was a year older than Marianna and very vain, then there was Cassy, who was 15, then, Judith, Prudence, Melody, and Sara. Her father hated them all, mostly because he wanted a son and also because of all the ale he drank. Marianna stepped into the large kitchen and smiled at the cook, Beatrice. After her, Janine flounced in with her nose in the air.
"The smell here is awful. Can't we get a better cook? I hope I won't smell bad when I meet Tom." Janine said with a pinched look. Marianna replied shortly,
"Don't worry Janine, you always smell bad." Janine sniffed haughtily and said,
"You shouldn't be talking Marianna, you always hang around that horse of yours."
"Girls, that's enough!" Both of them turned towards their mother. "Ladies shouldn't argue, now let's eat." Her father then said quickly,
"Dear Lord, thank you for all this food. Amen." A chorus of "amen" followed after him and the girls started to eat. Janine straightened her back, picked up her fork aristocratically and raised an elegant eyebrow at Cassy. She then inquired nosily,
"Cassy, what are you doing with a book at the table?" Cassy turned slightly pink and dropped the book on the floor. Her father glared at her and said,
"Come to me after breakfast." Cassy swallowed and nodded. Marianna glared at Janine and Janine straightened her shoulders even more. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, as was the custom and all of the sisters trooped upstairs, with Janine talking about Tom the whole way.
"His smile is simply dazzling and he has such warm brown eyes. Of course, I am the only girl he thinks about. Tom is so strong, you should see his broad chest." Marianna rolled her eyes and mumbled,
"Most likely he's as stupid as a chicken." The younger girls still listened to Janine with admiration and wide-eyed innocence. Prudence asked wistfully,
"Oh what I would do to have a man like him Janine."
"Yes, well every girl would want a man like Tom. Now, if you'll excuse me I must freshen myself up." She then patted her chestnut hair and sauntered to her room. The attention then turned on Marianna. Melody started to speak,
"Now you have another suitor, Marianna. I wonder if-"She was then cut off by a loud slap. Marianna hurried downstairs and saw her father's hand raised above Cassy's cheek.
"Father, stop it!" Marianna yelled loudly. She ran to Cassy, who was whimpering and holding a hand to her cheek.
"Don't you dare tell me what to do girl."
"You shouldn't be striking your own daughter."
"I'm warning you Marianna." Marianna narrowed her eyes and said venomously,
"Don't you ever to that again father." She then put an arm around Cassy's shoulders and strode away, a look of astonishment on her father's face.
"Why did he do it, Marianna?" Cassy whispered.
"Probably because of all the ale he drinks, now let me see your cheek." The younger girl turned her cheek towards Marianna. It was very pink, but thankfully there was no blood. Marianna picked up a cold cloth and patted it gently on Cassy's cheek.
"You'll be fine Cassy. Now stop whimpering and go to your room." Marianna sank into a wooden chair by the base of her bed. How could her father do that to his own daughter, she thought. She would probably have to face a punishment for being disrespectful. That was how it was in England, girls were thought to be weak and docile. The only job they had to do was sew and manage the house, while the boys went off on adventures. What she would do to go have an adventure, leaving her father behind. Marianna sighed and took out a cloak from her closet. She would go outside, even if it would rain.
Marianna tiptoed to the door and opened it carefully. She then ran outside and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. Mud splattered on her clothing as she ran to the open field about a mile away. Marianna finally slowed down when her house grew indistinct from her view. While panting she looked at her surroundings. Norwich was a small town close to London and not many people lived there. Marianna's family was one of the richest in the town. Wensum River flowed at the point of the town and it was a pretty place. According to many people, England was in a horrible state. The king, King John, was overburdening the poor with taxes, while most of the kingdom was off at the Crusades. Marianna had not witnessed many poor people in her town and thought the most of the King John stuff was rumors. She past by a shepherd and smiled at him. The boy ducked his head and patted his sheep. Marianna finally arrived at the field, which she named, Flower Field. This was the only time when Marianna was actually peaceful and even happy. All of her life she had been surrounded by sisters and ladyship duties, here, she didn't have to please anyone or tend to her sisters. Here, she was simply free.
Marianna ran to a large willow tree and leaned against its bark. She then dug her hand into a damp hole in the tree, pulling out her bow and arrow. Marianna had found the bow in the nearby forest. It had interesting and intricate designs and she made the arrow herself. She stroked the bow lovingly and strung its string. She walked away from the tree and took aim at the hole. The arrow whizzed past her and right into the hole. Marianna smiled to herself and pulled the arrow out. Rain still slid down her face and she realized that it was time to go. Marianna hitched up her skirts and ran back home.
Marianna woke to the sound of rain outside her window. The faint pitter-patter drummed on the roof and the wind moaned consistently.
"Ugh, stupid rain." Marianna said gruffly. She was planning on riding her horse, Sunshine, but due to the rain she would have to stay at home, which was even drearier than the rain. Marianna yanked her rough blanket off and stood up, shivering as her feet touched the cold floor. She then walked to her dresser and looked in the mirror. A beautiful young woman stared back at her. Marianna had wavy, honey colored hair that reached her hips. She had hazel eyes specked with a dark gold and high cheekbones. Her complexion was light brown, which would have been appalling to ladies who thought pale skin was the fashion. Many suitors came for her, but she was able to make them flock away in horror. Marianna smiled as she remembered the time when she stepped on a suitor's foot precisely 20 times. He had left limping and in complete agony. She suddenly heard a shrill cry,
"Marianna, come here this instant."
Marianna sighed as she listened to her mother's voice. She put on a drab homespun dress and made her way down stairs. Her mother, Susanne, was at the bottom, her hands on her fat hips. Susanne was the total opposite of Marianna. She was a huge woman with large hands and mousy brown hair. Her mother had a frown on her face and she spoke again,
"Where were you this afternoon?" Marianna quickly racked through her brain for a suitable lie.
"I was picking, um...flowers and didn't realize it got so late." In fact, she was shooting an arrow with a bow that she found. Her mother scowled again.
"Picking flowers, eh? We'll see what your father thinks of that. The Duke of Torms will come today, probably asking your hand in marriage. You better be on your best behavior." The huge woman turned away and stalked towards the kitchen, ordering the cook to begin breakfast. Marianna sighed and followed. How many dukes were there in England, this was probably the fifteenth duke so far. She turned around to see her little sister, Sara, tugging on her dress. The three-year old girl spoke with a lisp,
"Are you gonna get married Marianna?" Marianna hugged the little girl and said,
"Oh, I hope not Sara." Marianna had 7 sisters and she was one of the eldest, being seventeen. Mary was the oldest sister and probably the stupidest, Janine was a year older than Marianna and very vain, then there was Cassy, who was 15, then, Judith, Prudence, Melody, and Sara. Her father hated them all, mostly because he wanted a son and also because of all the ale he drank. Marianna stepped into the large kitchen and smiled at the cook, Beatrice. After her, Janine flounced in with her nose in the air.
"The smell here is awful. Can't we get a better cook? I hope I won't smell bad when I meet Tom." Janine said with a pinched look. Marianna replied shortly,
"Don't worry Janine, you always smell bad." Janine sniffed haughtily and said,
"You shouldn't be talking Marianna, you always hang around that horse of yours."
"Girls, that's enough!" Both of them turned towards their mother. "Ladies shouldn't argue, now let's eat." Her father then said quickly,
"Dear Lord, thank you for all this food. Amen." A chorus of "amen" followed after him and the girls started to eat. Janine straightened her back, picked up her fork aristocratically and raised an elegant eyebrow at Cassy. She then inquired nosily,
"Cassy, what are you doing with a book at the table?" Cassy turned slightly pink and dropped the book on the floor. Her father glared at her and said,
"Come to me after breakfast." Cassy swallowed and nodded. Marianna glared at Janine and Janine straightened her shoulders even more. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, as was the custom and all of the sisters trooped upstairs, with Janine talking about Tom the whole way.
"His smile is simply dazzling and he has such warm brown eyes. Of course, I am the only girl he thinks about. Tom is so strong, you should see his broad chest." Marianna rolled her eyes and mumbled,
"Most likely he's as stupid as a chicken." The younger girls still listened to Janine with admiration and wide-eyed innocence. Prudence asked wistfully,
"Oh what I would do to have a man like him Janine."
"Yes, well every girl would want a man like Tom. Now, if you'll excuse me I must freshen myself up." She then patted her chestnut hair and sauntered to her room. The attention then turned on Marianna. Melody started to speak,
"Now you have another suitor, Marianna. I wonder if-"She was then cut off by a loud slap. Marianna hurried downstairs and saw her father's hand raised above Cassy's cheek.
"Father, stop it!" Marianna yelled loudly. She ran to Cassy, who was whimpering and holding a hand to her cheek.
"Don't you dare tell me what to do girl."
"You shouldn't be striking your own daughter."
"I'm warning you Marianna." Marianna narrowed her eyes and said venomously,
"Don't you ever to that again father." She then put an arm around Cassy's shoulders and strode away, a look of astonishment on her father's face.
"Why did he do it, Marianna?" Cassy whispered.
"Probably because of all the ale he drinks, now let me see your cheek." The younger girl turned her cheek towards Marianna. It was very pink, but thankfully there was no blood. Marianna picked up a cold cloth and patted it gently on Cassy's cheek.
"You'll be fine Cassy. Now stop whimpering and go to your room." Marianna sank into a wooden chair by the base of her bed. How could her father do that to his own daughter, she thought. She would probably have to face a punishment for being disrespectful. That was how it was in England, girls were thought to be weak and docile. The only job they had to do was sew and manage the house, while the boys went off on adventures. What she would do to go have an adventure, leaving her father behind. Marianna sighed and took out a cloak from her closet. She would go outside, even if it would rain.
Marianna tiptoed to the door and opened it carefully. She then ran outside and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. Mud splattered on her clothing as she ran to the open field about a mile away. Marianna finally slowed down when her house grew indistinct from her view. While panting she looked at her surroundings. Norwich was a small town close to London and not many people lived there. Marianna's family was one of the richest in the town. Wensum River flowed at the point of the town and it was a pretty place. According to many people, England was in a horrible state. The king, King John, was overburdening the poor with taxes, while most of the kingdom was off at the Crusades. Marianna had not witnessed many poor people in her town and thought the most of the King John stuff was rumors. She past by a shepherd and smiled at him. The boy ducked his head and patted his sheep. Marianna finally arrived at the field, which she named, Flower Field. This was the only time when Marianna was actually peaceful and even happy. All of her life she had been surrounded by sisters and ladyship duties, here, she didn't have to please anyone or tend to her sisters. Here, she was simply free.
Marianna ran to a large willow tree and leaned against its bark. She then dug her hand into a damp hole in the tree, pulling out her bow and arrow. Marianna had found the bow in the nearby forest. It had interesting and intricate designs and she made the arrow herself. She stroked the bow lovingly and strung its string. She walked away from the tree and took aim at the hole. The arrow whizzed past her and right into the hole. Marianna smiled to herself and pulled the arrow out. Rain still slid down her face and she realized that it was time to go. Marianna hitched up her skirts and ran back home.