Chapter 4. The last two songs I made kinda sucked, didn't they? Well, can't blame me for trying.
Read and review. Or don't. I don't care-.-
Disclaimer: other than my oc's, I own nothing.
As Anastasia walked in the hall of the upper part of the house, Johanna saw her from her open door and smiled at the sight of her best friend.
Anastasia looks at her and returns the smile and she walked into her room. They both looked at a bird in a cage singing a tune that was only familiar to birds.
Anastasia thought about the cage she and Johanna were trapped in and began to sing to the little bird.
Green finch and linnet bird
Nightingale, blackbird
How is it you sing?
Unbeknownst to them, Annie's singing attracted the attention of a young sailor named Anthony who looked up at Johanna's window and stared as Anastasia continued to sing.
How can you jubilate
Sitting in cages
Never taking wing?
Soon Johanna began to join her, singing the next verses of their little song as they looked out the window.
Outside the sky waits
Beckoning, beckoning
Just beyond the bars
They then looked sadly at the caged creature before them, and Annie sings the next verse.
How can you remain
Staring at the rain
Madden by the stars?
Then both girls sang together.
How is it you sing
Anything?
How is it you sing?
Entranced by their song, Anthony walked toward the house and continued to watch them. They saw him and smiled, not minding his stares. Johanna started singing next.
Our cage has many rooms
Damask and dark
Nothing there sings
Not even our lark
Anastasia started singing next, as they turned their attention back to the bird.
Larks never will you know when their captive
Teach us to be more adaptive
Then they both sang together. Sounding like sirens.
Green finch and linnet bird
Nightingale, blackbird
Teach us how to sing
If we can not fly
Let us sing
As their song ended, they both looked down at Anthony with small smiles. He smiled at them both, wanting to hear them sing some more. Then the girls turned to the back and walked away.
Anthony's smile faded out of confusion when they left. Then he heard a beggar woman singing.
Alms, alms
For a miserable woman
She went toward Anthony, who became startled by her approach.
On a miserable chilly
Morning
Anthony put alms into her hands, hoping it would satisfy her.
"Thank yer, sir!" she said, gratefully. She was about to leave, when Anthony caught her arm, still looking at Johanna's window.
"Maam," he asked, making her look at him. "Could you tell me whose house this is?"
The beggar woman looked at the house in nervousness. "Ah. That's the great judge Turpin's house, that is."
"And the young ladies who reside there?"
"Well, that's Johanna and Anastasia. His pretty little ward and maid. Keeps Johanna snug, he does, all locked up. Treats Anastasia with some kindness, but mostly bruises and scars her. Such treatment shouldn't go to a beautiful little angel like her."
Then she looked at him in and gave him a warning. "So don't you go trespassin' there or a good whippin' for ya, or any other young man with mischief on his mind." Then she walked away while singing.
Alms, alms
For a desperate woman
As Anothony thought about Johanna and Anastasia, he began to sing.
I feel you
Johanna
I feel you
He walked toward his bag and picked it up and walked a little bit as he continued to stare at the empty window.
I was half convinced I'd waken
Satisfied enough to dream you
Happily I was mistaken
Johanna
I'll steal you
Johanna
I'll steal you
The door opened suddenly and Judge Turpin stepped out a bit and made a gesture with his hand for Anthony to come forward. Anthony walked toward him a little bit, and the judge stepped out a little more and offered him to enter with a small smile.
"Come in, lad," he said. "Come." As Anthony came inside, the judge checked to see if anyone was watching and then closed the door.
Once they walked into the livingroom, Anthony sat himself down on a chair and Turpin walked over to his bookshelf.
"What's your name, young ma?" he asked.
"Anthony Hope, sir," he answered.
Turpin nodded then looked toward the hall. "Anastasia," he shouted. Anastasia walked into the livingroom and had a surprised look when she saw Anthony.
"Make some tea for me and our guest, my dear." Anthony saw in her expression that she felt disgusted by the way Turpin called her 'my dear', but she nodded and went into the kitchen to make some tea. Turpin pulled out a book a bit, then looked at the young man before him.
"Tell me, young lad," he said to him. "Are you a traveler?"
"Yes, sir," Anthony answered. "I traveled the world by the seas, sir."
"That must be quite an adventure for someone as young as you."
"It's quite adventrous, actually."
Anastasia soon came in with a tray of tea for both her master and their guest. She nearly tripped herself, if Anthony hadn't gotten up and caught the petite girl. She looked up at him, and he smiled, which she happily returned.
"Thank you," she whispered. He nodded in response as she got to her feet. Turpin, however, didn't aprove of the scene at all. He didn't like the way the sailor caught his young maid when she could easily get her balance back.
"Thank you for the tea, Anastasia," he said. "You may go." The young raven haired girl nodded and set the tray down and left. Turpin then turned his attention back to the young sailor.
"I couldn't help but notice that you were staring up at my ward and maid," he mentioned. Anthony got nervous as he said this.
"I was just listening to them sing is all, sir," he explained, hoping that the judge wouldn't be on his bad side.
"Let me warn you now, boy," the judge said, fiercely, making the sailor even more nervous. "I will not have you-" but he was interupted by the sound of breaking glass and a thud.
Anthony quickly followed the noise, with Turpin at his heels, and they both stopped at the sight of Anastasia picking up pieces of broken glass from a chandelier in the hall upstairs, with Johanna looking worriedly at her friend.
Anastasia looked at the men watching and became alarmed. "Oh, sir! Pleas forgive me, I didn't to wish to disturb you."
Turpin looked at the mess that had been made and raised a questioning brow. "It fell again?"
Anastasia nodded in dismay and looked at a broken step-ladder. "It was the step-ladder this time. It broke."
"Well, try to be more careful next time, my dear. We wouldn't want to have such a pretty young lady injure herself now, would we?"
Annie glared at the judge, along with Johanna as she knelt by her side. They both got up and walked into her room to clean Anastasia's bleeding hands. Anthony watched them with worried eyes, but the maid looked at him saying that she would be fine before going into her friends room.
Turpin glared at Anothony once again after the girls were out of sight. "Now you listen very well. I will not have you take a glance at my ward and maid." The girls couldn't help but overhear the conversation as Johanna was cleaning Anastasia's hands. "If you come anywhere near either one of them, I will have you locked up and-" Anastasia couldn't take it anymore. She bursted out the bedroom door before he could speak further.
"What's wrong with watching a few girls singing together!" she shouted in rage. "It's not like he's planning on kidnapping us! I can tell that he is a nice young gentleman and would never do such a thing!"
Turpin eyes widened at the sudden outburst that came from his maid, and then frowned in disapproval for her behavior. He walked over to her and slapped her across her face, earning a gasp from both Johanna and Anthony.
"I will not tolerate such rude behavior, you wretched girl," he said in anger. "You're lucky I don't throw you out into the streets."
Anastasia's eyes had been closed after he had hit her, but she had a careless expression when she opened them again.
"Beadle," Turpin called, his assistant coming just in time. "Show this young man out."
Just as Beadle was about to approach the boy, the young maid stepped in front of him as quick as rabbit.
"No," she snapped. "I'll show him out." And with that said, she grabbed Anothony's arm and pulled him to the door downstairs. Johanna watched sadly as her friend dragged the sailor down. She never thought that Turpin would hit her in front of a guest, but there was always surprises whenever it came Anastasia.
As they went out the door, Anastasia turned to Anthony.
"I'm sorry about Judge Turpin," she apologized. "He can be a little..." She trailed off, thinking of a better way to describe the bastard. "Well, I'll be truthful and say that there's really nothing good about him."
Anthony frowned. "I can tell." He made a small gesture with his hand toward the red mark on the girls face to show her what he meant. Anastasia frowned and looked away, closing her eyes in the process. Anthony placed a gentle hand on her face, careful not to irritate her now bruised face.
He then looked at her now bandaged hands and took them into his own. In doing that, he saw a little bit of scars on her wrists. He looked at her in confusion and she refused to take one glance at him, knowing full well that he had probably seen the scars.
"They're nothing new," she stated. "I've had them for six years."
Anthony gave her a sad look. So this is what the beggar woman meant about giving her scars and bruises. Turpin had beaten her more than once, and had given her some scars and bruises to prove it.
"It's sad," he said, making her look at him. "A young lady as pretty as you shouldn't be treated like this." Anastasia couldn't help but smile at his kind words. Anthony gave her a small smile in return.
Truth be told, both Johanna and Anastasia were very beautiful. Johanna's hair was yellow like wheat, while Anastasia's hair was black as a raven's wing. Johanna's eyes were like a crystal blue, while Anastasia's were like small chocolates. Both girls were very pale, but one was shorter than the other. Johanna was fifteen, while Anastasia looked no younger than thirteen. All in all, they were both beautiful in many ways.
"You're name is Anastasia, correct?"
Annie seemed taken aback by this, but she nodded with a smile. "Yes, I am."
"My name is Anthony. Anthony Hope."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Anthony."
"The pleasure's all mine."
Annie took her hands out of his and looked at the door, not sure if she should go back inside and suffer another one of Turpin's punishments, or stay and chat a little more with Anthony. The latter was too risky, so she decided to say her goodbyes and go back in the hellhouse.
"I think you should go now, Anthony." This earned her a confused look from the sailor. She looked at him with a sad expression. "If you stay here any longer, he might give you a beating."
Once that was said, Anthony's expression turned into one of understanding. She didn't want him to get into any more trouble than she was already in.
"Can I at least see you again?" This sudden request was a bit of a surprise for Annie, but she smiled none the less.
"Of course." She looked at the windows to make sure that Beadle wasn't watching. Once she saw that there was no one at the window, she got onto her toes to whisper into the sailor's ear, who bent forward a little bit to reach her height. "Come to my families cafe down Fleet Street. Turpin allows me and Johanna to stay there once a month every year. I'm not sure if he'll allow us to stay over there this time, but I'll see what happens."
Anthony nodded and leaned away from the girl with a smile. "I hope I'll see you there."
Annie smiled in return. "Joey and I hope so, too." Her expression then turned into one of sadness, even if she kept that smile. "And I hope that someone will come to save us from this hellhole."
Anthony's smile turned into a frown as she said this. How can she be able to say that with a smile? Annie looked up a him.
"Goodbye, Anthony." And with that, she walked back inside. Anthony threw his bag over his shoulder and began to walk. As did so, he started thinking about Anastasia and Johanna, and about what the young miad said. He then began to sing.
I'll steal you
Johanna
I'll steal you
Do they think that walls can hide you
Even now I'm at your window
I am in the dark beside you
Burried sweetly in your yellow hair
Once he was out of the ally where she had taken him out, he looked up at Johanna's window as he continued to walk away.
I feel you
Johanna
And one day
I'll steal you
'Til I'm with you
Then I'm with you there
Sweetly burried in your yellow hair
When Anastasia came back inside, Johanna walked toward her with a sad expression. Annie waved her hand, as if telling her sister-by-heart that she was fine and nothing was wrong. Johanna refused to take that, and walked by her side to her room.
Turpin gave her a menacing glare, which she returned. Johanna continued to pull her friend away toward her room, hoping that the dangerous glaring showdown would end with a draw. It did, and Turpin watched them as the door closed.
He has begun to see that Anastasia has become a greater influence on Johanna than he thought possible. He began to think of a way to make the girls forgive him of his... currupted behavior toward his maid. Then an idea came to mind. He might as well allow them to stay with his maids family for the month.
"Beadle," he called to his assistant, who came once he was called. "Arrange a carriage for Johanna and Anastasia to take them to her family. I've decided to let them go stay with her brothers and aunt for the month. They leave today, so be sure to inform them of their departure."
"Yes, my lord," Beadle said with a bow and small smile, and left to arrange the carriage.
The girls were sitting on Johanna's bed, not speaking for the moment. Anastasia had taken off her apron before they settled down on the bed. Johanna stared at Anastasia's bruised cheek and placed a gentle hand on it, making the maid place hers on top of it. They felt eachother's pain, Johanna's being mental rather than physical, but they still felt eachother's pain.
It pained Johanna to see her friend take Turpin's punishments so brutally, and Anastasia to have her friend feel guilty of it. She did so much for Johanna, and seeing that she could do nothing but watch Annie get hurt opened a hole in her heart.
"Annie," she started. Anastasia didn't respond, just kept her eyes shut and held Johanna's hand on her cheek.
"Annie," she said again, this time making the maid open her eyes. "Who was that boy?"
The raven haired girl looked at her wheat haired friend with a smile. "Anthony Hope."
"Anthony...," Johanna repeated. "That sounds like a nice name for a kind gentleman."
"Kind is right. He became concerned of the treatment Turpin gave me. Ended up seeing my scars, though." Johanna looked at her raven haired friend. "Apparently my cuffs aren't long enough to hide 'em anymore."
Johanna looked at her wrists and saw that her cuffs were showing a little bit of her scars. Johanna felt tears in her eyes, which Anastasia noticed.
"Joey, are you alright?"
"It's just... I can't stand to see you with those scars and bruises. He's been so cruel to you and I can't do anything to help you." Anastasia put a comforting hand on Johanna's shoulder.
"Joey, I'm still here. Those awful punishments have never driven me away from you. What kind of friend would I be if I abandoned you because of Turpin?" Johanna took both Anastasia's hands into hers and held them to her face as tears started to fall.
I wish upon the stars
My wish had been of you
To heal the bruise and scars
That has been placed on you
Just for once I'd want you to live
In your own fantasia
That's all I want
For you, Anastasia
Anastasia smiled and wiped away Johanna's tears.
Don't worry I'll be fine
The scars will not last long
My strength is God's design
It's helped me to be strong
Though it would be nice to live
In my own fantasia
That's why I'm called
Anastasia
Anastasia pulled out a picture of her parents for Johanna to see.
Beauty from Evangeline
And strength from Andrew
Somehow they seem to be the only things
That has ever helped me pull through
Soon both girls began to sing together.
Under Judge Turpins prison
Where we are forced to stay
But it's what has made us sisters
Today
We wish upon a star*
They say it fills the soul**
To help us get so far*
They say it makes us whole**
They both hold eachtohers hands and smile with tears.
Just remember that I am yours*
And know that you are mine**
As long as I'm here
We will both be fine
Their grip on eachothers hands tighten as their song was coming to an end.
As long as I'm here
We will both
Be fine
As their song ended, they both hug eachother, remembering that no matter what happens that they will be there for one another.
*- Anastasia
**- Johanna