"Don't Judge Me. You'll Get It Wrong."

 She rose gracefully, hugged Samire and said goodbye to all the kitchen staff present and walked forward, as Christopher opened the door for her and bowed. He always walked two steps behind her, which she didn’t like. Finally, they arrived into the drawing room.

 She opened the huge timber doors by holding onto the silver handles. The room was large and had many famous and expensive paintings hung up nearly everywhere, on the dark red walls. Meredith caught her reflection on the cream floor tiles and pulled back a loose strand of hair, behind her ears. In the centre of the room her mother and father were seated smartly on the wine-red sofas. She walked towards them, and sat gracefully across them. Her father held his champagne glass and smiled when he saw his only daughter.

 “Well done Christopher, you actually managed to bring her here”, Lord Valanche teased and creased a smile. Meredith smiled politely back. “You may rest in your room, now”.

 “Thank you sire, goodnight to you all,” replied Christopher, and he left the room silently.

 There was a minute of silence. All that was heard was the crackling of the firewood in the great oak fire place, at the back of the room.

 “So, dear father and mother, what would you like to discuss?” enquired Meredith, her soothing and soft high voice echoing.

 Both of her parents looked at each other and smiled excitedly, but remained silent. Alarm bells went of in her head, as Meredith did not like the look on her mother and fathers face. They were definitely up to something.

 “Honey…” began Lady Valanche. “It has come to our notice that your birthday is soon approaching. So me and your father would like to plan a fabulous party for you!” exclaimed her mother, filled with enthusiasm.

 “Wow, thank you so much, mother and father,” replied Meredith. She was shocked and speechless. This was really kind of her mother and father. Who knew her mother was this nice?! How could she have not thought of this earlier? Her and Samire had to organise everything straight away and…

 Meredith’s thoughts were cut of by her mother’s shrill voice.

 “Where you can meet eligible bachelors!” screeched Lady Valanche.

 I knew this was too good to be true.

 “Mooom! Please just STOP! I don’t want to get married yet, stop forcing it all on me!” yelled Meredith in high octaves.

 “Young lady, when speaking to your parents, you will speak with respect and not raise your voice,” replied Lord Valanche, in a stern voice that even Meredith dare not to challenge.

 “Yes your father is right, and please Meredith, stop using this word “mom”” said Lady Valanche. “It sounds so vulgar and common,”

 Meredith had calmed down a bit. It just annoyed her so much. Her parents, especially her eccentric mother, seemed to want to make her life miserable. All they ever talked about was marriage, marriage and guess what? More marriage.

 I swear, if it wasn’t for my father, my mother would probably have me betrothed   from birth to some foreign prince or duke.

 “Well, if that’s the condition, I don’t want a birthday party,” answered Meredith, stubbornly.

 “Now, darling,” her mother said firmly. “There’s no harm in looking is there?”

 Meredith rolled her eyes and snorted. She crossed her arms against her chest.

 Why do all parents use that line? Next thing you know you’ll be in a white dress in the chapel.

 Her mother just frowned at her daughter, disappointed. Why couldn’t she get a nice good daughter who actually listened to her? But, instead she gets Meredith. The girl with her own mind. In Lady Valanches’ time, children were seen not heard. They were much simpler times, sighed Merediths’ mother.

 “I am going to my bed chambers,” said Meredith, yawning for good measure so her parents would let her go. “I am so tired,” she added dramatically.

 “Yes, honey” replied her father “Get some rest,”

 YES!!!!!!

 “Not so fast missy,” called her mother.

 Damn! I nearly got away with it then. I should have known better than to think my mother wouldn’t have seen right through my little tired act.

 “Yes, dear mother?” asked Meredith, in her sweetest and sugar coated voice.

 I never thought I would have to stoop to this level, but girls got to do what a girls got to do, right?

“We are not finished,” informed Lady Valanche,” We will finish this discussion in the morning in a civilised manner,”

 Mother, you do not know the meaning of the word “civilised”.

 “Fine,” surrendered Meredith, putting her hands up in the air.

 Her mother had won the battle. Again. She flounced out the room and head up the stairs, calling for Samire. Meredith entered her chamber and jumped on her bed. The large frames of her bed were covered with glorious designs. The floors were a cream carpet, always soft and warm. Her fireplace was eating away at the wood, and she felt the heat hug her. She stared at her baby pink walls, and got up and sat down at her pale oak dressing table.

Slowly, she delicately, careful not to pull her hair, took out the silver jewels. One by one. Meredith sighed, as she vigilantly placed them onto the desk. She walked towards her balcony and looked up at the dark ebony sky, wondering whether love really did exist.

Meredith changed into her light satin blue night gown and got underneath the covers of her bed. She took one last look at the sky and then defiantly, closed her eyes.

That night, Meredith Van De Valanche II dreamed of love...