She was only a legend {1} SLOWLY REWRITING

Prologue

The trees swayed softly outside my window, the simplicity of such a thing calming my nerves and putting my mind to ease little by little. The clouds hung overhead like an overbearing emotion demanding to be felt and yet I only let it pass over me, washing away any and all thoughts of what my life had become and who I would eventually turn into because it was all just one big daunting nightmare made real by a man that was worse than any monster in those childish fairytales. A father should be caring, he should be kind but mine was not and instead only had his best interest at heart.

It wasn't hard to believe why I thought he had killed my younger sister.

But my mother, she was something magical that was plucked right out of the mind of a beautiful wandering ming filled with colour and love and happy endings. She had hair like fire and eyes like the bluest of skies, skin clear and soft, hands small and dainty. She was perfect and yet she was stuck in the clutches of someone she was forced to marry in the name of money and reputation.

Who my father really was, I didn't know but I knew he was somewhat of an important man to marry a woman like my mother. He was a cruel one nonetheless and I loathed the very sight of him, I just hoped my little brother didn't turn out one ounce like him for then I and my mother would have failed him entirely. But Robert, he was my little angel and I loved him dearly just as I had once with Victoria who I missed painfully.

I was to be married tomorrow, my fourteenth birthday set to be the day I was forced into the grip of another terrible man, I only felt more disgusted at the thought of him being almost the same age as my father. I had only met him once, he told me I was pretty and that I would bear our beautiful children, it made me feel dirty when he touched my hand, his gaze made me uncomfortable. It was safe to say I all but hated my groom to be and yet I had no choice, tomorrow I would be to do with what he pleased.

I felt a tear trail down my cheek and fall from my chin as it wobbled with a sob I tried to swallow down, my lips pursed and my eyes screwed shut but nothing quelled the horrible ache deep in my chest. I wanted to let it out, I wanted to scream but I knew if I did then I would be in trouble and that was never good. The soft pitter-patter of rain against my window did its best to calm me and I felt thankful for the slight bit of peace. The rain was my only friend other than my comforting teddy bear named James who had always been by my side, it was better that he wasn't alive then he couldn't leave me.

I held the stuffed animal in my hands and hugged him to my chest, rubbing my cheek against his soft fur as another tear slowly escaped. I sniffled and wiped my nose on my sleeve out of habit something which I was told to never do but it never stuck in my mind, I guessed I wasn't really supposed to be held to a standard like my mother.

A creak from the floorboards made me jump then there was another which made me push myself further into the corner of my window seat. I was hoping my father hadn't heard me crying and decided it was time for one last 'lesson' as he liked to call them. But then there was a knock and without needing an answer the person behind the door opened it slowly and peeked in. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw my rosy-faced brother.

"Robert, you frightened me," I huffed with a small smile which quickly faltered at the sight of the tears streaming down his chubby face. I frowned and moved to crouch down in front of him, "Whatever is the matter, little one?"

He sniffled obnoxiously, "Daddy was yelling at me."

Of course, but how had I not heard? Was I so deep into my thoughts that I had blocked out the world around me? It wouldn't have been the first time. Guilt swallowed me up at the thought of my brother facing the wrath of our father alone.