¤♡Virago♡¤

|Prologue | Renovatio|

                                            Renovatio: Rebirth, renewal, renovation, or restoration

"Evergreen! Be a dear and help with the baking, would you?" A woman calls up the stairs of her cottage, also known as her bakery, as she prepares a fire for the bread. Waiting for a sound of her daughter, she hears none, and calls again. "Evergreen? Are you awake yet?" The woman which went by the name Juliette, marched up the stairs to the tiny room that belonged to her daughter. There she found Evergreen sound asleep, not beautifully like a princess as one would have guessed either. No, the girl was drooling all over her one pillow, limbs sprawled around causing her to be bent and shaped in odd ways, ruffling the sheets and blanket. Her hair covering her face and as well as her limbs, sprawled around. "My word! How are you still asleep on such a sunny day?" Juliette questioned as she attempted to wake the girl.

Clapping her hands and shaking the girl, she finally awoke from her slumber and opened her eyes. "Mother? What is it?" She asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. "I need you to help with the bread downstairs. I'm already behind on a delivery and I can't afford to be even more." "Well alright, I suppose I should help. I'll be down in a minute." "Thank you sweetheart." Her mother said as she kissed the top of her head and headed back down to start the baking.

Evergreen sighed and walked up to her dresser to grab her hand mirror. The only thing she could use to gaze at her reflection. Her tired black eyes stared back at her as she brushed away her dark drown hair from her face. She never really did like her appearance, but she wouldn't dare change it either. After all, she had gained her fathers eyes and hair, instead of her mothers light brown and hazel eyes. Setting the mirror down, she opened the drawer to pick a dress out of the 5 she owned. Wasn't much, but she never complained, as she knew how hard it was for her mother ever since her father had died when she was only at the age of five. Now twelve, she knew it was only a matter of time before she had to start doing more to help around with money. Afterall, her birthday was in two weeks time.

Finally choosing the proper work dress, she peeled off her nightgown and put it on. Making sure the dress was fit and her apron was properly tied, she slipped on her shoes. Soon after brushing her hair, and finishing any other business she felt compelled to do. Arriving downstairs to the bakery, she found her mother scrambling around hoping to get the bread finished in time. "Mother you don't have to be so worried. I'm here now and I'll help." The young girl said as she prepared everything while her mother sat down. Juliette stared at her daughter, wondering how she had gotten so lucky to have a daughter as she. "Evergreen? Now that you're of age, I suppose it's time I teach you of the ways of becoming a lady." Hearing those words, Evergreen had stopped her work and gazed at her mother. "Isn't that already what I have been doing? I've been working with you here. Isn't that grown enough?" The girl questioned. "Well of course not. Now you can deliver what we sell. Go to other villages and sell some bread or sweets there. No doubt you'll encounter some suitors with your looks darling." Juliette answered as she stood to caress her daughters face, although Evergreen immediately stood back. "Suitors? You don't mean find a boy do you?...Mother you know I don't wish to get involved with boys at the moment." Her mother only giggled as she helped with the dough. "On the contrary dear. What's the name of that boy you always run off with again? It always seems to slip away from my mind no matter how many times you tell me." Evergreen lightly blushed but her tan skin hid it well from the woman. "Hugh, mother. His name is Hugh. But he's merely my best friend. The thought of being with him just seems mad to me." She said trying to convince her mother, unknowingly as well as herself.

"You say that now but just you wait. Love is a very strange thing our world has. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. You never know what to expect." Juliette was about to go further with her life lesson, when a woman walked into the bakery, a girl hiding behind her. The girl looked no older than fourteen, and had caught Evergreen's interest. The dresses they wore were quite beautiful. Both being a dark mossy green with long sleeves and pristine white cloaks with the hood down, revealing their enchanting faces. But what interested her the most were the beautiful crystals that hung from the older woman's neck. The crystal was a beautiful shade of a rose pink, seemingly to have flecks of gold. It wasn't abnormal for Evergreen to want a belonging of someone else. But she never asked unless it was near her birthday, for she knew how tight the money was for her and her mother. She had been taken out of her thoughts when her mother yanked her behind her, as if shielding her from danger. Evergreen was confused as to why her mother was behaving this way. She assumed that if she had never seen them, her mother wouldn't have either. It appeared she was mistaken. "What is it you wish?" Juliette asked harshly. The unknown woman smiled and walked to the shelf at the back of the bakery and grabbed a loaf. "This alone is 2 gold pieces correct?" The woman asked kindly as she had set the amount said on the table. "Yes. Now leave." Juliette glared as she spoke, almost barking her words. The woman nodded as she put the bread into a basket the girl was holding, and they both walked out calmly. As they walked out, Evergreen looked to the window to watch them walk away. Everyone near them scurried away with scowls and glares.