Game of Courts. (#1 Nobles)

Haul Him Overboard -1

Chapter 1

Guy had to die. It would be a mortal sin to let a man like her brother walk free. But that was murder for another day.

There were a few things Amanda despised; ships, rain, mother ,and Guy. They ruined everything. Another large ball of seawater hit the ship and she felt her stomach lurch, her head was light from throwing up everything she had been fed. She had told Guy-repeatedly-that there were better ways to get into England than being smuggled like a stowaway.

But he didn't listen. Guy delighted in things that caused her misfortune and discomfort. She bit her lips to still oncoming nausea and wondered why they were yet to touch the shores of England.

Amanda surveyed the dark crate with the light provided by the silver moon, women and children huddled against each other, crying and whispering. They thought they were going to die tonight.

She wondered too, if she was going to die, out in the middle of the sea, disguised and unrecognized. But she could not, Amanda knew that, it was impossible for her to die now, here. She was yet to do so much.

Another devastating wave hit the ship and split wood.

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She simply did not understand why they were all so happy. Well, she was not.

Indeed there was cause to celebrate after the storm that felt like years ended and no one sacrificed to the sea, their ship was still standing and the shimmering shorelines of England could be spotted.

After depositing the contents of her stomach directly into the pail in a very undignified way, she decided to look at her travel companions. The singing and dancing that had overtaken the ship was infectious but she truly wondered why they were so happy. Happiness was undeserved in England, a place full of stuck-up old Nobles that couldn't keep their hands to themselves and obnoxious laws, debauchery that would turn a saint scarlet-plus a harrowing sojourn via sea.

England held no appeal for her. But that was not her choice to make.

When Philippe and Guy had imposed the idea, she caved. She had to.

It was filled with grubby men, scruffy children and tattooed women. The ship.  Oily faces that told of hungry pasts. Amanda felt no pity for them, dressed in royalty she may, in truth her fate was as bleak as theirs if not worse.

At least they chose to be here. She exhaled and continued her study. All fifty-six females, she had overheard one of the ship crew say, were going to be sold to the elites of England and the men and children would put to work.

Living in France, she had heard of such trades but here was her firsthand experience. Thanks to Guy. And Philippe. And Father.

Charmingly, the list of gratitude went on.

She knew, to the women, it was a way of escaping the hunger and consistent pneumonia that plagued the poor of France, by selling their bodies in exchange for a warm meal and a fur coat.

They could hold onto their withering dignity by doing it for a price instead of being forced and without a coin. The stories of debauchery and recklessness of the English court helped, the common knowledge that unlike France, the Englishmen were not picky of the women they invited to beds and often paid them off well.

 They've even had bastards on the throne!

To them, England was salvation, Amanda felt different.

 England was a curse, a death sentence that she had to face. One she could not escape.