"I'm getting quite concerned mother. He isn't usually this late," a girl, on the verge of being old enough to marry whispered. Her hair was of the lightest of blonde and laid in waves down to her mid-back. Her eyes were as green as a field of flowing grass and were usually sparkling with happiness or humor. In that moment, her brows were furrowed, all happiness lost within worry.
Her teeth bit her bottom lip as she moved back and forth, back and forth. The wooden floorboards, cold from the draft coming from under the door, creaked under her feet. Despite the numbing sensation, she couldn't very well leave the door.
She had awoken from a terrible dream of death and horror to find her father had yet to make his way home. Her mother sat, her own cool greenish-brown eyes focused on the quilt she was making. It laid limply on her lap, a form of pieces sewn together. The needle was uselessly held in her hand, as if at any moment she was going to resume her work.
Though neither were superstitious women, it was hard not to think of all the things that could have gone wrong. Had he fallen? Was he stuck somewhere, unable to move in the freezing temperatures and snow? "Where is he?" she exclaimed, her voice picking up its volume the longer she had to pace.
Her mother, with graying brown hair, rose from her seat. The quilt and needle fell to the ground in a piled mess. She found herself wrapping her arms around her daughter, wishing she could quell both their depressing thoughts.
When it felt like all hope was lost, the door opened with a gust of icy wind. "Brr!" Merrick exclaimed. His cheeks were reddened and his fingers were practically useless in their black leather gloves. He closed the door after himself, far too entranced by seeing the Beast stare at him again. He was far too lost in thought to notice the way his wife and daughter seemed to relax as soon as he appeared.
Merrick walked into the kitchen, tossing his coat and gloves aside onto a chair before pausing in his step. "What are the two of you doing up at such an hour?" he questioned. As though snapped out of whatever state his mind had been in, he turned to look at them.
"Just... waiting up for you, sweetheart," his wife replied, her eyes soft and warm. Merrick blinked before nodding his head. Already, his mind was whirling with thoughts once more.
He disappeared into the kitchen, getting the dough and such ready for the coming morning. Meanwhile, his wife turned to their daughter. "Annelie, darling, I'm sure you will be able to get to sleep now," she murmured softly.
A soft sound escaped the growing girl's mouth, and she nodded her head. "Yes, I do believe I will," she replied. With a nod of her head, she moved further into the one story, pale, wooden house. It was slowly getting worse in condition, yet there was nothing she could do about it, any of them could do about it.
There was hardly enough money to make sure they were cared for. The money from the bakery wasn't enough, that she knew for such a long time. Yet, they had to make it, they had to. They had nowhere else to go, no relatives to stay with.
Annelie shook her head, not wanting to think about what the future could bring. Instead, she focused on her books, which she had been given over the years. Her collection was beautiful and kept her at peace. Other worlds awaited her with a flick of a finger. Slowly, her pink lips curled upward. Yes, they are wonderful, she thought.
Once in her room, she sat down on the edge of her bed, eyes moving to the closed and locked window. Snow stuck to the bottom where the sill on the outside was. The window itself was frozen, small shapes, like snowflakes, were stretched across the surface. She blew out a breath, ignoring the fact that she could see her own breath.
It was cold, and dark. With only a single candle to light the room, the one on her bedside table. Annelie took the flaming tip of the candle and pinched it between her fingers. The flame quickly disappeared, leaving the room in darkness.
She shifted, letting herself fall onto the fur covers along with her quilt. She pulled them all around herself, and curled up into her cocoon. Her eyes closed.
Thus, time moved by. She would go about her life, day morphing into night, and weeks morphing into months. Finally, two years had already flown by...
---
Annelie found herself working on cooking in the bakery by her father's side. Money had grown harder to earn. It left her mother working as a maid in one of the richer houses a city over. The separation hurt her father, that she could see easily enough. He was far more spaced out, and the distance between them grew by leaps and bounds.
She shoved another iron of bread into the stone oven. Sweat dripped steadily down her shoulder. Her hair curled around her face, a few strands that escaped her quick bun. The blonde was shorter now, but as thick and as vibrant. Everyone knew she was a beautiful woman, but not that she could care. They could eye her all they wanted, but that wouldn't make a difference in the world.
No, she was not interested in being married off to any of them. Rather, she was interested in her books, her literature, and most of all, staying with her family through such hard times. She didn't want to leave, despite the obvious fact that she should have been gone by then.
Her eyes closed as she leaned back against the wall. With a sigh she plopped herself down on a wooden stool, balancing herself in a panicked manner when it wobbled underneath her. It had been a long morning, and business was still hectic as ever. However, there wasn't much more she could do. The dough was ready to be added into another iron when she took the three loaves of bread from the oven.
"Annelie, we need more loaves out here!" her father shouted from somewhere at the front of the story.
"Already in the oven, father! They are baking as we speak," she called back. When he didn't respond for a long moment, she let herself relax once more.
Her body ached. When she moved her arms, her shoulders felt so stiff. Even her head was aching, pounding with a fever beginning. Nonetheless, she continued to work, hour after hour, until the bakery was closed.
Her father looked so skinny and weak as he sat down on the stool she had earlier vacated. "So, have you received word from your mother lately?" he asked, his voice quiet, but hopeful.
"Not a word, father. I am sure she is just busy," Annelie replied. He nodded his head, and hung it low, looking almost broken. She couldn't look at him anymore. Instead, she rose and walked over to pour water on the hot coals of the oven. She continued to close down the shop while Merrick just sat there, thinking and brooding once more.
When she had finished up with the sweeping and washing, she turned to her father. "It is high time that we take our leave home," she whispered. He didn't react, his eyes still on something she couldn't see. "Father?" she insisted.
His head jerked up and he nodded. "Leaving. Yes," he muttered. Merrick's eyes were unfocused even then. He made his way forward to his coat, slipping it on in a slow, numb manner. Annelie focused on getting her things on and making sure she was ready to leave. By the time she was done, his coat was on and he was struggling with slipping on his gloves.
"Let me, father," she murmured. Her hands brushed over his old and wrinkling ones. Without any effort at all, she slid on the leather gloves. She smiled up at him, hoping to see his eyes recognize her despite his obvious pain.
Merrick's eyes were dull still, and she just nodded her head. Her hand wrapped around his and they both disappeared out the door and into the cold air of the evening.
They arrived home, the temperature outside and inside the same. Firewood was far too expensive, as were candles. With their money being used to supply the bakery and keep food in their stomach, they couldn't afford much else. Soon, even their house would have to be sold. It was inevitable.
Annelie walked forward, her skin feeling like it was coated in ice. Wind howled outside, and the wood creaked beneath her feet. She made her way to the kitchen, freezing when she saw her mother sitting there with tear-stained cheeks. "Mother?" she gasped out.
At the sound of her voice and the name she uttered, her father snapped out it his thoughts. "Gioia?" she heard her father exclaim. He came rushing into the room, pushing his way past Annelie. Merrick's arms were quickly wrapped around his wife, and he held onto her for dear life.
She could only stare at the couple embracing. Her parents looked terrible and she couldn't stand it. Together, the sight of them made her feel sick. They shouldn't be like this, she thought. They shouldn't be so weak.
"Mother, why are you home?" she murmured once her parent's had finally let one another go. Her mother's old eyes met hers and she let out a sob.
"I have- I have been dismissed from my- from my duties," her mother choked out. Annelie froze further, her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest.
They wouldn't make it more than a few days now. Where would they go? What would they do? An ache grew in her chest as she shook from silent waves of sadness. Wet trails started down her cheeks. Before she knew what she was doing, she was running out of the house.
Her coat, half-undone, hung on her figure. She rushed forward, vision blurring. Soon, her blonde hair sprung free from the tight bun, flowing out in the wind behind her. Annelie ran farther and farther, not wanting to accept what had happened. There was no doubt in her mind that she would have to marry someone, someone like Cassius who had been chasing her skirt tails for years.
Just the thought sent a wave of revulsion through her body. Maybe she would have normally run up to her room, but she would have heard her mother and father talking. She couldn't handle hearing any arguments or, worse, their muffled sobs.
So, she ran. Before she knew it, she was stumbling down a path that led through the Dark Forest. Blinded by sorrow, she continued on. Not a drop of fear ran through her for the place itself. Rather, just what she was running from, her own future.
A black root, stretched out of the ground unnaturally, snagged her ankle. Everything slowed before her as she felt herself tipping forward. The ground then rushed up to meet her.
Ice and snow cooled her further. Her own tears mingled with the ground as she shook and shivered. It is impossible. How could it have come to this, she thought. Her green eyes closed as she felt her body growing so very tired.
As her mind wavered between sleep and consciousness, she could swear she could hear voices. "Look, over there! Do you not see this, Zaman? There is a girl!" a man exclaimed, his tone partly shocked and partly excited.
"Why- We cannot- But the master," another, deeper voice began. That was probably that Zaman he had talked about.
"We cannot leave a girl out here to freeze! Hmph! I will take responsibility, as you are obviously no gentleman," the first one argued.
"Well, I never! Ugh! Fine, we will take her in, but when the master starts yelling, I will let him know that it was all your idea, Liyor," Zaman snapped out.
"That is fine with me! She is a lady after all, and when have I ever mistreated a lady..." his voice faded off as her mind filled with a void of pure black.
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A/N~ Hope you are liking the direction this story is taking! Here are some more pronunciations!
Annelie (AH-ne-lee)
Gioia (JO-yah )