Present day
(A big time jump)
Darcy's POV
"Baby let me tell you a story." Ma states as she bends to pull the cotton boll from the brown burr.
"What about ma?" I ask placing my hands on my lips squinting my eyes to get a better view of her.
"About little ol' Colis right there." She points her finger at the confused new young man mockingly.
"What about me?" Colis awkwardly smiles shifting on his feet.
"So Colis liked this woman when he was younger. She was a beautiful shade of dark chocolate and her hair was always hidden underneath a scarf." I watch as mama reminisces the moment with glee.
"Mom not this story please!" Colis shoots me a glare as I shrug trying to hide my smile.
"One day he just ran up to her with a couple of withering daisies in his hand to give to her. To find out daisies did not like him." Mama points between me and him.
"Hidden between the daisies was a bee Darcy. A bee!" Ma drops the cotton to grab ahold of her stomach.
"That bee was pissed. He buzzed around the poor woman and headed straight for Colis' nose!"
"He had a bump on his nose for days!"
"And still to this day. If you look ever so closely" she grabs my arm and pulls me over to Colis, "you can still see where that sucker stung some sense into my boy!" Mama starts laughing like there was no tomorrow.
Her laughter was so contagious even the embarrassed Colis couldn't conceal his laughter through his ashy fingers! I had to admit a few giggles left my lips as well.
I dare not ask what happened to that older woman.
Time went on, Colis and I developed much over the years but we still were unsure of our ages. Ma tried to keep track of mine through the events of storms and Colis' through the days it snowed. Eventually she explained age won't benefit us so she gave up. Just like that. I could not blame her though, our birthdays were the least of her worries.
Our fits of laughter dimmed as we saw the frail Daria approach us with a stern look. Daria was a pretty elder woman, a sweet milky chocolate color with plump lips and encapsulating eyes with a scar right below the left one. She was too, a damaged beauty.
"Darcy. You are needed in the kitchen." Daria approaches me with urgency. It is not often when I'm in the kitchen unless there are last minute arrangements made.
Today was the day of Master Styles' son's returns from his army training located somewhere up North. From obedience school to army training Master Styles did anything he could to make that boy grasp a submissive mindset.
My thin shoes crunch against the leaves as I begin to whistle a soft tune. Daria hears my sound and shoots me a glare. Quickly I shut my lips and look up to avoid her harsh stare.
When I reach the inside I am greeted by a contrast of cool air rather than the seething heat from outside. I let out a sigh as I survey my surroundings. I haven't been in here in a long time and there were definitely changes. The big white house was no longer white, ever since years started to show on the tanning house, instead of buying better shelters for us, they remodel their already beautiful home. The big white house I used to adore now annoys me in the color of baby blue. However the high extravagant white ceilings decorated with a large crystal chandelier swaying gently, still encapsulated me.
My gawking at the ceiling was ruined when right below the chandelier I hear the laughter of men. I look down to see. Master Styles and his son conversing right below the chandelier adorn with beautiful suits.
My body starts to tremble. Master Styles was never fond of me. I was the black sheep amongst his group of negroes.
Attempting to leave before his icy eyes notice me I dart into the direction I recall Daria disappearing to. Only to bump into a green faced Anne.
"Oi! Sweety do me a favor and tighten the back of my corset will you?" She asks turning around as she pulls her messy brown hair up away from her back. I nod, even though she couldn't see me and grab ahold of the strings.
Under, over, under over I repeated this mantra in my head until Anne stepped away from me.
"I am trying this new mask on my face. It should make me look younger for the party. Have you still been reading?" Anne whispers as she looks around to make sure no one has heard.
She is the reason why I am the black sheep amongst everyone else. I nod my head again and keep my lips pressed together.
"Good girl" she pats my head like a dog and struts away. I never understood why she made me read countless hours over the years. She treated me like we were blood but I know she ain't nothing of the sort.
As I reach the entrance of the kitchen Daria stops me. "Take those slippers off right the' child aint nawwone tryna get in trouble from a mess." I huff and bend down to remove my shoes.
I look up at her expectedly waiting for her next demand.
"Go start peelin potatoes" she rolls her eyes at my lack of response when I whisk right past her over to the potatoes soaking in the sink.
"I swear when you was younger you never shut up and now I can barely get ya to say hi" another slave woman, Barbury claims, pointing a dripping spoon in my direction.
I keep my mouth shut.
"She only talk to her mama and Colis sometimes miss Anne when nawwone is around. She is a secretive sly little girl." Daria answers as she begins cropping some carrots.
Ignoring their comments, I scurry over to the trash with a potato in my hand and begin to peel it with a nearby knife. I hate the potatoes look. Ew.
One by one my hands begin to fumble around. I grew tired and frustrated. This is not how I wanted to spend my afternoon. But it was definitely better than being outside.
I rest the last potato back in the bowl before pushing my hair away from my face.
"Go sweep the steps." Barbury orders without looking at me. I nod once again, and turn on my heels. I grab my shoes but don't put them on, listening to the pads of my feet against the cool floor before stepping on the dry hot steps.
I sweep tirelessly as I begin to hum to myself. Alone in my head, the way I like it.
Sweat dripped from the crown if my head down the sides of my face. My vision became blurry out of frustration when I realize sweeping the stairs didn't do anything, the dirt just flew back on. Barbury ordered me to do something that was utterly impossible.
Her example of a joke. A sick one at that.
I heard a high pitched scream in a distance and my heart dropped. I run as fast as I can to see what is going on before I am blocked by Daria.
Where did she come from?
"Listen child, stand back. This aint what you wanna see. He will be fine." She lets out a shaky breath. I ignore her command and push past her.
I didn't make it far before I dropped to my knees. My Colis' back, bruised and bloodied. Long streaks of skin were ripped and oozing blood. He looks up to our Master who stands at his side.
"You talk to my son again like y'all are equal the beating will be far worse ya here?" Master Style belts out to the sky.
Colis nods and remains silent.
"Do you hear me?!" He screams as he flings the whip back across my brothers back. The cracking sound from the contact was loud, but not loud enough to conceal my cries.
Everyone, including Colis' warning eyes were on me but I dared not look up. I play with my the grass tickling my knees to distract myself from the stares and I cringe when I hear the whip slap across his back once more.
I nearly break my neck to look up when my brother didn't respond to the hit. He was battered, but not dead. His eyes still trained on me. Almost like he's telling me to cry, cry for the both of us because he was too weak to do so.
I break our contact and look at the two men powering over my brother. Our master was still staring at Colis' bruised body as an achievement while the man next to him stared at me. He eyebrows furrowed to the front of his forehead almost as if he's confused on why my cheeks are stained with tears.
His hair rests on his shoulders, his built was unfamiliar to me. Yet there was one thing I remember. I remember those green eyes. Those eyes that used to match mine until the time caused my green to dull itself into a mournful gray.
Master Styles looks at me and smiles before saying, "I want you back at my house later. You will help serve the guests."
I whimper as I grab ahold of the ends of my dress.
"Y-yes sir"
______
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY OMG ❤
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Dedicated to HarrESgirl