In a small dark room under thin covers, a picture was playing in the head of a young woman. Green grass and blue skies, no pain in her hands, from carrying heavy buckets with chipping handles. Her hair down in the wind and sun. Something was growing. Was it, a smile?
Then the sun shone through the window at the crack of dawn, right into her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her throat was parched, so she slipped out of the covers and fixed them behind her. She put her dress and tied the back, and put on and tied her boots. She of course tied her hair into a bun, as she had to. Woman were required to wear their hair up in some way. If they didn't have it up outside of their own privacy, they would be scolded, beaten, or even arrested for "rebelling. She went out of her room and closed the door behind her. She went past her Fathers room and down the wooden stairs wrapping around the whole main room. In the kitchen she came in and Amelia, the maid girl was already up and at it, as always.
"Good morning Eliza." She said. They both smiled warmly.
"Good morning." Eliza smiled mischievously. Amelia was always the only reason she had any light in her small, restrictive life.
They weren't just best friends. They were sisters to each other. Amelia had a sister by blood, but she hadn't seen her in almost ten years, when she was sold to Eliza's family when she was six years old. And Eliza never had a sister, just two older brothers. The two of them were connected by the heart. A part of each other. Eliza's father know that they were close, but he allowed it because it kept Eliza from getting into trouble. The first and last time they got into trouble together, Amelia got beaten in front of her as a punishment. Eliza would do anything to protect Amelia, like the older sister she was to her.
"Here" Amelia handed Eliza a glass of water, knowing she wakes up thirsty.
"Thank you" she replied cutely, "How did you sleep?"
"Good! Slept all through the night, how about you?"
"Me too, I dreamed last night"
"Oh yeah? About what Ma'am?" she suddenly sounded more formal, signaling Eliza's Father was there.
The atmosphere became down and serious. "Nothing too special" she replied.
"I'll get back to work then Ma'am."
Eliza nodded, and Amelia went on her way. Eliza turned around to face her father. "Good morning Father." she did a slight bow as a respect.
"When did you get up Elizabeth?" he asked her with his deep gurgled morning voice. Eliza wasn't technically her name, it was Elizabeth. Her hated when she went by Eliza, so Amelia didn't call her that in front of him.
"Just now Father."
"Ah, good. Go fetch some firewood for the fireplace. The morning is cold today.
She nodded, and went away. At the back door she put her hood around her shoulders and she walked out into the morning cold, warming her hands with her breath on her way to the wood pile near the woods. The ground was frozen and there was frost covering everything. Though the skies were blue, and the clouds were crisp. Her face was pale and pink, flushed in the cold. She breathed in the chilly air and held it, warming it in her lungs, and let it out in a foggy exhale.
She began loading the wood into the wheel barrow full of wood, stacking it up for the large fire her Father liked to have going throughout the day. She picked up the rusty handles and started to wheel it across the frozen grass towards the house. She came in the back door with an armful of logs, brushing her boots off on the gruff mat on the ground. She went inside to the fireplace, and started placing the wood. Her fingers were frozen just from those few minutes outside. Once placed, she lit a piece of kindling on fire and put it under the teepee of wood. She fanned the flames and nursed the fire, as it crackled the wet wood. She warmed her frozen fingers and swept the debris into the fire with a dust brush, and brushing the dirt off of herself. She scrunched her nose, getting the blood flowing in her face. She got up and went to the kitchen to get some warm milk, and see what Amelia was up to at the time. Amelia was washing dishes, and Eliza came up but before she said anything, she saw tears in Amelia's eyes.
Eliza's heart hurt, "Amelia? What's wrong?" she looked her up and down, looking for signs that she was hit.
Amelia couldn't look at her. Or she wouldn't.
Eliza embraced her, "Please tell me what's the matter."
Amelia finally looked up at her and said, "Eliza. Your Father is giving me away."
Eliza's heart stopped, and her blood felt hot. She just held onto Amelia, since she couldn't speak a word. She was in disbelief.
Eliza knocked softly on her Father's bedroom door.
"Who is it?" He asked.
"It's Elizabeth, Father."
"Come in."
She opened the door and went in, closing the door behind her.
"What is it?"
She dig her nails into her thumbs, nervous, upset, and scared of her Father. "Are you giving Amelia away?" she was afraid to ask.
He paused, "I did."
Her stomach sank and she felt sick. She wanted to cry. "T-to whom?"
"My brother. He's getting married."
"Still why would yo-"
"Are you questioning me?"
"No Father, but why her?" she questioned desperately.
"It doesn't matter anyways. You should be getting married soon. You need to stop being a child."
Her eyes were swelling, and she was fighting the quivering of her lip.
"If you care so much, go help her pack. She will only be here one more night."
As soon as she closed the door after leaving, she silently started sobbing, clutching her heart. She couldn't believe it. It was too much to bare.
Solemnly that night, the two of them packed Amelia's few belongings. Most of which she had gotten from Eliza. While Eliza slowly packed a few things, hanging on each item, Amelia finished what she was cleaning and packing up in no time. She sat on the cot next to Eliza, and put her arm around her.
"This isn't the last time we'll see each other. But if it was, let's not let it be sad." She smiled warmly as she always did.
Eliza wiped the tear out of her eye and smiled back at her, her positivity was infectious. "Okay."
"shall I make your favorite dessert?"
"No, LET'S make YOUR favorite dessert."
They giggled and went to the kitchen to make the most of their last night together. They stoked up the oven and started mixing up batter for the cherry tarts. With a bowls of fresh picked tart cherries. And during that time, backing, being together, laughing and giggling together. It felt like everything was going to be okay. Maybe they would be apart, but they'd still be sisters. They'd still be there FOR each other. That night they secretly stayed up all night, and it was the longest, and shortest night of their lives.
The next morning came, and the time for them to say goodbye was drawing closer. She helped her put her chest into the carriage and the three of them got in and the driver started on their way. Under the cover of their dresses Eliza held onto Amelia's hand tight, comforting her. Silently saying it was going to be okay. Truly a big sister.
When they arrived at her Father's brother's house, where the wedding ceremony was to be held. The bride to be was standing At the door to greet the family that came. She smiled but mot to her eyes. Rarely was a woman actually happy to be getting married. They went inside and her Father's brother greeted them him, coming away from the small group he was mingling with. He had a thin mustache that he curled at the ends as if he was some kind of super villain from a movie. He was wearing a dark fur cloak the a man would wear for a celebration. Eliza never enjoyed his company, and couldn't decide if she was more or less sick of him now that Amelia would have to live with him and serve this terrible man. Even his look would make one feel ill.
"How are you my dear brother?" he embraced her Father with a hug.
"I've been well Cornelius, today is a glorious one!"
"That it is!" they both laughed. "Elizabeth" he turned his attention, "How much you've grown since I've seen you last."
"I haven't grown at all uncle. It hasn't been that long."
"I mean your face. You've matured so well."
"Ah."
"And," he turned his attention again, "A-melia."
She curtsied to him, "Sir."
"She's my gift to you for your new life little brother!" said her Father, making Eliza's spine cringe.
"Ahhh" Cornelius looked her up and down, "What a wonderful gift!"
He acted like he didn't already know that, but there was no other reason she would have been there. And it is a custom for the older brother of the bride and groom to give a servant as a wedding gift. And that he did.
When the ceremony began, everyone was in the room sitting toward the bride and groom sitting at the front of the room. She stood up and her maid brought her the gift she's to give to her husband at the ceremony. She knelt down and very formally handed to him. He took it, symbolizing that he accepts her as his bride. She stayed standing as he too stood up and was handed his bride gift. He handed it to her and she took it from him. He took her hand and turned to the guests.
During the rest of the ceremony, she thought about nothing but Amelia and how she would be treated, how often she'd see her, and if she'd be happy and warm. But she knew that realistically, that was a lot to ask for. She fought to hold back tears, choking up a bit. All she could do was tell herself it would be okay. "She'll be okay"
After the ceremony concluded, she immediately went to Amelia. To give last words of comfort and love before they parted ways.
"You're perfect" she told her, "Just do what you always do and you'll be fine!"
"I will, I promise. But maybe a little better."
They bitterly laughed, and hugged.
"We'll see each other again" Eliza whispered, "I promise."
And that was the last thing she got to say to her that day. When they left, her uncle had already been drinking and was drunk early, before sunset. Typical.
That night in her room after more hard work in the cold after the wedding, she laid in her bed, worrying. Missing her little sister just knowing she wasn't in the house anymore. But she knew that she would be okay. She told herself that until she fell asleep.
"Eliza!" she heard Amelia call.
She turned around and sure enough it was her. Joyfully waving to her.
"Amelia!"
She jumped into Eliza's arms, "I missed you!"
"I've missed you too." she hugged her tight.
Amelia looked at her, "It's okay now. My hands don't hurt. I feel so free!"
Tears of joy started to roll down Eliza's face, "Me too!"
Amelia shouted with the greatest freedom in the sunshine, "WE DID IT!!"
The sun shone through the window into Eliza's eyes, waking her from her dream. She sighed. It was time to get up. And so she did, and began getting ready for the new day. Putting on her dress, tying up her hair, and lacing up her boots. She went out of her room and heard her Father sounding a bit angry, and a woman apologizing. She couldn't even imagine what this was about. She continued down the stairs, but when she got to the bottom she saw that it was Agatha, Cornelius's new bride. She knew her uncle had done something and set his new wife to apologize for him. That was all too common.
"Father?" she said meekly, "What's the matter?"
He sighed in irritation, "You don't want to know."
She felt off, she felt like it had to do with Amelia.
"Did something happen to Amelia?" she questioned.
He huffed. He wasn't sad, but irritated and disappointed, Yes."
"Well what happened??" she thought maybe she ran away?
Agatha was shaken, and visibly upset but trying to hide it.
"My brother got drunk and beat her in anger." he gurgled.
She was stunned. Nothing that Amelia hadn't been through before, but it made her sick, that it was only the first day and that was already her new life.
But her Father continued, "She's dead."