Far Beyond the Thorns and Roses

Intro

A voice called out to Abigail who was still awake late into the night pondering what her life worth was. She looked up eyes red and swollen from crying. She wasn't an ugly child, she was a sad one. No ill-behaved bone in her body. Too sweet for her good. The moonlight that showed through the window called again to her. It spoke sweetly again of the peace that it could give her. The voice was louder than it had been many other nights. To her feet, she got as she tipped toed over to the window as if it disappear if a sound was made.

There she opened the windows letting the strong spring breeze pour into her borrowed space. Her multi-toned blonde hair whipped around in the breeze as the scent of plum blossoms filled the room.

The voice called her again to join them in peace. Her heart pounded only for a second as she stared at the full moon with red gem-like eyes. With one step, she was standing on the window seal and felt weightless walking across the moonlight. She could feel the peace, the calm engulfing her being as she saw figures waiting for her. They would walk with her through the night until they reached the stars.

The body awoke three days later as it was not ready to return to mother earth...

The nineteen-year-old held onto her head as it ached from memories flooding into her mind. They did not belong to her but she felt as if they were hers. She felt lost in a fog as she groaned and rolled over. All of her body hurt as she carefully sat up and let a dizzy spell pass. She heard a gasp and words she couldn't quite hear as it was screamed in near hysterics. She looked around the room. It wasn't a hospital, but there was a bandage on her head. There were no IVs in her arm. This room looked like period drama her friends would read or watch. She got her breath to a normal pace as she got to her feet. Something in the back of her mind was telling her that this isn't her room.

She heard a door open and turned to look at a man and a bunch of ladies in maids' outfits standing in confusion in shock. Where in hell was she?

"Where is my father?" She asked bluntly in a language they did not understand. "Where is my father?" She asked in their language without a second guess.

"I am your father, Abigail." The man said as she noticed two men behind the group. "Davin Slade Millstone don't you remember?"

"You are not my father." She said coldly and when he started to approach her she got into a defensive posture. "Stay away from me. You're fucking disgusting!" Her anger welled up, but it wasn't just hers. She grabbed a vase full of flowers. "Stay away! All of you! You disgusting selfish assholes!"

He stopped and raised his hands. "Calm down Abigail Millstone. It is okay, father is here."

"Liar! My name is not Abigail Millstone!" She threw the vase hitting the floor in front of him. "You are disgusting. How could you do that to her? Me? Give that rancid food or not feed me at all. You should have never taken her. Curse you all. She is not a replacement or a doll!" She picked up a chair as her heart pounded in her chest.

The man then said. "Capture her before she hurts herself!"

The two men rush in without pulling their weapons. She swing the chair as she gritted her teeth. "My name is Estella Ashlee Moore!" She glared at them. "And you are not my father!"

"Come on young miss, calm down." He had to keep his shock under control as he never expected this small frame girl could swing this chair so easily. His partner charged at her only to get hit hard by the chair. He couldn't hide it now.

"Are you next?!" Estella said as she held up what has now left the broken chair.

Another two men walked in along with a young girl and an older woman. Her eyes fell on the young girl. "Spoiled brat." Then to the older woman. "You are just as disgusting as your husband." She looked at the boy that resembles his mother. "So are you. You spoiled pig." This angered the three that started to throw insults at her as if it was a natural thing to do. "See how disgusting you are? Don't you think you speak those too easy?"

The man she did not address started to walk past his father who tried to stop him as his father calmed the other three. "Sister, please put the chair down." He grabbed the guard's shoulder as pulled him back and looked at the one starting to get back up. He looked at her. "Can you remember me, Gail?" He whispers just loud enough for her to hear.

"David is not a bad person, just negligent." She watched him grab the chair and they both sat it down. Her heart ached. "I want my daddy, not him." She started to cry. "I want my daddy! We were going on a trip with each other, but... They hit us. They hit us. We are dead. I am dead. He is dead. Dead!" She started to sob. "I want to go home!"

Estella spent days locked up in that windowless room trying to get used to the appearance change and the fact that she was now psychically fourteen and not nineteen. She considered this appearance pretty but gloomy. This body was poorly taken care of. It's on part of the original owners and her "family's" fault. Abigail did not know any better. That what these folks put her through was child abuse. This is why she always thought period romance novels were crap.

It always came off as one-sided for the lead leaving the villains or side characters out. This cinnamon roll part she took in the novel called "Roses for my Angel" is about a father, Count Millstone, who sets his daughter up with the most influential, powerful bachelors. The 1st Prince Samuel David Gallaghi, 2ed Prince Lance Calvin Gallaghi, Knight Hester Johnathan, and soon-to-be Duke Matthew Jona Galvis. He got want he wanted. Money, power, and his daughter in a powerful position. Then all he had to do was take care of Abigail. He sold her off to Duke Galvis as her near uncanny resemblance to "that" girl made her a great tool to be used.

The Duke never called her by her name. Just the name of the woman he never got to have. It wasn't love. It was an obsession and it eventually broke Abigail to the point she retreated into the deep recesses of her mind to escape from it all. There was a short web novel that was set to come out about Abigail and the Duke called "Roses for my Doll". But her friends never got to make her listen to it.

She missed her friends even though they made her listen to crap as they worked out. Thank the heavens I don't have to listen to that crap again... Right now have to live it. She thought to herself as her anger welled up again. I need to build up my health and strength. I got to get out of here. The coming of age thing is when they turn seventeen. Which is three years from now. She thought a bit harder. I should leave then. Everyone will be distracted by the party. I just need to keep my distance... Oh and get her mother's necklace back from that bitch of a nanny.

Estella kept her distance from all of them, except for one who was able to track down the stolen necklace for her and get it back. It was rather nice to see the lady get fired with no letters of referral. That thief would not be able to work within any household that the Millstones knew. David called her Estella as everyone else still called her Abigail. She had respect for this man and accepted him as a brother. He made sure she was well taken care of and she did not have to worry about social occasions. He was a steady rock she could stand on but soon she was going to take that leap into unknown waters...