Betrayal of the Heart

Chapter 1 Amelia

Amelia held her crying brother in her hands.
"It's okay, it was just a nightmare" she soothed him, rocking back and forth. Her two other brothers were used to the noise and slept through it well. Amelia looked around the apartment even though it was pitch black, the tiny singular window on the opposite wall barely let any of the moonlight in. You couldn't really call where they lived an apartment, it was just a singular room. Two mattresses lay on the ground, a water basin in the corner and a chipped up table where everyone would sit at was all that the small room could hold. A milk crate sat under the table filled with as much food as Amelia was able to scrape up. She had a mother, if you could call her that. Her mother was a very popular prostitute so she was never around. If it wasn't for her nasty drug habit then the family may have even had a nice place to sleep at night but unfortunately it was up to Amelia to help keep them alive. She worked two jobs while the boys looked after each other for the day. In the mornings she would help the local farmer deliver milk to all the richer houses in the town. Sometimes as she walked by, dropping bottle after bottle on doorsteps she would day dream about what kind of people lived in them. It was a very labor intensive job, carrying heavy crates of milk down the streets but she didn't mind it. After a while her body got used to it, though she would still go home with aching muscles. Her second job was at a local tavern, the barkeep hired her because she had a pretty face and the patrons always tipped her and the barkeep extra. They may get handsy from time to time but a quick smack usually got their head back on straight. She was lucky that the people she worked for knew of her predicaments, they have seen her mother strong out in the ditches and pitied her. She hated knowing they did but took advantage of it because she had to.

Finally her seven year old brother had simmered down and fell asleep in her arms, he had kept her up well into the morning. Looking out the small cracked window she could see the beginning of the sun slowly letting it's rays dance across the dark sky.
"I guess it's to late to sleep now" she said with a sigh. Gently placing her brother down to sleep she quickly got dressed and went to start her morning job of delivering milk.

The farmer sat upon his horse and slowly trotted alongside the road as Amelia ran back and force bringing people their daily milk.
"You look tired Amelia, let's take a break" the farmer tried to say to her but Amelia wouldn't listen.
"It's fine! I had a good nights rest and am ready to get everyone their milk" Amelia said wiping the sweat from her forehead. She completely lied to him but she knew that the sooner she got all this done then the sooner she could get home to take a nap before having to go to the tavern.

"Here" the farmer said, handing her the last bottle of milk in the cart, "take it for you brothers".
"Thank you" Amelia said with a sigh of relief. The farmer handed her a few coins for the days work before whipping the reins and signalling the horse to start going. Amelia held the bottle against her chest, protecting it, as she walked through the sketchy allies back home.
"Amelia.." a faint noise came from behind a few boxes.
"Mother" Amelia sighed as she watched her mother push herself from behind the boxes. Her dress was torn and she looked dirty, she always looked dirty. With bloodshot eyes she looked over her daughter quickly before wobbling towards her. Grabbing the milk from her arms Amelia cried out in protest, trying to grab the milk back but her mother pushed her to the ground.
"You ungrateful child!" Her mother said opening the bottle and drinking half of it before throwing it towards Amelia. She scramble to grab the bottle before it hit the ground and shattered into pieces.
"Do you have any coin?" Her mother said looking her over once more.
"No... I don't get paid today" Amelia said quietly. Her mother's eyes narrowed, "Liar".
Amelia tried to run but her mother grabbed her and yanked her hard to the ground before searching her pockets. Amelia had a habit of splitting any money she had into several pockets because of her mother.
"There we are" her mother said happily, pulling out a single coin.
"How dare you lie to me" her mother's shrill voice echoed throughout the alleyway but mot as loudly as the loud smack from her mother hand hitting her cheek. It left a red mark as Amelia held her hand to it.
"Now get out of here, I'm busy" her mother said, stuffing the coin into her breast. Amelia nodded and ran off her eyes to the ground. She didn't stop until she reached the baker where she bought a loaf of bread.

"I'm home!" Amelia called out entering their room, a fake smile on her face. She never let her brother's see her un happy or unwell. All three of them excitedly sat at the table waiting to dig in.
"You better share this" she said placing the milk and bread on the table. The three ate it greedily, not leaving so much as crumb left for her. Amelia collapsed on one of the mattresses, ready for a nap.
"Can we go to the forest and play?" Her two oldest brothers asked, pleading with their eyes.
"Only if you all go" she says motioning towards the youngest. Groans erupted from them but they quickly agreed and ran off leaving Amelia some peace and quiet to sleep.