I sat quietly for the moment in a grand sitting room. The couches framed a large glass coffee table and a fire place crackled against the wall across from the double french doors that led out to a patio. As soon as we had entered the room Elliot and I had gotten comfortable while my father stood pacing outside this french doors arguing on the phone.
"So much for catching up." Elliot mumbles and I elbow him, giving him a glare.
"At least he wants to get to know me. All your dad ever did was abuse me." I spit out. A look of hurt crosses his face as he let's out a long sigh, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a hug.
"You're right, I'm sorry Ells." He mumbles into my hair before releasing me to stride over to the buffet spread out along the wall beside the fire place.
"Sorry about that. I had told my assistant I was busy for the day and only call if there was an emergency." My father's voice greets me with his thick british accent as he takes a seat opposite of where I sat.
"It's okay. I get that you're busy being a duke and all." I reply with, blushing. Although this man was my father I still felt nervous around him I couldn't help it.
Even after the touching reunion he was still a stranger to me.
"So Ellaine, why don't you tell me everything about yourself. What you like and dislike and what you love to do." His voice held curiosity in it and I couldn't help but smile as I thought about it. The realization that I could be me with out consiquences was exciting.
"I love writing. I can't help it. I get this idea and it haunts me for weeks until I make a story. It's like I can escape my reality and become some one knew. Write the character and live the life they're living as them." I blurt out, my hands moving along with what I was saying.
"That's incredible. I bet you're really talented dear." He beams at me, a smile stretching across his face and I was pretty sure I had the same matching grin on mine.
"I've won an award for it actually. I had to hide it when I lived with my mother because they didn't like it that I spent time writing." I admitted, a sigh escaping my lips. I remembered the award I had won. Liam and Evelyn had pushed me to enter and I chose the best short story I had written. When the letter came stating I won first place I was exstatic and skipped school with the two to accept it. No one knew about that day but those two and I couldn't help but let a few tears slip.
"Hey its okay, you're safe now so there's no need to cry." My father had some how moved from his seat across from me to a seat beside me as he held me in his arms, rubbing my back.
"I'm not crying because of the abuse they cause me." I mumble out as I breath in deeply trying to calm down.
"Then what's wrong?" He asks me, pulling away to look at me with such concern I didn't know how to reply for a moment.
"I...I lost them." I sobbed out finally, burying my face into my father's expensive suit.
"My best friends died the day Harvin and Creighton came to get me." I had tried to keep from crying all day because of what happened but I couldn't hold it in anymore.
It hadn't even been twenty four hours since I had buried the two who were more family to me then anyone else and I couldn't help it.
"I'm so sorry to hear that." He says sadly, his hands rubbing small circles into my back. It felt good to finally have a parent to talk to, to cry into and I couldn't help but cry harder.
For a while we sat there like this, my tears being let out for many reasons. For my friends untimely deaths, for the abuse I took all of my life, the fact I had never felt a parents love till now, and finally the fact I was enjoying myself for the first time but could share this with Evelyn and Liam.
After a moment of letting everything sink in my tears begin to slow down until I was sniffling. The room was quiet and when I pulled away from my father I had notice Elliot was gone.
"Where did Elliot go?" I asked feeling lost.
"I had a maid take him to his room to give you some space to cry. Are you feeling a little better?" He answers and I nod slightly, rubbing my tired eyes.
"I'm sorry." I whisper out, looking at the wet stains on his outfit.
"Don't be. This must be such a hard time for you my sweet girl and I want to make it easier on you. I was going to have you start school tomorrow but see as everything you've been through I'll give you till Monday to relax, get settled in and explore your home. Sound good?" I could help but let a wide smile grow on my tear stained face as I looked at my father. Here was this man trying to do everything to make me feel better when my mother and her husband would have forced me to do their chores and go to school if I had still lived with them.
This is what it must feel to be loved.
"Thank you Daddy." I say, wrapping my arms around his waist in a hug and feeling his give me a tight squeeze.
"You're welcome Ellaine." He says wistfully.
For the next hour we sat there and talked. I learned a lot about what my father did ad the duke. Who my grand parents were and that I had cousins. Everyone would be here when we had my introductory ball in two days and I was nervous just thinking about it.
"You'll have to learn the traditional ball with me but after that you won't have to worry about anything else." My father states and I just nodded, unsure about all of this.
"I know this is a lot for you to learn Ellaine but I want you to know that I will help you become the best Dutchess I know you can be. This is your birthright and if your mother had let me taken you every summer like I wanted to, you would have learned everything by now." Even though I told him to call me Ella my father preferred to use my full name. But I get what he was trying to say. He hated my mother just as much as I did for keeping me away from him all these years but he was on my side.
It turned out we had a lot in common and I couldn't wait for tomorrow since he was going to personally tour me around the palace. For now we had decided on showing me where the kitchen, library and entrance were. The last stop was my bed room.
The castle had four floors to it, the first one was for social events and family places like the sitting room, kitchen and ball room, the second floor for visiting family and royals and the third held entertainment. The final floor was used for imidiate family and you could either climb the stairs or take the elevator. I chose the elevator.
"So how big is my room?" I asked curiously as we stepped into the metal box, the doors closing as my father pressed the fourth floor.
"is very grand, considering you have to step into your lounge area before you enter your bed room. Then there is the closet and bath room as well as the whole northern wing for yourself with your own study and library, minus Elliot room." He listed on and on and I couldn't help but hold a look of shock.
"Wait...I have my own wing?" I blurted out.
"Yes." He answers with a smile.
"I wanted to give you the eastern wing to be close to me but Harvin suggested thay I give you the north because you're a growing young woman and would want some privacy." I couldn't believe this. I was expecting just a room all to myself in this amazing place but my father had surprised me ever further.
"Thank you daddy." I gave him a quick hug before the doors opened and he showed me the way to my own personal wing. He could I have gotten so...so...lucky!
"This is it. Elliot is across the hall from you. I thought since he would be your personal guard having him close would be a good idea." I stared at the doors in front of me. Two solid oak structures that would open to my new life and I couldn't wait.
Again the same crest was placed in the center and I ran my hand over the smooth gold metal before catching the name engraved into the wood. Lady Ellaine.
"I'll let you settle in for the night now. Good night Lady Ellaine." My father kisses the top of my head before opening the door for me. I say a quick good night as well before he leaves and I take a deep breath and step into the room.
YOU ARE READING
A Second Chance At A Happy Life
Teen Fiction"Ella, Ella!" Some one shouts my name but the words are fuzzy as if I was under water. Splotches of darkness fills my vision and I succumbed to the welcoming nothingness as I faint. •○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○• Ellain, Ella for short, led a l...
