"Miss!" I groaned pulling the thick blankets over my head. I heard the door being unlocked from the outside before opening, and then shoes walking over the stone floor coming towards me. "You need to get up, miss. Your father wants you to join him for breakfast."
I shot up from the bed, "Father? Wants....me?" The dark skinned woman nodded with a stern look telling me it wasn't going to be as good as it sounded. Since mother's illness, that's all he's cared about. It was as if I never existed.
Mina walked over to the chest at the end of the bed and sifted through it before pulling out a dark blue day-dress.
"Turn, miss." I did as I was told, and before long, I was standing before her in just my undergarments. She pulled the fabric over my head and straightened it out as it fell to my ankles. She pulled me over to the mirror and sat me on the stool before grabbing a brush to take the knots out of my ebony hair before pulling it all up into a braided bun.
"Do you know why he's summoning me?" She pursed her lips, "I'm not to say, miss." I sighed and left the room feeling my nerves rake my body. I made my way through the cold halls and came to the vast room with the long table that was hardly ever used by anyone but myself and Mina.
Father sat at the far end of the table reading and opening letters while his breakfast of hot oats with honey, and coffee sat in front of him untouched. As I sat at the other end of the table so far away I couldn't tell if he was smirking or frowning. He put down the letters as a similar platter was set before me with Mina smiling sadly.
"Good morning, Casta. How are you?" I nearly choked on the coffee I had held to my lips. I swallowed before it could escape, "Fine, father." He smiled a little, "As you know, you're mother isn't that well, and our money is running low on her expenses." I nodded trying to figure out where this was going.
"I thought that since we haven't had any happiness around here lately, I've assembled a ball for tonight. What do you think?" I grinned, "It sounds perfect!" He smirked, "I thought you would think so. Maybe you'll even find good suitors as well." So that's what this was about. I stood from the table, "Don't play that game with me. The only reason you're doing this is because you want to get rid of me, right?"
He frowned, "Casta-"
"No, father! I want to know! Why do you hate me so?" He stood from the table also as his face turned red, "You have no right to ask me of this. You will find a suitor even if I have to find one for you." A hand grabbed my shoulder gently and I saw that it was Mina. "Be careful, my girl."
I stormed from the room running through the castle like I had done so many times as a child. But that was it, wasn't it? I'm not a child anymore. I ran through the endless halls and found the cherry wood door with the curved handle. I curled my fingers around it cautiously before cracking it open a little. "Come in, my darling."
The musical voice brought tears to my eyes. I opened the door wider and stepped inside to meet the voice. She sat upright in her bed with her snow-white hair cascading around her shoulders. Her blue eyes met mine and a small smile spread across her pale lips.
"My Casta." I sat on the edge of her bed and wrapped her in a careful hug as if she could break beneath my grasp. "What is it my dear?" I frowned, "Father is holding a ball to find me a suitor." She smiled faintly, "My sweet, you are seventeen now. It's time you found someone. And not to mention someone to keep you more company than just Mina."
She wrapped her frail arms around me and pulled me close. "You are a beautiful, brave young lady, Casta. Love prevented me from fulfilling my life's sole purpose, but it also showed me that I had choices. If it means happiness, don't fight it, my sweet." I began to ask her what her purpose was, but our short time together seemed to have worn her out. I kissed her forehead and began to leave, but she grabbed my hand placing something cold into it.
I opened my palm and found her family's ring. It was intricate with its twisting silver band with a single sapphire set in the middle. "You may go now my love." I smiled at her and placed the ring onto my ring finger on my right side. "I love you, mom."
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Maia Mitchell as Casta Lawrence! Pictured above.
YOU ARE READING
The Pirate's Girl
FantasyCasta Lawrence is a lonely heiress whose father is tired of her and her mother is too ill to have any say. When she is sold to a pirate, her entire world is flipped upside down as she encounters troubling situations and magic.
