Legends From The Highlands: Unwilling Devotion

Prologue

The soil beneath my bare feet felt soft and damp as I made my way uphill towards the castle.  Nothing beat a quiet afternoon out in the meadows with the perfect opportunity to read a good book without a single distraction.

My idyllic afternoon however, had been disrupted by thunderous clouds that approached and I had no choice but to return to the castle.  Like several other times, my reluctance to return so soon led to being caught in the storm and arriving back fully drenched. That day was no excpetion. I entered through the kitchen that was bustling with workers preparing for dinner.  I hurried past the various dishes full of food, leaving a trail of water behind me from my dripping dress and wet feet as I continued my way towards the door leading to the foyer.

Just before entering the foyer, I heard mother talking in her "we have guests" voice. I paused for a moment and put my ear against the door.

"How lovely to see you all again." Mother said.

"Yes, the last time we saw each other was in London during the last season." replied a woman.

"Ah yes... the season."

"That reminds me, where is Juliana? Venetia and Titania have been dying to see her."

I froze as I immediately recalled that my mother had invited them over before the start of the season. This would be my very first season and she thought having my cousins around, who were also new, would help me feel a little less lost.

"I am quite sure she will be joining us in a couple of minutes." Mother said before leading my two aunts and cousins into the drawing room. Once no more voices could be heard, I tip-toed out of the kitchen and hurried up the stairs. However, before I could make it to the very top, I heard someone clearing his throat from behind me. I stopped and turned around.

"Why did you have to take after my recklessness so much?" asked Mother with a grin on her face.

"I swear I forgot they were coming." I said before a shiver ran down my spine.

"Well, hurry up and get changed or you'll get a nasty chill . Your aunts are asking about you... and by that I mean Aunt Heather."

I scrunched my nose at her comment before resuming to climbing up to my room.

Mother and I shared a common dislike of Aunt Heather. She always boasted how her daughter was the best and the only lady worth her title, whilst discrediting me in the process. Truly, I was not considered as beautiful as Titania but I was nowhere near as stupid as she was either.

Arriving inside my room, I fetched the bell lying on my dresser and rang it for Anne, my handmaid, to hear. As if she had been waiting for me, she appeared from behind the door.

"Oh my lady..." she gasped as she saw me in such a poor state.

"I know it looks bad but we mustn't waste any time. My aunts are expecting me in the drawing room." I explained and she quickly walked to the wardrobe and took out several clean petticoats and a top yellow dress. She then helped me into the clean clothes and sat me down to fix my wet, knotted hair.

As she brushed my ginger locks, I glanced outside my window. The rain was still dancing in the wind however, some horses in a nearby field did not seem to mind it one bit. I yearned to be like them, free to live however I want to.

"You are ready." Anne said softly as she patted my locks dry once again.

"So soon?" I asked half-heartedly. She looked into my eyes with a knowing smile.

"You have nothing to fear. On the contrary, you are a most enviable girl." I nodded at her words before walking out of the room.

"Look who finally decided to join us." Aunt Heather remarked as I entered the drawing room.  Titania and Venetia were sitting at the piano while mother and my two aunts were drinking tea.