December 14, 1908

"The memories to unseal her past were locked away in deep chambers of slumber… or were they dead?

Was there anyone in this world who truly knew where she came from? Or was the truth of her birth simply lost in the raging seas of life, blown away by the merciless winds of Fate to remain eternal, forgotten secrets?"

December 14, 1908

Monday

HollyDale

Ladye Lockwood had granted Merry a holiday, for her brother was arriving that evening, with significant company. After breakfast, she left a few berries by the doorstep to interest any vagabond willing to pacify its hunger, whether a squirrel or a stray cat, or a bird. Claire had caught a cold and was resting through the midmorning before she could visit the library with her mother. Merry watched the sleeping child, remembering all the frightening things she had seen in her eyes.

A child of eight years, who had seen much more, than most in a hundred and two; Claire was only five when she was brought to the orphanage, void of any remembrances. For how cruel the truth was, Merry prayed the child would never gain her memories of the years that preceded her adoption.

The descendent of a race being enslaved for colour, this child was torn from the arms of her native home, at a tender age, and delivered into the ruthless hands of merciless tyrants that wrote her fate to be tied to labour beyond a weight her fragile shoulders could bear.

The dawn of what Merry had seen in the embered-eyes of her Past was: a mother binding grains of corn and braiding them into the thick coils of her children's hair, secretly, in faint hopes that regardless of the distance into the unknown that they may be thrown to, they could, perhaps at the face of spiteful hunger, taste a touch of food, rather than perishing. Feet chained to prevent their escape, Claire had been shivering and afraid, with another captive child by her side and no hope left to spare. Head throbbing and limbs aching, the young girl could hardly recognise that her hunger had been consuming her from within.

When her hands had clutched her hair in fits of frustration, grains of corn that were sewn into the curls of her hair had spilt to the icy floor. A maddening blaze of joy had rushed over the desperate child as she grasped the rays of hope in the shape of corn and began eating them. A faint whimper had sounded from beside her, as she had turned to see her hungry companion eye the food wistfully.

In a heartbeat, the child shared her meagre provision, taking no thought for her own. Merry didn't know if it was innocence or reckless kindness that had beckoned the child to give out of what she did not have, but it always invited tears to her eyes when she thought about all of these beautiful deeds that were wrought in the dark, that people scarcely ever knew of.

It was merely a month they had survived, before they'd escaped their enticing and difficult captivity to return home, but found desolation. Claire's eyes stared in bewilderment, searching for her mother whose hands had blessed her with the food she had needed to still stay alive, in the shambles where a home once stood. She had worried about her every night in her prison and when engaged in tasks, but always looked forward to a day when she could run into her mother's loving embrace. Now that the day had finally arrived, her mother wasn't there anymore to give her the only thing more she had wanted. The pain of never being able to tell her mother how much she loved her or that she had survived the tempest outweighed the child's comprehension and claimed her senses.

Merry wiped the tear that had rolled down her cheek as she gently stroked the hair of the child that slept, her head rested on the elder damsel's lap. Ignorance truly was bliss. If Claire hadn't awoken with no memories of her past, the scars her soul wore may have advanced to afflict her future as well.

Merry rested her head against the wall behind her, wondering what her own life before the orphanage may have been. Was she abandoned? Or was there someone out there in this world that knew of where she came from? Deep ponderings were interrupted when Jesse knocked on the door before inviting himself in.

"Are you alright?" was all he could ask from seeing her tear-streaked face.

~

Merry seemed to be quieter than always that morning, when Jesse found her gently brushing her hands through Claire's hair. He sat himself next to her solemnly, hoping the heavy mood that hung over them wouldn't last long.

"Is Charity taking Claire with her when she goes to the library?" he asked, receiving a nod in response.

Aaron Evergreen had arrived early that morning to take the twins out with him. With his mother and sister gone, it was only going to be Merry's company in the house. He wondered if they would bake something special for the guests that were to arrive that evening.

He enjoyed spending time with his sister, for there was much depth in the decent conversations they were capable of holding and there was something soulful they shared, that only she could understand. He watched as Claire shuffled and rubbed her sleepy eyes before looking up at Merry.

"Feeling alright, dear?" She enquired, and the child replied in affirmative. "Would you like to start getting ready?" she further asked in suggestion, as Jesse got up to leave the room and spare them their privacy. He walked downstairs to see Charity hustling around, gathering articles of food into her large basket. The happiness that blossomed out of her every quick action testified of how eager she was for all the events to come, if her spritely humming wasn't enough indication.

A half hour had passed and Jesse finished fastening Claire's boots before taking her by the hand to the door. Charity laid kisses on Merry's cheeks and Jesse's forehead, adoration wildly evident in her eyes. "Be back soon, mamma", Merry said, before they saw the two leave to the library next street.

Latching the door, Merry turned to face Jesse with a smile. "I don't know why it feels so surreal that Allen is coming", Jesse admitted, a sudden swirl of excitement coursing through his inside. He could see his joy ignite Merry's eyes, as her passive smile turned into a full-fledged grin.

"Yes! Even though all of his letters are so alive, it's still so real that he's coming! It's been so long", she said, hugging herself like a shiver ran though her body. "Shall we bake him something?" she suggested, earning a nod from her brother.

It was always so much fun baking together.

~

The robust aroma of freshly-baked nut cake heavily glazed with juvenile honey claimed its dominance over the cottage, leaving the two children lay a-spread over the warm blanket, internally fighting the urge to gorge the cake even before the guests could lay eyes on it. "Jesse~", Merry started, hearing the slight sway in her voice before she could even begin to phrase what seemed to be bothering her the most. The approach of eventide only caused her anxiety to grow further intense. "Is it about your nervousness again?" Jesse asked, as if he'd reached the final verge of his thinning tolerance.

Merry sniffed long, feeling various emotions persecute her heart. She heard a sigh from her brother before he patiently asked her: "What is it?"

"What do you think Jude would think of me?" she asked, failing miserably at keeping the shivers at bay.

"You know about as much about the man as you do about how lovely you are. I don't doubt he could afford being blind to that, like a certain someone."

Yet another sniffle from her side challenged Jesse's ever-present calm. "If there is any lesser the man would offer, Allen would order his guillotining. You know that", he reminded.

"I do", she said, a smile writing itself over her lips. It was, however, her greatest concern whether the man would so unconditionally accept her companionship, although she lacked an origin to belong to. With wealth, intelligence and every other trait Allen had described to be Jude's possession, she shuddered at the thought of her incompetence.

"Jesse~", she quivered, flinching at the click of his tongue. She needed to pray for her brother's patience.

~

Aaron Evergreen, Ladye Lockwood and the rest of her family, attired in neat apparel, awaited the guests, in the drawing room, whilst chattering away around the fireplace. Merry bit her lip in nervousness as she stared at her reflection. Her eyes were ready melt to tears as her fingers fidgeted with the fabric of the dress she had spent ages selecting.

The pace of her breathing rose with every thought of their arrival. She couldn't help the feeling of her heart in her throat, while something chaotic brewed in the pits of her stomach. Something about her appearance was unsatisfactory on this important occasion.

She heard hurried footsteps climbing the wooden stairs and making its way to her room. Her chest rose and fell to the erratic rhythm of her heartbeat as she saw Ladye throw the door open like it was standing in her way.

A calm smile graciously spread over her face as she stepped closer. Merry was ready to dissolve into her arms, the building anxiety boasting its triumphant conquest. "You look like a darling", were words that comforted the damsel as she smiled.

"How much longer before they arrive?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "It won't take a quarter hour more", the lady declared, seeing Merry's confidence off to a headlong retreat.

"I see", she managed, casting a stiff glance over her shoulder to see shades of the magnificent crepuscular sky painted outside her window. She hoped for this evening to pass in a moment or grant her to sprout wings and fly away.

"They're here!" cried Charity's voice, sending a pierce through Merry, who could feel her feet betray her. She turned desperately to Ladye, whose eyes looked like the flames of a dragon's fire. As she led Merry out the room, she whispered: "Wipe those creases off your pretty face, you look like a pearl."

~

The family stood outside in the mercy of the unkind snow, as a grand carriage arrived at their rustic cottage's front-yard. A brisk young man descended therefrom, sweeping the honey-coloured hair off his forehead. He looked up, placing a hand over the buttons down his vest, and flashed a lively grin.

"Allen!" the family squealed, thrills tremoring Merry's heart. He tossed his head to a side and chuckled, spreading his arms as he walked close to the jubilant company. Receiving the welcome of his people, he touched a finger to the cheeks of his little twin brother, safely harboured in the arms of his close friend, Aaron and looked down to ruffle Jesse's hair, "Looking handsome, little guy". A wave of abashment seemed to overcome the usually placid lad.

He awarded his beloved mother with a kiss on the tip of her fingers before looking into her elderly eyes and giving her the most sincere, "When do you intend to let go of your youth, mamma?" A coo escaped the flustered lady before she rendered a slap against his arm.

With a laugh, he turned to face Merry, his lovely little sister, and admired how much she had grown, fussing her like she was a treasure no other had found. Lifting little Claire in his arms, he shifted his gaze to the Lockwoods that had followed close.

~

Merry peered from behind her brother's strong shoulder to see the other three people from Frostshire. Ladye had her hands clasped around the arm of a tall man, whose left cheek bore a hostile scar. His eyes were trained on her, amusement lifting a side of his mouth. A charming lady stood at his other side with another man close behind her.

Ladye released the grip on his arm as the man stepped forth, holding his hand out for her to take. She looked up to see Allen gazing down at her, concerned, the expression on his face unreadable. Resting her hand in the man's much larger palm, she averted her eyes. "I'm Christian", said the man, bowing, yet raising her tender hand to leave a brief kiss at its tip.

"As am I", Merry replied soft, her eyes barely courageous enough to meet his, although her anxiety had considerately subsided to pleasant fluttery feelings. She heard a stifled snort from Allen and looked up, alarmed, to see the adults of her family looking petrified. Had she disgraced herself already?

"I assure you will be, in not so much as a fortnight's time", he stated, fascination dripping from his calm voice. "The name is Jude Devin Christian Lockwood. I rarely go by 'Jude'."

Overwhelmed by the weight of her discomposure, she looked up, eyes at the brink of tears, to see his kind gaze down at her, his left brow lifted. Her first falter that evening was locking eyes with the man.

She barely noticed the rest of the people -save Allen, walk indoors, before the heat of a burning furnace encompassed her as the scene of flames consuming a building spread around her. Fire and smoke clouded everything with only sparks flying about. Looking around and running desperately through the haze of the scorching place, she beheld the sight of blazing wedges and portions of the building descending on every side as the frantic sprint towards the heart of the flaming house continued forth. An unexpected flare of combustion reached its voidless hand to slap the side of her face. She felt the burn inflict her cheek like it was real.

Gasping for breath, she felt her head leaning against Allen's chest. "Are you alright?" she heard him ask, tension evident in his voice. She looked up, dazed and nodded before realising that she had been frozen in a trance at their very first meeting. She hadn't known when her brother had stepped in to shake her out of the stupor, but glanced up to see Christian's eyes dart away from hers as he slowly grazed his knuckles over the scar on his left jaw.

Realisation, that she had a hand cupping her left cheek from the course of her vision, made her desperately wish he hadn't mistaken the trauma of her withdrawal for a disdainful reaction to his scar, but to no avail.