1 SLICES OF BREAD

The whinny sound of a horse woke her up that morning, pulling her from the beautiful dream she had. She groaned in annoyance, silently cursing her brother and his new horse that he liked to parade around the town.

It was the first week of Autumn, but here, in Wealdhill, the temperature was much colder than any other land in the whole Kingdom of Leigh. She despised cold weather as much as she despised Wealdhill itself — the land in the northern part of the kingdom, where her family and she were forced to move into. It had been ten years now. Ten years that she had to mingle with Northerners who mostly believed faithfully in mystical creatures.

Her parents and she had been very subtle in avoiding those people. They did not mingle with them unless for healthy businesses. Her brother, on the contrary, was over friendly to every single living soul in this land.

He received a friendly smiles from the people; whereas she received a death glare.

"Oh, For Christ's sake, Felix! Get that damn horse away from our yard." Her mother bellowed from the kitchen downstairs.

She groaned once again and got up from her bed, stomping her feet angrily to the bathroom.

Her hands jolted in shock when she touched the water on a bowl in the bathroom. It was freezing. Swearing and shivering, she proceeded to wash her face and get ready for the day. But before she could finish, her bathroom door was suddenly pushed open and her mother stepped in.

"Mother!" She grumbled.

"Oh, hush, Genevieve! Get ready quickly and come downstairs."

"I would have been ready by now, if you didn't come interrupting." She said, deadpan. "Please leave me alone, Mother."

"What a brat!" She groaned but she did what Genevieve asked, disappearing from the bathroom. However, her mother did not really leave her, as Genevieve could still her rumbling voice inside her room.

She sighed.

Not wanting to waste another time, she quickly got ready and came out of the bathroom.

Genevieve found her mother sitting idly in front of her dressing table. Her green eyes found her and began to scrutinise Genevieve from head to toes. She snorted, lowly.

Genevieve rose her left brow and asked, "What is the matter, Mother?"

"Could you dress much better instead of wearing a 100 years old dress? When did I buy you that plain dress? Oh…" She grumbled.

"You bought me this dress few months ago." Answered Genevieve. "What is wrong with this?"

"Don't you have any wonderful-expensive looking dress?" She asked, sarcastically, irritated by the fact the her daughter did not care about what she wore. She started to walk towards Genevieve closet and then rummaged in.

"What is the matter?" Her daughter asked again as she grew impatient.

"Where is the dress the I bought you last week?"

"Oh for goodness's sake! Mother!" She shouted in annoyance. Her mother stopped what she was doing and turned around, glaring at her. "What is the matter?"

"Lower your voice, you brat! This might be your chance to get away from this cursed land. Can't you ever see a good opportunity that could come to you?"

Oh! Not again!

Genevieve knew immediately what this was about. She had been going through this similar conversation with her mother hundred times. She had been listening to the same exact sentence many times coming out of her mother's mouth, since she turned eighteen.

Her chance to get away from this cursed land.

Yet, it was different now. There was no dressing involved before. Just a conversation between she and her mother, and sometimes her father — who was currently travelling to another land due to work.

"Why do I need to wear a better dress, Mother?" Genevieve's voice was gentler now and lower. She put her annoyance and anger aside, and approached her mother nicely.

Her mother exhaled loudly. Her hands covered her small face as she groaned. Genevieve knew she was frustrated. Poor Mother, wishing that she was given a second chance to choose somewhere else to live. She would have stayed in the capital and separated from her husband, if only she was strong enough to make the decision herself. If only Felix and Genevieve were not in the picture.

There was nothing she could do now. She was stuck for the rest of her life here, in the most horrible land — cursed land. Just like what she said.

Unless the king lifted up Genevieve's father's punishment.

"Your father," She began. "sent a letter that he would bring a guest with him home. A bachelor."

"When did you received the letter?" Genevieve frowned in confusion. What's with the rush? She thought mentally.

"This morning." Her mother replied, gritting her teeth. "Stating that he should be arriving few hours after I received the letter."

"What a great estimation!" She scoffed. "You know it's not always accurate."

"Oh, young lady! Believe me when I said it is accurate this time." She sneered. "They're almost here."

"Did father mention if that Bachelor was looking for a lady like me?" Genevieve rolled her eyes.

"Oh hush! I will send Daisy here to help you get ready."

With that she left the room, leaving Genevieve in utter irritation.

Daisy, their only housekeeper, came to her room upon her mother's request. Daisy had been working with them for ten years, right after her family settled in this land. She was a local woman that her family could, at least, tolerate, regardless of what she believed in. The Elbert's family aided Daisy and her family to have a good finance. She was thankful that they hired her, and in return, she ignored their abhorrence in myth.

The housekeeper helped Genevieve to do her hairs. Her long brown hair now was tied up beautifully on her head, with a few strands of her hair falling on the side of her cheeks.

Upon her mother's request, Genevieve slid herself into a red dress that made her look like she belong to the high class society. She used to be, an elite girl came from an elite family. Only now, she was just a middle class human that was desperate to climb to the top again. As much as she did not care of how she looked like in front of people, she had no choice but to be more aware about her appearance. For the sake of her glorious life.

"You look absolutely stunning with this dress, Lady Genevieve." Praised Daisy genuinely.

Genevieve smiled at the woman. "Thank you, Daisy. I believe Mother will be happy with my appearance now."

"Of course, dear." Daisy nodded her head and bowed at Genevieve, before she retreated herself from the lady's room.

Genevieve looked at herself at the mirror. She acknowledge her common beauty. Her hazel eyes were pretty. Her body was gracefully thin. Her skin was bright but not pale. She knew she was not the most beautiful girl in the world. Had she tried hard enough to look as pretty as possible? She had not. She had come to accept who she was and how she looked like. There was no change required for her face.

Leaving her room, she went down the stairs to the dining room to have some breakfast. Her feet halted at the entrance, as she found the table to be empty. Her mother and her brother were nowhere to be seen.

Several voices were heard from the front entrance. Genevieve wondered if her father had arrived already. She sighed and walked towards to the front of the house.

The closer she got the front, the more she frowned as he heard a different voice that did not belong to her father. Not to mention that his tone was unfriendly and it caused the next voice — which was her mother's — to wail in anger. She immediately ran towards the door and swung it open.

"I asked you many time to not come here for any bread! This is not a charity house. Go somewhere else!" Yelled her mother at the man.

The man had a grey cloak over his head. His face was half covered, showing only his mouth and chin that looked dirty, as if he never washed himself. He was as tall as her brother, Felix. She could not tell if he was skinny for the rest of his body was covered with the grey-old rug.

A very bad smell coming from the man, the smell of the dead animal, hit Genevieve's nostril. Her face turned green. She felt like she was going to vomit any minute but she held it. Her hand quickly went to covered her mouth and nose, as she turned on her heels and walked away from the front.

Daisy came to her aid midway. "Are you alright, Lady Genevieve?"

Genevieve nodded her head. She took a very deep breath, inhaling a good-smell air inside her house. Daisy helped her to sit on the couch. She did not protest when Daisy put her head to rest against the couch. She continued to breath in and out, until she felt better.

"Would you like me to get you a cup of tea?" Asked Daisy. Her voice was full of concern.

"No, Daisy. Thank you." She mumbled. "Who is that man outside?"

"He's Herbert, He is always asking for a slice of bread from every single house in this town."

"Just for bread?" Genevieve frowned.

Daisy nodded. "Yes, Lady Genevieve."

"Will you give it to him, please? My mother doesn't need to know about it."