burial and disappearance (16th century)

"Jade...jade...are you ready?" Lydia asked as she quickly opened the door. " Yes Lydia did you get the coachman that you were talking about?" "Yes he'll be here in a....oh there he is." Lydia replied as she looked at the middle aged man who was at the door. "Lydia I'm so grateful for your help and if someone asks you about my whereabouts, just tell them that you you don't know where I went." Jade said as she hugged her childhood friend.

Lydia continued to hug Jade tightly and the thought of her friend leaving made her cry. They literally grew up as sisters and now that jade was leaving she felt as if her sister was leaving.She couldn't live a life without her friend!

"You know what Jade, I'm leaving with you." Lydia said as she held jade's hand."

What! But your family.What will you tell them Lydia?" "Don't worry about them, besides I know my mother can't wait to get rid of me." Lydia said as she lowered her face.

"Are you sure about this? I don't even have a destination Lydia." Jade asked. She was truly grateful that Lydia had supported her when she was mourning the death of her father and even though it had been three days since they buried him. Jade needed to do what her father told her before he died.

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"..…. Papa what are you saying?"Jade asked as she looked at her bedridden father. "Jade you have to leave this place . My death is inevitable my dear. I can't go on with this medicines but promise me one thing Jade...." "papa you are not leaving me...you promised!"Jade said as she sobbed uncontrollably. "My health is deteriorating and I know that I won't last long. After you bury me my child, I want you to go to Avianna. That place would be safer for you because I know they will come looking for you." " papa who are looking for me?" Jade asked. She knew her father had kept a lot of secrets from her but she didn't question about anything. "Some things are better off being kept a secret my child. All I know is that this place is not safe for you. Promise me one thing, that you'll leave this place once I'm gone.Please I've never asked for anything, but just fulfill this wish of mine I want you to be safe." Her father said with the little energy that he had gathered so that he could talk to his daughter. "Papa you are not going anywhere...I know that you're going to recov..." "Jade please promise me." her father interrupted."Okay papa I promise."

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"Jade please say yes. There's nothing to think about.I have also saved up some money too, just say yes.And what have you been thinking about because it didn't seem whether you were contemplating to go with me or not." It's nothing much Lydia l just miss papa.And it's okay if you want to come along with me but are you sure about this?" Jade asked her friend who seemed to have made up her mind. Jade knew well not to urgue with her friend since she was a very stubborn girl." Yes of course I want to go with you jade."Lydia replied with a bright smile.

It took them half an hour to prepare themselves for the journey and as planned, Lydia sneaked into her house and took the eight silver coins that she had saved and some clothes .

"Are you girls ready?"The coachman asked where that girls looked at each other and Lydia led that way towards the carriage.They had waited for the night to approach so they started their journey at night .Jade sat quietly at the left side while staring at the trees through the small window of the carriage, her fingers played with the pendant that was on her neck whereby she slowly fell asleep.

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Both the girls had fallen asleep during the journey whereby they didn't realize that they had reached Avianna until they heard the coachman calling them."Hey! girls we are already here."The coachman said as he knocked the window.

" We are finally here!" Jade said with a sigh.

She had never been away from her home for the nineteen years of her existence and now she wondered where she would start but thankfully, she had saved up some money whereby she had planned to lease a house.

On stepping out of the carriage,Jade Was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. She had heard a lot about Avianna but she had no idea that the place looked this beautiful.

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Back in their village people wondered where the to girls had disappeared of to since they had seen them the previous day.

" I knew that girl was never to be trusted." Said a woman who seemed to be in her late fifties where the other women agreed with her. " Maybe she's the one who killed her father there's been a rumour that Mr Carson was just her step father." Another woman added. " How can someone disappear like that. It is less than a week and She has decided to take off with Lady Agnes' daughter.This girls think that life is a peace of cake. Let them face the harsh reality of life." The woman who had started the conversation added as she took a bucket of water and carried it with her head.

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"This place is really beautiful!"Said Lydia as she continued to look around holding her luggage. Lydia had grown up in a well off family who was highly respected in the society but her relationship with her family had been strained when she started her friendship with Jade whose father was a gardener.

She had fought a lot with her mother because of Jade until she. decided to accompany her wherever she wanted to go."Hey let's look for a place we can live at least for a month before we find any work that we can do." Jade said as she pulled her friend out of her trance.