Chapter 1

New England

1709



The bell sounded with a loud thunder as the rope got tug heavily. It was time for inspections and Ms.Norway to go over the rules for the new children who arrived at the boarding school.



Children were lined up in front of the school yard. Boy's were lined up on the left side and girl's were lined up on the right side.



Ms.Norway walked around hitting a paddle in her hand as she slowly expected the children. She clinched her lips as she walked behind and in front of them.



A teenage girl who was 17 years old stood nervously. Her name was Samantha Colton. Ms.Norway walked pass Samantha and Samantha held her head down nervously while holding her hand's together, hoping Ms.Norway does not come her way. Ms.Norway stopped and stood in the center of the field.



"I have placed new rules." She said with a very strict and low tone."During breakfast and dinner you will only have 5 minutes to eat and if you do not finish in time you will just starve for the rest of the day" she said while looking at the children.



"For the new children who arrived here today there is no going home or writing letters to your parent's or having your parent's to visit... Each day you all will wear the same stockings."



"Black stockings one day and white stockings the next day..and if any of you decides to wear the wrong stockings you will be punished! You all are now bound by me and are under my rules!"



Ms.Norway strictly pointed to the gate. "If any of you ever go near or step one foot close to the gate their will be consequences.." All the children stared at each other in fear.



Ms.Norway finished up by saying." You will not refer to me as Ms.Norway...but head leader understood!" She said with a very mean look."yes head leader!" The children said in a shakey tone.





Rules and inspections were over everyone was sent to their classes. Samantha had art class and her close friend Meghan Wells who is one year younger than her did too.



The Children painted while Mr.Edwen was walking around them with a paddle in his hand. Meghan slowly glanced when Mr.Edwen walk pass her.



He came across a young boy who couldn't get the painting right. Mr.Edwen yelled madly when he saw the young boys painting."No this is not what I asked for you twit!" The boy looked terrified " I tried my best Mr.Edwen I really did!" While tears filled into his eyes.



Mr.Edwen said angrily "lies!" Mr.Edwen took the boys painting and slammed it to the ground and started stepping on it. Samantha and Meghan both looked at each other.



Mr.Edwen slapped the boy in his face really hard with his paddle. The boy fell down to the floor crying and screaming as he yelled out, "I'm sorry Mr.Edwen, I'm sorry Mr.Edwen!" As Mr.Edwen was beating him with the paddle.





classes were over. Samantha was walking down the hallway while holding her book close to her. As she walked, a boy who was the same age as Samantha was walking down the hallway.



His name was Frederick Williams. He was tall, with small freckles, and short dark curly hair. When he saw Samantha he called her name.



"Samantha!" Samantha stopped and turned around, she smiled a bit as she saw him walking towards her. Frederick stood in front of Samantha while smiling and rubbing his head.



"Uh..hello Samantha." He said a little nervous."Hello Frederick.." she said with a sad expression. "Are you alright? Frederick said with a concern voice. "..yes I'm alright," Samantha said forcing a small smile.



"Well um I see you still have your book." Frederick said with a smile. Samantha looked up at Frederick "yes my parents gave me this book as a prese-" Samantha did not saying anything else, but the way Frederick looked at her it seems as if she was going to cry.



"Samantha?" Frederick said while looking at her. Samantha stared at Frederick with a forced smile a little "I.. I have to go... good day to you." She said walking away.



A 16 year old boy was in the music room playing his violin gracefully but with a very gloomy tone. His name was Nathan Smith. Nathan had a glum expression while slowly finishing his violin.



He laid his violin down onto his lap and sat their for a few minutes. He was now standing by the windows in the hallway.



While looking out the window he saw the gate open. Another carriage arrived with more children. Nathan put his hand on the window as he saw the gate slowly close shut.



As the kids began to get out of the carriage, a young girl who was 10 years old stared at the tall and dark brick school building with a very unwelcoming feeling. She held something in her hands tightly as she continued to stare at the school building.



Ms.Norway came outside with a maids dress in her arms. When the young girl saw Ms.Norway she was already having a bad feeling about her by seeing how she had a face of a wicked witch.



The young girl stood their nervously as she waited for Ms.Norway to approach her. Ms.Norway stood in front of the young girl with a snarky expression. "You must be Lily Scottmen" Ms.Norway said in a strict voice. Lily looked up at Ms.Norway with a small scared look. "yes.. ma'am..my um brother has written the letter to you.." she said nervously.



Ms.Norway gave Lily her dress roughly. "Starting today you are the maid of this boarding school you will clean this place from top to bottom all the way until bedtime, you will only eat what is left over after everyone eats, and you will only refer to me as head leader understood!" she said seriously.



But Lily did not say anything because she was starting to get frighten by Ms.Norway. Ms.Norway then shouted out."I said understood!" She yelled out to Lily, Lily got startled. "Yes.. ma'a..um head leader" She said with a fright. Ms.Norway told Lily to go inside and change into her dress.



As Lily changed, she held something out in her hand. It was a very beautiful golden locket with a beautiful star in the center of it.



Lily held her locket close to her chest and quietly said, " I hope these three months pass by fast brother.." she closed her eyes as she remembered what her brother told her before she came to the boarding school.









Flashback





[ "Lily after I'm done with war I promise to come right away for you" he said with a smile " you promise brother?" Lily said with tears in her eyes a little " you have my word dear sister." He grab something from out of his pocket and it was a locket. He lightly placed the locket into Lily hands.



"Here it's a locket to remember me by so whenever you get scared or worry about me just hold onto this" he said while smiling, Lily smiled happily as she held the locket close to her."But just promise me one thing" he said smiling at Lily. "What is it brother?"



He said a little sadly but with a forced smile."No matter what happens promise me you will always try your best to stay strong and brave."



Lily said with tears in her eyes, "I promise brother." He then smiled and told her goodbye while giving her a kiss on her forehead. As he walked away Lily held her locket tightly as tears ran down her rosey cheeks]





Ms.Norway lead Lily to the second floor and told her she will start cleaning. After getting instructions Lily struggled to walk while carrying her bucket filled with water. She was trying her best to not waste her bucket while walking down the hallway.



Finally she reached the music room. she stopped and sat down her bucket. She reached into her apron pockets and got out her locket, she held her locket close to her chest and sighed. When she slowly started opening the music room door her light blue eyes widen.



Lily saw Nathan as he was walking over by the windows and opening the windows for some fresh air as the wind blew gently through his long curly thick brown hair.



Lily looked more at Nathan while leaning onto the door. The door began to creaked open. Nathan heard the creaking of the door and turned around and saw Lily. Lily slowly opened the door fully while staring at Nathan for a few seconds.



Lily then snapped out of her stare zone. "..um.. my apologies.." Lily said nervously while hurring to put the locket into her apron pocket. But Lily did not know the locket slipped from her hand. As she hurried and gathered her bucket she walked off quickly.





Nathan stood their as he glanced and saw the locket on the floor. He walked towards where the locket was and picked it up while inspecting it.



Nathan held the locket in his hand while opening up the door and looking out into the hallway to see if Lily was out there, but she was gone. Nathan decided to hold onto the locket until he saw Lily again.





Lily was finishing scrubbing the floors. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. She then sat the rag into her bucket and reached inside her pocket for her locket, but she didn't feel anything.



Lily started digging into her pockets more but still did not feel or see the locket no where. She put her hands over her face as she tried not to cry, she said, "I can't believe I lost my locket.. brother..."



Lily uncovered her face with a sad expression. She looked down at the filthy water and tears began to fall from her sad eyes. Lily was heading outside to dump the old water out.



She poured the water out of the bucket she refilled the bucket with fresh water from the water pumped, she then sat the bucket down onto the mossy grass.



She looked up at the blue sky and sat down on the ground thinking to herself. "I still can't believe I lost my locket.." she said sadly.



She suddenly heard footsteps. When she slowly lifted her head up she saw a mans shoe. Lily looked up and saw Nathan. Nathan held his hand out to her and showed her the locket. Lily eyes widened with happiness and relief. She happily said," my locket!"



Lily stood up quickly and grabbed her locket, she looked up at Nathan and happily said " thank you" while smiling at Nathan. Nathan did not say anything but only noded his head. He began to walk away.



Lily shouted out to him a little, "wait" she said looking at him. Nathan stopped and turned around and looked at Lily, Lily said "what is your name?"



Nathan did not say anything right away but he said in a emotionless voice "... Nathan.." Lily smiled happily at Nathan "my name is Lily Scottmen."



Lily said happily. Nathan stood their without saying anything again. The bell rang for classes to start and Nathan slowly walked away. Lily held her locket while smiling as she watched Nathan walk away.





As classes began Lily was the only one out in the hallways. She cleaned every spot of dirt. Lily was now heading to clean the other rooms that were empty. Lily stomach started to growl she was really hungry but the only thing she ate was food that was left over and it was very small portions.



Lily came across a room with beautiful dark oak wooden doors, as she slowly entered the room she looked amazed as she saw the beautiful stained glass windows, she thought to herself "this must be a choir room."she thought while admiring the room.



She began to wipe down the choir stands and seats, she moved over to the windows, as she cleaned the windows she looked up gracefully at the beautiful smiling sun that was stained onto the windows.



Lily smiled at the sun but her smile went to a sad frown. She decided to go infornt of the room and get on both of her knees as she softly flatted out her dress. She reached into her pocket and got her locket and held it close to her.



She looked down while closing her eyes and softly said," please, please protect my brother while he's at war please.."she lifted her head up and opened her eyes slowly while looking up at the beautiful stained windows and said one last time"please" as she tightly held onto her locket.





"Time for bed!" One of the teachers shouted out. Everyone was now in their sleep wear. All the kids were outside their dorm rooms for inspections.



The girl's and boy's dorm rooms were separated. The male teacher's walked down the halls in the boy's dorm making sure all the boy's where by their room doors.



One of the teacher's glanced at Nathan with a snarky look and smirk, but Nathan just stared at the teacher with a serious expression. Frederick looked at Nathan as he saw Nathans expression towards the teacher.



The teacher shouted out,"if anyone is seen out of their rooms you will be badly punished!..now go!" The boy's rushed into their rooms and quickly shut their doors.



Lily slept up stairs in a small attic. She sat up on her bed in her worn out gown. She held her locket tightly while looking out her window and staring up at the beautiful night sky filled with stars. She had tears in her eyes as she thought deeply about her brother and being stuck in this boarding school...