“What!”

*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera

"Cassy, would you grab the sugar?" I turned quickly to hand the square wooden container to Aira. "I can't believe I finally got Miss Anna to share her secret cookie recipe with me."

She beamed with happiness, I was happy to see her happy. I was glad that she could find village life so interesting. It wasn't that I didn't, I just also couldn't wait to get out of here.

Vivian and I had been meditating every evening just inside the forest a little ways away from the village. But all I could think about was, maybe I could go back and find Mink and her friends.

Traveling across the country has been the most exciting and best experience of my life. "Are you staying for dinner?" Aria asked me as I handed her an egg. I shook my head. "Why not?!" I sighed.

"Sorry, mother wanted me to be home for a dinner she is planning for some neighbors." Aria stopped to look at me. "What neighbors? The Everdells?" I shook my head again. "I don't know she wouldn't tell me."

Aira sighed. "Well come save me tomorrow when you get the chance." I grinned at her and wrapped her in a hug. She hung on to me for a couple seconds before letting me go. I gave her a wave as I left.

Once home I helped my mother set the table and place the food around it before a knock on the door told us the guests had arrived.

I put on a smile and clasped my hands in front of the blue dress my mother had gotten me from the market, but the smile fell when I saw Evan Rivers enter followed by his father and grandpa.

I glared at him as I moved to take my place across from him at the table. "Why in the world would she invite this bastard?" I thought. "Didn't mum know I hated him." I gave a small smile to grandpa Rivers as he patted my hand softly.

"You're looking pretty today." He complimented, I gave him another smile but as I razed my eyes to meet Evan's I frowned at his direct stare. "What are you doing here?" I asked him in an unpleasant tone.

He smiled at me but turned to speak privately to his father. Vivian's hand grabbed my hand. "Keep calm." She told me in my mind. I stilled my shaking fists and looked at my father as he began speaking for the first time.

"We are happy you have come to join us this evening. A union between our families would be—." I stopped him. "What do you mean union.?" I questioned him with a glare.

His eyes cut to my mother. "Well." she said. "I thought you had always like young Mr. River, so I thought…" she trailed off. I stood. "Well you were wrong. Mind asking me next time?"

Vivian gripped my arm but I shook her off. She tried to warm me again but I blocked her out. "I would never be in a union with that bastard!" I shouted in her head and she winced in pain.

I turned to leave but a wall of water blocked the door. "What the?" I turned to see my father standing with a face I had only seen a couple times. I stepped back. "You will not leave after treating your mother like that."

My mother had her head bowed and her hand covering her face. "You act like we never did everything for you!" He shouted, my eyes blurred but I pushed back the tears. "I- I didn't mean to." I said.

"We will decide who you marry." My vision darkened. "That is the way it has been here for generations." He pointed at me and his shouting shook the house.

Vivian stood with a bang of her chair, she stepped around it and walked right up to me. "Stay calm." she said this time out loud. "You have no idea what you might do that you will regret."

"But-…" she reached out to rub my arm. "I understand. But you are better than them, you can't hold it back. You can't hurt them."

I won't say I wanted to, I just…

I unclenched my fists and let out a shaky breath. "I have to get out of here…" I told her, she smiled and turned to the stunned and angry faces of the others.

"I think a walk could do us all some good." She told them. "Maybe we should go enjoy the evening before it gets dark." The food on the table had been untouched.

Vivian guided me towards the water blocked door, the water fell back into the floor and Vivian guided me out into the cold evening air. The cool air made me realize just how hot I was, as sweat poured from me.

I hugged myself with one arm as the other Vivian held tightly against her. The others followed us out with whispered words. "What do I do?" I asked her. Clenching my fist once again.

I guess being able to talk to others helped me be able to be giving away to someone else. I started to wonder just how real mine and my mother's relationship really was.

"Sorry I can't help you there dear, but why do you oppose it? He is quite handsome." I frowned. "He is a horrible person." She sighed. "You never know he could have changed." My frown deepened.

"I doubt that." I looked up at the sky hoping I could convince my parents to not go through with this, because if they did I would leave. This time by choice.