Cursed 2

TWENTY SEVEN

In the village of Castle Combe, the sound of the front door closing startled Briana heading for Caili's room.
The girl was at the dressing table as she removed her rain-muddy boots.

“Where have you been?” her mother asked, “You had me very worried!”

“I've gone for a walk.”

“You know I don't like it when you go out without warning.”

“I'm sorry, mother.”

A brief silence filled the room while Caili took her hair tie looking at the mirror on the dresser.

“You've been with them, right?” said Briana, “Listen daughter, your father and I have been talking about your friends.”

“What do you mean?” she asked turning to her mother.

“You know that we don't like you to go with them and now that you're getting married it's very important that you mix with people of our same status. Our social class demands us--”

“To hell with social class!” she interrupted raising her voice angrily.

“Take care of that tongue, Caili!”

“You choose what to do with my life without asking me and you sell me to the highest bidder as a piece of land! Do you know if Darrell is a good man?!”

“That is not relevant.”

That phrase echoed in Caili's ears who couldn't believe her mother had said that. Suddenly a fear was born in her when she saw that she had no opinion in this whole matter.

“I don't want to give my life to a person I don't know only to be a property and an ornament without dreams. I don't love him, mother.”

Briana sat on the bed and put her slim hand on it inviting her to sit next to her. The girl obeyed and sat next to her on the soft bed.

“My marriage was also planned and when I married your father I had only seen him once in my life but over time I learned to love him.”

“And tell me mother, do you have dreams? Ambitions? Or do you just do what father tells you?” she blurted out cruelly despite not wanting to hurt her.

Briana was speechless when listening to her because although her daughter was always very rebellious, she never thought she would yell at her those things.

“I'm sorry,” added the regretful girl, “I just... I just want to choose who I want to be, choose my own story. Mother... I want to be a knight.”

Those last sentences from Caili came out broken and tears welled up her rosy cheeks from the helplessness and fear she felt.

“A knight?” Briana said surprised and sighed, “you know daughter, you remind me of myself when I was young, stubborn and always in the clouds. I know how you feel, before I got married I dreamed of being a pastry chef and starting my own business but I had to understand my position and forget about those fantasies. Even if you don't see it now, one day you will be happy with Darrell as I am with your father.”

“At the cost of sacrificing my dreams?”

Briana didn't answer perhaps because she was thinking about her past dream and wanted to prevent her daughter's words from being true.
Alexandre, who had come home from work, climbed the stairs at the voices coming from Caili's room.

“Here you are! Is everything alright?”

“Yes, yes... Welcome home dear, we're done talking now” Briana replied uncomfortably.

“Good because I have good news. He said yes” Alexandre announced enthusiastically and continued, “Tomorrow Darrel is coming to dinner and we will discuss the details of the wedding. Caili I hope you behave like a good girl.”

“She will” Briana stated as he descended the stairs and her daughter ducked her head hiding her tears.

Before leaving the room, the mother grabbed Caili's chin and raised it gently so that she looked into her eyes.

“You'll find new friends, I'm sure. Now take those boots to the entrance please, you know that I do not like that you stain the whole house with mud” she concluded with a muffled voice and left the room.