The next morning i am woke up abruptly by knocking on the door. I still and and groggily rub my eyes..
"Yes?" i tiredly ask
"Katerina its Elliott." The voice i've grown to love rings out.
"Eliott what are you doing here," i get up and open the door.
"I needed to see you." He says giving me a hug. I hug back.
"We are not supposed to see each other," i look into his eyes
"That doesn't matter, i just want to make sure you're still okay with this because i don't want you to do anything you don't want too," Elijah tells me looking into my eyes.
"It's fine, i want to stay here." i sigh. But i don't sound convincing to him.
"Katerina, what's wrong?" he takes my hands in his.
"I miss my family," I start "i know i shouldn't but i do, i miss them so much."
He takes his hands and wipes the lone tear going down my cheek,
"You have all the right to miss them," Elliott says.
"No i don't they were sending me against my will to get married to someone i don't even know!" I exclaim. I quickly cover my mouth.
"Wait, you said your family left you in the meadow because they thought you were a disgrace." Elliott walks closer to me, "You lied" he looks down with a hurt expression.
" I had too, Elliott trust me. The person who was supposed to take me to Briarwood dropped me off saying it was the best for me, i pleaded to go home but he told me i can't and when i asked why he said for reasons that he hopes i don't find out. I needed to lie about my story for reasons he also didn't tell me." Elliott looks shocked
"Did you say Briarwood?" He asks. I nod.
"That's the village that attacked. They are ruthless, they are all in for child slave trade." Elliott says shocking me.
"Wait, so you're telling me my parents where going to send me to the conwells to be a child slave?" I ask hurt evident in my voice.
"The Conwells?" Elliot asks. I nod "Those are the child killers, if you were supposed to marry the eldest child and if you didn't bare them a male they would kill all your female children."
"How-what." i shudder to get my words out
"I'm sorry Katerina," Elliott closes the door and i can hear his footsteps walk away. Tep after step slowly as if he doesn't want to leave.
Thoughts soon fill my head, did my parents really know about this? Did my sister? My brother? How could they? I soon find myself crying on the floor.
"I need to know." I wipe my tears and stand up. I grab and put on my shoes and out the door i am venturing into the night.
The sounds of the night are scary, the trees creaking. The owls hooting, the coyotes howling. All to find out if my parents know. I don't know where i'm going. If im going the right way.
I see some light. I go towards it to see a fire. And around it Erik and Elijah.
"Katherina?" Elijah questions. I just nod hugging myself to keep the warmth.
"What are you doing? Your supposed to be in the hut, sleeping." Erik says sternly.
"Someone came by and told me something, i need to find out if its true." i look down
"Who?" Elijah questions. I just look over at the trees.
"No one important." I turn on my heels to go back to the hut. This was a stupid idea anyways i just need to let it go i thought. The walk to the hut was short as i didn't make it that far on my mission. Once i get to the hut i take off my shoes and lay down, my thoughts still swirling in my mind. Until i let the darkness consume me.
The next morning I am awoken to the sound of Gia and Hilly talking.
"This is going to be a hard few days." the voice of Gia rings out
"Yeah it will," Hilly responds. I sit up to show that i'm awake.
"Good Morning Katerina," Gia smiles
"Good morning." i yawn out.
"Eat please we have a lot to do today," Hilly says handing me a bowl of porridge with wild berries. I gladly take it and start to eat. The rest of the morning was spent of me learning the ins and outs of the norse religion hat i'm going to have to do with the rest of my life being apart of Kalda. I learn a lot. That when i have a child what has to happen when he/she is born. It's a lot different from where i grew up and how i learned. I also learned that in the next year or two Elliott will be going away for a while to travel to other places to spread our ways and religion. It's now mid afternoon and it's time for the pledge of maidenhood.
"First you need to strip from your clothing" Hilly told me as we arrived at the River. I stare at the horizon as i take of my emerald green dress along with my undergarments. I cover myself feeling exposed.
"It's alright dear just step into the water and walk out up to your neck," i look at the woman like she is crazy
"It's a tradition dear you only have to stay in for a minute." Gia's kind voice rings out calming me down.
"Here goes nothing." i sigh taking my first step into the cold water. I shiver at the contact.
"Keep going hun," Hilly says from the grass.
I keep on walking farther and farther into the water, the lower part of my body feels almost numb. I soon reach the point where im supposed to be, the end of my blonde hair are in the water. I soon decided just to go all the way under as some of my hair is already wet. I close my eyes and take a deep breath going under the ice cold water. I don't come up right away. I breath out of my nose letting the bubbles come up. I open my eyes in the crystal clear water. From a distance i see something coming towards me. A woman with brown hair swimming. I quickly go up above water and breath. I start to walk with a haste towards the shore. Hilly wraps me in towel. But before she does so she takes a look at my red skin.
"You passed," She smiles. I smile in return.
"What's wrong?" Gia asks as she sees me looking at the water.
"When i went under water i opened my eyes and i swear i saw a girl swimming towards me from across the bay." I wrap myself in the towel as tight as i could "i didnt get a lot of sleep last night so that could be why." i finish so the two woman dont think im crazy.
"Probably, let's go back so you can get changed." Gia says. I don't say anything just nod.
"Tomorrow is the day Katerina," Hilly says out of the blue
"No it's friday." i argue
"Normally yes, but as the council requested it will be held tomorrow when the sun is at its highest." The woman explains
"This is really happening isn't it." i sigh walking faster than the two.
I get to the hut before the two older woman and i close the door behind me and put the wooden locker over the door so they can't get in. i slide down the door everything finally starting to sink in. i am getting married to a person i barely know but have grown so fond of. My parents were going to send me to a monster of a family., with or without knowing. I was almost taken against my will. A person was killed in front of me, i had to go into freezing water for a stupid tradition and while i was doing that i swear i saw someone coming towards me, but i'm probably going crazy from the lack of sleep and the stuff that has happened to me in last week and a half, never in a million years would i think my life can turn upside down in such a short time.
"Katerina." a voice is heard outside the door as nocks are also heard.
"What," i snap
"It's Gia." the sweet voice of the kind woman is heard.
"One second." i throw an a baby blue dress along with my undergarments.
I unlock the door and open it.
"I know this is hard for you, but you'll be fine." She pulls me into a hug. I stay their for a few seconds but soon hug back.
"It's just so fast." i mutter.
"I know honey but just think about it soon you will be able to stay here forever." She tells me
"That is true," I smile."How are Maverick and Zayden?"
"They miss you dearly even though it's been two days, as long as Eerika she misses having a girl her age around, they have all asked to come see you but they can't until tomorrow." She smiles talking about her children.
"I miss them all too, especially Niklaus it's as we were attached at the hip." i laugh remembering when he would get upset when i was with anyone else but him.
"Oh how they will be happy when i tell them they will see you tomorrow Eerika is going to help you get ready as i will have to help set up." Gia smiles at me. "Lets go to the back Hilly as made some soup."she takes my hand and takes me to the back.
"Hello Katerina," Hilly smiles at me
"Hilly." I smile back at her taking a seat at the short table. The soup was a brown broth with carrots and celery. I took a spoonful.
"This is really good," i smile at the older lady.
"Thank you," she smiles back. The rest of the time we ate was silence the only sound was the trees whooshing in the wind.
'It's best we be going." Hilly says as we all finishing cleaning the dishes.
"Get some rest tomorrow is the big
day." Gia smiles they walk away to the directions of their homes.
I walk into the hut that i can't wait not to be in anymore,i close the wooden lock latch and take off my shoes. I take of my baby blue dress and put on my night clothes. Once i do that i lay down on the small bed and try to sleep. But who can sleep when they are getting married the next day, the sound of the wind calmed me down as i slowly drift off to a dreamless sleep.
I woke up to what i assumed to be in the middle of the night as it was still dark,The thoughts are getting too much. This is all too fast, i'm sure Elliott can argue with that as well. The fact that my life has changed in less than a week is alarming. I wish to go home. To see my sister and my brother. I miss them dearly, how we would bicker over the littlest things. I smile at the memory. My big brother trying to teach me how to use a bow and arrow. Oh was that a funny day, i almost hit my father he was very angry. I laugh at that memory. I might not have my sibling here with me but at least i have the memories. I might just leave and forget this ever happened, save Elliott from going through this marriage. If i try hard i could find my way back to my home. This is completely unfair. I wonder if my parents would want me back if they knew what the Conwell's would do to me and my future children. These thoughts consume me as i lost track of time and the next thing i knew it was morning. The day of my wedding. I