Day by day come and gone tediously. Cecile spent her lot of time at home. Studying painting, literature and knitting which were very boring.
Once in a while, she watched to the outside of the window in her room. Looking at the beautiful of the outside world.
She really wanted going out and mingling with some friends around her. But her father told that she should stay at home and learn those boring things.
Her father always insisted, it was a must for the chieftain's daughter to have some advantages those were different from others. It would be good known by many people and lived up to his name even more.
Once upon a time, Anne begged with her father to take her out. That day she wanted to take her to the market. Thereafter they would think about going quietly at will.
But who knows?
His father allowed her to go but had to take her family's horse carriage. And after finishing their business, the coachman had to take them home immediately.
Everything was getting very tiresome. Especially since her mother was gone from her life. She always felt lonely alone at home. While her father had many things to do outside as a tribal chief.
Although occasionally Anne came to visit her. And sometimes some of art teachers which his father invited coming to teach her.
But all that did not reduce her frustrated feeling which was like being imprisoned in an old house. Cecile felt really wanted to run away and tried to feel how great she could breath freely out there.
But she never had the courage to do it.
Knock .. Knock ..
The sound of knocking heard from the front door of her house.
Cecile hurriedly put down her painting brush and left her room. From behind the blinds she peered out.
Instantly her red lips widened with a bright smile. That was her cousin, Anne. She opened the door immediately.
"Anne!" She exclaimed happily and they hugged.
"What is this? Like you haven't seen me in a long time" Said Anne.
Releasing their hug. Cecile pursed her lips.
"You know how lonely I am? Huh!"
"Ha ha! yeah I understand".
"Come in"
And they went inside. Stepping into the living room, Anne placed the parcel that she had brought on the coffee table.
Seeing that, Cecile furrowed her couple of brows and asked. "What is that?"
Anne did not reply to her question immediately. She only stared at her for a moment and sighed heavily.
Cecile was not stupid to see the oddity. She could clearly understand Anne's gaze as if she were pitying her.
Cecile took the parcel immediately and opened it.
It was a bread.
But she was very surprised to see a carved rose on that bread. As if her heart had just fallen into the stomach. She was absent-minded for a few seconds.
Anne, who saw her as though she was about going to drop the parcel. She took it from her quickly.
"Rose bread?"
In the Zeath tribe, the bread which a carved rose on it had a special meaning. It was given to convey implicitly the intention of marriage proposal.
"Who will be proposed?"
Anne put the parcel back on the coffee table. Then she came closer to Cecile.
"Is that me?" Asked Cecile impatiently. There was a bitter taste in her throat.
Anne took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Her black eyes gazed at her pityingly and again Cecile didn't like that.
"I met uncle on the way before going here. Because he couldn't go home soon. So he gave this to me with a short message..."
"What is that?" A sharp sour taste began to tear her nose. Cecile had a bad feeling about this.
"Please give this to Cecile and tell her that someone just sent a marriage proposal for her and ..." Anne seemed unable to continue her words. She paused for a moment and looked at Cecile doubtfully. Maybe she was hesitant about to continue her words or not.
"And what?" Cecile urged. Her brown eyes were already teary.
"That family will be officially visiting tonight."
After hearing all that. Cecile's tears fell and slid on both of her cheeks. Her straight eyelashes fluttered wildly, kept trying to urge her tears not to come out more.
But she failed. The tears continued to slide and got heavier.
Seeing that Anne pulled Cecile into her arms
while her hands patting her back slowly trying to calm her down.
"Don't worry! Your father doesn't accept this proposal soon definitely" Anne tried to calm her down again.
"No! Dad will definitely accept it"
"Cecile calm down! it's not certain. You still have time to refuse it."
"But my dad has received that rose bread" Said Cecile and she got out of her arms.
"I think... you must understand what I mean"
If the other one accepted the rose bread. It was a sign that their intention was welcomed and the suitor's family could come to talk about it later formally.
Cecile found it difficult for this. She never thought that someone who would become her future would also be arranged by her father. But why did she suddenly feel so depressed about all this? Shouldn't she be used to it.
"We'll wait for tonight! Whether the person who proposed to you is handsome or not, otherwise I will help you to oppose this proposal" Anne said excitedly. She was still trying hard to persuade her.
"Em!"
Cecile only nodded resignedly and drew a bitter smile.
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