And the days passed like leaves in the wind, just flew away and gone.
The days are always the same for Cecile. Full of boredom and empty.
Sitting alone in the room, she looked like an old woman who had spent her free time with embroidering. Her curved fingers continued to move the needle into the cloth, pulled the thread out and stabbed it back. It went on and on.
Her gaze looked blank as though her soul had wandered far out.
She was recalling an argument with her father about her refusal to get engaged to Edwin. It was the first time she had opposed her father's decision after being such a dutiful and obedient daughter for so many years.
"Dad please...just this time, let me choose. I also want to feel what it's like to make a big decisions in my life"
"No! You're still too young to make big decisions in your life" Eckbert refused it firmly. His aura in leadership always makes those around him retreat and choose to submit to him, including her daughter.
But that didn't happen at that day. Her daughter like was being possessed by an evil spirit that really made her so stubborn.
"Dad please...this is about my future, why don't you let me to choose? I know you just want what's best for me, but can't you give me a little chance to decide who l want to go on with my future?"
"Cecile you don't know anything! Be a good girl and just obey as usual. Anyway what's less than Edwin? I've chosen what's best for you"
"Dad... your daughter really doesn't know anything because of her lack of experience. As a wise father, why don't you allow me to choose what kind of man I want? And afterwards you can give me a guidance and direction on what I choose. Dad...you were young, you certainly understand what l want"
But her father will always be a true figure in his decisions. Do not accept the refusal and demands all people around him submit to what he has decided.
"Do you have someone in your heart? of course not! Then why are you so adamant about rejecting this engagement?'
Cecile sighed heavily. Looking at her father, maybe it was time for her to let all pressures on her chest go.
"Dad... l feel like from childhood until now I've always lived in your settings. Forcing my self to do a lot of things under your pressure, saying it's my duty as a princess of the chieftain and l do it. I've carried all those burdens with me for years. I lost my happy childhood, which should be playing with girls my age but I have to let it all go "
Taking a breath and she sighed heavily. Her brown eyes were already wet with tears. She felt very satisfied to let go of all the unhappiness she had been carrying as the honourable title of the chieftain's daughter.
Her clear tears were gliding perfectly on her smooth cheeks. Eckbert who saw his daughter who was so pitiful, fell silent and lost his words.
Had he been restricting his daughter's freedom too hard all this time? But it was something her daughter had to understand as the honourable daughter of the chieftain, she carried her father's good name with her every step of the way. So Eckbert didn't think he had done anything too much.
"So please dad... just this time give me a little freedom to decide what l like..."
"No! You'll still be engaged to Edwid no matter what"
"I'll run away from this house if you don't change your decision. I'm really going crazy this time"
Soon her father's gloomy expression became dark and very ugly. Her father was just silent and did not answer anymore.
It seemed that Cecile had put a lot of pressure on her father's patience at that time and she did not regret it at all. She felt very satisfied because she had exerted all the pressure she had been bearing so far.
"Ouch!"
She accidentally injured her index finger with a needle. It was because of her reverie a while ago and also did not focus on her embroidering Edwin's name on a white handkerchief.
Their engagement ceremony will soon take place. In the Zeath tribe custom it's a must for a girl who is about to get engaged to embroider her fiance's name on a handkerchief.
Not every girl from the Zeath tribe could embroider. But during such a position they must seriously learn to embroider their fiance's name.
It's a symbol of the girl's sincerity and seriousness in becoming a male companion in the future.
In embroidering requires skill, carefulness and patience for a beautiful embroidery. So no doubt there are many girls who struggle to complete the task well.
Finally, many of them managed to embroider their lover's name even though they were not clever for other patterns.
Cecile is not a layman in embroidery. It was one of the abilities she had learnt from a young age.
She remembered how many times she injured her left index finger. Until she was a little traumatic with that thin and sharp object. But due to her father's compulsion and pressure, she finally mastered the field and got used to many patterns.
Staring at her index finger, there was a hint of blood gushing out. Cecile just ignored it. Stab wounds like that were nothing new to her. Lowering her eyes to see the handkerchief.
It was a broken pattern there. The result looked like grass in the wild. Very messy and far from being the Edwin name pattern.
Cecile sighed.
The intention of the tradition itself is a symbol of seriousness and sincerity. But she doesn't have those two things in herself.
So it was only natural wouldn't she be able to resolve this well?
Cecile put it all on the small table near the bed. She was no longer excited to continue. Glancing at the window which now had iron bars, it was already evening. It won't be long before dusk will come. The night ahead and a new day will begin soon. And that will be her engagement day.
Surely she did not mess with her words that day to escape. But who would have thought that her father would lock her up in this house with all the windows on the trellis. So with this imprisonment, how could she do it?
Knock .. knock ..
It was a knocking sound from the window glass of her room.
Cecile immediately looked there and found a smiling Anne outside her bedroom window. Her hand waved at her then signaled her to come soon.
Cecile felt very happy.
Since the incident of that rebellion, his father did not allow her to see Anne again until the day of her engagement.
That was to prevent her from running away. But she never expected Anna to come to her secretly like this.
Her father still has business outside and will be home in the evening.
Anne did choose the right time to come.
"Anne!" Cecile exclaimed.
She could no longer contain her tears so that the clear grains fell down. In fact she had always wanted to cry, spill everything. But she refused to do it because it was useless. Won't change anything.
But Anne's arrival seemed to revive her hopes.
"I'll help you escape." She said behind the window, her breath making the glass a little steamy.
Cecile who heard it was crying even more.
"How do you do it? Look, I'm like a prisoner in this house" Complained Cecile with her hands clenched tightly on the iron bars and stomped in vain.
Anne felt sorry for Cecile. Her uncle shouldn't be so restricting Cecile like this. Even though Cecile has been an obedient child since she was a child, why didn't her uncle obey Cecile's wishes just once.
"Now you take a few steps back" Admonished Anne before taking her action.
Cecile was hesitant at first, but after seeing Anne's confidence she felt sure that Anne had a way.
With that she nodded and took a few steps back.
Anne immediately took out the hammer she was carrying in the bag. Then she swung the hammer against the glass with a single blow and it all cracked.
Cecile stared at her.
Not only that, this time she swung the hammer at the iron bars so many times that it bent and did the same to the other iron until it left a gap for her to come out.
When finished, Anne threw down her hammer and smiled with satisfaction. She couldn't imagine how her uncle would react after seeing all this.
"You- where did you get this crazy idea?" Said Cecile who still hadn't really recovered from her shock.
"You thought of something crazy to run away, so I should be able to think of something that is no less crazy to be able to help you"
Hearing this, Cecile was even more moved. Wiping her wet cheeks she drew a smile.
"Thank you Anne, you've worked hard for all of this."
Anne looked at her sincerely and nodded.
"I've promised to always support you, of course!" She said then generously.
With this Cecile took a careful step out of the window. But Anne immediately stopped her.
"Just a second!"
Cecile stopped walking and saw Anne took out a thick cloth and put it on the window so that it covered the sharp shard. Then she threw her a pair of sandals.
"Now come out carefully."
Cecile did not think that Anne had prepared everything so well. Putting on her sandals, she quickly climbed the window carefully. With the thick cloth, it is not immediately scratched and is slightly protected.
Then she sprang out feeling uncontrollably free.
Her chest felt very wide as if the knot that tied it had fallen off. Her shoulders also felt much lighter as if a heavy burden had been swept away from there.
"You must hurry before your father comes home and finds you." Warnings Anne and Cecile nodded firmly.
"But Cecile, are you sure you did all this? It's not easy to live out there, so many dangers lurk. So I hope you make a good decision."
Anne said that because she knew that Cecile was just a homely girl who was not used to the outside world. What's more, she is still so young and not supported by any experiences. How could Anne not worry about her.
"Anne, I'm a big girl, so you don't need to worry. I know how to look after myself well," Said Cecile, who was very sure of her choice.
She had wanted this freedom for a long time and she was not going to let it go.
"But Cecile--"
"Fine! I'll be going!" Cut Cecile quickly. She didn't want to hear anything else.
Dusk would soon come, when it was getting dark her father would come home. She didn't want all of these plans to fail.
But Anne still looked at her heavily as if to reject her decision.
Taking her breath and sighing, Cecile said firmly to Anne.
"Anne, you have expressed your support for me" Said Cecile while holding Anne's shoulders she continued.
"And do it to the end." Although heavy, finally, Anne nodded.
"Bring this bag! I've prepared a few things that you will need on the trip later in it. And this ..."
Anne took out a bag of tied cloth and handed it to Cecile.
"Those are some silver coins that I saved. I hope this is enough to help you as long as you haven't got a job out there."
Cecile can feel the bag is very heavy, there must be a lot of coins inside.
Her eyes grew even more teary. She did not think that Anne would even be willing to sacrifice her savings for him.
"Thank you so much Anne! I hope that one day I can give you back"
"You don't need to think about all that, now you go! Just walk a few steps from here to the intersection, there you will find a horse-drawn carriage that I have specially rented for you"
This time Cecile was at a loss for words. Pulling Anne's body she held her tightly.
"Thanks again" She whispered softly.
"Em!" Anna patted Cecile's back gently.
And just as the red clouds filled the sky, Cecile waved at Anne and left the yard.
At the crossroad, he found a horse carriage waiting for her. Picking up the baggage she stepped inside.
"Miss, where are we going?" Asked the coachman.
Cecile was silent for a moment then answered.
"Just take me away from this territory, if necessary we go to the Akez tribe"
The Akez tribe is located deep in the northern hemisphere. The population is very small, maybe it will be easy to find work and live in that place.
"That's very far, will take three days and three nights, miss you have to pay more for this trip"
The horse carriage was already rented but it was only for one day.
"How much do I have to pay?"
"50 gold coins"
"I only have silver"
"Then 100 coins of silver"
"Agreed!"
And finally the horse carriage started.
Behind the curtain, the panorama of the twilight is already very clear outside. It won't be long before it gets dark.
Cecile finally managed to make her escape at the end of the evening. In her heart she felt a little guilty for her father but she had no other choice.
In order to build up her own dreams and hopes, she must be free from all the support she has endured for so many years. She wants to be free and shape big things in her life.
"Dad ... I'm sorry! If you didn't restrain me too much, maybe I wouldn't be silly by running away like this"
Throwing a glance out of the train's curtains, it was already dusk and the red mega appeared to be leaving soon.
Cecile's tears fell, her wet eyes staring straight at the twilight sky.
There she saw a flock of birds flying, painting the evening sky with their black wings in neat formation.
In this sunset, they moved to go home but it was a different story for Cecile who had just decided to leave her residence.
___