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The Sailor
On the outskirts of the city furthest from the palace stood the large manor house belonging to Duke Vilayhe. Inside the morning sun filtered through the windows of an upstairs bedroom where a young girl clung to her bed post as her maid tightened her corset.
"ugh, it's to tight!"
"Of course it's tight. That's the point of a corset, do you want to be a lady or not?"
"Yes, but I don't know why Lady's have to wear these horridly uncomfortable things! I am plenty thin as it is." Eleanor Vilayhe had just had her thirteenth birthday and was now considered a Lady. She had been excited at first. There were many advantages to being a Lady such as going to social events and party's, being allowed to stay up and join in the dances and festivities, and being old enough to be courted. Ella had looked forward to being grown up. But just a week after her birthday she was beginning to realize being a lady wasn't all it was made up to be. First there were all the expectations, her mother had always been strict about manners and the like but now it was even worse. Ella had thought that once she became a Lady she would be more respected. She was learning more and more that in some ways Lady's were hardly different than children. Young Lady's got to go to social events but as her mother had told her it was only to meet men and find a suitable husband. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if it was true but in truth it wasn't Ella that was to find a suitable husband. Her father would pick the man she would marry and it had nothing to do with what she wanted or even if he was kind. It had to do with wealth and title. Ella was only supposed to go out to be seen and hopefully catch men's attention. Then her father would pick the man with the highest title out of all the men that were interested in her and this would be her husband. In Ella's opinion it might have been better to stay a child. Children might not be listened to but at least they could talk since they weren't taken seriously Lady's were expected to be quiet and demure. They were meant to listen to there husbands and there fathers, to always obey and never speak there own thoughts.
"Plenty vain is what you are," Ella's maid Thea pulled her corset a little tighter bringing her back to the real world where as long as your corset was so tight you couldn't breath and you never spoke your mind you were considered a, nice young Lady. People would compliment you and tell you, that "you would make a good wife." After all what good was a girl if she wasn't going to be an obedient wife, and what was she even for if not to give her future husband an heir.
"There you are," Thea pulled the soft lavender day dress over Ella's head and smoothed it out. "Ready for the day, and don't worry about the corset you'll soon be used to it and you'll hardly even feel it."
Ella doubted this but she was thankful for the reassurance all the same as she watched her maid leave the room. She walked over to the window and, still feeling sorry for herself pushed a stray curl from her face. As she pushed the lace curtain aside she heard someone whistling a tune she'd never heard before and looked down to see a sailor a ways away walking on the road that wound by her house.
Living near the harbor, it wasn't unusual to see sailors passing but this one caught Ella's attention. There was something different in the way he walked, he seemed so sure of himself so purposeful and somehow at the same time so nonchalant as if he had no purpose at all but to roam the town. Ella noticed also that the mans hair was long his dark curls nearly fell to his shoulders. He got closer as Ella watched until he was right below her window. Then he looked up and caught Ella's gaze his brown eyes seemed to sparkle and he stopped whistling just long enough to give a heart-melting smile, then he waved and walked away.
Later as Ella sat on the veranda with her brother Kurt, her thoughts wandered back to the sailor.
Some people may have thought Kurt was too outspoken and rude since he was easily given to sarcasm and not at all afraid to share how he felt. Ella never minded though. He made her laugh and was one of the few people that she could actually talk to. He listened to her and usually agreed with her point of view. Kurt never tried to make things seem better than they were just to make you feel better either, instead he told the truth in a way that made it seem so funny that Ella couldn't be sad when she was with him.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked suddenly.
"Oh, nothing."
"Nonsense, you're never this quiet unless there's something on your mind. Why not share the thought? It must be a happy one the way your eyes are dancing." Kurt said unfolding his hands from behind his head looking at Ella imploringly.
"I was just thinking about what it would be like to be a sailor. You know travel to strange places, always on a new adventure and nothing to hold you down." Ella looked dreamily at the sea, perhaps there it wouldn't matter if you were a woman maybe everyone was treated equal as long as they could work.
"Give it up," Kurt said bluntly "You're a Lady, the best you can do is consider every trip to court traveling and make it a great adventure to keep your husband happy. I can't say I blame you for thinking about it. I personally think that if I were a Lady I would dress as a man and catch the first ship for Tanteelia. However I wouldn't suggest it for you because God knows I'd miss you." Kurt said smiling warmly at his sister and childhood best friend.
"Oh, come now. Don't look so glum, how about a walk by the harbor. You'll never get to go sailing but at least I can explain how things work. Assuming you don't already know?"
"I don't, and I wasn't ever thinking of sailing myself I was just imagining what it would be like. I know my place is here as a Lady no matter how bleak it seems." Ella said with a sigh.
"That's the spirit! It's your place to have a bleak life someone's got to do it so don't even think of getting out." Kurt said sarcastically then looking at Ella apologetically he added, "I'm sorry, I'll stop talking I'm probably only making things worse."
Ella and Kurt walked toward the harbor in silence. Once they reached the docks Kurt began to explain what things were called and how they were run. The harbor was bustling. Sailors were loading and unloading goods, fishmongers were yelling prices, ships were coming and going. Ella was overwhelmed with the sights and sounds she rarely visited the docks and was always amazed when she did.
"See that ship just setting sail?" Kurt asked as they passed a ship with sailors bustling around readying it
for the sea and the sails being hoisted. They stopped in front of it and Ella listened as her brother
Continued
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