Verdorso

             Chapter One – The Escape

“Women do not make their own choices in this world. Every woman needs a good marriage to succeed in life.”

Then this was not the world for Nataleena. She needed to be free. Not caged and sold when it suited them. They were the people who controlled everything Nataleena did. Always isolating her from the world. Nataleena questioned why she knew so little of the outside world. She could not thrive to become the woman her mother always intended. Instead, a nodding placid pup sat obediently waiting for the next command. Nataleena knew no different. Knowing nothing of the world that stood outside the confines of an icy house. It was matched well to her father, Simon. He was a cold man, often leaving the blame for his indifferent nature to the death of Nataleena’s mother. The only warmth Nataleena found was from her fire.

Simon continued his long speech in hope Nataleena was listening. She was never listening.

“Is that understood?”

A meek smile released her from the torturous lecture. Opening the door, he watched as Nataleena left the study for her own bedroom. Not realising that this would be the last time he watched his daughter happily run from him. It did not take Nataleena long to run from the study to the safety of her room. As a tear dripped down her cheek, Nataleena poured water over her fire. She knew it was time to pack up as the bricks of the fireplace cooled.

With no plan firmly in mind, few possessions were tucked inside Nataleena’s small bag. A picture of her mother and a necklace that lovingly held her mother’s wedding ring. They were the only essentials. No other items held any real value to her. Nataleena only needed one more thing, a small bag of coins hidden behind a fireplace brick. Minutes began to feel like hours until an hour had passed by easily. She removed the coins from the wall and dropped them into her bag.

All Nataleena had to do now was wait. Wait for the last of the maids to scramble into their beds.

Hearing the lock from Trudy’s door click firmly in place confirmed it was now safe to leave. Gently, the door was opened and Nataleena slipped out. Down the spiralling staircase, Nataleena remembered not to step on the second to last step. It would creak so loudly, even the noise of the day could not mute it. With the stairs conquered, the door was in sight. Almost running, her feet skimmed over the wooden floor.

She made it to the front door, and slipped away. Nataleena was free at last but knew there was one small hurdle before freedom was complete. The Bramblebee Forest.

Once she had got through the forest it was a short walk to the Shrewshore Boat Crossings. Then onto the next village of Millford.

First, The Bramblebee Forest. Nataleena looked to the Northern Star and continued to follow it in hope what Trudy told her was true. Trudy was the head of the house maids working in Nataleena’s home. When Nataleena was just a child; Trudy told her if she was ever lost in the forest and needed to get out, follow the Northern Star and it will take her to the edge of the forest to where the boat crossings are. She could never understand why Trudy would tell her how to escape. Where would she go? The way Nataleena knew of the world was through the books found in her father’s study.

 

A small extract taken from The Keepers of Verdorso: A Finding of Kin. Expected date of release 18th August 2018.