“Thank you Miss Pattilyn,” I said.
She looked surprise but smiled, “Whatever for my Lord?”
“For everything, this might be the last visit,” I explained.
She realized that what I meant of visit was our talks and she gave a huge grin that showed the signs of aging around her eyes.
“It has always been a pleasure my Lord. We would see more often now that you’re coming home. You’re free to visit me when you feel the need,” she offered willingly.
I smiled back at her.
“So how’s brother?” I asked to change the mood.
“Oh His Grace has been busy lately with the new Steel Plant he just opened yesterday,” she responded as cheerfully as always, “I told him that you’re coming home today and he looked delighted,” she continued.
“I am sure he is,” I remarked with sarcasm but Miss Pattilyn didn’t notice it. She would have been more excited for me coming home than Andrew.
We arrived at the shuttle dock located in a nearby city and took our very own silver colored private air shuttle to Pinewood. When we finally arrived little had changed as I looked down from the window. Pinewood from the word itself had mostly trees, rivers, and green grass. Livestock were abundant here and the land had good soil for farming. Pinewood had many farmers, and acres of farms and lands owned by the House of Bermule and ruled by Andrew, the new Duke of Pinewood. Although our place was known for its farms, its recent main produced that had made us one of the wealthiest Dukedom was steel. We used lumber, which our lands were rich of, to make steel in our Steel Plants with modified machines that convert lumber to steel. Everything you see here to the horizon was all green like Fortis except for the mountains. A large river stretched for miles cutting through the woods where the wildlife of Pinewood would come for its fresh water. My home was here but I was still unfamiliar with the land, I have never been to the forest or to the rivers and looking down made me excited all of a sudden to seek an adventure and get lost in these woods.
Our shuttle started to descend, we had arrived at the Bermule Manor, a very large house that you could easily lose your way inside. The house has two parts, the east and the west wing. The west wing was solely for the Duke, the Duchess and their children while the east was for the guest rooms, offices, and where I would take residence. The Manor had a huge grand garden surrounding the grounds each with different plants and flowers of a variety of colors. Miss Pattilyn once told me that it was my mother who had these gardens built because she was fond of flowers. The gardens were still kept and cared for even after she was gone. The shuttle landed at a landing dock at the back part of the Manor grounds. We were greeted with footmen all clothed in silver with blue lining fine coats, the color of the House of Bermule, and its sigil was a tree. As I went down from the aircraft with Miss Pattilyn behind me, Mr. Thistle, our butler who wore his uniform a dark blue tail coat with silver lining came and slightly bowed to me saying, “Welcome home my Lord, the Duke of Pinewood wishes to see you in his private office.”
“Thank you Mr. Thistle, it’s nice to see you too,” I replied grinning. I could hear Miss Pattilyn was trying to suppress a giggle.
“This way my Lord,” Mr. Thistle directed with his hand while ignoring the comment I made.
Mr. Thistle, like Miss Pattilyn, had been with the family for a long time but he was loyal only to whoever had the title of Duke of Pinewood. He runs the entire household with Miss Pattilyn as his assistant, but often times they work together and usually they conflict on almost everything on how to run the household as what Miss Pattilyn shared with me before. Mr. Thistle was more strict, formal and uptight unlike Miss Pattilyn which became a problem for both of them before but they soon learned how to get along with each other running a very organized household for Bermule Manor.
Miss Pattilyn left us for her services were no longer needed. I continued to follow Mr. Thistle to the Manor entering at the back entrance where guards in silver uniform were standing still at each side of the large door. While I was on my way to see my brother, the servants we passed by greeted me with a warm smile and a slight bow saying, “Welcome home my Lord.” The housekeepers curtsied with beaming looks and giggles as I passed them, all happy to see me back.
“Back to work,” Mr. Thistle commanded them as we went through the corridors where tall, and large glass windows with dark blue curtains tied elegantly at the sides brought the sunshine inside the manor. Everything was the same since the day I left, the white tiled walls and floors with silver accents on the wall moldings and a dark blue carpet that stretched at the center through the hallway. For a moment there, I was happy to be home. With all the friendly greetings and happy faces, it was good to be back.
We arrived at my brother’s private office in the west wing. It was hard to think that this was my father’s old office before he passed. Mr. Thistle knocked at the double entry door and waited for a respond.
“Yes?” I could hear my brother’s voice from behind the door. Mr. Thistle entered and bowed, “Lord Curtis is here your Grace,” he announced and he let me through.
“That will be all Mr. Thistle,” Andrew dismissed him.
Mr. Thistle left us both in the room. At first I thought I would not recognize my brother, but I couldn’t help it, he looked like a younger version of my father. The same sandy brown hair and dark brown eyes, but taller and he had a bigger built than my father or even me. He stood up from his chair behind his desk and came over to look at me closely. Then he sneered, unimpressed.
“Well, well, if it isn’t my little ungrateful brother coming home to live under my roof,” he said it mockingly while crossing his arms.
I stayed quiet trying to avoid any confrontation, it was my first day back home and I wasn’t planning on spoiling my homecoming but seeing my brother, I had a bad feeling that I am at his mercy. He could kicked me out from the Manor if he wanted to, or do whatever he wants with me as long as he was the Duke of Pinewood.
As if he could read my mind, he sneered again and said, “Don’t worry, you can stay here for now, but if you try to even annoy me or undermine or question my authority, I would throw you out in a heartbeat and strip you of any title,” his tone suddenly became gravely serious while staring at me as if searching for any signs of defiance I may have, “Do you understand?” he continued in a low voice.
I suddenly became afraid, not of him, no, but of what was to become of me. We came from the same mother and father, yet it seemed we were more like strangers.
“Yes,” I answered unwillingly trying to hide any signs of fear I had.
“Good, now come and give your brother a hug,” he commanded.
I complied and we hugged for a brief moment without any emotions or care. A gesture only to validate the emptiness we had for each other.
CHAPTER 2: Coastal City
ELAINE
I was getting ready for work, wearing my faded jeans, a white sleeveless top, and white sneakers, and I placed everything I needed inside my bag. I’ve only been accepted three months ago and I was already running late. I rummaged through my small room frantically searching for something to tie my hair with when I heard Mom calling my name from downstairs.
“Ellie!”
I didn’t answer.
“Ellie,” Mom called out louder this time.
I still didn’t answer.
“Elaine Gertrue!!” she shouted.
“What?” I shouted back.
“You come down here and eat your breakfast or you’ll miss your bus!” she ordered.
“Coming!”
I finally found my hair tie and fixed my hair back then came down stairs. When I went down to the kitchen, Dad was already at our small table eating his breakfast. He smiled when I entered and Mom was at the stove nearby preparing to serve my breakfast.
“Good morning Ellie,” Dad greeted me happily.
I went over to him and kissed him on the cheek and greeted back sweetly, “Good morning Dad.”
; I sat on the chair near him while Mom placed a plate of eggs in front of me.
“Good morning dear, did you sleep well?” Mom asked affectionately.
“Yeah, it was fine,” I responded nonchalantly.
Mom took a seat opposite from where I was and continued eating her breakfast.
“What’s on the news Dad?”
Dad was drinking his coffee and looked at me while placing his newspaper aside.
“Oh the usual, news of the Empire,” he reported.
“Have you read about the rebels? Those awful men trying to disrupt our peace,” Mom spoke sounding disgusted.
“They’re doing it probably for a good reason honey, and they are called Defiers,” Dad explained but I could sense in his voice that he was teasing.
“Mr. Gertrue! Don’t ever say it like that or it will get you in trouble, what would your fellow engineers at work say,” Mom scolded.
“Don’t worry dear, they usually don’t say anything because they have their mates doing all the talking for them,” Dad jokingly said with a large grin on his face.
I laughed but Mom didn’t find it amusing.
“Ellie dear, could you slow down with your food?” Mom turned her attention back at me.
“Why? I am hungry. I came home late last night from work and was too tired to eat dinner,” I defended.
“Well maybe you forgot, you recently turned twenty and who knows there will be a mail arriving soon bearing the name of your match,” she reminded.
I almost forgot, I turned twenty a month ago making me eligible anytime soon, the thought of it made me nervous. I wasn’t excited to get married not especially to someone who I had never met and we might never like each other.
“I don’t want to get marry,” I whined as if it would do me any good.
My Mom dropped her mouth in horror and was shocked at what I just said. Dad only sat there quietly listening.
“You know you can’t refuse a match Ellie or you’ll be in prison for life,” she explained with a look of concern on her face, “And besides, marriage is good for you, it’s a joining of resources and wealth that will help you and your soon to be match get by, and you’d want to have a child one day,” she added.
I just rolled my eyes not convinced of her explanation.
“Who knows, you might love your mate someday,” she continued.
“But,” I hesitated, scared what their respond might be, “But what if I will never love my mate, not like you and Dad did. You two fell in love instantly when you met.”
Mom was about to answer but Dad interrupted her, “We didn’t fell in love right away.”
I stared at him puzzled, waiting for an explanation.
“The moment I met your mother after I received the mail containing my match, I liked her and felt that I made a connection but I didn’t love her, love came after,” he described slowly, “Look Ellie, I will not try to pretend that everything is going to be alright because it is not. Marriage is work and I cannot assure you that you will love the man whoever will be your mate and,” he paused then continued, “We honestly can’t do anything about it. All you can do is live with it as best as you can. Of course I wish we could choose who our mate would be or we could refuse anyone who we think is not suitable for us or even have the freedom not to marry if we choose to but we can’t. Just try to be happy my dear to whoever is chosen, and you may learn to love him after.”
I sat in silence, pondering my Dad’s words. I knew he speaks the truth and he only wants what was best for me but it only made me angry at the System. The way things were, the obvious inequality and injustice especially to the lower stations. Being a Beta was not as bad as an Omega but there was still oppression and discrimination from the higher stations. Betas were only paid enough to get by but when the economy was low, the Betas and the Omegas were the ones that suffer the most while the Alphas and the Elites continue to live by in luxury without being affected. That was the reason I despised everything about them and what they represent. For me, they were all pretentious, self-absorb and corrupt beings that existed only to make us feel miserable. But I was not going to share these thoughts to my parents, they had work so hard for what they had earned. Dad was an engineer and Mom was an accountant, both were good and stable professions but when the Empire decides to increase our taxes and raised the cost of living, we had to give up a few things just so that we could make ends meet and afford food. If we ourselves had a hard time, how dire would it be for an Omega as well? We had neighbors who were Omegas who we sometimes help out if we had extra cash. Dad was always willing to help when they were in need. He always taught me that helping others was the most fulfilling feeling you could have in this lifetime, knowing that you helped changed the course of other people’s lives by a simple act of kindness, and because of that, I always tried to live by my Father’s words.
“Ellie, dear,” Mom placed her hand on mine, “Be strong, I know when the time comes, you’ll know what to do, and look at the bright side, when you turn fifty and you have no match yet then you’d be disqualified from the match and you’d get your wish,” Mom tried to convince me on a positive note.
I could see in Dad’s expression that he didn’t know what to think of Mom’s statement, if she was kidding about the last part or not but he gave her a loving smile anyway.
Most people would say that I looked like mom with her light brown hair, but I had my father’s dark auburn wavy hair and green eyes. Although I resembled her, Mom and I would constantly argue about everything. She would always say to me that I was as stubborn as Dad. On the other hand, Dad was like a wise teacher to me. Teaching me the ways of life that the Yuvaika Institute could never do. My parents were lucky to find love, we knew some neighbors who couldn’t stand around each other, and they just keep on bickering at one another and having a miserable life. I would be fortunate if I ever feel that instant connection, that moment when you lay your eyes on the mate you were to marry and you just knew that he was the one.
“I’m late, I better run,” I declared standing up from my seat and took my bag without waiting for their respond.
“Bye Mon, bye Dad,” I shouted as I went out the house.
“Bye Ellie,” I heard my Dad say before I shut the door.
I was on the side of the street on a sunny morning. It was full of life which was not unusual on a typical day when everyone was preoccupied going to work. I was standing in front of our house when I took a deep breath of fresh air. I hated those kinds of conversations about the laws and marriage, it made me feel suffocated. I looked around the busy streets of our home and smiled at the familiar faces. The city got its name because it was located near the shores of the Great Ocean but you could barely see it from here. It was not the biggest city in the Empire but it was one of the most beautiful; with amazing scenic view of the ocean especially during sunset, and the weather here was mostly warm and sunny. People loved to come here mostly for relaxation, and the place was popular among the Alphas and the Elites but you would not see the likes of them in my neighborhood. Our place where the Betas and Omegas resides were full of small houses cramped side by side together that we could hear the voices of our neighbors sometimes if they spoke loudly and it was located in the southern part of Coastal City, away from the beaches and ocean. The neighborhood was clean and the vibrant colors of the houses made the place amusing to look at. This was home, I grew up here and learned to love it.
As I was about to leave, I realized that there was a man staring at me from across the street. He looked like he was younger than me or probably the same age. He was holding a broom, it seemed that he was sweeping the front of the bakery but stopped. He must be the new help Mrs. Dudley hired to help her out in her bakeshop. I stared back at him hoping that he would sense how rude it was, but he just hesitantly smiled at me with his gleaming dark blue eyes. It was then that I immediately walked away ignoring him. It was not the first time that I caught men taking a short glimpsed at me and I always find it v
ery uncomfortable.
I almost missed my bus when I arrived. The ride would take us to the northern part of the city where everything was near the ocean, and the streets were wide in dark asphalt. This was where all the soaring glass buildings, and expensive hotels, and elegant private apartments of the Elites were built. This district was the main commercial area of Coastal City full of different people going about their own business. From my stop, I had to walk where the Animal Clinic was for about twenty minutes but I did not mind the distance, the weather was always warm in Coast City except when there were the occasional ocean storms that it pours nonstop.
I got to work just in time. I entered the locker room to change to my working coat.
“Hi Ellie,” a woman’s voice greeted me. I turned around from my locker to see who it was.
“Hi Sarah,” I smiled. Sarah and I worked together; she had been working here longer than I have. When I started, she was the first to become my friend with her sweet and cheerful soul that it was easy to be her friend.
“Getting ready for another late night?” I teased.
Sarah let out a soft laugh, “Please I can’t handle two nights in a row.”
“I bet you can,” I encouraged her with a smile.
“I’m not as strong as you are,” she responded, “and besides, I have a child to take care of.”
I giggled then we both wore our white coat and went inside to start working. As we entered the room, a friendly face welcomed us.
“Aaahh.. Good morning! My super duos are finally here. Would you mind if you two could take a look at this dog doctors?”
We smiled and greeted in unison, “Good morning Doctor Cook.”
Doctor Cook was the head of the Animal Clinic. He had been working here all his life and he seems happy and contented to be doing so.
The Premortals (The Premortals Series Book 1) Page 3
