My mother looked sad but there was anger in her voice. “I do not blame you for what you did Aislin. Martha was proud of you too. Unfortunately, it did not have a pleasing affect on Zachariah or his father. You challenged their position of power by what you did, and now they need to tame you in the same way they would a wild horse. After they left you, they went straight away to your father at his shop and they proposed that you should marry Zachariah lest you become a social outcast. ‘A girl who communes with slaves and behaves in an undesirable fashion,’ they called you. They said that ‘you are a girl who brings shame to her family’s household’ and they greatly grieved your father. They are meeting here tonight to discuss the arrangement of your marriage to Zachariah.” I watched a single tear drift down her cheek and landed on her bottom lip.
“Father will never allow this.” I could not believe that the man who loved me so much and loved my mother with great passion, would ever allow his daughter to marry into such a despicable household.
“They terrified him. He believes that he is saving your reputation by allowing this to be. Aislin, I have tried to reason with your father but he will not listen.”
“But, I love someone else… I love Greer,” I said while choking on my words.
“Then you must hope that he loves you too. Otherwise, I see no way to free you from Zachariah.”
********************
I ran to my room and slammed the door behind me. I did not want my mother to hear me cry. She was upset enough. I fell onto my bed and buried my face into a pillow to dampen my sobs, but the pressure caused great pain on my bruised face.
I was so angry at ever befriending Abigail, and at ever being pleasant to her brother. I felt betrayed by my father and I felt hatred towards Mr. Marthaler and hatred that Mrs. Marthaler, the manipulative ruler of the household, was suddenly powerless at preventing her son from pursuing me. Most of all, I was angry with Greer. How dare he leave me now! How dare he slip away like a coward instead of standing up and making his presence known.
I was frustrated with all the emotions that were swirling inside of me. While I could comprehend the notion of ‘soul mates’, I was still angry with myself for falling so completely in love with someone I barely knew. I had seen handsome men before, but this was no mere infatuation. This ran deeper. Deeper than any feeling I had ever experienced before … and it scared me. What I found to be even more terrifying was the thought of never seeing him again. What if when he escorted me home this evening, he had decided to never come back? That thought was so agonizing that it nearly made my heart stop.
I wrapped myself into a little ball and closed my eyes to clear my mind. As soon as I did so, I saw Greer’s face in my mind’s eye. At the very thought of him I wept again. This time harder and with such emotion that I could barely breathe.
After some time I must have fallen asleep and did not wake until I heard the bustle of people downstairs. I knew the negotiations had begun. I was to be bartered for, just as my mother had been. The only difference was that she ended up with someone who loved her and I would not.
I walked quietly to the door to press my ear against it, listening as best I could without having to be in the presence of them. I could not bear for the Marthalers to see the damage that had been done to my face or to see my bloodshot eyes. They would think that they had broken me and they had not.
I pressed my ear as hard as I could onto the wooden door, but the sound I heard did not come from there. A little ping had come from my window. I slowly walked over to it, with my bell clutched tightly in my hand.
It had grown darker, and my vision to the outside world was blocked by own my reflection in the window, which glowed eerily in the light of the candle. I placed the candle down on my dresser and cupped my hands around my eyes so I could see into the night. I looked down and saw Greer. At least I thought I saw Greer, but when I blinked, he was gone.
My attention was drawn downward and landed on the windowsill. I struggled to get the window open and felt a rush of cold air flood into the room. I could only get the window open far enough to stick my fingers out and I grappled clumsily with my cold hands, feeling for anything that might have been placed on the ledge.
Finally, I felt something that did not belong and scraped at it until I could reel it passed the narrow opening. It was a small white envelope. There was no name upon it. My heart leapt as I ripped it open, knowing it was from Greer.
I walked over to the candle and read it quickly, as I could hear someone coming up the stairs.
My Beloved Aislin,
I truly am sorry that I did not stay with you tonight and introduce myself to your family. At this time, I cannot risk exposure. Such an act would jeopardize all that I have worked for, and render all my years of hunting this murderer to be in vain.
I did not intend on meeting you. I came to this country for a specific purpose. I did not mean to fall in love with you, yet I have. Now you are hunted by the very thing that I am tracking, and my course has been altered by a greater fate. I must protect you at all costs. I cannot lose you. I will not lose you.
I am with you. I am devoted to no other but you. Please understand why we cannot be together at this time.
Forever yours,
Greer
As I heard the door open, I slipped the letter into my dresser drawer. My mother was standing in the doorway looking worn and solemn.
“They would like you to come downstairs,” she said.
I looked in the mirror. My dark hair was wild and even in the dimness of the candlelight, my fair skin could not hide the dark purple bruise that was developing across my right cheek. My father had not seen this yet, and I wondered if my condition would be enough evidence of the Marthaler’s cruelty to change his mind on our engagement.
As I walked down the stairs to confront these horrible men, I did not feel scared. I thought of Greer and knew in my heart that he would never let this union between Zachariah and I happen. So I could act as I pleased. This was just a game.
When I reached the doorway to the sitting room, I saw Mr. Marthaler and Zachariah sitting on two chairs. My father sat across from them, and my mother was serving tea and cakes, acting as a good servant should.
“Have you sold me yet?” I said in a cold and emotionless voice.
My father looked shocked by my words. He knew exactly what I meant and I hurt him deeply.
Zachariah stood and came toward me, reaching out to take my hand, “We have reached an agreement,” he smiled at me as though I would delight in his proclamation. I yanked my hand away and pushed passed him.
I stood in front of my father, blocking his view from Mr. Marthaler, whom I ignored. “What did you get for me? More than you paid for mother I hope.”
I saw a look of disbelief and betrayal settle on his face; now we were even.
“Did I betray you father? Tell me, how does it feel?” I snapped.
Mr. Marthaler stood up again. He was coming toward me, ready to stifle my complaints with his hand once more. I turned and faced him.
“You will learn to behave like a lady and treat men with respect,” he growled at me. I laughed in his face.
“Respect is earned and I shall give you none.”
“Aislin, leave the room,” my father said through a shaking voice.
“I will not!”
I looked at Zachariah who was frozen in the corner. He looked like a child who just realized that the horse that was given to him as a birthday present turned out to be a wild, bucking, stallion.
“Zachariah, you may attempt to force this marriage upon me but mark my words, I will make life impossible for you if you do.”
The boy did not move but looked to his father to handle his problem, for his father handled all of the Zachariah’s problems.
“You will bite your tongue shrew!” His father bellowed.
As Mr. Marthaler lunged in my direction, I ducked, leaving my father in the path of the oncoming blow. I heard the contact of the punch land upon m
y father and looked at the mortified expression on Mr. Marthaler’s face. I laughed to myself as I turned and ran from the room, back up the stairs and into my bedroom, slamming the door tightly behind me. I then quickly pushed the heavy dresser in front of the door in case I was being pursued.
I reached under my pillow and pulled out the book, which I had been keeping close to me. I flipped the pages until I came to a memory spell and I cast it in haste. The Marthalers would never remember hearing that my mother had been a slave. I would keep her secret safe. Although I confounded the minds of Zachariah and his father, I left the mind of my father untouched. I wanted him to remember what it felt like to be betrayed by someone you love.
********************
I heard the Marthalers’ leave. Mr. Marthaler was apologizing profusely to my father and after a few moments of awkward silence, the front door was shut and locked.
My mother knocked on my bedroom door and I quickly pushed the dresser back so she could enter.
“May I sit with you for a while?” she asked.
She walked into my room and I closed the door behind her. What I was about to say was something my father could not hear.
“I cast a memory spell so the Marthalers will not remember that I said anything about you being a slave… I am so sorry about what I said. I never meant to say anything about you. It just came out with my anger.” I felt horrible for what I had done. Even though the spell would erase my comments from their minds, it could not change the fact that I had spoken of forbidden things that haunted my mother.
“I knew you would not let those thoughts remain in their minds,” she smiled at me half-heartedly, “But using your magic to conceal thoughtless mistakes is too risky in times such as these.”
I nodded in understanding. “What happened after I left?”
My mother shook her head and clasped her hands tightly until her knuckles were turning white. “It did no good. They have kept to their agreement, although your father seems more concerned after witnessing their violent nature. He did not know that you were struck before. They never told him that part. So the whole outburst came as a great surprise.”
I felt a cold chill run through my body. “What shall I do?”
“Tomorrow is Samhain. We will pray… ask the spirits of our ancestors for assistance and see what comes.” She got up, hugged me, and left the room.
I watched her close the door behind her. I went to my dresser and retrieved Greer’s letter. This time I read the letter slowly, somehow feeling as though he was standing right next to me and would stay next to me if only I could keep reading.
After I had finished reading, I took the letter and placed it in the back of the book, pressing it close to the binding.
I sat thinking about Greer and wondered if he thought of me as often as I thought of him. I felt content as my mind played back the moments we spent together, although I had so much to learn about him. Who was he? What did he like and dislike? Yet, I felt as though in some way, my heart already knew the answers to these questions. Although, certain things I did not yet understand. For instance, he was so strong. When he picked me up by the stream, it was as though I weighed nothing at all. Perhaps some men are just stronger then others, but he also moved with a swiftness I had never seen before. Then there was his ability to enter my dreams. How could he do that?
A knock on my door shattered my thoughts. My father did not wait for me to reply and opened the door. I pushed the book far under my pillow and sat back so that it was completely covered.
“Aislin we must talk,” he sounded timid and broken. His face was swollen and his eye blackened.
“I have nothing to say to you.”
He ignored my indignance and walked to the edge of my bed, sitting uncomfortably on the very end of it. He held onto one of the posts as though to steady himself.
As I surveyed him from where I sat, I realized that he looked rather old and worn. His greying hair was loosening out of its ponytail, the lines around his eyes seemed deeper and his coloration seemed rather pale.
“We have much to talk about. I am sorry that I did not consult you in this marriage arrangement, but it happened very quickly and it took me off guard. In my eyes, you are still a small child, but in the world’s eyes, you are nearly twenty years old and more than ready to become a wife. When Zachariah and his father walked into my shop, they assured me that you were deeply in love with him and that this was a proposal that would ensure you a place in society. They told me that you were consorting with slaves and that your behavior was the talk of the town. I felt I had no choice.”
“I will not marry him,” I said sternly.
The words made my father twitch. “Aislin, I am aggrieved by what has transpired and what was done to you at the slave quarters. Your mother informed me only minutes ago.”
“Then you will not force this upon me?” I asked.
“I have no choice,” he murmured, “We reached a gentleman’s agreement and I cannot go back on my word.”
“Please leave.” I pointed to the door and stared out the window, refusing to look at him.
“Aislin, please forgive me… I tried to rescind but we could not come to terms.”
“When is it to be?” I asked.
“After the New Year. I need time to comprise your dowry.”
“Please leave me.”
He shut the door behind him, leaving me to contend with my fear. Was it not bad enough that I was being hunted by an unknown creature? Must I endure this as well?
********************
The night dragged on and though I tried to sleep, I could find no solace. I lay on my back staring up at the canopy of my bed. My mind would not stop racing, torturing me with thoughts of being married to Zachariah, to having a swollen belly from pregnancy and being at the mercy of the Marthaler sensibility. I must find a way out of this. I would rather run straight into the monster’s trap then spend a moment with the title of Mrs. Marthaler.
I slid the book out from under my pillow and read Greer’s letter again. Did he know about the plot to marry me off? Did he see the meeting tonight? A thought flickered in my mind and I immediately reached for paper and quill and started writing, telling Greer all I could remember that may be of importance.
My Beloved Greer,
Tonight Mr. Marthaler and Zachariah came to our home. My father has come to an agreement and I am meant to marry Zachariah at the beginning of the New Year. I have pleaded with my father, but to no avail. I told Zachariah that I did not love him, but he was not deterred. His father tried to hit me again tonight, but I got away before he landed the blow. My father was in the way and was struck instead. I have no sympathy for my cowardly father and I loathe him for encouraging me to be independent only to turn and condemn me to a life of imprisonment. My thoughts keep settling on you and on us. Will we ever be together?
I love you Greer and I want no other.
Aislin
I took the letter and placed it on the windowsill in the same place where Greer had left his letter for me.
CHAPTER NINE
October 31st
Samhain
My mother busied herself making the beginnings of our holiday dinner. The smell of burning sage filled the air as she used it to cleanse our home and a large fire crackled in the hearth. We could not have a bon fire as our ancestors did for fear that we would be caught practicing magic. My mother simply stuffed the fireplace full of wood and let it burn wildly.
She gave me special tea to drink that would help me with my visions. It was not traditional Celtic tea, as we had no means of obtaining such things in the New World. Instead, it was tea from the native Lenape people, who also used it for their vision quests, as they called it. The brew was strong and full of powerful magic. I sipped it slowly, as I waited for the images to come to me.
I was sitting in my room staring into my basin that was filled to the brim with water. Candles were lit on either side of it and although it was still light out
, I could see the reflection of the flames dancing on the surface of the water.
I kept glancing back to my windowsill. The letter I had written the night before was gone from where I had placed it. Greer must have gotten it, yet there was no reply left in its place. I wondered if I was too distracted for scrying, and if the exercise would be rendered useless.
I placed the cup to my lips and breathed in the steaming tea. Calming myself, and pushing all thoughts out of my mind, I returned to the scrying bowl.
I stared into the water for a moment, then I closed my eyes and asked the Holy Mother, the Goddess, to send me guidance during my visions—that all would be explained and that I would learn from them. I opened my eyes and stared into the water. It was now a dark, deep blue; almost black really. It reflected my image back at me, but I did not move and I did not waver. I continued to stare, my skin looked ghostly white in the dark water and then, although the coloration of my pale skin stayed, the water distorted and swirled. I was looking at a white dress now. Abigail was wearing all white, her red hair pulled back from her face. She was smiling and dancing with a much older man. Although she looked happy, his expression was taught and ridged. Her husband the spirits told me. I looked around the room where I was standing, watching her twirl across the floor. I was standing next to Zachariah, who was holding my hand. I was wearing a green dress and with my free hand, I reached up and touched my garnet necklace. Zachariah’s face contorted with anger as his eyes fell upon the piece of jewelry and he reached toward me and snapped it off my neck. It fell from his grasp and the garnet stone shattered on the floor—the image faded away.
Spellbound: The Awakening of Aislin Collins Page 6
