Estelle sat on the side of her bed, head resting on here hands curled up in little fists. Her long auburn hair was messed up and her white and yellow Sunday dress smudged with mud and green grass stains. She stared into nothingness her face red with anger. “Mom and dad are stupid”, she thought. “They are stupid and they are… They are…” She couldn‘t find the words that would describe her feelings. She was having so much fun with her friend from the commons, the smith‘s daughter Ireg “Why do I always have to listen to them. Get your hair done, be polite, mind your manners, look like a lady”, she imitated her parents in a weird nagging voice. “I don’t want to be noble!”, she screamed from the top of her lungs. Estelle sobbed. “I just want to be Stella and I don’t care about the stupid people and their stupid talking and their stupid parties.”
She stood up from her bed and paced around her large luxurious bedroom. Her red velvet bedsheets were a mess and her toys were scattered all over. Opposite her large cherry wood bed stood her mirror, on a delicate table with little drawers and curvy legs. She sat down and looked at herself. The braids in here hair had half untwined and the make-up so delicately applied by the house maid Anna was spread around her dark brown eyes. “I’m sorry Anna, that I ruined my make-up.” Estelle regarded the house maid Anna as a personal friend. Unlike the other servants she seemed to understand her and was always friendly and caring.
Estelle made some funny faces to herself in the mirror, putting her fingers in the corners of her mouth, while sticking out her tongue and pulling down the skin just beneath her eyes. She sighed. “What a great birthday”, she thought. “I am twelve and I can’t even invite my friends.” She lay down on the tiger hide rug in front of her bed, looking at the ornate figures embedded in the ceiling of her room. “It’s a birthday for stupid adults gloating and bragging about how important they are”, she thought to herself while she turned around and stroked the open mouthed head of her tiger rug. “What do they know about anything. I don’t want to be noble, I want to be brave and I want to fight and have adventures just like normal kids.”
She looked at her most prized possession hanging on the wall. A sword about as big as she was long. It wasn’t actually hers, but hung high out of her reach purely for decoration. Still it reminded her of the soldiers parading the city, and fueled her dreams of going out into the world and have adventures, though she couldn’t really describe what an adventure would be like. She walked over to her bedroom window and sat down on the soft velvet bench her parents had made for her when she turned ten. It was another great disappointment she had to come to terms with. She wanted a tent for her tenth birthday, not some stupid bench. She stared down into the garden and across the street. “Nothing but noble people to see here, so boring”, she talked to herself, “I’m going to run away first chance I get, together with Ireg because she is my best friend.”
Someone knocked on her door. “My lady Estelle, your bath is ready.” “I don’t want a bath!”, she shouted while still gazing out of her window. Several people walking the street looked up as they heard her shouting, shaking their heads in disapproval. Estelle stuck out her tongue at them, they didn’t see. The voice from behind her bedroom door urged. “My lady, please. You don’t want to disappoint your mother and father. You are expected to look your best at dinner tonight.” Estelle shrugged her shoulders but stood up anyway and opened her bedroom door. “Fine, if I have to”, she said as she walked passed the maid that was sent to get her. Estelle limped on one leg that the other taking of her white silk socks throwing them on the corridor’s marble floor. She turned into the bathroom leaving her dress on the doorstep and took off her undergarment. The steam rising from the bath smelled of roses. Estelle jumped into the bath splashing a quarter of its content on the white marble floor. “Get it over with”, she commanded the maid.
Estelle sat silent in the tub as the maid performed her duties. When they were nearly finished Anna walked in carrying fresh clothing. She put the clothing down on a chair and ordered the other maid out while Estelle stepped out of the bath. Anna took one of the snow white towels embroidered in the middle with the family crest, two hands holding a golden necklace with an opal set in a golden pendant. Estelle, soaking wet hair covering her face, raised her arms above her head and bend her fingers to represent claws. She grunted as she started walking towards Anna, mimicking a vicious troll. Anna laughed, “Oh my, what foul beast has spawned from the bowels of the bathtub. I had better call the guards.” Estelle answered, “I am the troll that stinks of roses, I will attack you with my vicious claws.” Anna put the towel in front of her face. “No, this will surely be my end. But if I can’t see it maybe it will go away.” Estelle jumped forward and grabbed Anna around the waist, burying her head in Anna’s stomach. She made a sound as if she was feasting on Anna’s entrails. Anna let herself fall to her knees adding drama to the scene by putting the back of her right hand in front of her forehead. “My end has come, where is brave and mighty Stella to save the day.” They both burst into laughter as Anna started rubbing Estelle’s hair with towel. Behind them someone cleared their throat in a way that showed disapproval of the scene.
It was Estelle’s mother. She stood in the bathroom doorway hands in her sides. “I told you not to encourage her Anna”, she gave Anna a strict look. Anna jumped up and bowed. “I’m sorry lady Leonora. It will not happen again.” Estelle had a guilty look on her face but didn‘t dare say a word. “Be glad Algernon didn’t see. He would have you cleaning the kitchen and lavatories for a week.” Anna shuddered at the thought. Being the family’s longest serving maid, her position passed on by her mother, she normally wasn‘t tasked with such jobs. “Now hurry up and get my daughter ready for dinner.” Anna bowed again. “Yes lady Leonora, right away lady Leonora, thank you lady Leonora.” Estelle hated it when her Leonora referred to her as ‘my daughter’. It made Estelle feel like she was just something that was necessary to preserve the family name, something her father Algernon was always worked up about.
“I’m sorry”, Estelle said to Anna after the sound of her mother’s footsteps had died out. “I didn‘t mean to….” “Hush”, Anna said, “Nothing to be sorry about. We had fun didn‘t we?” Estelle nodded, “but my mother….” Anna laughed and replied, “Your mother is right, I shouldn‘t encourage you”, she paused and listened to make sure no one was near, “I shouldn’t encourage you when someone is watching”, she added. They both laughed while Anna finished drying Estelle tickling her whenever it was least expected. “Now let’s get you dressed and painted for dinner.” Estelle loved it when Anna said she would paint her. It always made her laugh.
Anna had barely finished ‘painting’ Estelle, when the butler knocked on the door. “Dinner is served Lady Estelle, please make haste for the dinner is in honor of your twelfth birthday. The guests are waiting.” Anna made her finishing touches to Estelle’s make up, using some rouge to highlight her cheekbones. “There, all set gorgeous. Now if you behave down there, which I doubt, I will have a present of my own for you.” Estelle’s eyes widened and she jumped up from the chair in front of her dresser. “I will be a very nice lady”, she stated as she straightened her back and lifted her chin. She walked towards the door imitating hand gestures she saw the grown up ladies make when they were talking about each other. “Aren‘t we forgetting something my lady, you can’t go to dinner barefoot.” Estelle turned around waving Anna away. In a poche voice she reacted, “Oh dear, I forgot to wear my gorgeous shoes, the audacity.” She quickly sat on the bed. Anna put on her blue leather shoes and tightened the straps decorated with a little rose. “Off you go than, you look perfect.” Estelle walked out the room, turned around in the door opening, and performed a curtsey. “Thank you lady Anna, you look dazzling yourself tonight.” They both chuckled.
Estelle heard the voices of the birthday guests coming from the dining hall as she walked down the grand double staircase leading to the reception area of the mansion. Paintings of her parents and their ancestors lined the walls and a large banner displaying the family crest was draped from the staircase balcony its bristles almost touching the floor of the reception hall. Reginald the butler was standing in the door opening leading to the dining hall. “Hurry my lady, the guests are waiting.” Estelle deliberately slowed her pace. She knew what was going to come next. Reginald would announce her and all guests would stand up and bow. Reginald was vigorously waving his hand in an unfruitful attempt to make Estelle move faster. When finally Estelle reached the door, Reginald stepped in first clearing his throat. At that moment Estelle suddenly sped past him and ran straight to her seat at the large dining table. “Lady Estelle of house Opalos, firstborn of…” Estelle quickly sat down at the table opposite to her parents. The guests as well as Reginald were totally confused on how to proceed seeing how the formal introductions were now technically no longer valid. Some of the guests sat down, others bowed and a few just stood there befuddled. Algernon, sitting at the head of the table next to Elanor, gave his daughter a vicious look, while shaking his head. Estelle smiled at him while keeping a perfectly calm and noble posture. She knew this agitated him deeply.
Leonora noticed the guests confusion and urged Algernon to take action. Algernon rose from his chair and tapped his crystal glass to refocus their guests attention. “Ladies, gentlemen, friends.” The guests that had sat down rose again from their seats. Those that were still standing looked at Algernon clearly relieved that their confusion had ended and normal life could resume. “Thank you for joining us on this very special day. My most beautiful and only daughter Estelle Rubella Leonora of House Opalos, has today reached the age of twelve.” Estelle looked very annoyed. She hated it when her father complimented her while saying she was his only daughter. To her it sounded like he had no choice in the matter. “It is therefore with great pleasure and joy that I present to you this dinner, in honor of Lady Estelle’s birthday. May she grow up to be a worthy successor, and bare many sons to preserve the lineage of myself, Sir Algernon of Opalos, and that of my dear departed ancestors, Gods watch over them.” The guests nodded and a few clapped. “A toast, to this child that will become a noble well behaved lady soon”, emphasizing the words ‘well behaved’. He raised his glass and urged the guests to do the same, while giving Estelle a look she knew all too well. Her disturbing the formal introductions would have consequences.
“Reginald”, Algernon stated. Reginald clapped his hands and the cook and maids started carrying in plates of food. A roasted pig was placed in the center of the table. Bowls of fruit and salads were placed next to each of the guest’s plates. Freshly prepared snails, truffles, oysters. No effort or coin was spared by Algernon and Leonora to impress the guests.
Estelle looked around the table. Sir Ribald and Lady Vivienne of Ezecha, Sir Brinson of house Lorcas, Sir Ludwin and Lady Liona of house Finquist. A total of twenty guests. She knew all their names, and couldn’t care less. She had to learn them by heart as part of her education. She hated them and the way they behaved. “I wish I wasn‘t here”, Estelle whispered to herself squinting her eyes. She opened them, and regretted that her wish wasn‘t granted. She ate some of the fruit, and took a piece of the quickly ravaged roasted pig. “Thank you pig, for giving me food”, she said as the guests around her were emptying glass after glass of wine. And to make matters worse she sat right next to Lady Vivienne, who was the summum of self-centeredness deeming herself most devout and educated in the ways of nobility.
Estelle observed Lady Vivienne as she sat with a perfectly straight back handling her knife and fork so gracefully it looked absolutely ridiculous. She was constantly keeping an eye out to see if everybody noticed her immaculate ways. And whenever someone would make but the tiniest mistake she would make sure to point it out. This was always followed by an arrogant chuckle to denote her superiority and shame her unsuspecting victim. Estelle watched her closely. Lady Vivienne was tied up instructing Lady Liona on bathroom etiquette. In her fanatism she took her salad fork and used it to take a bite of pork. Estelle immediately reacted on the opportunity.
“Lady Vivienne”, she said just loud enough to draw attention to the situation, “That fork is meant for salad, not for pork.” Lady Vivienne turned as red as a tomato. “You are supposed to use this fork as it is positioned next to your spoon, but slightly shifted in respect to the knife on the left side of your plate.” Algernon gave Estelle a complemental nod, a smile on his normally cranky face. He looked around the table displaying his pride about Estelle’s astute observation. Estelle didn’t notice and dinner continued, as did the haughtiness.
They were mostly bragging about themselves and sharing rumors about others. They ignored Estelle completely. She didn’t get a single compliment for displaying her knowledge of the proper use of cutlery. Lady Vivienne had slightly turned her back towards Estelle and at Estelle’s right side Sir Brinson outvoiced every word Estelle wanted to add to the conversations she was forced to endure. She felt herself become smaller and smaller, insignificant, as those so called nobles and her parents were feasting in her name. “They didn‘t even bring me any gifts or congratulated me, I hate them all”, Estelle concluded.
She sat for a little while longer than slowly got up from her chair. “I’m going to bed”, she said. No one noticed. “I’m going to run away from home tomorrow”, she added. No one responded or even looked at her. She turned around head bend forward in disappointment as she walked out the dining hall. No one noticed her. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she almost bumped into Oscar, the family cook, carrying another platter of food. “Careful love”, he said while barely balancing the platter on his hand, “What’s wrong?” He signaled Reginald to take over the platter. Estelle shrugged as she struggled not to burst out in tears. “I’m going to bed so my birthday will be over faster.” The cook bent down leaning on one knee pitying her. He wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek with his big thumb. “Oh little one, don‘t cry, it’s not all bad. Why don ‘t you go to the kitchen, I’ve got a little surprise for you.” Estelle looked at Oscar, who smiled at her with his twinkly eyes set in a chubby face with round red cheeks. She smiled back, “Thank you Oscar.” She ran to the kitchen and sat down at the servant’s dinner table eagerly awaiting Oscar’s return.
The kitchen was Estelle’s favorite place in the house. There were always people there busy preparing food, counting stock or storing supplies. They were never bothered by her getting in the way or playing at the table. And they always had time to sit down and have a chat. Estelle looked around the kitchen trying to find a clue to the surprise Oscar mentioned. The kitchen was a tremendous mess. The servants were plating food, chopping vegetables, dragging supplies back and forth from the cellar. The floor was covered with waste. Flour, orange peels, carrot butts, oyster shells and several kitchen tools that had been knocked of the counters. Estelle enjoyed the chaos and disarray the kitchen was in. A strong contrast to the orderly life she was forced to live.
Oscar came back into the kitchen. He sat down next to Estelle. “So little one, you were planning to go to bed while Oscar has a surprise for you. That wouldn’t be very smart now would it?” He gave Estelle a friendly poke with his elbow. “Gurda, bring me tonight’s chef’s special please.” Gurda, a voluptuous servant who had joined the staff about a year ago looked at Estelle. She lifted a chubby finger in the air. “Ooh, the chef’s special.” She shook her body making her sweetrolls wobble around her. “One chef’s special coming right up young lady.” Estelle laughed again. Gurda walked down the cellar stairs and came back up a minute later singing a birthday song. She was holding a silver platter covered by a round silver lid. Oscar joined in on the song as did the other servants in the kitchen dropping whatever it is they were doing. Gurda put the platter on the table in front of Estelle. The servants performed a drumroll on the counter with their wooden ladles. Gurda lifted the lid and they all shouted, “Happy birthday Estelle!” Estelle couldn’t believe her eyes. A cake in the shape of a ship, on a blue sugar frosted sea. Its sails made entirely of sugar and its mast two swirly sugar canes. Behind the chocolate rudder a hand painted miniature Estelle. “Thank you all, thank you Oscar, you are the best cook in the world! ”, she shouted while clapping her hands. “All for you dear, enjoy it, you deserve it.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Estelle was about to take her first bite of Oscar’s birthday gift, when Algernon barged into the kitchen. “Well, young lady”, he said clearly infuriated. “Are your birthday guests not worthy of your presence!” Algernon grabbed Estelle by her arm and dragged her away from the one thing that made her birthday worthwhile. Estelle looked at Oscar and Gurda in bitter despair. Gurda stepped forward ready to vent her opinion on the matter. Oscar stopped her. “Don’t“, He sneered, “It will cost you your job.”
Algernon was furious. He ranted at Estelle while dragging her across the reception hall. “You will sit at the table and behave like a lady. You shame me and your mother with your childish behavior.” Estelle held her free hand in front of her face fearing she would be hit by her father. She screamed, “No dad please don’t, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please.” Algernon stopped and brusquely pulled her arm. “And you won‘t be seeing your so called friend from the commons for a month”, he shouted at Estelle, “Let that be a lesson for you.”
This was simply too much for Estelle. She didn’t care for stupid etiquette or ridiculous rules of conduct. But denying her access to her friend with whom she could share anything and everything ignited her heart with furious anger. She tore herself loose with all the strength she had, ripping her sleeve from her dress. Algernon was baffled, and for a second didn‘t know what to say. Estelle looked him in the eye so fiercely it scared Reginald the butler, who was watching from his position at the dining room door. Estelle screamed at her father, “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you”, stamping her feet on the ground. Algernon wanted to grab her arm again. Estelle started wildly hitting her father her little fists curled up so tight her knuckles turned white. “I hate you, I wish you were dead”, she screamed while tears rolled down her face.
She ran up the stairs leaving Algernon in total confusion and furious anger at the bottom of the stairs. She didn’t look back as Algernon shouted at her. “Go to your room and stay there! No more birthdays for you.” It was his desperate attempt to regain control of the situation and over his daughter. His effort was in vain. Estelle was blind with anger and raced to her room not noticing Anna who stood listening at the top of the staircase. Estelle slammed her bedroom door shut and let herself fall face forward on her bed crying. All she could think about was running away from home, her last bit of doubt having been snuffed out by Algernon’s anger.
Estelle cried until she ran out of tears. Exhausted from the events of the day she fell asleep, still wearing her torn dress. Anna had been standing at her bedroom door listening until finally nothing could be heard. She shook her head and felt deeply sad for Estelle. “How can they treat that lovely adorable girl like that? Are they blind? Do they even care for her in the slightest?”, she thought. Anna paced up and down the corridor in doubt. “Should I go in and comfort her? But what if Algernon or Leonora sees me, I’d surely be in trouble.” She decided to wait until Estelle’s parents had gone to sleep. Then she would check on her again.
The evening seemed to last an eternity as Anna aided the servants in the kitchen with all sorts of activities she would normally be abstained of. She overheard Oscar and Rugda discussing what had happened to Estelle. Anna felt her blood boiling inside her with anger. “How could they, on her birthday for crying out loud”, while tossing a handful of silverware in the sink. “Everything alright”, Oscar inquired. “No!”, Anna replied, “Nothing is alright.” Oscar looked at her as she almost burst into tears. “It’s Estelle, isn’t it?” Anna couldn’t answer afraid of losing her temper altogether and smashing whatever porcelain was nearest to her. Oscar knew Anna all too well. He hinted at her, “Did you know that the cake I made is neatly stored in the cellar.” He paused briefly rubbing his chin. “I wouldn’t be surprised if for some strange reasons the cellar trolls would feast on it tonight.” He put his arm around Anna. “The cake would surely be inexplicably gone by morning.” A smile appeared on Anna‘s face as she stirred the dishwater with one of the ladles. “Oh Oscar, you devious man”, she replied. Oscar turned around whistling a very innocent tune.
“Pssst, Estelle.” A muffled voice at the bedroom door. There was no response. Anna quietly opened the door to Estelle’s bedroom after double checking whether Algernon and Elanor were asleep. She tiptoed into the dark bedroom. The light of a nearly full moon shone through the still opened window and a cool breeze playfully danced with the floor length bloodred curtains. Anna placed a few things she was carrying on Estelle’s dresser, than closed the window without making a sound. She looked at Estelle, who lay curled up on the bed holding Lady Braveborn, her stuffed doll that looked like one of the King’s rangers. Anna had personally made the clothes for the doll including the little longbow on its back. The tiny sword was made by Balog the dwarven smith. He was the father of Estelle’s best friend Ireg, and refused any payment for his work. Lady Braveborn was at the heart of all of Estelle’s imaginary adventures.
Anna sat down on the bed right next to Estelle’s head. She stroked her hair and softly whispered, “Stella my sweetheart, open your eyes little one. Your birthday isn’t over yet.” Stella mumbled something in her sleep as she suddenly rolled over on her back almost hitting Anna in the head with Lady Braveborn. Anna chuckled, then gently put her hand on Estelle’s upper leg an carefully rocked her back and forth. “Wake up dear.” Estelle opened her eyes and in a split second crawled backwards against the headboard of her bed holding Lady Braveborn tightly in front of her chest. “No dad I’m sorry”, she screamed with a trembling voice as she looked terrified. Anna’s heart shattered into a thousand fragments.
“It’s me Anna”, she quickly said moving forward a little bit so that the moonlight would reveal her pale delicate face and long straight black hair. Estelle released the tension in her body and a faint smile lit up her face. “Come sit next to me dear, don ‘t be afraid. Your parents are asleep.” Estelle crawled over to Anna on her hands and knees, sat down next to her and pushed herself against Anna. Anna put her arm around her shoulders. They looked out the window at the moon and stars for several minutes. Anna gently rubbed Estelle’s shoulder in order to comfort her. Then Anna started whispering a song her mother used to sing to her when she was sad or afraid.
~
Oh little lady of the moon, keep watch over my sleep
Fight my nightmares with your light, my heart is yours to keep
Don ‘t leave me out here in the dark, your face makes me feel safe
Together with your stars that spark, you light my bedroom cave
And when the morning sun appears, I know you have to rest
Until the evening comes to pass, you will return at last
~
Estelle had finally calmed down. Anna looked her in the eye. “Happy birthday Stella. Do you remember I promised you a surprise?” Estelle’s eyes widened, but then suddenly she let her head hang and looked sad again. “I remember”, she said. “But only if I behaved properly and I didn’t. I’m sorry Anna.” Anna felt a mixture of rage and pity and had to swallow twice to suppress here emotions. “Oh Stella, come here.” She grabbed Estelle and held her in a tight embrace. “I shouldn’t have asked that of you, I’m sorry. It’s your birthday and you could paint your house pink for all I care.” Estelle chuckled at the thought. “So you will give me a surprise anyway?”, she asked with a hint of doubt in her voice. “Of course sweetheart, of course I will. Let me light a few candles.”
Anna stood up and lit the candle standing on the dresser. Estelle couldn‘t believe her eyes. Her birthday cake, and it looked even better in the candlelight. Next to it something wrapped in paper with a ribbon around it. Her eyes filled with joy and for a moment she had forgotten all about her troublesome day. Anna cut two big chunks from the cake and put them on platters. She sat back down next to Estelle. “I think you left this in the kitchen. Oscar thought it best if I would bring it to you. Something with trolls in the cellar feasting on this cake.” Estelle laughed as they both started feasting themselves on the chef ‘s special. “This is the best cake I ever had Anna, thank you”, Estelle said. She rubbed her hand over her belly and burped. “Oh my goodness lady”, Anna reacted. They laughed as Anna deliberately burped too. “Now, are you ready for your birthday gift, or would you rather have me give it to someone else.” Estelle bounced up and down on her bed. “No , no ,no, please give it to me Anna.” Anna laughed as she fetched the gift from the dresser putting it down in Estelle’s lap. “For your twelfth birthday, I hope you like it.”
Carefully she removed the ribbon and folded open the wrapping. The gift felt soft on the bottom and hard on the top and was pretty heavy Estelle noticed. Inside was a book with no title and a green cloth. Anna smiled. “This is for you dear, an empty book. It is called a diary and you can write anything in it you want. And no one else gets to read it because it’s your diary.” Estelle’s face spoke more than a thousand words to Anna. She pressed the diary against her chest both arms crossed in front of it hugging it as if it were a baby. Anna stood up and took the green cloth. “And I made you this.” She unfolded the cloth revealing a beautiful grass green hooded cloak. At its neck a large wooden button carved in the shape of a daisy, Estelle’s favorite flower because they are nice and common. “Try it on love.” It was a perfect fit and Estelle was intensely happy with it.
They talked for a while until Anna decided it was time for bed. Estelle obeyed her wishes and quickly took of her dress. She crawled under the blankets holding her gifts and Lady Braveborn right by her side. Anna tucked her in and kissed her goodnight. “Sweet dreams Stella”, she said. She turned around to leave the room when in a flash she saw the bedroom door closing. She picked up the torn dress to get it fixed in the morning and hurried outside. “Thank you Anna, I love you”, she heard Estelle whisper to herself as she stepped into the corridor. She saw a silhouette of a woman turning a corner and heard it giggle with pleasure. She recognized the way it moved, at least she thought. “Was that Leonora?”, she wondered as she made her way to the servants bedroom.
Estelle woke up late the following morning. She stretched out accidently kicking Lady Braveborn over the edge and onto the floor. She sat on the side of her bed and yawned, than she suddenly remembered last night. Her eyes flashed over her bed and around her room looking for the presents she got from Anna. She noticed the remainder of the cake had been taken away and she felt she started to panic as she couldn’t see her diary and cloak anywhere. She was about to run out of her room when her eyes finally found what she was looking for. On the bench at the window her cloak lay neatly folded, the diary on top of it. She raced towards them making sure they were really there. She picked them up and held them close to her chest again spinning in circles with joy. She stopped and cheered, “Yahoo!” She notice something else on the little cabinet just beside the bench. A little wooden box and a glass bottle. She recognized the bottle, it was the same one her tutor mister Jozin had. An ink vial. She opened the wooden box, a note fell out. Inside the box was a golden tipped quill. The inside of the box had a crevasse that was a perfect fit for the vial of ink, and a small wooden tube with a wad at the bottom. She placed the vial and quill in the box and giggled with pleasure. “Get ready diary, because here comes Stella”, she said to herself.
Her eye fell on the note that had been in the box. She picked it up and unfolded it and started reading. “One cannot write a diary without the proper tools. Write down your secrets, so that I may one day get to know you a little better, should you allow me to read.” There was no name or signature on the note. Estelle’s thoughts quickly derived who could have written it. “Mister Jozin, mom or dad, Anna, Reginald, Rugda, one of the guests”, she gave up. “Whoever you are, thank you very much for this gift”, she said out loud. She sat down on the bench looking at her gifts with an expression of joy and happiness on her face. She heard the bedroom door closed, followed by footsteps fading away. She didn‘t give it any thought and quickly got dressed for a new day. “I’m going to show my diary to Ireg right away”, she thought. She froze in place as her father’s words suddenly echoed in her head. ‘Not going to see Ireg for a month’, she repeated in her mind. She stamped her foot on the ground, “It’s not fair!”
She sat down at her dresser trying to figure a way out of this. She contemplated her actions from last night. “I guess I did let my parents down, father was probably right”, she thought to herself. “Maybe I should have asked if I could leave the table.” She looked at her diary and cloak. “And I did get these pretty gifts.” She stood up and paced up and down her room. “Was it really my fault? I am always causing trouble for mom and dad.” She took the cloak and tossed it around her neck. “Oh Anna, it’s so beautiful.” She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at her reflection. She felt proud of herself and her decision. “Stella, you are going to be a brave lady, you will tell your father you are sorry. After all you brought shame to your mother and it is your own fault that they don’t love you.” Just as she turned to her bedroom door it opened. It was Algernon.
Estelle froze as she still had the cloak around her neck. Before her father could say a thing she bravely stepped towards him and looked up. “Dad, I’m so…” She couldn‘t finish her sentence. “What is this!”, Algernon shouted. “I come up here with the best intentions, wanting to tell you I was sorry. I was even going to let you play with Ireg today. And what do I see, you in some filthy rags.” Estelle undid the button to her cloak and tried to hide it behind her back. “I’m sorry dad”, she stuttered as she took a step backwards. “Please don’t be mad I didn’t…” Algernon didn’t let her speak. “I don’t care what you have to say for yourself. You don’t deserve my apology.” He stepped towards Estelle. “Where did you get this filthy rag, hand it over immediately.” Estelle didn’t know what to say. She trembled and couldn’t speak or move. Algernon raised his hand threatening to slap his daughter. Estelle fell down backwards dropping the cloak on the floor while making herself as small as possible and closing her eyes as she shielded herself with her arms. Algernon picked up the cloak from the floor. “I will not have my daughter act like some beggar wearing cheap rags only suitable for cleaning the lavatories.” Estelle looked up from under her hands and saw Algernon holding the cloak out in front him getting ready to tear it into pieces. Estelle jumped up and grabbed the garment shouting. “No dad don’t please I promise I will be good, please.” Algernon grabbed her by the arm and tossed her on the bed as if she were a piece of garbage. Estelle noticed her mother in the door opening. “Mom please help me”, she pleaded reaching to her mother with a look of utter desperation and fear on her face. Leonora shook her head in disapproval of Estelle’s behavior. She turned around and abandoned her daughter when she needed her most. At that moment the sound of fabric tearing apart penetrated Estelle’s heart and soul. “There”, Algernon said, “your own fault”, as he threw the pieces of cloak on the floor trampling them breaking the hand painted button. “I can hardly believe you are my daughter, and I doubt you will ever change that.” He turned around slamming the bedroom door behind him and locked it from the outside.
Estelle sat on her bed numb, didn’t dare to move or make any sound. She just sat there staring at the pieces of her prettiest birthday gift ever. She was beyond crying, and stepped down from her bed and picked up the pieces from the cloak and the broken button. She started folding them together as best she could and placed them on her dresser. She sat down and looked at herself again in the mirror. Her reflection looked unfamiliar to her and she felt something had changed inside her. A soft knocking on the door, “Stella, it’s me Anna. Are you ok?” Estelle answered in an emotionless voice, “Everything is ok, I’m fine thank you.” Anna shuddered as she could feel something missing in Estelle‘s voice. She had heard it before and it deeply saddened her. Something that should have been cherished was now forever lost. Her voice was no longer that of a child.