The Witch's Daughter

"Leith! You need to get up, or we are going to be late!" my mother shouts from downstairs. I groan as I get out of bed. Willow, my handmaid, comes rushing into my room. "I am so sorry my lady, I was just on my way to wake you." "It's perfectly fine Willow, and please call me Leith. How many times must I remind you?" I give her a smile, so she knows I am only joking with her. "Of course, my- I mean Leith. We must get you ready. Do you know which dress you would like to wear in town?" "Oh, you can pick as you're much better at it than I am." About an hour later I have been bathed and dressed in a very pretty olive-green dress and Willow is finishing pinning my dark copper hair up in one of her complicated designs. I hold up necklaces, trying to find one that matches my ocean blue eyes, but eventually I give up and just put on my grandma's simple gold chain she gave me when I was little. "Okay, I am all done!" Willow says. "Perfect timing, the carriage is out front waiting for us." mother says from the doorway, scaring Willow and I making us jump. She laughs as she turns around. "Come along now, Leith. Oh, and Willow, please make sure her party dress is ready for when we get back." "Yes, ma'am I will" Willow says as she hastily leaves my room. "She is quite skittish, isn't she?" "Well, mama, you are her boss." "Yes, I suppose you are right." We head downstairs and out the front door where our driver waits for us. As mama climbs into the carriage, I glance around and lock eyes with our neighbor’s son, William Adair. I fight the urge to roll my eyes at him and give a slight nod before climbing in after mama. William is one of the most eligible bachelors in town. He is also a pompous ass who treats everyone, especially me, like they are beneath him. His father, Malcom, use to do business with my father and ever since papa passed unexpectedly while on a hunting trip, Malcom has tried to get closer to our family for some reason. I refuse to think about it today though, since it is my 25th birthday and we are heading into town to do some birthday shopping. “Where would you like to go first, my lily?” “The café, I think. I have been dying to eat one of their chocolate cakes again.” “Dear, you will be getting cake tonight at your party. Why don’t we go to the jewelers, and we can get something to match your dress for tonight?” I scrunch my nose at her but agree. She calls out to the driver to let him know where to stop first before turning towards me with an almost guilty look on her face. “So, who do you hope shows up tonight?” “Well, obviously my friends, especially Arabella. I do not think I could get through a party without her to be honest.” “I do adore Bella. Any… men that you are excited to see tonight?” “Oh, mama! Not this again, you know I do not care for any of the men in this town. They all think too highly of themselves.” “I know this, Leith, but you are not getting any younger, you know. I would love for you to stay at home with me, but you know as well as I do that once I am gone you will be left with nothing. I just want you to be happy and taken care of.” “Well, maybe if you had let me finish my schooling, I’d be able to take care of myself.” I instantly regret saying this as I know very well the only reason I had to leave school was because after Papa passed we could no longer afford it. “I am sorry, mama. I did not mean that.” “It is okay, my Lily. I understand how frustrating and upsetting it was for you to give up school. Can you just promise me that you will try and speak with at least one man tonight? I am sure there is someone in this town that is more agreeable than the rest.” “Yes, mama.” I sigh. “I hope you are right, or we may just have to move towns.” She gives me an incredulous look before turning to face the window. I turn toward mine, and we ride the rest of the way to the jewelers in silence. As I am looking at some emerald necklaces and earrings to wear for my party tonight, I feel someone come up and stand right next to me. I glance over to see William looking down at me. I look back down and roll my eyes in annoyance. I go to walk away, but then he speaks. “I heard it’s your birthday today, Lili.” “My name is Leith, for the 100th time, but yes, it is my birthday.” “I also heard that you are having a party tonight?” “Yes… I am.” “I must speak with our courier then as we seem to have not gotten our invitation in the mail.” “Hmm, that is very strange…” I keep my face neutral knowing very well that I snuck into the office, found their invitation, and threw it in the trash right before they were sent out. “Well, since it has been lost, what time should we arrive at? I would hate to miss your 25th birthday party.” I continue to keep my face blank even though I am screaming inside. “The party starts at 7, so anytime after that.” Or never, I think. “Wonderful! We will see there.” I turn and rush over to my mother, completely forgetting the emerald set I was going to get. “Was that William you were talking to just now?” “Unfortunately, yes.” “The Adairs were good friends of your father, Leith. We must treat them as such.” “Papa always said they were only business partners.” “That is because you were too young to understand how far back their business really went.” She sighs. “Will is a sweet boy once you get to know him, not to mention you guys use to play together all the time when you were little.” I only remember William picking at me and calling me names, but I do not mention this is her. “Well, that does not change the fact that he acts like an imbecile.” My mother just laughs as we head into the street to go look at the other stores across the street. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When we arrive home, Willow greets us at the door and rushes us upstairs to get ready. I did talk Mama into letting me go to the café, but they were all out of their chocolate cake. I sit at my vanity in my emerald green dress as Willow changes my hair from one complicated design to another. “Honestly, Willow, I have no idea what I would do without you to help me get ready.” I smile at her through the mirror. “I am sure you would figure something out, my- sorry, Leith. I do enjoy being employed by your family. You are all so kind and caring to your staff. It is a relief to not feel like we are walking on eggshells all the time.” I look at her again, since this is the first time she has really opened up like this. I wonder if the reason she is so skittish, as Mama put it, is because her last post was not so kind. “Alright, your hair is all done. Do you have anything in mind for your jewelry?” she reaches for my jewelry box when there is a knock on my door. Willow goes over to answer it and comes back with a velvet box that has a gold bow on it. “Someone sent this for you.” She hands it to me with a smirk on her face. I open it up and gasp. The emerald necklace and matching earrings I was looking at earlier are staring back at me. I had completely forgotten about them at this point. “Oh, Mama must have sent for them when she realized I had forgotten them.” “They are lovely and will look amazing with your dress tonight!” She slips the necklace around my neck as I put the earrings on and look in the mirror. She is right. They match my emerald dress perfectly. I start to feel excited about the night and cannot wait to see what lies ahead.