Immortal Desire

THE AMBROSE FAMILY 2

Chapter 3

ANAHITA

My sisters and I have never really been close since our mother passed a few days after giving birth to Aeliana. I think that might be why Aeliana turned out the way she is.

Aeliana Ambrose, the youngest of the sisters, has average height, golden-brown hair, eyes the color of the deepest sea green, pouty red lips, and a large bossom that always finds a way to stick out of her gowns no matter how modest. She is the most selfish and conceited.

She only cares about vain things, her looks, jewelry, clothes, and handsome men particularly the ruthless cold-blooded, man slaughtering General Ivo of the capital kingdom. Her idea of love and happily ever after is the horrendous general Ivo and she tells us just that almost every day. Sometimes I think I am even more prim and proper than she could ever be, at least I could never fall in love with a bloodthirsty war general like that, no matter how his looks are said to weaken the knees of the court ladies in the king's palace.

Talking of prim and proper, Athalia Ambrose, the firstborn daughter of Ambrose, took the prim and proper to a whole different level. Hair the color of hazelnut and eyes the lightest color of green. She is the tallest and less curvaceous of the family. Quillion sometimes tells me that could the reason why she decided to be prim and proper even though she was also of great beauty.

I choose not to believe him obviously but sometimes when I see my sister, I cannot help but think maybe Quillion could be telling the truth since she looks the most like our mother with her angelic features.

At times, I feel she thinks she is the chief of the Kot Diji clan instead of our father. You will never see her laugh out loud even in front of her family instead, she covers her mouth with her pruned hands and chuckles lightly into it. I doubt she even knows the meaning of the word fun. She is perfect in every way, her face, her steps, her words and I am sure even the way she takes a dump is perfect with the scent of strawberries.

And then there is me, Anahita, the second daughter of the Ambrose family. Headache to all and our father's favorite, much to the chagrin of everyone around us since I am the black sheep of the family. I am the Anahita who causes so much horror by running with her skirts up to her knees, the Anahita who chatters and laughs loudly even while eating. The seven-year-old Anahita, who goes to the field one day, saves a boy and brings him home insisting that he works for her as her maidservant. What lady in her right senses has a man as her maidservant? Sometimes I think I believe it when my stepmother tells me that I am the sole cause of the gray hairs on my father's hair.

One time, I asked my father for a house and he refused saying, proper ladies did not ride horses, after sulking in my room for a while, I had decided that why ask for something you could easily steal?

So, carrots in hand, I had matched down to the barn with Quillion on my hills and in the process of getting myself a horse, I had MISTAKENLY let out all the horses who ran off without even looking back. We did not find them again and my father had to purchase new horses.

Oh! I am also the Anahita the dijians call a walking terror because one time, I had MISTAKENLY trampled upon a new farm that was being cultivated thereby ruining all the plants. Long story cut short, I am the terror of the family and the land.

Following the genetics of the family on my mother's side, I have her green eyes with specks of golden dust, my hair a very shocking red that makes me stand out in the crowd like a sour thumb, different from everyone else in the family.

My father always told me I took after my nasty-tempered grandmother Nana Ambrose who died a long time ago. She was also a rarity in the family with her shock of red hair. Like my sisters, I also have pink, full pouty lips that I prefer to wear in a scowl rather than a demure smile. I am the shortest among the sisters with lean curves in the right places.

I sigh and am about to walk away when my father's door creaks open and the man who fathered me walked out with three of the council members right behind him. I instantly smile a big smile and exclaim, " What a pleasant morning, Mr. Ambrose!" I ignore the murderous looks in old Harry's eyes and warning tuts of Quillion behind me instead focusing on my father's cheerful smile as he sights me.

"Indeed a pleasant morning, now that I have seen you, daughter." When walks closer to me he whispers, "And it is father to you, Anahita."

I only snicker giving the best curtsy I can manage without falling on my face. "Yes, Father."

I look up from my bent position to see father put his hands in his pockets leaning towards me with a knowing smile on his face.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Anahita?"

I stand up straight and take a deep breath, giving him my best business face. "I want to come with you, father."

Father frowns looking confused as he said, "Come with me where?"

"To the Capital Kingdom for the annual tithe festival," I answer pouting my lips immediately I change from my business face to a pitiful look.

Shock registers on father's face a moment before he speaks.

"What?"

Quillion's voice booms behind me at the same time. "WHAT?!"

I roll my eyes inwardly at him. He nudges and whispers harshly at me.

"This was not what we planned."