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ATHENA; BOOK ONE

Chapter 1: CHAPTER ONE

"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."

― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

ATHENA

Do you have any wishes for a better or happier life? Do you wish to wake to a blissful morning of a rich sun and rich comforter that wraps silky around your naked body? Do you wish to walk down the gold and marble stairs that sharply pierce your eyes as the sun illuminates the room?

I didn't grow up poor nor rich. I get to wake up every day and see the sunrise from the horizon that lays behind the cotton filled grass; I get to see that every day and have for the past seventeen years of my life and not once have I ever wished anything more. My life is blissful and happy, I get to soothe my corset down my waist as my mother demands ladylike manners as much as my father enjoys taking me out fishing and helping with the horses and cleaning up the stalls.

My father has always been a man of many talents as to me and my younger brother, we have talents that are praised by every neighbour that walks pass by and hear the sorrowing music as my brother plays his piano that was gifted by my late deceased grandfather, the splashes that can be heard from miles away, as I stand and create what my father calls "the goddess awakens" as to why he calls it that will forever be a mystery, why don't I ask him you may ask? Because my father is a very stubborn man and nothing and not even my mother's home-made baked buttery, corn muffins can make the man speak.

I have longed for an education, but I maintain without speaking about my ever long dream to be a doctor. My mother has been delusional and I don't see that going away anytime before she passes. Cruelty lies always from her generation but I sought to think differently of my mother as she is white and I'm a "tanned young lady" as she likes to call me but, as it doesn't affect me neither does to my much darker young brother. Mother and father were a forbidden love and even as my mother begged for my grandfather to give his blessing he just locked her and kept her in her room for almost four days and as I said my grandfather was a very cruel man her punishment was no food nor water until that silly request of hers had gone away but not even that as his final wish was met

My father ought to fight for my mother. He too had received his whippings and curses that didn't let him get beat down but furthermore fought harder for the love of his life. It sounds like a cliche story, and that's what it is. I don't want a lover nor anybody; I don't need a man to come in every day from a long day of work and command and demand as he is the only one who is tired and drained from the day. I will ever wish much more and nothing less, my feet will not be in heels and my waist will not be dressed in polka dot dressed and an apron, as I will not be receiving a man and cooking, nurturing any children because I simply don't want to.

I will be free, and I will not be held back for anything and anybody. Men in the outskirts of this town are doctors, lawyers, engineers, and why couldn't I be one too? Women just like men have a brain and knowledge, I must admit we women can be smarter than most men and I can say that with raw honesty and passion. I will not dwindle into their lives or views, I could just to be a man if I wanted too. One once said: "don't be afraid to stand for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone." I had never have felt more accomplished of something of helping my father successfully install a pound of wheat into a brown sack at five years old, at that moment I knew just how and where to start looking and that was in my fathers (now mine) office, there were always books and paper lying around so I just would walk I and have a gracious smile on my face.

The office overlooked the deep blue river that just by ran through to the other side of town; it was enchanting and mostly calm, I would always paddle my boat to the market just to get mothers bean and chicken that was for dinner every Tuesday and any other day was fathers turn to cook what he pleased.

Elias always cut himself adventuring through the thick green grass, as many times as mother would chastise him he would rather look at me and tell her that I was the issue and that would cost me a cold shoulder and glares that would make me run but would make me snort and ignore her which would end in her walking into my room and singing to me.

I should say field days are the days im most happy, I would lay on the grass as the sun stares down glaring hotly even though I love it - I would prefer the sunset where there are no interruptions and everything flows calmly, I get to read pride & prejudice and insult Darcy for not speaking up and I would hype Ms Bennet, I would presume she can be stubborn and ridiculous but I would forever remember the masterpiece that it is.

My father used to say that I was a comparison of Ms bennet and I would always laugh, "I am nothing like her, father. Although I must say she is stubborn'' he would smile and continue arguing with mother for what I would read and the "vulgarity" of it

To say that my mother was a special woman could be the understatement of my whole life but, I would leave her be as I would miss her when she wouldn't be physically with me anymore

Just two more months and I would be officially an 18-year-old with absolutely nothing to do but to continue doing what I have done so far and I would do it pridefully