I held my composure. “Pardon me, stepmother. I was simply purchasing a necessity.” I took a slow breath, knowing that I was entering rocky waters. “As I’m certain you’ve noticed, I have been forced to walk around barefoot for quite some time now. It only seemed appropriate that a young lady—such as myself—be fitted with proper shoes when she entered town.” I took another sip of my tea, not risking a glance at her. Was this what Beatrice meant about finding a good time to be brave?
An audible sigh resounded from the woman. “Oh, Kalina, you spoiled child. You have plenty of slippers for maneuvering around the house. I even had a pair of dancing slippers made for you in case a formal event transpired.” She produced a small servant’s bell from inside her sleeve and gave it a light ring. Milton, the butler, entered swiftly, my new boots cradled in his hands. He snuck me an apologetic look as he passed them to Sapphira. He had never liked Sapphira, and I could tell this betrayal pained him. She dangled the shoes tauntingly from her fingers and I fought to hold my poise. “These… boots you procured are nothing more than a frivolous waste.” Her degrading tone made my breaths heighten.
Me, frivolous? I stared longingly at my hard-earned shoes, hoping I could talk my way into keeping them. I lightly bit the inside of my cheek to withhold another uncalculated outburst.
“But, stepmother... do you expect me to enter town wearing house slippers or dancing shoes? That hardly seems proper.” I tilted my head at her with a curious innocence. Surely, she couldn’t deny the fact that house slippers would be considered indecent elsewhere.
Both Odelia and Brielle gazed at their mother with unsatisfied looks, their eyes urging her to retaliate against my claim. I held my breath. Perhaps I had cornered her after all.
She pursed her lips. “I suppose you’re right, Kalina.” Sapphira stood from her chair, each shoe still in one hand. “You cannot wear mere slippers outside the house...” She stood in front of the open parlor window as a light breeze shifted a few blonde strands across her forehead. “In fact, you’ve made it quite clear to me that you shouldn’t go out into town at all.”
My heart lurched. I watched in horror as Sapphira calmly tossed each leather shoe out the open window. I reached out as if to stop her, but the undeniable sound of a splash shattered my ears as each boot landed in the water pump’s basin. My eyes grew wide and threatened to spill tears, but I swallowed them back. She didn’t deserve the satisfaction of knowing she had hurt me.
Odelia and Brielle both laughed wickedly as they watched me scramble toward the window. Sapphira stepped aside, allowing me a full view of my punishment. Both boots had sunken to the bottom of the basin, and if I didn’t dry them off soon, the fresh leather would be completely ruined. Without thinking about anything else, I spun on my heel to race to their rescue, but Sapphira caught me by the ear.
“Hold it there,” she hissed into my strained ear. “If I see you anywhere near that pump for the next week, I will instruct the servants to tear up those weeds you’ve been so obsessed with.”
My chest tightened as I realized she was talking about my flower garden. She wouldn’t...? Would she? Father and I had planted most of those flowers not long before he died, and even a few rosebushes remained from when Mother used to garden. I couldn’t risk losing it.
Swallowing back my pain, I halted my steps and silently returned to my seat. My heart ached at the thought of Mr. Pruner’s hard work stiffening and cracking from the water’s exposure.
Sapphira gave a pleased snake-like smile. “Excellent choice, dear.” She returned to her chair. “Now, who would like more tea?”
chapter two
Three days of heartache followed as I watched split pieces of leather float to the basin’s surface each morning. It had taken me nearly a year to sell enough flowers for those shoes, and now I wasn’t even permitted into town to continue sales. After staring at the drowning boots for a pathetically long time, I finally closed the attic window’s curtains, in an attempt to stop drawing out the pain further. I lay back onto my narrow spring bed, staring up at the drafty, gabled ceiling.
I had given up my bedroom to Brielle only a few months before Father died. Sapphira had insisted that Brielle and I share a room since Odelia was the oldest and required more privacy. I believe I lasted a full two and a half weeks before deeming the attic a far more appealing option. We had guest rooms, of course, but Sapphira insisted that we have at least two bedrooms reserved for company at all times. Therefore, my only option for space away from my intolerable step-sibling was to take up sanctuary in the rafters. It wasn’t all bad, considering it had a pleasant window and even a small fireplace. But it often irked me that both of my stepsisters received lavish bedrooms while I was refused occupancy of a spare chamber.
The distant clock tower chimed twice across the tree line that separated us from the town. I sat up eagerly at the sound. Sapphira and the girls were invited to a garden party at our neighbor’s estate. I had also received an invitation, but Sapphira insisted to the hosts that I was far too socially troubled to attend such events—that, and I didn’t have shoes.
I wasn’t complaining, though. Even before my father’s passing, I had never been one for polite company. Well-bred society involved so many rules and requirements that I often didn’t possess the ability to find any of it reasonable. Plus, with the whole family gone, I could escape the house for a while.
I listened for the sound of carriage wheels rattling across the pebbly road. Once I was certain the group had departed, I crept down to the lower floor. A few parlor maids cast glances at me as I silently exited out the servants’ door, but I paid them no mind. They may be spying on me, but I couldn’t spend my life cowering in the attic. As I exited the house, I had to side-step around Milton, who was entering with a fresh basket of dried linen. He paused in front of me, preventing me from moving forward as he eyed my attire. I had donned my plainest dress with loose slacks beneath the skirt—my typical attire for riding when I didn’t want anyone to notice. At first I worried he would tattle on me to Sapphira, but instead, he stepped out of my path.
“The servants won’t share any of your adventures today,” he whispered as I passed. “I’ll be certain of it. Go enjoy some time away.” He stepped forward, but then paused mid-stride. “And I’m so sorry about your shoes.”
My chest constricted from the heartfelt apology. Milton had always been so loyal to Sapphira; I never knew he had a soft spot underneath that statuesque façade. I turned to express that I didn’t fault him for his involvement, but he had already disappeared back into the house. My tension released as I dawned a full appreciation for Milton’s involvement. He may be loyal to his mistress, but he knew where to draw the line. I could trust that none of the servants would babble if Milton had pressed a warning into them. This meant I was free to enjoy my afternoon without consequence.
With a new spring in my bare-footed step, I strolled over to the stables to mount my favorite mare. My face crinkled in confusion as I scanned the stalls for the sweet horse’s snout, but she wasn’t here.
“Are you lookin’ for Pumpkin, miss?” Corliss, the stable boy, poked out from one of horse stalls. “She just left with the mistress. I would’ve sent her with Burlap, but she was asleep when they left, and I didn’t have the heart to wake the ole girl.” He stroked the sweet mare’s snout with a caring expression. Corliss was only fifteen, but he possessed more knowledge of horses than most full-grown adults did.
“That’s alright.” I smiled, though I was a tad disappointed I couldn’t ride Pumpkin. “I can take Burlap for a stroll instead. I’m only going to the palace gardens, so it shouldn’t be too vigorous for her.” I crossed the stable to join Corliss in petting the chestnut mare’s nose.
“That sounds like a lovely idea,” Corliss said cheerfully. “Burlap could use some exercise, and it’s a beautiful day to visit the gardens. I’ll saddle her up for you.” The boy smiled brightly as he fetched the saddle, whistling along the way.
It didn’t take long for the chipper young lad to prep Burlap for me. After hoisting myself onto the animal’s back, I bid a warm thank you to the boy before trotting off down the road. Burlap wasn’t quite as fast as Pumpkin, so I wouldn’t be able to spend as much time in the gardens before needing to return home. But it was truly a beautiful day, and a relaxed ride was nothing to be disappointed about after being cooped up for the last three days. The fresh air ran through my hair, freeing chestnut strands from my loose braid. It was so freeing to be outside of the estate. As much as I enjoyed the comfort of my garden, I appreciated the moments I could indulge in the sights of other’s efforts. The palace gardens were an excellent place for such indulgence, and I planned to soak up every moment I could.
When we trotted past the town, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of shame when I saw the cobbler’s shop in the distance. My bare feet lightly brushed across the mare’s bristle coat, each time reminding me of what I had lost. I wasn’t sure I could ever bear to face Mr. Pruner again, not after what had happened to his masterfully crafted shoes. My lungs took in a long sigh, and I shook the guilt from my mind, trying to focus on something more positive. I was determined to be optimistic today, and this outing was the exact medication I required.
The Drancos palace had always been surrounded in the most glorious gardens in the entire realm. Our kingdom had always been notorious for having excellent soil, and we reaped its benefits every season. Drancos gained most of its influence through the trade of our farmer’s bounties, and our flowers had always been the most dazzling in the realm—the palace gardens were a proud showcase of this fact. Most of the inner portion was reserved for the royal family, but the outer ring had always been open to the public. Father and I had spent many summer days taking inspiration from the beautiful landscaping. Even after he was gone, I still found I did my best thinking there.
When I finally arrived at the garden’s edge, I entered my favorite patch of the public section. It was a small corner, bordered by a hedge wall and shallow pond. It was rather deep into the garden, so the hedge marked where the public was no longer allowed to continue. A small bench rested in front of the pond, facing the most beautiful patch of flowers I had ever seen. It never mattered what time of year it was or how much rain the season had granted, this particular area of garden had always been the most vibrant.
I dismounted Burlap and tied her off to a narrow tree. As I approached the bench, my gaze instantly fell on the extravagant blooms—hibiscus, geraniums, daisies, and even lingering spring tulips blossomed out from the soil. Father once told me that a caster worked this part of the garden, which was why even flowers that were out of season would still bloom here. I wasn’t certain if he was correct, but when I took in the variety in front of me, it was hard to imagine otherwise.
As I soaked in the artful piece of nature, my gaze landed on the patch of land beside the blooms. It must have been recently prepped for new seeding because the ground was bare, with only fertilized mud covering the surface. I sat on the sun-warmed bench as I continued to take in the eye candy. It was here that I had decided I wanted to open my own flower shop. It was rare for women to run their own businesses this close to the capital, and even rarer when you had zero starting funds, but it was my dream. Father had been a merchant, so he often told me stories of exotic gardens and flowers across the kingdom. I wanted to travel and learn about such things so I could bring their beauty to the capital, and display them in my own shop. But first… I needed to work out the finances.