Status: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
Chasing the Night
Prologue
I barely remember my human life. It was so long ago it's all become a blur. But the past six hundred and fifty year I remember quite vividly. But in order for me to tell you my never ending story I should start at the beginning with what I do remember.
I was born in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in 1340. Castelnaud-la-Chapelle was a commune on the bank of the Dordogne River in southern France. Castelnaud was a small town built on the side of a large hill that overlooked the Dordogne. My family moved there at the start of the Hundred Years' War. Through it was located in the center of France the town pledged allegiance to England during the war; as did my family.
My mother named me Claire de Cervole after Saint Clare of Assisi. I think she wanted me to take the same path as Saint Clare; to forsake everything and honor God by joining a nunnery. But life doesn't always go as planned. I was the third out of five children. My older brother and sister died of the plague when I was a young child. A daughter was seen as a burden on the family until the time for marriage, when they could 'push' her off onto someone else, through marriage could better a family's social and financial standing. When I turned 16, my father entered into negations with Sir Oliver de Vannes over my hand in marriage. A year later the date was set.
Oliver was 25 years old when he asked for my hand. It was odd for a man of his age to not be married, but I guess it was due to the war. But now that a short period of peace had engulfed the region, I suppose he decided it was finally time to get married. Oliver was handsome, caring and pretty much everything a woman wanted in a man. But I still wasn't every enthusiastic about marrying him.
I knew my father could have picked a worse man as my future husband but it was the thought of marriage that scared me. My life had been lived for me and when I was finally married I would be given a small degree freedom than I wasn't use too. I wasn't sure if I could handle the sudden weight of responsibility. I was like a caged animal that when let loose was unsure of where to go or what to do. I was positive that I would look to my mother for help more than once.
My mother was an example of a great wife. She stood by my father through good and bad times. She remained loyal and supportive of my father all through their 30 year marriage. She gave him two healthy sons and a daughter and she was a great mother to her children. That was my future; honor God and my husband, give birth to children and then raise them. I was content with my future.
Then Aro found me.
I was born in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in 1340. Castelnaud-la-Chapelle was a commune on the bank of the Dordogne River in southern France. Castelnaud was a small town built on the side of a large hill that overlooked the Dordogne. My family moved there at the start of the Hundred Years' War. Through it was located in the center of France the town pledged allegiance to England during the war; as did my family.
My mother named me Claire de Cervole after Saint Clare of Assisi. I think she wanted me to take the same path as Saint Clare; to forsake everything and honor God by joining a nunnery. But life doesn't always go as planned. I was the third out of five children. My older brother and sister died of the plague when I was a young child. A daughter was seen as a burden on the family until the time for marriage, when they could 'push' her off onto someone else, through marriage could better a family's social and financial standing. When I turned 16, my father entered into negations with Sir Oliver de Vannes over my hand in marriage. A year later the date was set.
Oliver was 25 years old when he asked for my hand. It was odd for a man of his age to not be married, but I guess it was due to the war. But now that a short period of peace had engulfed the region, I suppose he decided it was finally time to get married. Oliver was handsome, caring and pretty much everything a woman wanted in a man. But I still wasn't every enthusiastic about marrying him.
I knew my father could have picked a worse man as my future husband but it was the thought of marriage that scared me. My life had been lived for me and when I was finally married I would be given a small degree freedom than I wasn't use too. I wasn't sure if I could handle the sudden weight of responsibility. I was like a caged animal that when let loose was unsure of where to go or what to do. I was positive that I would look to my mother for help more than once.
My mother was an example of a great wife. She stood by my father through good and bad times. She remained loyal and supportive of my father all through their 30 year marriage. She gave him two healthy sons and a daughter and she was a great mother to her children. That was my future; honor God and my husband, give birth to children and then raise them. I was content with my future.
Then Aro found me.