Status: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
Chasing the Night
Un
While I don't remember the majority of my human life, I remember the last day of that life like it was yesterday. I died on April 15th of 1357. I can recall every defining detail from that last day as if it was a picture. I guess remembrance of that day was due to the fact that it was the end of one life and the beginning of another.
It started as a normal day. I opened my eyes that morning to the sound of Elena calling my name. Elena was my servant and had been for quite some time. She was a few years older than me. As I opened my eyes I was greeted by my expensively decorated room. The room had a circular shape to it due to the fact that it was built in one of the many towers in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle. My large bed was centered between two rectangular windows. The covers on the bed were made of red silk that had been imported from Italy. Varies paintings and tapestries lined the walls.
Elena was dressed in a simple pale green loose-fitting dress. Since she was married her black hair was hidden beneath a red hood. "Come, my Lady. It's time to get ready." I had been awake already for about an hour. I didn't sleep well. I never did. Everyday started out the same way, with church. Everyone went once a day and some people, like my mother, went twice. I never really was a religious person, even through my mother tried to make me one.
I crawled out from the warmth of my bed and stretched my arms. Elena helped me get dressed like she usually did. The lavender dress she pushed over my head fell down to my ankles. The wool dress hugged my waist before flowing over my hips and my legs. I was self-conscious of my body then. Being thin back then was a sign of poverty or disease.
After adjusting the strings on the back of the dress, Elena started on my hair. She braided my long wavy red hair into a single loose braid. Behind us, I heard the door open and my mother's voice complaining about how I wasn't ready yet. Many people told me that I looked very much like my mother. We had the same red hair. The same bright blue eyes and pale skin. But while we looked alike we were two very different people. She was extremely judgmental and outspoken while I was open-minded and timid. She thought things though before she acted while I was very impulsive. If I wasn't so impulsive this story probably wouldn't be as interesting.
I followed silently behind my mother as we walked through Castelnaud-la-Chapelle to the chapel, which was locate adjacent to the great hall. The chapel was already half-way full. I followed my mother as we passed other knights and ladies on our way to the front pew. As we sat down next to my father, the priests started to enter the chapel and the ceremony began.
* * * * * * * * *
Two hours later people were pouring out of the chapel towards the great hall for breakfast. It was about nine in the morning but instead of following the river of people, I walked casually away from them and into the courtyard. The smallest of Castelnaud's courtyards was filled with a colorful display of plants. There were thick green vines that grew on the stone walls, reaching towards the sky. Two large rose bushes were planted on either side of the entrance to the main castle. As I walked through the yard I passed flowers of all colors; red, purple, yellow, pink.
But I ignored all that as I walked through the exit and up the stairs that lead onto the outer wall. The further I walked, the higher the wall went. I stopped after walking up the final set of stairs that placed me on the wall's highest point. This part of the wall overlooked the east side of Castelnaud. There was only about 50 feet of level ground before the forest started to decent into the Dordogne River 500 feet below. The decline was barely noticeable at first but after about a hundred feet into the forest the ground would disappeared from beneath you.
I leaned against the wall, placing my hand on my chin. I stared out at the landscape before me. Over the top of the trees, off in the horizon, I could see where the river Céou flowed into the Dordogne. The morning's light reflected off the water of the two rivers causing them to have a metallic appearance. I moved my eyes closer in; at the large trees that covered the majority of the cliff. My eyes moved towards the tree line but something caught my attention.
Standing about five feet into the forest was a figure of what appeared to be a man. I couldn't make out his face due to the shadows casted by the trees. He appeared to be looking up at the top of wall; at me. I squinted in the sunlight, trying to make out his face. I watched as he lifted his arm and waved slowly at me.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" A familiar voice said from beside me. Slightly startled, I turned my head to face my future husband. Oliver de Vannes was tall and well-built. His face was tan due to the amount of sun exposure. There were small laugh lines around his mouth and nose. His auburn hair stopped just above his brown eyes. He was wearing his usual red English uniform, complete with the long sword that was placed on his hip.
I turned away, for fear of him seeing me blush. I looked back down at the forest, but the man was no longer there. "Yes, it is." I said shyly.
Oliver took his place beside me. He placed his hand on top of mine. "What are you doing up here, Claire?" He said calmly.
I exhaled slowly. "I like the view." I said truthful. "Did my mother send you up here?" I asked, curious.
Slowly, a smile spread across Oliver's handsome face. "Yes. Actually she did. She wanted me to return you to the great hall for breakfast." He laughed. "So, are you coming?"
It started as a normal day. I opened my eyes that morning to the sound of Elena calling my name. Elena was my servant and had been for quite some time. She was a few years older than me. As I opened my eyes I was greeted by my expensively decorated room. The room had a circular shape to it due to the fact that it was built in one of the many towers in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle. My large bed was centered between two rectangular windows. The covers on the bed were made of red silk that had been imported from Italy. Varies paintings and tapestries lined the walls.
Elena was dressed in a simple pale green loose-fitting dress. Since she was married her black hair was hidden beneath a red hood. "Come, my Lady. It's time to get ready." I had been awake already for about an hour. I didn't sleep well. I never did. Everyday started out the same way, with church. Everyone went once a day and some people, like my mother, went twice. I never really was a religious person, even through my mother tried to make me one.
I crawled out from the warmth of my bed and stretched my arms. Elena helped me get dressed like she usually did. The lavender dress she pushed over my head fell down to my ankles. The wool dress hugged my waist before flowing over my hips and my legs. I was self-conscious of my body then. Being thin back then was a sign of poverty or disease.
After adjusting the strings on the back of the dress, Elena started on my hair. She braided my long wavy red hair into a single loose braid. Behind us, I heard the door open and my mother's voice complaining about how I wasn't ready yet. Many people told me that I looked very much like my mother. We had the same red hair. The same bright blue eyes and pale skin. But while we looked alike we were two very different people. She was extremely judgmental and outspoken while I was open-minded and timid. She thought things though before she acted while I was very impulsive. If I wasn't so impulsive this story probably wouldn't be as interesting.
I followed silently behind my mother as we walked through Castelnaud-la-Chapelle to the chapel, which was locate adjacent to the great hall. The chapel was already half-way full. I followed my mother as we passed other knights and ladies on our way to the front pew. As we sat down next to my father, the priests started to enter the chapel and the ceremony began.
* * * * * * * * *
Two hours later people were pouring out of the chapel towards the great hall for breakfast. It was about nine in the morning but instead of following the river of people, I walked casually away from them and into the courtyard. The smallest of Castelnaud's courtyards was filled with a colorful display of plants. There were thick green vines that grew on the stone walls, reaching towards the sky. Two large rose bushes were planted on either side of the entrance to the main castle. As I walked through the yard I passed flowers of all colors; red, purple, yellow, pink.
But I ignored all that as I walked through the exit and up the stairs that lead onto the outer wall. The further I walked, the higher the wall went. I stopped after walking up the final set of stairs that placed me on the wall's highest point. This part of the wall overlooked the east side of Castelnaud. There was only about 50 feet of level ground before the forest started to decent into the Dordogne River 500 feet below. The decline was barely noticeable at first but after about a hundred feet into the forest the ground would disappeared from beneath you.
I leaned against the wall, placing my hand on my chin. I stared out at the landscape before me. Over the top of the trees, off in the horizon, I could see where the river Céou flowed into the Dordogne. The morning's light reflected off the water of the two rivers causing them to have a metallic appearance. I moved my eyes closer in; at the large trees that covered the majority of the cliff. My eyes moved towards the tree line but something caught my attention.
Standing about five feet into the forest was a figure of what appeared to be a man. I couldn't make out his face due to the shadows casted by the trees. He appeared to be looking up at the top of wall; at me. I squinted in the sunlight, trying to make out his face. I watched as he lifted his arm and waved slowly at me.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" A familiar voice said from beside me. Slightly startled, I turned my head to face my future husband. Oliver de Vannes was tall and well-built. His face was tan due to the amount of sun exposure. There were small laugh lines around his mouth and nose. His auburn hair stopped just above his brown eyes. He was wearing his usual red English uniform, complete with the long sword that was placed on his hip.
I turned away, for fear of him seeing me blush. I looked back down at the forest, but the man was no longer there. "Yes, it is." I said shyly.
Oliver took his place beside me. He placed his hand on top of mine. "What are you doing up here, Claire?" He said calmly.
I exhaled slowly. "I like the view." I said truthful. "Did my mother send you up here?" I asked, curious.
Slowly, a smile spread across Oliver's handsome face. "Yes. Actually she did. She wanted me to return you to the great hall for breakfast." He laughed. "So, are you coming?"