A Sold Heart, Tammy [reading tree txt] 📗

A Sold Heart
“Are you serious? I’ve been sold to the farmer’s boy done the road? What did he give you a pig?” I demanded of my parents.
“That is enough disrespect. You should be grateful after all he will be able to supply for you plenty. Besides he has a farm and you will always be fed. He has offered us ten acres of land and two cows for meat and a chicken. The best offer so far.” My mother told me. I sighed.
“Whatever do I get to meet him first or do I just have to walk down the aisle to marry a stranger?” I asked and my father shook his head.
“You already know him you buy you’re fruit from him all the time.” My father told me and I sighed again.
“You mean Jonathan?”
“Yes the oldest one. He wants to meet you today actually.” He told me and I nodded.
“Alright I’ll help him sell fruit and while I’m at it my old clothes that are still good quality.” I said and thought of my art. If they thought I was selling something else maybe I could sneak in my poetry. I knew I wasn’t supposed to actually show it to people but I didn’t care. I wanted people to know of the art I made. I picked up some of them and wrapped them in my old dresses from when I was younger. If I was lucky someone would take one or Elle would. Elle was my best friend. She was lucky because her parents were rich so she didn’t have to marry. She didn’t obey the rules though so her parents had disowned her. She was beautiful though she could have anyone she wanted, it’s just not many people appreciated her disrespect. She had a clear tan complexion and big brown eyes framed with nice eyelashes. She also had wavy dark hair that fell past her shoulders. However I could understand that since light skin was desirable by most why some may not want her but I didn’t think that should stand in the way of anything. Women stayed in as much as possible so that they could stay pale but I didn’t see the point. I was the opposite of her though. I have blue almond shaped eyes and am pale. My hair was blonde and had little wave to it falling to my shoulders. I was tall reaching almost five seven. I supposed I had nice curves from the way out of line boys looked at me but I just ignored them. I headed out and walked down our driveway. I was walking down the road when my mother ran down panting.
“You forgot you’re bonnet!” She said and I rolled my eyes.
“Mother only old ladies wear bonnets. Besides I threw out mine, that must be yours.” I told her and she pursed her lips.
“Fine, I’ll be glad to get rid of your disrespect when you marry that boy. You she devil.” She said angrily.
“I’ll be glad to be rid of you to.” I turned away and heard her sharp intake of breath. I headed down the road looking for Elle. She had to be doing something interesting, she always was. I walked closer to town and heard singing. So that’s the activity for today. Singing for money, Elle does what she needs for a dollar. I stopped in front of her as she wrapped up her song. When she was finished I spoke.
“Make any money today?”
“A quarter so I won’t have to steal my food this time.” She smiled and giggled. She was the town’s rebel. I was too in a way but not as much as her. I just disrespected my parents a lot which made me the outcast from some girls, that and sometimes I didn’t wear shoes. If I was going to stand in grass I didn’t see the point.
“Hey do you want a new piece of poetry?” I asked and she nodded eagerly. She was the only one who really loved my poetry. I took one that was folded up in my pocket and handed it to her. “That one isn’t my best but I thought you would appreciate it anyway. So now for the bad news. I have to marry Jonathan down the road. I mean he’s nice and not much older at nineteen but I just don’t like him.” I explained and she nodded.
“So just don’t marry him.” She said bluntly and I shook my head.
“I can’t do that to him besides at least I’ll be away from my parents.” I told her and she sighed.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re too good to be my friend.”
“Yeah well you wonder while I help him sell fruit and I sell these putrid dresses.” I told her and she smiled.
“Deal.” She left and I arrived at the market. I walked up to the smiling Jonathan.
“I’m here to sell fruit and thought I should sell my childhood dresses while I was at it.” I told him gesturing with the dresses.
“Sure you can hang them up around the little stand.” He helped me and I sat down waiting for customers.
“So we’re going to get married.” I said and he smiled hugely.
“Yeah I wasn’t sure that you would have me but then your father said yes and I was ecstatic.” He sounded really happy and I felt bad. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings but then there weren’t any other options besides him. Maybe I could be happy on a farm. We would have plenty of money. I finally smiled back.
“Think we could get a puppy?” I asked.
“Sure if you want one maybe I could find a good house dog.” He said and I grinned.
“Awesome, I always wanted one. I hope you don’t mind but I’ll be setting out poetry to but not for sale just to give away.” He let me put them out and we sold fruit to people who walked by. It was okay but it was really hot outside. I wish I had put my hair up. As I was thinking Jonathan left to bring me some water when I boy about nineteen walked up. I didn’t recognize him. I assumed he was of the upper class and smiled up at him. “Hi there, want some strawberries? If you’re not sure you could always sample.” I was being really kind to him and I didn’t know why but I really hoped he would stay for a while to chat. I couldn’t help but notice how nice he looked. He was about two inches taller than me and had bright blue eyes. His build was nice and he had fair skin; his hair was blonde and just long enough to flip out of his face.
“I guess I’ll sample it first. They look sweet and are very pretty. However that’s not what caught my eye.” He said and I pretended not to enjoy what he said. “Is this poetry?” He asked picking up a piece of paper and scanning it. I blushed deeply and then gathered my wits about me again.
“Yes but it’s just silly stuff I do in my spare time, it’s nothing really.”
“No it’s really good, how much do you want for it?” He asked and I was startled that he was interested.
“Actually it’s free; I didn’t think that anyone would want it.”
“Well I do, so I’ll buy some strawberries and this.” He said and I smiled. I bagged a pound of strawberries.
“Fifty cents.” I told him and he handed me a dollar. I went to get his change but he objected.
“No keep it, it is well worth it. Besides I have plenty of money my name is Oskan by the way.”
“Mine is Aqua.” I informed him as Jonathan walked up and I cleared my throat. “Well it was nice meeting you come back soon.”
“I definitely will.” He departed and I fanned myself but not from the sun. I need to stop this; I’m supposed to get married. Besides if he has plenty of money then he probably is an upper classmen. He was only interested in my poetry anyway.
Jonathan came up and handed me some lemonade.
“Some of my momma’s homemade lemonade.” He told me and I grinned.
“Well thank you.” I took a sip while he tended to another buyer. At the end of the day we had everything sold except my poetry of course. No one wanted a woman’s work.
“Will you be coming by tomorrow to help me sell eggs?” Jonathan asked me and I nodded. “Well goodbye then.”
“Goodbye.” I turned and left. I would have talked to Elle but she was busy stealing some food. Once I was inside I was greeted by a few suitcases. “Ummm…. Mum what is this doing here?” I asked my mum as she came out of the kitchen.
“It is your things. You will be living with Jonathan now that you two are to marry.” She sounded eager to get rid of me her “possessed” child. I grabbed my suitcases and smiled.
“Well thank you for packing my bags. I’ll be off to speak with the devil about cursing you.” I said smiling and her grin faded. She instantly started to pray. I picked up my suitcases and headed out. Half way down the road I was splattered from a carriage running over a puddle quickly. It was hot water and I dropped my suitcases from it. Of course with my luck one opened spilling my dresses on the ground. I sighed and bent over. I heard someone walking and didn’t care, I wanted to salvage the dresses that would have to last me a while or at least until I made money. I was folding my dressed when a familiar voice interrupted me.
“Need some help?” I looked up to see Oskan from the market earlier. I nodded eagerly.
“Yes please. Thank you.” Once my things were in my suitcases I picked up the suitcases and stood.
“Here at least let my carriage take your things and you to wherever your destination is.” He insisted and I smiled before frowning. “Is it a far distance? I’m sure you can stay in my guest room for a night so that my far traveling horses can be hooked to the carriage.” He looked troubled and I smiled.
“That’s not it, I just am not sure as to where I’m going.” I said it and knew it was so. I had been kicked out and it was very much looked down on to move in with someone I wasn’t married to yet. I supposed I could live with Elle but she lived in a hunter’s tent. I would have him drop me off at my aunt’s house and walk from there.
“How do you not know where you are to go?” He asked looking like very confused gentlemen.
“Well, I’ve been kicked out of my parent’s home because I’ve shown great “disrespect” toward them. They believe I am possessed for it.” I told him blushing. He would want nothing to do with me now surely.
“Well I’m sorry to hear that your parents don’t know a gem when they see it. None the less you can stay in my estate’s guest home until you find somewhere else to be.” He said and I shook my head.
“That won’t be necessary and I wouldn’t want to impose. You can take me to my aunt’s house. She’s always loved my opinions.” I told him and he looked happy with that answer. We rode to town