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Victoria bit her lip in pain.


"You are already twenty and you still can't behave? What does this say about our family? That we raise hooligans? That our daughter is so immature, talentless, and misbehaved that she still hasn't gotten a husband? Dekka had her husband at sixteen. You, you worthless child? People will say we raise loose girls! Childish and impolite daughters and ugly children. We already have a bad family name as it is! Do you want to rip what your father gave us to nothing?!" Her mother smacked her hands with the small discipline stick. She was done scolding her daughter and looked away, not wanting to look at her daughter any longer.

Victoria was soundless as she cried. She trained herself not to make a sound as to not get scolded again. She withdrew her hands, which were red and pulsating, to her chest, where she cradled them. They pained her from her whipping. She turned on her heel and left the room, darting to her room when she clicked the door closed. She sobbed, shaking from the scolding. She broke her mother's crystal on accident while dusting. It was the girl's clumsiness that got her into trouble. She locked the door.

Victoria opened the door to her bookstore, finally allowed to drop her things off to the floor. They landed with a loud thump. She ran away from home. With three suitcases full of her things, she left for her book store. Victoria took some money from her mother's chest and left. She transported her belongings now to the small back room. It was as big as a parlor, with windows that reached from the ceiling. It was clean and very airy. A small book shelf was in there as well as a chest, a velvet couch, heavy drapes to cover the windows so no one would peek at her, a couple lamps, a small coffee table, and a counter. Small, but livable. It was as large as her shop in front. Boots clicked on the hard wood as she lined up her things. Sue hopped off the couch, happy to see her owner. Victoria went to her desk, trying to get her mind off her mother and of home, which was across town. Her mother would figure she left sooner or later. It wasn't like she'd look for Victoria though.

Victoria let the cat lick her wounds, wincing when they still stung. She withdrew them into her lap, staring down at them until she sprang up crying again. Had she really disgraced her family name? Her father even? She wiped her tears with her hand, trying to desperately make them dissapear. Oh how she hated crying. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I should've listened. Behaved. But hadn't you raised me to be independent? To be my own? We have so little time, why should we waste it away on things we don't want to do? That's right, I'll do things on my own. I don't need to get married, have children like Dekka or Emilia. Arietta, Johanna, or Lola. That's fine," she crossed her arms, pleased with herself in her admittance. She looked to the ceiling before sighing. Her father was probably listening. So many things he could've told her. She needed the advice. She sat back in her chair, giving a long yawn before sitting up.

For a long time, Victoria sat there, continuing on writing. She paused, her hand motionless. Sue got up and sat on her hand. Victoria pushed the fattie off. The cat meow. She frowned, before poking the fatness. "You lard, trying to mess with me now, now are ya?" She poked again but Sue pawed at her. She stood, giving the cat a hard look before hissing, as if trying to teach Sue a lesson. The cat looked at her like she was stupid and then pounced. Victoria screamed before falling back as the cat landed on her. Papers flew everywhere.

Victoria nudged the cat sharply with her laced up boot, gritting her teeth. "To hell with ya." The cat dissapeared into the stacks of books. Victoria got up, dusting herself. She gave a soft gruff at the papers all everywhere, strewn about her floor. She bent to pick them up but stopped. Her eyes widened. She straightened, lookig down at the papers about her, noticing the pages as they made a path. She followed it with her hazel eyes before getting curious. She started, embarking on it, seeing as where the pages were leading. What was up with this? Magic? Nervousness grew in Victoria's stomach. From the rumors and books she's read, many were about evil witches and wizards who used magic to manipulate humans. To steal their hearts. To much of society, magic was considered evil. Victoria knew that much of it was hubbub but she wasn't for sure. After all, she never met a magic-user, not counting the time in her dream.

Victoria was alarmed. She looked around, desperately at first. She peeped out of the dark drapes before looking back at her bag. She picked it up, hesitating. She was unsure. Where was this leading her? Surely, she'd have nothing to lose other than her shop but... Victoria was always a curious one. She was a writer after all. She picked up the three. It was difficult since they were heavy with her belongings but it was fine. Nothing too difficult. But why bring her bags? Victoria followed out the door, eying the piece of paper. The night was empty this time around. The market wouldn't be bustling until morning. She kept up with the paper, after locking the door.