rachelstephenson

Rachel Stephenson

Dear Diary, Cybil here. I know. It has been a while huh? Well lets review the usual since the last Diary was burned... Don't ask. Lets start with what I look like and just the basics. I am 15 years of age and I am female. I have long dark brown hair that has curly ends and waves in the middle, I have dark brown eyes, I like to wear blue and black, I never wear shoes, and I live in a tree in the Valentine manor's garden. Yes, I live in a tree. My parents were killed a long time ago and the Valentine's haven't complained nor asked me to leave their tree. I have actually began spending time with them lately.

Since we are both a part of the Roman Catholic religion, we attend church together every Sunday. One time, they snuck me into a play. It was in the afternoon and at one point I endded up on stage. Don't ask. All I remember is dancing with the gypsies when a young man warned me not to. That was a while ago, and now the Valentines are much more cautious with me. One thing you should know about me is that I really enjoy a nice shot of perry. I am young but, oh well. Last week, I couldn't get my hands on any in the market so I resorted to sneaking into the Valentine cellar. At about midnight, I snuck down and decided to have some. Soon enough, I heard footsteps and saw one of the children coming down. I examined her and knew that she was Sideny Valentine. I quietly move away from her and ended up crouched in the corner by the cellar door that opens up into the yard. I carefuly reached for the door, eyes locked on her. I grabbed the handle and slowly pushed it outward, then it squeaked. Sidney whipped around and I swore under my breath. I let go of the door and said a silent farewell to my perry. Soon enough, a candle was lit and it was getting closer. Sidney's face illuminated. "Hello...?" she asked. The tone of her voice told me she was frightened. She stopped walking and held the candle out further. The candles light revealed me. Without I plan, I hissed at her, dropped the perry, dove out the door and sprinted to the tree. All I heard was I scream. Later that night, I sat in my tree, trying to think of a way to say sorry when Sidney ended up in the yard. Perfect. She walked across the yard with a bag in hand. As she aproched my tree, I quickly hung upside down in front of her. Before I could even open my mouth she mumbled a scream and quickly headed back to the manor. I crawled across the yard and listed in on the conversation on the other side of the window. "Mother," Sidney said, "On second thought, running away IS a bad idea." I frowned in thought, crawled back to my tree, and went to bed. I forgot what I was thinking about the next morning.

Other than drinking perry, I enjoy walking through the Valentine's garden. Not just for thee flowers, but also for a butler they have that spends his evenings here. He is very kind to me while the other butlers and maids are like, "Would you get out of the pond!?" They should ask nicer and say please like he does. He has Ebony hair and eyes of topaz. I love his gentlemenly manor, his love towards literature and adventure, and his kindness and fun. On Tuesday, on my way to the garden to meet with him for some reading, one of the Valentines stopped me. It was Jane Valentine. I said "Good Day." as I usually do. She asked if she could paint a picture of me and I replied with an "As you wish." I sat at the base of the tree and waited for her to finish. I began to doze off and started a little shanty to keep myself occupied. She told me politly to stop. Then, I got a cramp in my leg and I wriggled around for a bit. She told me to stop. Then, I started my shanty up again. She got so mad she threw a rock at me. I ducked and look at her angrely. Her eyes widened and she shot up and ran towards the manor. I stood and grabbed the rock she threw. I aimed and fired at her. I hit her right in the head and she fell. "Head shot..." I thought. She didn't get up and I saw some blood. I saw Daniel, the eldest child run to her aid and I retreated to my tree. That night, I was hell bent on saying sorry to her. I scaled the side of the house to her window. I gently pulled it open and sat on the widow sill. "Jane..." I whispered. "Jane!" I yelled. She opened her eyes and looked in my direction. "I crave your forgiveness..." I said. She got up and I thought she was going to say "Gramercy." I thought wrong, she pushed me out the window. I landed on the ground with a thud. She whisted for my attention. I looked up and she smiled at me. I smiled back and headed to my tree before she could through a book at me.

On Wednesday, the butler told me his name is Robert. Ah, Robert... Anyway, he took me to a play in the afternoon. We went to go see Romeo and Juliet. Women are supposed to wear masks or a veil when at a play so Robert gave me a mask of a bird to wear. Afterwards, we returned to the garden where he got permission from Lord Valentine to treat me to dinner in the garden. He got all my favorite foods for me; ravelled bread, sweet cakes, bagels, apples, and some perry and water. Granted it wasn't a proper supper but, I enjoyed it none the less. As we walked to my tree, we disscussed Queen Elizabeth and her suducing nature, my hatting business, our favorite activities, manners, and even the rules of marriage. We love knowledge by the way. As we approched my tree I smoothed my dress and wigged my toes happily. I then said "Gramercy." and he smiled. When he smiles, you cannot help but smile even larger for he doesn't do it often with feeling. He said, "Good night poppet.", hugged me, and then helped me into my tree. I curled up in my dress and watched him walk off, towards the garden. I light came on in the manor and I looked at the widow it was coming from. Daniel looked down at me and smiled. I smiled back at him happily and then waited for him to head to bed. As he did, I grabbed some paper and a quill and drew Robert. Then, I slept. On Thursday, I spent the day working on my Hatting business. I guess that means I am called a Hattress. I asked Daniel if he could go out tp the market for me and get some supplies. I am banned from the market for I little while because of my street preforming. It's something I do for some extra money. This time I tryed some fire dancing and fire eatting. All I did was burn down a stall, scare a boar, and excite a few children. In short, no market for me for a while. I made a total of twenty hats that day and they all hung from the branches until they were sold to a passerby. They were confusied as to why I am in the tree but they were happy to get a hat. I also fixed my clothes. I stitched the back of my vest up nice n' tight (when I escaped the cellar it got caught on the door and it got worse over time), my shirt sleeves needed some cleaning (spilt perry on them), and cleaned my skirt (again, perry).

On Friday, I was invited by the Valentines to join them for Christmas supper this upcoming Sunday. They said that I will join them for prayer at Church, see a play, and then we will have supper. That day, the three children came out to greet me and they said I would need new clothing for Christmas. The girls, Jane and Sidney, took measurements and Daniel wrote them down. Sidney had gotten over the perry thing and is actting normaly now, except for the fact that she sneaks out to got hunting with a guy from time to time, but I must keep that secret. Jane appologized for throwing the rock at me in the first place and told me that she pratices musical stuff later in the day, so if I want to listen she will keep the window open. After the measurements were done they all headed backinside and I gathered some rocks. I started collecting them to throw at a cat thats been bugging me for days. When it reached sundown, dusk, I looked at Jane's window and listened for music but heard none. Sad that I would hear none, I just continued to gather rocks. Then, I felt someone watching me. I turned around and saw Jane watching me, a weird look on her face. Angry with her for not keeping the window open like she said I picked up a rock. I grinned and tossed the rock in my hand. She looked worried. I laughed and threw the rock through the window, smashing it and ending the music immediatly. Jane fell. As soon as I realized what I had done, I sprinted to the house and climbed up the wall into the house and saw Jane covered in glass, blood coming from her head. Twice in one week, what is wrong with me? I carried her to her room and left an appology note. I then snuck out the window and into the cellar. Again, I had some perry and scared Sidney. I saddly headed out into the yard and climbed into my tree. Daniel came out to look for me but I refused to show myself. Eventually, he left, leaving a note behind. I read the note and it stated that Christmas supper was being reconsidered. Now, really angry with myself, I grabbed a rock and threw it at the usual spot for the cat. I hit Daniel who was taking a walk. What's wrong with me? I headed deeper into the tree and curled up in the darkest spot I could find and sleept.

On Saturday. I avoided all I could with the Valentine children. I never left my tree but, they came to me.They talked and I mostly listened, hidden behind the branches. First was Daniel. He talked to me about Christmas supper, how he will try to cinvince his parent to let me come so we can disscus my backround and what I plan to do with my life. After he left, Jane came. She sat down below me and rubbed her head where I hit her, twice. I leaned down towards her to respond to a question she asked, "Do you hate me...?" I replied with a smooth and kind no. I explained to her that no matter what she does or how I react, I don't hate her and that I hope she doesn't hate me. Before she left, I swiftly put a flower in her hair. She didn't notice. She disappeared into the manor and I grabbed an apple. Abfore I took I bite, Sidney came outside. She had cut her hair nice and short. I could tell just by looking at her body language that she was uncomforable and by her expression that she was sad. She must have gotten and earful from her Mother about the hair. She asked me if I remembered the fist time she tried to run away. I hummed a yes. She said that she had been afraid of me ever since, think I to be a demon of some sort, and evil spirt guarding the tree and all around it. I chuckled at this and saw a smile appear on her face. She said that she wasn't afraid of me as much but is now afraid of her Mother finding out about the boy she has been with lately. I hung upside down in front of her. Tell you the truth, I thought she would run, but she didn't. I smiled and told her that I have many regrets and that she shouldn't let her pile up like mine have. I handed her my apple and sent her into the manor. Soon, enough, even the Lord and Lady came out. I carefully came down from the labrynth of branches and bowed to them. They told me that the Christmas supper is still on going, I am still coming, and my dress is now ready. They had Robert bring out my new dress. I climbed into my tree and changed into it. When I came down not only were those three still there but so were the children. They said it looked nice and they fought over who should get the most credit for it. All I did was smile. When I did, for the first time, Jane did't say, "Holy crap thats terrifying." she just looked at me amazed. This made me smile bigger and laugh.

Sunday came along and we did all the Valentine's had planned. We prayed in the morning, saw a play in the afternoon, and then they took me home for supper. They acted like nothing between me and the family's injuries happened. I enjoyed all the food they gave me; roast beef, roast pork, mustard, and plum porrage. Then then said it was time for pie. Before they called in a butler or maid to get the pie, I affored to get it as gramercy for inviting me. I grabbed the pie and began cutting it. I hightened my senses, trying to concertrate on not cutting myself while cutting the pie. Someone coughed and as habit and by nature a whipped around, wide eyed, to see if things were all right. Daniel jumped when he looked at me and we all got a good laugh out of it. Not often I scare him. We spent most of the evening talking and then when no-one could stay awake anylonger we all decided to head to bed. Before we left, the Lord and Lady insisted they had a painting of all of us. Daniel grabbed the family sword, for they are rich due to their blacksmithing, and we all took a shot of perry to keep us up long enough for the painting to be done. When it was done, they offered to give me a room for the night but, I politely refused. They got Robert to escort me to my tree and I sleept like a rock, not even the cat could stop me from sleeping.

Today is now Tuesday night, almost Wednesday morning. I did absolutly nothing yesterday. Well, almost. I ate apples, got more leaves for my bed, and watched the village for a little while before going back to bed. Once this morning came along, the bothersome cat was gone. I keep hearing people talking about it. Some say it died or went to go bother someone else. What most people think is that I ate it, but I did no such thing... Anyway! I must retire to bed. I bid you Good night. I will talk to you once again soon.(from left to right: Daniel, Sidney, Jane, Me: Cybil) -Cybil