Chapter 2

I walked down the stairs to the dining hall. Father sat at the head of the table, while Mother sat to his right. I ate my dinner in silence, once again merely observing my surroundings. I listened to Mother and Father's discussion of the party and of presents. I knew of the underlying question that both of them refuse to utter a syllable of. I was fast approaching the day where I would have to find a husband.

I know very well that Father does not want that to happen. He knows I must do so in order to uphold a pleasant reputation and to even attract willing participants I need to be young still. The thought of being married to an older man that could possibly pass as my grandfather terrifies me, making my food in my stomach turn. I do my best to push the thought from my brain, but my attempts are failing me miserably.

Mother spoke of the guests of my future party. She was speaking of their reputations and how I need to make a good impression on these people if I want to make a good reputation of my own. A certain form of rage flares through my chest as the thought of my success not relying on my knowledge, but my reputation. The thought disgusts me. Knowledge is power.

If no one bothers to see my true intellectual power, than I may as well be considered useless. I'm not one to aim for the pleasure of others. Father and Mother are the only two that even half way receive that kind of attention from me. They know I am defiant in my nature, more so than any developing young lady should be, but I can't help it. I want to show people my knowledge, that men aren't the only people that can be successful with power.

My mind races through thoughts about how my life will turn out. I want to be known for a greatness within me that no one has ever seen before. My dreams are big, and my father knows this. To be frank, I know it terrifies him. He thinks my dreams won't come true, my reputation will be ruined, and I won't every marry. My father's fears are natural. I even worry that I won't succeed.

Supper had finished and I was excused for the evening. I climbed the stairs back to my dull room, deep in thought again. I enter my room going through the mental notes I had made throughout the day. My thoughts reached the male once again and stopped dead on their tracks. I couldn't continue on to more thought processes or cease my fantasies of the handsome boy. I stared out my window sill, picking up right where I had left off with my developing theory that I had abandoned on there. I thought of every detail of the boy I had committed to memory, which wasn't much. Going on physical appearance and posture was not really much to go on at all.

Eventually, my mind had somehow wondered to the legend of the Garden. The story spoke of a beautiful place located deep in the forest guarded by a magnificent beast of powers beyond the most unimaginable of dreams, nightmares even. The creature was supposed to be one of cruel nature, only to do deeds that involves payment. I had read every book we owned in the library of the tale, none giving me anything to go on. My father tried to waver my developments in work with this particular story. His pleas had done nothing to cease my need to discover the truth and origination of this mysterious tale.

I manage to change from my dress from the earlier outing into my night gown to rest for the night. I lay in bed letting my thoughts persist with theories of the monster and its residency. My first and current hypothesis is that it was used to explain something traumatic for someone many years back. The question that lies is, "What was so traumatizing that a mythical creature had to be created for not only the victim but the rest of the surrounding population to cope with it?" My mind is racing with questions, none of which I have the answer to as of yet. Not knowing frustrates me and entices me at the same time. I have a need to know things. There has to be a logical explanation for this myth.

 I wake to a knock at my door, just as the sun is rising. I roll over without giving an order for entrance. The maid knocks again, persisting with whatever it is that is so important to wake me up this early. I roll over, facing the door once again, growling as I give permission for entrance. The quiet maid entered my room twiddling her petite thumbs. She spoke quickly and quietly, knowing full well that I was not pleased with being woken up before the full sun is even above the horizon.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but your father requested you get ready for another day out in the city. He wants you ready and downstairs, immediately." With that, she left me to dress myself. I didn't feel comfortable with even another female helping me get ready for the day.

After I dressed myself I was ready to leave. I walked down stairs into my father's office. I don't know why we have to go into the city again today, it's not really going to be any different than yesterday. I don't want anything, but then again I don't know why I needed to be woken up so early and to go to the city. Father stood at the window behind his desk staring out into the yard.

"Are you ready?" His kind voice made me jump. I hadn't made a noise since I entered the room, the door already open when I entered.

"Yes, Father." I didn't bother to ask why we were going to the city. I will find out soon enough and I knew that would be his answer if I dared to ask.

"Good!" He turned clasping his hands together. He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and I exited the room after him.

Whatever we were going to do, Father seems rather excited for it. His hurried actions only make me more curious. We walk out the front door, waving goodbye to my mother as we leave and enter the carriage. The ride to the train station is dragging on longer than usual. Just as I start to nod off, the door opens and we exit our ride only to board another.

We sit in our usual seat, reserved for us. My father had paid a fair amount of money for us to have only this designated spot rather than purchasing a ticket for a different seat every train ride. The people around me varied throughout all classes. Travellers are everywhere I look. My curiosity is kicking in, wondering where they are wanting to go. I sit quietly, listening to steady pulse of the chatter and gossip surrounding me. Women are speaking of dresses and parties, while the men laugh heartily at a joke or seriously debating a popular topic.

Eventually, I block out all the noises that have now swirled together into a continuous rumble. Father sits across from me in his usual habit, reading today's news. My eyes skim over the bold titles, then one in particular catches my attention.

"Father, may I see that for a moment?" I sit waiting for him to answer me in his gentle and gruff voice.

"Yes of course. Here you are, Dear." He hands me the newspaper without another word.

"Another citizen one missing! Locals in a frenzy! Family insists it's the beast from the Garden!" The Garden? There's been more than just this one that has turned up missing. My mind is pulsing with excitement now. Maybe they'll discover evidence of the truth. Father doesn't seem to care too much about this story. He immediately skipped it, the front page news.

I hand the paper back to my father and look out the window the further contemplate the new information. Hum of the noise around me is now nothing but a memory once again as I watch the green blur pass us by at lightening speed. "Another an gone missing," I think, "things seem to be getting interesting." It seems like a cruel word, but that's all that fits it to me. This has done more than merely interest me. I need to know more.