1 Life In The MainLands

It was a warm sunny day on the mainland it often was cool but today the heat rose and the atmosphere felt heavier than usual. Joanna looked up at the sky as she watered the plants in the garden letting her light melanin skin Absorb the sun. Being in a middle-class family she was able to get whatever she wanted but her mother always told her to be Grateful and humble so she stood by what her mother said. As tribal people, they were looked up to as savages some would say warriors which were rare.

A year passed when her mother passed away leaving her father in heartbreak luckily he was able to recover and remarry a woman named Debbie who caused nothing but trouble for her including her stepsisters who hated her very being. Joanna didn't understand it, she sensed it had something to do with the bond she had with her father.

Joanna sets down the water can and hears something stomping towards her, she turns around to see one of her step sisters Jillian holding a bucket and cloth.

"Joanna mother said that she needs you to get some hot water for her bath. Oh and after that fix dinner, we're starving." Jillian's voice was harsh and stern as she threw the bucket and cloth on the ground for Joanna to pick up. As Jillian walks away Joanna picks up the bucket and cloth and goes inside the house to start a fire in the fireplace. After she did that she placed the bucket on top of the fire letting it get hot before taking it upstairs to her stepmother.

Joanna's father wasn't going to be coming back in the next two weeks. Whenever she tried to talk to him about the mistreatment she was getting from her stepfamily she was often scolded or told that she didn't know any better. Her father had changed and there was no way for her to reach out to anyone about her troubles. Joanna knew that her stepmother was twisting her words to make it seem like she was the bad child and not her stepsisters.

Before her mother died he was kinda and full of joy but he has changed so much that he would rather believe her stepmother than his flesh and blood. Joana ran upstairs with the bucket heading to the bathroom to pour the hot water into the bathtub. Debbie glared at Joanna as she entered the bathroom slamming the door inches away from her face. Going back downstairs she started to make dinner; most of the time maids would come and do their job but today was their off day. While Joana cooked she overheard her step sisters Jillian and Eve talking in a low tone making Joana's ears perk up in curiosity.

"Did you hear Eve, mother is pregnant with our stepfather's baby! You know I was thinking when the baby is born we can just get rid of our step-sister Joanna."

Eve smiled at Jillian's plan "That would be better quite amazing, wouldn't it? Joana's father is rich in riches that the people on the mainland wish they could have. Why do you think mother married this sad excuse for a man? "

Joanna covered her mouth in disbelief if she tried to tell her father then he would probably accuse her of not wanting him to be happy. She heard footsteps make her wait towards the kitchen as Joanna quickly went back to the pot of soup she was making for her stepfamily.

"Are you finished cooking Joanna we are starving," Jillian said as she and her sister sat at the table Joanna put the bowls on the table. Eve gagged at the sight of the food that was in front of her. "Joanna what is this, it looks revolting!"

Joana clenched the front of her dress tightly" It's potato soup, my mother used to make this for me. If you don't like it then go out and buy yourself some food. I'm not your maid, cook your food next time."

Eve stood up from her seat taking the bowl along with Jillian who stood up as well throwing the hot bowl of soup on Joana causing her to scream in pain feeling her skin burn from the hot soap. One thing led to another and she felt her dress being ripped apart by the twins. Jillian walked over to the pot of soup picking it up carefully as she was about to pour it Joanna stood up quickly hitting Eve in the face and knocking her unconscious. Jillian tried to throw the soup onto Joanna but it led to no effect, She looked into her eyes seeing them in a yellowish-brown color. Joana smiled widely she raised her free hand causing her to smack Jillian in the face.

"Set the pot down and get out of my sight please." Joanna's tone was calm but her eyes didn't match her voice. She hated violence but she was going to stand up for herself and not be pushed over anymore by her step-sisters and mother.

Jillian quickly sets down the pot holding her hands up away from Joanna she gently walks toward her sister Eve dragging her out of the dining room. Joanna's eyes turned back to her dark brown eyes, she had to use her power to gain some sorta of respect from them but she wasn't sure, coming from a powerful tribe anything was possible. Therefore the training she had gotten when they moved to the mainland paid off. Anytime she uses her ability memories become fragments giving her a little bit of short-term memory though all she remembers was having soup thrown at her and her dress being ripped by her step sisters. Joanna shook her head thinking about what she said but it was too late to take it back now.

She decided to let the situation go rather than dwell on it any longer, cleaning up the mess they made Joana sat at the table enjoying her table soup before she headed out to the market. Once she finished she made her towards the market seeing how lively it was had made her excited. Seeing one of her friends Cory she ran up to him giving him a big hug as he did the same. He had silver hair and light blue eyes that sparkled in the sunlight he was lean and muscular for his age.

"Joanna I see you back at the market again. Where's your dad he usually comes with you."

Joanna shrugged her shoulders "Eh he doesn't come with me like he used to, he's focused on his other family rather than me."

Cory pats her back "Don't worry Joanna just focus on the market we can look at the vegetables that are on sale. Oh Joana did you hear about Alonso Pidone you know the lord of Kingdom Edeissa? I heard they're having a ball in which is a few days from now, you know you can attend something like that while others can't."

Joanna shook her head "I'm not comfortable going to balls they make me rather comfortable and there's a lot of purebloods there. They dislike humans very much. I know my mother liked going when she was still alive... I make sure to come and visit her grave every day. Tell me is Kingdom Edeissa overseas? "

Cory nodded his head and said"It is so it would take at least a day and a half to get over there if you're early some people use magic to get over there as well. One of my Cousins lives in the village near Edessia. Even if you don't like the ball you should try going at least this once. Though you are a middle-class citizen you'll have a chance to see the great Lord Alonso. Did you know their kingdom is most popular for its glass design and iron? I have to take you there so you can see it for yourself but never mind that let's start walking around and see what we can find."

Cory smiled at Joanna as she did the same walking deeper towards the market. After they finished for today she walked home carrying lots of vegetables in her basket. Joanna was excited to see what she could make with the vegetables she bought.

Just as Joanna was heading towards her home she saw her father and stepmother talking outside making her run up to them. As she made her way to them she felt a sharp pain on her cheek placing her hand on her face she saw her father give her a glare as well as her stepmother. Her father raised his hand getting ready to slap her again but he held back his temper putting his hand down to his side. "Joanna I heard from your sister Jillian that you knocked Eve unconscious. Is that true?"

Joanna didn't say a word she was stunned that her father had slapped her. Seeing that Joanna wasn't speaking her stepmother pulled her hair suddenly.

"So you did do it you little bitch! John your daughter is nothing more than a pesk a danger to my kids! What do you plan on doing!" Debbie tightens her grip on Joana's hair making her grit her teeth.

"It's best to kick her out of the house and teach her a lesson to not mess with the family. Do you understand that Joanna? I wanted to tell you what happened to her mother. I had done something terrible I killed your mother to move on with Debbie. Your mother was a kind soul I felt bad...I-I loved your mother..."

Joana looked at her father seeing the sadness in his eyes as he spoke. She noticed that something was off about him the way Debbie was twisting and turning her hand in front of his face. It seemed like she was casting some sort of spell on him. Joanna puts the basket on the ground as her eyes turn golden grabbing Debbie's arm twisting causing her to scream in pain causing her to let go of Joanna's hair.

"So you controlled my father and you treated me like an outcast and made me cook for you clean take care of those brats!" Joana held her father tightly looking at him holding his head tightly. Suddenly Joanna felt something hit against the back of her head making her fall unconscious.

When Joanna woke up she was looking at the sky seeing that it turned dark she looked to her right seeing her father as she was about to wake him up. She noticed cuts and bruises on his skin he wasn't breathing either. Placing her hand on his cheek she felt how cold his skin was, she cried having no mother or father was going to be extremely hard on her part. Joanna scanned the area seeing nothing but endless trees in front of her and in the distance. She had figured out they were witches there was no family history about them nor records. She didn't have the time to think about that she had to figure out how she was going to bury her father.

Joanna heard something in the distance causing her ears to perk up. Sensing the presence that was behind she slowly stood up having her arms raised in the air. As she turned around she saw a woman wearing a tunic and leggings with a particular design that she normally sees her people wear.

Joanna bowed her head at the woman as others came behind her taking her father's dead body.

"It is nice to see you again Joana please come with us the Chief would like to see you. " The woman walked away from Joana going further inside the forest. Joana followed behind her wanting to know what the Chief wanted from her.