1 Chapter 1 - All the twists of life

When the door closed, only a thought passed through the Daphne's mind: that she would never have a happy day again in all her life. And even the memories of her past wouldn't be the same in everyone's mind. No! Now she would live the life of a rejected, and forever would be bitter.

It was like a finish, an end, a goodbye, a new chapter for that phase of her life. That tragic one, that would drastically change the plot of the rest of the story.

She has lived something like this once, along with her legitimate sister and her mother. That moment, which when everything was better, when she thought she would finally have a hope of being happy with that little sunny place, the same one that was now in front of her. And then someone would build a barrier that would keep her from going to that wonderful place, leaving only the memory of where she might be. It was cruel, show her a future in which she could be happy... Create hopes, but to prevent them from materializing.

Neither of the three had an easy life before they entered that mansion. By the age she lives, the life of a woman wasn't easy, even more for a widow. When Ursula saw herself with two daughters, the older Daphne and the younger Cordelia, without a husband and in a family that was hostile to her and her girls, she locked herself in the room for a whole day. For someone who has always been seen and admired by everyone for her intelligence and cleverness, this reaction was unexpected.

Ursula married soon after her puberty, almost as if they expected her to do so the day after her menarche. The lineage of her family had a fame that was almost like the main dowry for any marriage arrangement: they were lucky to get pregnant. They get pregnant easily, they didn't have spontaneous abortions, nor stillbirths, the children they generated used to reach adulthood. Added to her personality, which showed that she would be a great administrator for a nobleman's house, if it depended on her family and the families that wanted her, Ursula would never be a spinster.

And then she got married. Very well by the way. She was rather a noblewoman, but of the lower nobility. Her father, despite having possessions, didn't have a title of nobility, being called only Mister. And Ursula caught the attention of a Baron, who had a single son only a few years older than her. Daphne thought they really matched their parents' marriage to the day after her mother's first menstrual period. Something disturbing, but would justify the tender age tha she had when married. A proof that she was a daughter of that family.

And then she got pregnant. As expected, a pregnancy without any problem, and a birth that lasted less than an hour, generating the first daughter. Also known as her, Daphne. And it happened again, thus having her other daughter, Cordelia. The second pregnancy was almost a confirmation of Ursula's fertility, so little did it take to happen. The two girls share the same age for one month per year, thus less than a year apart. But then came the complication. Or the first final point, the glimpse of a wonderful future which wouldn't have had. But since she was still a baby, she couldn't claim to understand what had happened. But a similar event happened again in her life, when she was growing up.

It was during Cordelia's birth. It was definitely not that simple like Daphne's. No. Their mother still remembered how those two days were. Yes, the birth lasted two days. Ursula knew that the tortures that were applied to witches were of indescribable cruelty. But by some stories, she knew that the pain she suffered was far superior to that of some punishment. And despite the child being born, and healthy, she would have a problem in the future. In fact, two problems.

Cordelia is a female name. And she couldn't get pregnant anymore.

There was a reason why Baron was in such a hurry to marry his son with a woman who came from a line of good breeding skills. He even ended up turning sterile after an accident, having only one son as heir to the title. Although Baron was a lowly title of nobility, but it was in the same direct lineage for dozens of generations, never being forced to pass for a cousin, or some other relative. Just biological sons. It should be a shame to have a baronate for so long, never getting a higher title, but at least they had the dignity to still remain noble. And this son, Daphne's father, was but a man who had been sick since childhood. He needed a quick heir before his death.

And in that respect, Ursula disappointed everyone. She could only breed two daughters, and no son.

But, at least she was smart. Despite all the problems of this baronate could be solved with the death of Ursula and the marriage of this son with another woman, that would have at least the possibility to generate an heir, she remained alive until the death of her husband. Not that the Baron was a cruel man, but no one could deny that some of his actions could contribute to a premature death of his daughter-in-law. Like the time denied buying winter clothes for her, with the excuse that it was a necessary cut of expenses. Or when she called a dodgy dentist to treat Ursula's toothache, resulting in illness. Also, when he sent an incompetent escort to accompany her on a trip, in which they would pass through a place famous for its bandits.

And the woman showed that this family didn't seek her only for her womb, but for the fame of her intelligence. Ursula used the excuse of her husband was bedridden to wear his coat during the winter. Ursula controlled the finances of the house, and so she always pocketed some money in case she needed it, and with that she was able to buy medicine for her illness. Ursula won the loyalty of the servants, persuading some to send their uncles and cousins ​​to accompany the escort. She couldn't have a child, but she had that house in the palm of her hands.

Yes, until the inevitable happened. Her husband died. Then the Baron died. And the title, as well as all the possessions of the baronate, fell into the hands of a cousin. Not that this cousin was a vicious man, but his wife was, their son too, as well as his daughter-in-law, and the young grandson. While the new Baron felt sorry for having a title that shouldn't be his, the other members of his line believed that it was more than they rights to live with those perks, and felt that the life of a nobleman's relative was shameful. And the new Baron, despite being a gentle person, was timid and lived with the influence of his wife and son.

Thus, in addition to taking Ursula's entire power and mistreating her, they spent the resources accumulated for generations, without thinking how much they had. They lived as Dukes, and depraved Dukes. It wasn't only for premeditating the bankruptcy of the family that Ursula soon began a search for a new marriage, but for the well-being of her daughters, and of herself. For some of the things she saw and heard from this new family, she feared for her daughters not only to be humiliated, but to create a rumor that it happened. And because she loved them, the first was more important.

Their well-being would always be more important than any rumor.

And Ursula was still beautiful, intelligent and young. There was a fullness of nobility who wouldn't mind marrying a widow, some who would not even need children with their new wife, since they already had heirs. On the contrary, there were several widows looking for a more experienced woman to be the stepmother of their children. And it would be better if she were a widow, one with just daughters.

After the effort to get into the right balls and dances, get the appropriate clothes and accessories, she finally won the proposal of marriage she wanted.

It wasn't for love, but necessity. It was almost a business, and one little odd to her. She needed a husband to be able to leave the Baron's house and take care of her daughters, and he needed a mother for his daughter. For some reason that Ursula didn't understand, he, though haven't any son, didn't want to have one. And it wasn't a bad deal in the end, since it would have an elevation in her title. Although she was no longer the Baroness at that moment, she would now be the Viscountess. It wasn't a surprising change of status, but it still was one.

It was a rushed wedding, it took less than a month between the wedding request and the ceremony. There wasn't even time for Viscount letter informing his daughter of the engagement to arrive in her hands. The lands and the Visconde's house were three months away from where they were. So only Daphne and Cordelia went to the ceremony in that chapel. And they never see their old house again, let alone any of their paternal relatives. Years later, they received news after news of everything Ursula premeditated that would happen.

The Baron and his family moved to the capital, where they lived for a few months with an indescribable luxury. But, because of the little influence they had in the baronial lands, when they left, both servants and bandits plundered it, and the other nobles invaded a large part of its extension. Since some of them were influential in court, the lands were regarded as neglected by the Baron and then attached to their owns titles. After all, the lands were in the hands of the Baron to be administered by him, and as he couldn't do it, the king had the right to take them. These words of the king didn't do any good for the Baron's reputation, and the all creditors, who believed they couldn't afford to pay for such luxuries from the beginning, knock on his door at the same time. They were forced to sell everything that remained, including the title. And in the end, they had to sell themselves as servants. Although they didn't have much news from then on, it was easy to imagine what happened: if they once complained about the humiliation of depending on they Baron uncle, how could they live the life of a servant?

And in the midst of it, the reputation of a niece of this family, who lived with them for some time, was ruined forever. No one knew if it was true or false, but there were rumors full of details about the Baron's son dishonoring her.

And the family of the three women traveled to their new home, relieved to get out of that place. It was months of travel, enough time for Ursula and her new husband to begin to create a bond

, and for Daphne and Cordelia to start know their new father better.

When they arrived...

When they arrived, it was the moment that Daphne thought her life would be better than ever. When she saw that mansion, larger and more beautiful than her old house... When she saw those servants, numerous and more presentable than those who served her... When she saw the extension of the property, which seemed to be more fertile than that the land on which she grew up... After all this, she imagined herself as the daughter of the owner of that place. He imagined what her life would be like.

Until he saw a girl about the age of hers running toward the carriage they were. With birds flying around her, following her.