When I was just a toddler, it was drilled into me by my mother that a lady must be polite. That a lady must be shy. A lady should have her eyes lowered, voice soft when talking to someone.
Her demeanor must be kind, approachable, pleasing and intoxicating.
That a lady must wear pretty dresses all the time. She shouldn't shout or scream.
A lady must be married to a wealthy man chosen by the parents. And if you deny.....
It would dishonor the family. And ladies who dishonor dishonor family recieve punishment.
Punishment meant silent treatment and you'd have your things taken away.
My mother always told me about stories of women who left or ran away.
That they got a lover and abandoned their family.
Most of those women didn't didn't a happy ending.
No one did. Not even one.
My mother told me this story, or I think it was a story. But in reality, I think it was the truth I didn't want to believe....
[{《STORY》}]
There once was a girl named Odette. She was an average toddler who had captured the hearts of her family due to her innocence and pretty features.
She was kind.
Fun and charming in a mischievous way only she could manage.
She was reckless, careless and had non-chalant. But she was serious and empathetic in all the right times which made her even more loved by all.
Her Aunt, had asked her mother for Odette's hand in marriage to her then 10 year old son, when Odette was just born.
Odette's mother didn't agree, Odette would be too young to marry someone years older than her. And her father did agree either, he wanted Odette to choose for herself with their guidance.
But Odette's aunt had other plans.
She spread rumors about Odette's mother agreeing to the engagement.
Odette's parents were panicked and stressed while everyone celebrated, unknown to the betrayal.
They decided to play along, and would deny to the engagement once Odette was old enough, to protect her.
But eventually, her parents warmed up to the engagement.
Then years later, once Odette was 6 years old, a betrayal had left her mother speechless.
Odette's second aunt had given her daughter for marriage to Odette's betrothed, and her first aunt had agreed.
The first aunt informed about breaking the engagement with Odette, which as fine for Odette's parents but the betrayal was betrayal.
Then her aunt had the audacity to say that of this marriage didn't work out, she would come back for Odette.
That made her father furious and he cursed at the aunt to never look back for Odette, or else he wouldn't care if she was a woman.
Her aunt didn't argue.
No one argued when Odette's father was this mad.
Ever since then, Odette's mother tells her how to be a polite lady.
[{《END》}]
.....I was Odette.
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