Don't copy without my permission. Email me at dramaqueen270@hotmail.com.

I don't think this story is as good as my last, but we'll see where it goes. And even though it takes place in the 1500's I refuse to use "thee" and "thou" and crap because I myself get confused. And if it's not historically accurate don't kill me, I am not a time expert.but I do love history. Hope you like it! *Muah!*

"Katheryn, move your bloomin' arse, we aint got time for dillydallying this morning!" Agnes pounded on the door and Katheryn groaned, turning over to her bed. "I said NOW!" Agnes yelled once more and again slammed her fist on the door. "Your parents will have me head if I don't get you up! You know Count Ferdinand and Delia are comin' today, and you best not be late!"

Katheryn immediately woke up. "Delia! I completely forgot!" She jolted out of bed and tore into her bath-room where she quickly washed up and brushed her hair. She ran back into her bedchamber and pulled a dress out of her bureau. She ran to the middle of the room and stood staring at her corset. "AGNES!!!" She screamed at the top if her lungs. Agnes ran in, looking slightly annoyed. "I need help." She moaned, holding up the cursed corset. Agnes sighed and walked briskly over to her, helping her tighten the corset. Katheryn moaned the usual moans, complaining of how tight it was and how she couldn't breathe. When they were through, Agnes tore back down stairs to prepare the luncheon for their guests. Katheryn once more brushed her golden hair down until it shone and fiddled nervously with a fan to wait until her best friend and her father came.

Delia was her best friend, and they had been very close ever since the cradle. She hadn't seen her friend since the last summer and was quite excited to catch up. Since Katheryn could remember, she and Delia had had the most fun of time together. She remembered learning how to read with Delia, and learning Latin, two very unusual subjects for girls in the 1500's. She remembered playing in the orchards, climbing the trees and laughing themselves mad when their mothers came to look for them and couldn't seem to find them. She was so happy to be seeing her greatest and dearest friend again; that when she heard a carriage pull up she ran down the stairs and waited expectantly at the door.

She heard the muffled voice of Delia's father, giving directions to the carriage driver. She then heard Delia's voice and out of excitedly ripped open the door. Delia was standing on the doorstep. When she saw Katheryn she smiled her beautiful smile and hugged her.

"Dearest friend, I haven't seen you since summer last." She sighed happily. "I have missed our adventures and nightly conversations."

"Oh, not as much as I have missed them!" Katheryn replied. Delia's father, Count Ferdinand, walked up to the smiling girls.

"Oh, no, it's the troublesome pair." He moaned good-naturedly. "I hope to see none of the shenanigans I have seen before." He smiled. Count Ferdinand was a good-humored man who loved his daughter greatly. He was a very rich man, but he did not show it as much as some would. He was always the one to let Delia and Katheryn get away with their little deeds, ever since Katheryn could remember he would laugh at their stories of getting caught eating jam in the pantry and letting the chickens loose. "Shall we go in then?" His tone was alarmingly sad. There was a brief pause.

"Oh, yes, do come in!" Katheryn said, and the party made their way into the entrance of Katheryn's magnificent house. Katheryn's mother swept elegantly down the stairs, her low cut red velvet dress sweeping behind her.

"Count Ferdinand, how lovely to see you." She said with Pomp, curtseying deeply. Katheryn loathed her mother. She was as stupid as a rodent, according to Katheryn, and squandered money funding risky ventures. She was an elegant woman indeed, but very money-oriented. All that mattered to her was marrying Katherine well off. Katherine clashed with her mother in this respect. She hated the thought of married life. Katheryn was well aware that her mother knew she felt this way, but her mother insisted upon her getting married all the same. She sighed and turned to Delia.

"Let's leave your father and my mother to themselves and go find a hidden spot to talk." She pulled Delia along and they found a secluded spot in the music room. Katheryn's father loved music, and after he died her mother was too devastated to go in there anymore. She refused to enter the room at all. So Katheryn was pretty sure that they would not be disturbed. They sat in two satin covered chairs by the dormant fire and started to talk. "Oh, Delia, I haven't seen you in so much time!" Her blue eyes twinkled merrily and she put her hand on Delia's.

"There is so much to catch up on!" her brown eyes twinkled back at Katheryn's blue.

"So, how is your Count Ferdinand?"

"Father? Oh, he's quite well. I am afraid he just lost a large part of our fortune setting up ships to travel to The New World. They all disappeared in a sudden squall one night. He seems less like himself, he is almost always sad."

"But he seemed relatively cheerful when we first met him."

"All an act, my dear friend. But don't worry yourself on my sake, it will amount to nothing. I am sure."

"Alright, if you are sure." She tentatively spoke.

"So, how fares your mother?" Delia quickly tried to change the subject.

"She is alright." Katheryn pouted. "As brainless and cold as usual--" She was interrupted by the door handle to the music room jiggling. Someone was about to come in! Instinctively, Katheryn and Delia dove under the harpiscord and listened to the enterers. Katheryn's mother walked pertly in with a cold unmoving stare on her face, while behind her trailed Ferdinand, looking sheepish and sad.

"Count Ferdinand." The harsh tone of her voice startled Katheryn. "Now that we be in private, I demand to know where my money is."

"M-my lady." Ferdinand sputtered, "I told you, the ships disappeared and I lost the money."

"That is no excuse." Her sharp tones would make Queen Elizabeth herself tremble. "I paid for half the venture, I demand the money I was promised."

"B-but my lady, I have hardly no money left." He looked tired and depressed.

"Well then, I guess you will have to pay me some other way." She sounded angry. "Perhaps you could auction off your belongings.we will think of something. Or I will see to it you get on one of those ships to New World with all of the other common criminals." She then stalked out of the room, Ferdinand following closely behind her.