The sea was restless beneath a dark and menacing sky. I watched angry waves barrel into the cove, crashing against the rocks. Foam and water sprayed in every direction, soaking everything close. The sound of the waves crashing put a smile on my face. The wind whipped my brown hair behind me as I stared out at the vast sea. Seabirds flocked the cliffs around me trying to find safe places to land or to get to their mates.
A large gust of wind pushed against me, briefly causing me to take a step back. It did not affect my resolve. I raised my arms until they were stretched straight out at my sides. I closed my eyes and just listened to the sounds around me.
I heard the hoofbeats behind me, coming up the path from the village. The smile on my face turned downwards as I heard them getting closer until they stopped all together. I could feel them just feet away from me, I could almost feel the horse’s hot breath as it heaved from the fast run up the hill. I could see the Dark Bay horse’s sides heaving as she tried to catch her breath. I opened my eyes and watched the clouds meet the sea as I waited for the rider to talk.
“Don’t do it, Cassandra” my sister’s voice trembled as she talked, at almost a yell, to make sure I could hear over the roaring wind. I put my arms down to my side as she spoke. “Jumping isn’t worth it. Think about what it would do to Mother.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but instead they stayed fixed on a break in the clouds. The sun peeked through allowing beautiful rays to shine through. My eyes followed the rays down to the water below the cliff I was standing on. The water was calmer than the rest around it, and darker meaning it was deeper. I knew that spot, it was where Jeremiah and I would fish or go swimming on our afternoons off school. It was so deep you’d never touch the bottom just by swimming.
No one knew what lay at the bottom of that dark hole. It was said that it was at one time a place where pirates would make the maidens jump in with rocks tied to their legs. That at the bottom there were skeletons floating there reaching up to the sky, reaching for help that wasn’t coming. Others say that sea creatures live at the bottom of that spot, just waiting for someone to go deep enough to see them before they drown the curious seeker.
I never believed them, it was probably like all the other coves, seaweed covered rocks. Seeing the area shine solidified my stance and why I was up there, giving me the confidence that I needed.
“Getting married isn’t the worst thing in the world.” I almost jumped out of my skin, momentarily forgetting that my sister was there behind me. I gripped my old brown skirt in my first just before I yelled back.
“Aye. Who I am being sold to is. Lord Welling is not my cup of tea sister.”
The tack behind me squeaked and clanked as my sister jumped off the mare onto the ground. She muttered about the mud, but I couldn’t hear over the wind and the squishing of her feet in the wet grass. “You’re not being sold. You’re not the first to be married off to better the family.”
The feeling to roll my eyes came again, but I held back. I finally turned to my sister to see my mare Maggie grazing behind her, sweat starting to dry off her sides from the hard ride. My eyes moved to my sister who had her skirts collected in both of her arms, minus the back that was trailing in the mud. Her beautiful pale pink dress adorned the dark mud around the edges. She always cared for her looks, always wanted to be the one that mother doted on and lifted up to the role that would carry on the family legacy. I, on the other hand, just wanted to get away from it all. I didn’t care for the balls, the clothes, the society. Standing there in front of her in my white top and plain brown skirt you could clearly see the night and day difference between the two of us.
“I know, tradition never dies in this family. Mother only cares that I make things better for her. If I jump she won’t have to worry about me anymore. Besides, he won’t want me after today.” I watched the emotions and questions show on her face. She went from confused to shocked, then to angry as the realization hit her.
“You and Jeremiah didn’t. Cassandra! If you ruined yourself, you also ruined any future prospects for me!”
I almost laughed out loud at her accusation. “No. I’m not that careless.” I turned back to face the ocean. Letting my sister process what I was wordlessly saying.
“Cassandra, disfiguring yourself won’t help either. You’ll be a burden on Mother.”
This time I did laugh out loud, “I’m already a burden Sandra. You just don’t see it.” My eyes scanned the water looking for that familiar boat and sail. And that’s when I saw it, coming around the corner of the cliff on the opposite side of my hole.
I gasped as I felt hands on my shoulders, forcing my body to twist to face my sister. “Listen to me. If you don’t marry him, the family will be disgraced. We have lost so much this year with Luis passing, we need this Cassandra. The family cannot survive without Lord Welling.” Her eyes were wide, a star shaped red mark appeared on her forehead, just as it would when we were kids. She was angry, but her eyes showed that she was scared, this softened my resolve a bit.
“Okay Sandra.” I spoke calmly to her. “I will come home and give the family what they want.” I felt her grip on my shoulder release as I wanted the relief spread over her face. “Maggie looks tired. Let’s walk her back home.” My sister nodded gathering her dress again before turning towards the horse. “Go ahead and get up on her, your dress is already dirty enough.”
I helped my sister up into the saddle once more then went to Maggie’s snout. I ran my hand down her nose running my fingers over the blaze that I have admired since she was born. “Beautiful girl.” She nudged my chest, looking for the treat that I didn’t have.
That’s when I heard it; the horn that was agreed he would blow when he was in place. He blew a short burst, followed by a longer one then another short; He was ready.
I turned Maggie towards the village then went back to stand next to my sister’s feet. “You know, I’m surprised Mother and Father chose me for Lord Welling. You are more suited for Lord Welling, and he is you. You should take that jump.” I paused briefly for my sister to potentially register what I was doing. “I’m going to.” Before she could say or do anything, I smacked Maggie’s behind sending her running towards the village, my sister screaming on her back the whole way.
I didn’t linger to watch the chaos I created, I quickly turned around and took off running to my spot on the cliff, but I didn’t stop. I kept going then leapt off the edge, looking down into the dark unknown water. To anyone watching from the village, or from any vantage point besides the surrounding cliffs, it looked like I had just jumped to my death.
The water was cold, that was the first thing that I noticed, as it should be in April. I opened my eyes, and only saw darkness minus the shimmering light reflecting on the surface, but reaching out I felt it; the sandy bottom. This made me smile, nothing was going to get me down here, but lack of breath. I put my feet on the sand and pushed off towards the sky swiftly swimming to the top.
As soon as I broke the surface a rope landed on my head with a holler laced with laughter, “Casey!”
I grabbed the rope and let myself be pulled to the safety of the boat. As I was being reeled in I glanced back to the cliff hoping to be able to hear my sister yelling still. I barely got to the boat before those familiar arms scooped me up and then held me tight.
“That wasn’t the plan Casey.” There was a little anger in his voice but instead of staying on that he wrapped a blanket around me then made me sit down before starting to maneuver us out of the cove. “You could have killed yourself. Or who knows, fallen prey to one of the old folklore”
“Ye of little faith, Jeremiah. I knew I was going to be fine.” I caught his eye when he looked back at me, both of us smiling at each other now. “Come on.” I stood up and wrapped my arms around his waist, almost forcing him to put an arm on my shoulders. “Let’s break tradition together.” I looked up at him just as he leaned down and planted a kiss on my lips.
When we finally broke to look at each other, I smiled up at him “Thank you for rescuing me.” He didn’t saying then just turned the boat away from the cliffs, towards the blue sky that awaited us.