Though it was only early in the evening, the bleak bit of sunlight that escaped through the clouds did not give the time justice. While Winter had only just turned itself in for the year, the coming of Spring did not bring the extensive brightness that everyone seemed to identify the season with. It was not cold, though a bit cool - enough for some to keep inside to escape the prospect of rain which could fall at any moment. Many of the citizens of Lexington did not understand weather patterns very well, as Deidre was somewhat embarrassed to realize. When they saw clouds, they automatically assumed rain, and nothing more. Just like they did when they saw her - an Indian girl in noblewomen's clothing. They did not see that in her eyes an intelligent young woman peaked through, nor did they realize her potential to actually live up to the surname her parents had given her as an infant.
She stood on the porch of her family's large estate, leaning her elbows against the white-washed wood. Their house was on the outskirts of the town, but it was easily one of the richest of the lot. Its location gave them privacy and wilderness, and at the same time was the precise location to be close enough to the mainstreet only at a minutes walk. The girl seemed somewhat out of place, as her appearance certainly was too wild to be among such british riches. But in a way, she seemed somewhat tamed to be there in the first place, and the look on her face was a far-off, pensive one.
The sound of footsteps approaching the estate was the only thing that awoke her from her daydream, and Deidre glanced down instantly towards the source of the noise, seeing her brother Walden ascending the steps. He wore a dark blue jacket, a red-white and blue pin attached to the front. By the look of him, Deidre could tell that he was tired, though she was unsure what he had been doing all the time.
As he stepped up to join her, she angled her position towards him, taking in his expression with more detail.
Walden sat himself down on the elaborate bench that was positioned against the wall, and laid his head up against the wall, closing his eyes. A small sigh escaped his mouth.
Deidre silently went to join him, sitting down on the other side, her gaze directed towards the countryside once more. Their relationship always was a quiet one, as Walden was not one for many words - except for when he was in front of a crowd, when he became a natural speaker.
"Hard day?" she asked after a moment, watching as his eyes opened quickly towards her voice, however soft it was. He seemed on-edge, causing her to worry slightly. Where had he been all day to be reacting like this?
"Just training Dad's new recruits. The usual, you know." He said the words easily, and then seemed to regain the interest in sleeping, as he closed his eyes once more.
He was lying to her. Deidre knew her brother well enough to know, and the little things caught her attention. She was silent for a moment before reaching out and touching the tricolored piece of fabric pinned to his shirt. It caused him to flinch, opening his eyes instantly. "What's this?" she asked quietly, retrieving her lithe hand from his reach as he hastily unhooked it from his shirt, shoving it into his coat pocket.
"It's nothing - just a souvenir a friend brought back from England."
Another lie. Deidre frowned slightly, but didn't want to question him. She knew he didn't like it when he would, and in that particular moment she didn't want to get him into a heated argument.
Walden seemed to sense her discomfort, and quickly found his voice. Of course he did not want her to go and mention this to Father, as it might arise some questioning. His father would know the truth about his lie, and might suspect the worse - which in this case, happened to be the truth. "So I didn't forget, you know," he said after a moment, smiling slightly. It seemed foreign on his face, as he was usually too serious to smile. But it was a warm smile, and enhanced his features.
Deidre tipped her head to one side, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?" she questioned, absentmindedly stroking one of the brown laces that had come undone from her sleeve.
"I know it's your birthday," Walden confirmed. He reached inside of his pocket and brought out a small parcel, wrapped in brown paper. It was misshapen and average looking, but as he handed it to her, a smile lit her face. "Er, Happy birthday," he said, somewhat unenthusiastically. It wasn't out of the ordinary however, as he was never one to be animated when he spoke.
Deidre gingerly took the parcel into her fingers, and she opened it up, reaching inside. Her fingers brushed against something soft, and she blinked, seeming intrigued as she pulled out the present that her brother had gotten.
It was a necklace, a beautiful thing made out of blue crystals woven intricately around wooden beads. Deidre found herself stunned by the beauty of it, and she was momentarily speechless, simply awestricken by the thing. "Walden... it's beautiful," she breathed after a moment, a bright smile breaking out on her face. "I.... where did you get this?"
Walden seemed pleased by her reaction, and he allowed her another small smile - quite an honor. "A trader from town sold it to me. He said it's originally crafted by the Native Americans; hand-woven by a girl who lives across the border."
Deidre blinked, somewhat surprised by this. Usually people of her race did not make any merchandise - at least, that she had known about. She had never met another, and had only been told so by her parents and friends. "I love it," she murmured, her fingers running over the little thing.
"I thought you would," he responded solemnly. "It would look good on you - better than the pearls Mother got you for your last birthday." He chuckled slightly, as if amused by the memory.
Deidre smiled slightly, too. While her mother had had good intentions giving her the expensive jewels, they had clashed horribly with her dark appearance, and had looked atrocious on her. Even her Father had laughed upon seeing her wearing the pearls. "Help me with the clasp, will you?" she handed the necklace to Walden, and quickly lifted up her dark hair, turning around to expose the back of her neck to him.
He obliged, pulling the clasps together to close it, and even patting it down to smooth it out. As Deidre turned around, allowing her hair to fall down once more, he let out a whistle, raising an eyebrow.
"What? Does it look ugly?" she asked, seeming to frown slightly. Before he could respond, she had stood up and approached the window, eager to see her reflection through the glass.
"No. You look beautiful in it, Deidre. Prettier than any of those girls that make fun of you behind your back." He said the last words with malice, as if the idea of his sister being mocked because of her different appearance was one that disgusted him.
She smiled, seeming somewhat touched by his words. "Thank you," she murmured, once again grateful to her brother's kind words.