****This is an Antebellum Interracial Fantasy Story****
Ruth still thought about the day she was sold to the Hampton Plantation. She figured she was about six or seven when the overseer burst through the door and grabbed her. She did not know why, but assumed it had something to do with her mother, as Master Jones was yelling at her about helping another hand go missing.
The only thing Ruth could think of at the time was what her mother did really wrong that the Master needed to punish her. Normally she only saw the Master on but a few occasions, and the overseer did everything else. He continued screaming about the escaped hand, blaming her mother for helping him get away.
Ruth remembered crying so hard when she saw her mother's clothes ripped off and whipped for what she did. When Master Jones said she did not deserve a family, Ruth looked at him confused to what that meant. She knew her father died early on of the flu, but her mother was the center of her world. When the overseer dragged her away she remembered not knowing why and crying for her mother to help as she was still being whipped.
Ruth still could tear up on command as she thought of being in the auction house as a child waiting to be sold. How people would walk in and tell her to stop crying. Feeling the hand of the auctioneer slap her a few times, telling her to quiet down. She remembered not knowing what the house was for a long time and just thought she was being punished too like her mother.
When she saw Miss Mary Butler come in with her father asking who he should buy, Ruth knew that she was never going to see her mother again. The tears flowed quickly as she tried in vain to call out to her mother, hoping she could come and get her.
Miss Mary looked to be about the same age as her but her long blonde hair is what Ruth remembered first. It was long and straight and looked like gold that the sun was shining on. She was so pretty, Ruth wondered if she was a doll brought to life or an angel coming to save her in one of her most darkest of times. Mary pulled on her father's coat and just pointed at her, saying that she needed a home and someone to love her.
Ruth did not know what to feel for a few weeks as Mary showed her the new home she was going to live in. Mary insisted that she live in the house and stay with Miss Sally who was the cook, and another house slave. The room next to the kitchen was so small that she wondered how a bed could even fit in there. And Miss Sally seemed a tyrant about keeping everything in order and clean at all times.
Even though Sally was not her mother, she was the closest thing she was going to get. Mary adored her and Ruth wondered why the owner's child would treat a slave they owned like a parental figure who actually had power over the young child.
Ruth did understand though overtime, as Sally's kind words and hugs of affection were always there even on day's she cried and missed her mother. Sally was always quick to point out how people should show kindness through words and actions to everyone, even those who have nothing. Ruth remembered taking this to heart, and was amazed at how Mary did the same.
The fear of living in a new and intimidating home with strangers scared her. She thought about her mother constantly and cried at random times wondering if she was ever going to see her again. With all her depressed feelings, she remembered how Mary treated her, how she would hold and comfort her, and try to cheer her up the best way she could.
She also thought about how Mary would come downstairs to the kitchen at night to bring her upstairs to sleep in her bedroom so she would not have to be alone. On a few occasions, Mary would sing hymns to her, trying to help her sleep. Always with so much patience and love, Mary never faltered in promising to keep her close and safe.
Ruth always remembered Mary living up to her promise. As they grew older, Ruth would never leave Mary's side. Ruth remembered early on how she would help her mother in the fields, but once she was with Mary, she never went back to picking cotton in the fields again. Mary would often comment about how she was forbidden by the overseer about going into the fields on the account of her telling the hands that they needed to take the day off.
Mary was always one for getting her way with her father. Master Butler bent like a weed in the winds when it came to giving into his daughter's demands. Anything her heart desired would be handed to her as Mary was the only daughter with one younger brother.
Ruth often wondered how a plantation owner's daughter could be so spoiled with love and gifts and still not let it corrupt her. Ruth smiled as she thought about how Mary would give her gifts and treat her as a true friend and not a person who owned her. Ruth was even so brash as to ask Mary to buy her mother from her old owner. When Mary came back saying that her father offered to buy her mother, Ruth knew her generosity was true. Her old owner backed out of the sale, but Ruth still trusted that Mary would always have her best interest at heart.
Ruth also knew she was extremely sheltered and yet did know why Mary would treat her like she was a friend or sister. When Mary taught her to read and write, she knew that Mary was different from any other white person she ever met. Every night she would study with her, and every night Mary would make a promise to her that she would be by her side. Ruth thought about her promise and knew Mary would never break it.
Seeing things through a child's eyes has a distorted sense of time and understanding. Ruth thought about why things happened, and what she could have done differently. The reflection of her childhood years were both kind and horrible in the same swipe of the brush. Mary was the most kind and generous soul she knew of, and everyone from the hands in the field to her father knew about her generosity. It was often joked about that Mary would never be allowed to run any plantation for her kindness would be the ruin of the family.
***
Ruth watched Mary grow into something that could only be described as a perfection in all forms. She had looks only a famous painter could paint and a body only an Italian sculptor could recreate. Her voice was like an angel talking and her kindness could be compared to a saint. But it was her kindness to her that made Ruth love her beyond all measure. She felt deep down that Mary loved her and wanted to protect her from all harm.
Although Mary knew her looks were desirable, she still made an effort to dress up and tell Ruth she was pretty too. Ruth was not as petite as Mary, but her chest was larger and her backside more defined. With her high cheekbones, Ruth's smile was something that Mary called divine and powerful.
Mary was never short on the amount of suitors chasing for her affection either. Ruth always smiled as they stayed up late in the night to discuss the possible men that might win her hand. She remembered the mountain of letters she read to Mary and the late night talks about all of the handsome men who wrote them.
Ruth settled on having a brief time with Henry who tended the stables. Henry was nice and sweet, but his time at the planation was limited as he soon became the Master's full time driver. Ruth only saw him a few times a month at best with his new duties of traveling all over. She figured it was for the best as Mary would soon be married, and she would be going with her to live with the new couple.
Mary did settle on a man to marry her, and William Turnbull was the pick of the litter as she put it. He was an engineer who came from a wealthy family in Virginia. He was twenty-three and five years older than Mary. He worked for a construction company and was already a world traveller.
