Excitement bubbled up in Ella, making her too fidgety to pay attention in her history class. Only one hour and five minutes remained before she could leave school and finally unite with what would become her most prized wardrobe piece. My very own pants, she thought and the image pulled her lips into a wide smile.
Bent on teaching her the ways of a proper woman, her mother, Mary, refused the idea of her wearing or engaging in anything deemed to be masculine. Traditional Belle Mount women were delicate flowers; the most feminine when compared to their neighboring kingdoms. Marriage was an expectation, and it was customary to follow the female’s eighteenth birthday. Her mother followed the traditions and raised Ella to do the same. However, Ella resented the Belle Mount way because that meant no pants, no dirty-donkey racing games, no farming, no fun, and no freedom.