Hannah was seventeen, and in her little town, she was known not only for her charm but for her sense of fashion. She lived in the late 18th century, when ladies wore gowns of silk and lace, and hats adorned with feathers swayed as they walked through cobblestone streets.
On this breezy afternoon, Hannah had stepped outside, her pale pink skirt caught in the playful wind. She pressed one hand to her feathered hat, the other clutching her ruffled gown as it billowed around her legs. She laughed softly, the air filling with the sound of joy and youth. Her boots tapped lightly against the stones, and for a moment she imagined herself not in her quiet town, but on the grand streets of Paris, where the most fashionable ladies strolled with poise and elegance.
The wind carried whispers of adventure, and Hannah listened. She dreamed of attending glittering balls lit by crystal chandeliers, of walking through lush gardens where secrets might be hidden under every rose, and of meeting people whose stories would spark her own. Read more
But Hannah was not only a dreamer—she had a daring spirit. She loved to test the edges of what was proper. Today, instead of staying indoors with embroidery as her mother wished, she had slipped away to feel the freedom of the open air, her dress dancing like a cloud around her. Her hat, with its proud white plume, was her crown; it made her feel like a heroine in her own tale.
And though she was still young, she carried herself like a lady who belonged to a grander world. Anyone who saw her at that moment—holding her gown against the teasing wind, her golden curls peeking from beneath her hat, her eyes full of light—would have thought she was stepping straight out of a storybook.
Hannah knew in her heart that her life would not be ordinary. The world beyond the town was calling, and she was ready to follow the wind, wherever it might take her. Perhaps it would lead her to a ballroom filled with music, perhaps to a distant garden where adventure waited, or perhaps to someone whose eyes would meet hers and change the course of her life forever.
For now, she was only a girl in a small town, standing in the sunlight with her gown caught in the breeze. But deep inside, Hannah felt certain: this was only the beginning of her story.
