ANNE AND AMYBELLA WERE IN THE
barn, when the girl told Anne about her conversation with Gilbert.

"You deserve better Bella. That's for sure." Said Anne and Bella sighed.

"Maybe.." she braided little pigtails into the foal's mane.

"I'm worried about Queens. Do you think I did it?" Abbe asked her and Bella answered with a laugh.

"You're the smartest girl I know Anne. They were stupid if they wouldn't take you. I'm more worried about me." Bella bit her lip.

"I'M IN!" She shouted excitedly.

"ME TOO!" Abne threw her arms around Bella's neck when they got the list.

"Diana, you're in too!" the three of them hugged each other.

"We're all going to Queens together!" grinned Anne and Diana's smile disappeared.

"If my parents don't kill me first. They'll never let me do this," Diana said sadly.

"I'll help you convince them. I come with you. Don't give them the power to decide YOUR future."

•

"IT'S NOT YOUR FUTURE, IT'S OURS!" Diana's father shouted, furiously. Diana stood opposite him, Bella next to her and her mother next to Mr. Barry, sniffling into a handkerchief, sobbing hysterically.

"If we had a son, things would be different, but we did not!" he turned to his sobbing wife.

"It IS her future! It's her LIFE! I-.." Mr. Berry interrupted her.

"And WHO TELLS ME THAT?! Amybella McCurthy?" He yelled at her.

"You've already sullied the Pye girl's reputation are you going to do the same to my daughter?" he yelled at her.

"I DID NOT ruin Josie Pye's reputation! No one did. The only reason in both situations is your.. Narrow-mindedness."

"It follows without question that Diana is obliged to marry well! After she finishes school she's gonna marry and you think if you.. ORPHAN, living in your parents' house and run around with the Blythe boy, HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME INTO MY HOUSE AND TELL ME WHAT'S BEST FOR MY DAUGHTER?!!" his face was red as a tomato when he threw his hands around furiously.

"Well what is best for your daughter is what she's trying to tell you. The fact is-.." Amybella's voice remained surprisingly calm.

"THE FACT IS! That who I am.. and what I want.. doesn't matter-.." Diana interrupted Bella, sobbing.

"OH! Enough of this. You have ONE JOB!" He screamed at Diana.

"One.. task in life and you WILL DO IT!
You.. WILL BE FINISHED and then you can negotiate with your husband.. for whatever you damn-well want!" He finished and Diana started sobbing.

"DECEITFUL CHILD! How could you?.. How could you be so.. SELFISH?! Oh my.." Mrs. Berry was now up and sobbing exhaustedly. She then sank back into the seat.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO YOUR MOTHER!"
Diana ran out sobbing.

"So this is the great Mr. Berry." His eyes shot back to Bella. His eyes sparkled with anger.

"Forcing his daughter to go to a boarding school in Paris. Looking pretty. Smile. She won't be interesting but she'll certainly be successful." She said, her voice calm.

"Who will get her? The highest bidder? The richest? The one who will best secure her family?" She looked at him provocatively in the eye.

„Her life could be sold like the one of a cow and the only differences is that cows don't wear dresses." Bella said, knowing she stepped over the line. Mr. Berry puffed heavily.

"GET OUT!"

•

"Oh Rachel? What are you-.." Bella looked at the old rumor mill woman outside her door in amazement.

"Where have you been yesterday morning?!" The woman snapped at her, walking through the door and into the living room.

"I wrote my exams, you know that Rachel." She said.

"No! You never leave the house so early, I was here yesterday and you were not at home Amybella McCurthy!" The woman said, fiddling with her hat.

"Oh! Yeah I was doing a ride before school, to repeat my studies!" Bella lied, hoping that Rachel would believe her.

"You know what the others say, girl? I heard Mrs. Andrews talking about you fooling around with the Blythe boy!" Rachel said.

"I am not." Bella said, feeling her heart start to beat faster.

"You can fool many people Amybella, but not me! You better hope that Gilbert is gonna propose to you, or your reputation won't be looking good!" The woman said and Bella gulped.

"I know that was rather direct but I have to be honest with you, child. When I was 18, I was married too!" She looked at Amybella who now closed the door, her face pale.
Rachel sighed.

"Fortunately for you, that's not why I am here. I'm here because you're going to college." she stated and pushed past the girl. She walked around the living room.

"And I will make sure you have something decent to wear." Bella started to grin.

"We're going to buy clothes for your dresses." Rachel smiled. Amybella threw her arms around the woman's neck.

"I wish you knew how happy that makes me Mrs. Lynde!" She broke away from her and the woman looked a little shocked, but then smiled. She then looked around.

"Well. You've kept it clean, your house! I'll give you that." she nodded, then walked up the stairs to her parents' bedroom. Bella followed her and saw the woman, opening the closet of her mother.

"These are nice clothes, your mother had. All a bit old but I think I can make something out of it. We have to go into town, come on!"

So they made their way into town and bought lots of beautiful fabrics, in all sorts of colors.

"Oh.. eh can you wait a minute? I've forgotten something." Rachel turned around and Bella waited.

"Amybella?" She turned around and spotted Winnifred. The perfect lady Rose.

"Mrs. Rose." She nodded and then looked ahead of her again.

"Oh it's Winnifred! I only got to see you briefly at the fair, but Gilbert has told me a lot about you." Her voice sounded forcedly nice. Bella nodded.

"I wish you good luck with him." She said bluntly and Winnifred looked at her, confused.

"What are you talking about?" she asked and Amybella laughed.

"You seem to be a smart woman Miss Rose. He wants to propose to you. I wish you all the happiness in the world." Amybella's heart ached at these words.

"Oh my goodness! My mother was right." Winnifred put her hand to her collarbone in shock. Then she looked at Bella again.

"You're going to Queens, aren't you? Then you have a great future ahead of you." She put a hand on Bella's shoulder with a smile. Bella didn't feel comfortable at all with that action, but she didn't say anything in return because Rachel came back and we left.
Just the thought of her and Gilbert at the altar. Bella didn't even want to think about it.

•

Amybella looked out of the window and noticed two people coming towards her house. She took a closer look and spotted Ka'kwet's parents. Oquatnuk and Aluk.
She hurried out of the door and ran towards them in a hurry. The closer she got, the more she got the feeling that something was off.

"Aluk! Oquatnuk!" She came to a halt in front of them.

"They have Ka'kwet. They stole her." said Aluk, exhausted.

"Who?" Bella asked, confused.

"The people from the government. Our tribe is moving to the coast to keep the other children safe." Bella looked at Aluk's arm, the sleeve of his shirt was riddled with holes and blood was running down his skin.

"Your arm! You're injured. Come on in."
She pointed to her house.

"No, we have to find her. Can you help us? You've already brought her back once." The man said and Bella nodded.

"Of course I will. But we have to take care of you first! Alright?" They went into the house.

"Do you have any honey?" he translated for his wife, who said something in their native language.

"Yes." Bella quickly went to the shelf and handed her a jar of honey, then she quickly got some bandages and came back. They bandaged Aluk's arm, then Bella started walking around the room.

"We'll go to the school and sort it out. They can't just take her back if she doesn't want to, it must be a misunderstanding." she said after they shared her the details of what happened.

"I don't know where that school is, I found Ka'kwet at the harbor back in charlotte town." She stopped.

"But Anne knows. She was there and wanted to visit her. We'll go to Green Gables, I'm sure the Cuthberts will help you."

They got to Green Gables and Anne came running towards them. Bella told her what had happened.

"Matthew? Can we bring them there?" Matthew nodded.

"Of course!" He replied. Marilla looked at him in shock.

"That's dangerous. No, I won't allow it!" she said. Bella was shocked that Marilla had something against these people and refused to help them in such a serious situation.

"An injustice has been done Marilla." said Matthew and the woman shook her head.

"Marilla. How would you feel if Anne was taken away from you? We've already done so much to them, do you know what these people have had to put up with because of us? And now they're taking their child away from them, please, Marilla." Bella felt a pang.

Oquatnuk stood up and walked towards Marilla. She said something in her own language. Tears ran down her cheeks.
She gently took Anne's hands and then Marilla's. She brought them together so that Marilla held Anne's hands.
She raised her hands defensively. Then she held her chest and sobbed. There was compassion and realization in Marilla's eyes now.

"She said-..." Aluk tried to translate but Marilla interrupted him.

"I.. I think I understood her." she nodded. A tear ran furtively down her cheek.
Bella walked to Oquatnuk and dragged her into an embrace. Marilla nodded and gave them consent to go.
They packed enough things onto the carriage as they had to leave for two days.

"Amybella!" The girl turned around and saw Gilbert riding up. He dismounted from his horse and came quickly towards them.

"Here you are. I've been looking for you." He said in a hurry.

"I don't have time now Gilbert please." The girl said.

"But I need to talk to you, Amy please give me one minute-.."

"We've talked enough! I have more important things to do now." She then sat down on the carriage between Ka'kwet's parents.

"We'll be back in two days," Matthew said. Bella ignored Gilbert's gaze, who looked at her sadly. The carriage drove off and bella felt a hand on hers. She looked at Oquatnuk, who gave her a comforting look. She then lay a hand onto Bella's chest, at the place where her heart was.

„Nakoma." she whispered and Bella realized it was the nickname Ka'kwet had given her.

"How are you doing this?" She looked at Aluk, who looked at her questioningly.

"They interfere in your lives. Your hunting is your trade. They insult you, see you as less than them and now they're taking your children away from you. After all they've taken, why don't you snap back with anger?" Oquatnuk squeezed Bella's hand tighter.

"We need to understand the changing of the world. Anger is never a solution. To stand and to carry peace and light in one's heart.. give our people freedom and peace. We are looking for this and only this." Aluk explained to her. He then put a hand on Bella's shoulder.

„You can often find the light.. but those who seek only darkness.. get nothing else." Aluk told her and Bella looked into his eyes in amazement.
They were strong and determined, but also empathetic. Peaceful. His other hand rested on his chest where his heart was.

These people who were pushed around and despised carried wisdom that not even the most intelligent professor would have known. They were different.

But aren't they all?
Didn't they all deserve to be accepted with peculiarities? Whole humanity could learn so much from each other. Healing wounds with honey alone?
How much better the world would be if we listened to each other.
But people would rather be deaf than wise.

Author's note:
As you realize, I'm trying to put some wisdom in this book.

I've now watched Anne with an e 6 times and each time I notice things, I draw out more knowledge and wisdom.

This series tells the story of the Mi'kmaq and many other native tribes. Find out about the residential schools, it's important. I also wrote about it on my posting board.

There is injustice in this world. The series conveys so much and you don't even realize it that quickly.
Injustice is everywhere and often we only see it at second glance.
I don't know you or your story but I think we can be really grateful to live in a generation where we can be free in our development as a person.
Certainly not everything is perfect! But we are allowed to live freely. We should be grateful for this but never give ourselves the reason to look away.

"I will be a thorn in the flesh of those who refuse to improve the status quo" were Anne's words.

Don't look away. I have so many friends and family that don't even understand what a privilege it is to live in a democracy and to express your opinions freely.

They have never fought for anything bigger than themselves. They're all about alcohol and partying and as long as you're doing well and sitting here in Germany with your spoiled ass, why should you care about the others? You have nothing to do with them.

But if you don't stand up for the people who don't have a voice, who will? They can't do it on their own. So if you have freedom, you have to use it to help others.
Because no one is free until everyone is free.

So what I want to say to you is: "be better than my classmates and half the world"

~Vivi

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