Chapter One

Until Next Time

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, I know you are determined to leave home but there really is no need to leave the country." My mother shrugged as her eyes remained on the road, her hands clasped around the steering wheel as she drove me to my uncle's home.

I had my face pressed against the cool glass of the passenger side window, feeling nauseous and unsure of the rough ship journey I would be embarking on soon but leaving the country was up for no debate. I had made my mind up long ago, there was no going back. Not when I had made so much progress into securing a job placement and being granted a citizenship that would allow me to live in Sweden permanently.

"I want to leave, I know it's the right decision" I said, turning to look at her as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

I could see the swell of tears that built in her bright blue eyes and instantly felt guilt seep into the pit of my stomach, the last thing I had intended to do was hurt her. She had been through so much trauma in the last couple of years that a shadow of doubt pulled in the back of my mind, was I making the right decision or was I being selfish?

"Mom..." I sighed gently, sitting forward to place a hand on her slender shoulder

She shook her head and sniffled, blinking furiously to bat away the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

"No, you are doing the right thing" she gulped "I have to remind myself that you are no longer my little girl, you're old enough and strong enough to make your own decisions." She nodded with confidence, her eyes darting towards me for a few seconds with a slight smile.

I smiled back as she focused on the road again straightening her back as she looked in the rear-view mirror, checking on my younger brother Joseph who was too busy playing with his toy plane to be listening in on our conversation.

"I'll always be your little girl" I whispered turning to look out the window at the tall oak trees that lined the side of the road feeling my own tears creep to the surface.

It was late summer, the air was relatively warm and the sky wasn't too cloudy making it an almost perfect day. I was glad that the storms we had been receiving over the past few weeks had dissipated, there would be nothing worse than travelling three weeks across the sea in hellish weather. Hopefully it would stay this way.

Turning to look behind me I smiled at Joseph who was flying his toy plane through the air making the best engine noises he could muster, I would miss playing with him in the back yard. He loved sharing facts on his favourite animals as I swung him high on the tire that was tied to the great tree behind our home. Such a content little boy, he looked so much like my father that sometimes I thought I was staring at a ghost.

"Are you going to miss me, soldier?" I asked with an arch of my eyebrow, smirking as he tore his attention from his toy.

His hazel eyes full with life as he smirked back at me, shrugging his shoulders he chuckled

"Not really, cause when you're gone I get your bedroom which is the biggest in the house!"

I rolled my eyes before turning back to look at mom who was smiling.

"We're here!" she announced, slowing the car to a halt as my uncle John's lavish home came into view.

It had been years since I had been here but from what I can remember, it had seven bedrooms which was completely unnecessary seeing as he had no children. My father used to say that John was a money hungry whisky investor who got pleasure from bragging about his vast fortune to those who were poverty stricken. I didn't know my uncle that well but by this description it seemed that he was overcompensating for something.

"Do we have to go inside?" Joseph whined

I looked at my mom silently asking the same exact question, I didn't want to go inside this false family atmosphere and pretend to be comfortable. I had met John's wife three years ago and she had been hard, cold and dismissive towards my mother. It didn't take a fool to realise that she was jealous of her, and who wouldn't be? My mom was beautiful, inside as well as out with a smile that could brighten anyone's day and she didn't deserve to be treated like some sort of intruder.

"It looks like he's on his way out right now, so no we don't have to go inside but we must get out to say hello..., you too Joseph." She sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt before exiting the car. "And get your suitcase from the trunk, Pam."

I turned to my brother who had a scowl that would scare away demons, laughing at him I followed suit and got out of the car. Quickly running behind the car I retrieved my belongings.

"Nice to see you again, Joanna" John grinned at my mother, looking her over like she was a piece of meat.

I instantly felt uncomfortable, not only was he a sexist but he was also a pervert.

"John."

I heard the stiffness in her tone as she backed away as soon as he attempted to lean in for a hug, I bit the inside of my cheek as his eyes slowly turned to me.

"Pamela?" he asked in surprise "Wow, it has been many moons since the last time I saw you and that time has done you wonderful favours."

I laughed nervously as he stepped forward to wrap his arms around me, pulling me into a tight squeeze before pulling back to look me over.

"You and your mother are so alike, beautiful!" he grinned

Joseph trailed behind me, his plane firmly in his grasp as he frowned up at our strange uncle who paid him no attention.

"So Sweden it is then?" he asked

I nodded

"Yeah, it's the right place for me to be right now" I explained without going into much detail, I had the feeling that he wouldn't care about the whole depressing back story behind the move.

"Beautiful country, but no time for deep conversation... we must get a move on if you're to make it to New York for the ship." He clapped his hands with a smirk "Well, I'll let you say your goodbyes while I get the car ready" he sighed before marching off past us.

I turned to watch as he disappeared down the street, making sure he was gone I faced my mom once again with a sad smile.

"I guess this is goodbye then" I shrugged feeling the tears swell in my eyes again

She pressed her lips into a firm line and her eyebrows pulled together, quickly walking towards me she wrapped her arms around me as tightly as she could. I returned the hug, my hands clutching her close as I felt a warm tear slide down my cheek.

"We don't say goodbye-" she began

"We say until next time..." I finished, nuzzling my nose into her pretty blue woollen coat inhaling her sweet scent that had always comforted me through the years.

"Until next time..." she whispered "I love you so much, Pam."

"I love you too, mom."

Pulling back she gripped my shoulders and looked at me, tears coating her eyeballs as her lips trembled

"You have to call me at least once a month and if you want to come home, don't hesitate. And wrap up warm, I heard Sweden is cold." She sighed, her voice becoming lighter as she tried her hardest not to break down.

I nodded at her words as her palms slid against my cheeks, leaning forward she placed a kiss on my forehead before letting me go.

"Don't come back too soon, I want your room for at least a month" Joseph chimed in as he stomped forward to lean into me. His face pressing into my arm as he hugged me for a second before pulling away, looking up at me he smiled.

Laughing I leaned down to fix his collar that was tucked away beneath his shirt,

"You can have my room for as long as you want" I smiled "And Joseph, when I'm gone you have to look after mom. Being the only man in the house you need to make sure she's okay, that she doesn't set fire to the kitchen with her awful cooking again. Okay?"

He laughed and nodded

"Yeah, I'll take care of her... don't worry."

I pulled him into a proper hug this time; I would miss them more than anything but I knew they'd be alright, my mother was a strong woman; my brother was growing up to be an amazing young man. They certainly didn't need me to take care of them. I could depart my country with peace of mind knowing that I was leaving behind too wonderfully strong people.

"Are we ready to get going?" John's voice called from the distance

I smiled standing to my feet, sliding my hair through his scruffy brown hair for the last time.

"I love you two, keep safe" I sighed "Until next time..."

My mother nodded with a wide grin as she grabbed onto Joseph's shoulders, kissing him on the head as I turned to walk away. She couldn't bring herself to say anything more so simply waved me off as I made my way towards my uncle who stood waiting for me.

"Just you and me, kiddo" he smirked as he took my suitcase from me, his fingers brushing my palm making my skin crawl as I followed him to his shiny black car that stuck out like a sore thumb.

Darting in front of me he opened my door for me

"Ladies first"

I smiled politely "thanks."

I was instantly met with the smell of leather and cigarette smoke as I stepped inside, it was far more luxurious than anything I was used to but if it got me to my destination I wasn't going to complain.

"So the house you'll be working at belongs to Swedish royalty" John began as he got in the car

I felt my eyebrows lift in surprise and my stomach drop at this brand new revelation, I knew nothing of Swedish royalty and suddenly felt completely unprepared for what I was getting myself into.

"Wait, what?" I frowned, unable to form a sentence as pictures of crowns and servants rushed through my mind.

John laughed at me as he started the engine and drove off in the opposite direction of my mother's car; I looked behind me for a few seconds to see them waving me off.

"Well, by royalty I mean that his ancestors were of Viking descent. But not much is known about him, apparently he keeps himself to himself and leads a secretive life away from society." He explained as I turned to look at him.

I listened carefully to everything he was telling me, this could come in useful when I began my job.

"What's his name?" I asked

"He didn't give me one, just gave me the address of the residence and the job offer which of course you have secured now. From our phone call it seems that he expects you to be at his home as soon as you land in Sweden."

I nodded; it was a reasonable request although it was a bit strange that he hadn't at least given me a last name to address him by when I met him. But I had to remind myself that Sweden was a different country, a whole different culture and perhaps their ways were completely different from mine.

I was torn from my thoughts as John's hand landed on my knee, his fingers brushing the exposed skin there as he continued to look at the road.

"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you over there, you don't have to be alone..."

I frowned and pulled my leg away from him, gripping my pretty pastel pink skirt I pulled it over my knees.

"No." I said stiffly through clenched teeth "That won't be necessary."

His lips twisted up into a sadistic smirk as a chuckle escaped his throat

"You really are an independent woman now, aren't you?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

I ignored the question and looked out of the window; I didn't feel safe in his company whatsoever.

"I always had a soft spot for you, Pamela" he continued "You were always so beautiful, even when you were thirteen years old I couldn't take my eyes away from you."

I knew where this conversation was leading and my blood ran cold, it seemed that he was sicker in the head than I had thought.

"Don't you wonder why your father stopped taking you over to my house when he visited?" he asked, his tone darkening as he shifted in his seat. "It was because you bothered me in ways that are forbidden in this society, how could a young girl be so sexual?"

His hand roamed to my leg again

"Stop it!" I shouted, slapping his hand away.

I turned to glare at him as he sighed heavily

"Okay, I apologise" he said "Obviously I thought you had feelings for me too, I guess I was wrong..."

"Don't ever touch me again!" I growled, shifting away from him as I leaned on the edge of my seat.

"I promise I won't, as long as you forget everything I just told you." He said stiffly

"It's forgotten; now just take me to New York!" I snapped furiously.

The car fell silent and I tried to calm myself down as my heart continued to race in my chest from the violation he had just subjected me too. This man wasn't my uncle, he was nothing more than a predator and to think that he lusted after me as a child made me want to be sick.

What if he had abused other young girls? I clenched my teeth together, my skin crawling with disgust. As soon as I was in New York, I wanted nothing more to do with him. But I had a feeling that this was going to be a long, uncomfortable journey.

I gazed out of the window and tried to envision the lavish house I would be cleaning and living in for the next few months, it helped me escape the situation I was stuck in right in this moment.

AN: Thank you for the reviews to the previous chapter, I love getting feedback and hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last. I'm having a great time writing this as it had been bugging me for a while before I actually began to type.