Chapter Text
“What a horrible day to Adamczycha!” Jan Paweł wailed loudly, sitting at the table in a dining room. The whole Adamczewski family was in the middle of breakfast.
“This concept with a school for the peasant children is ridiculous!” Jan Paweł continued. “What will the peasant children learn now? Reading? Writing? Counting? Instead of helping their parents at work, that’s outrageous!” Jan Paweł slammed his fist on a table.
“They can do both! In my opinion it's a very good idea," Aniela opposed her father.
"My dear child, you and your modern views," Jan Paweł sighed heavily.
"Well, if you had a bigger part of the village it wouldn't end up this way…But since Andrzej has the bigger part of the village, he let that magnate to open that school," Zofia said with contempt. "But there's a plus in this situation. That magnate has a son and he comes here to work at this school as a teacher. It's a chance for Aniela to marry him." Zofia lifted her head with confidence.
"How many times I have to say that I won't marry a magnate's son?" Aniela shouted, rolling her eyes.
"Wait, the school isn't run by the monks?" Jakub joined in on the conversation, narrowing his eyes.
"No, it's an idea of one magnate who wants to enlighten the peasants," Zofia explained with hatred.
"Dear God, a secular school!" Jakub screamed, raising his hands.
"I'm done eating, can I go to the band's practice?" Stanisław cut in.
"Just not in my barn!" Jan Paweł waved off.
As long as Aniela hated the concept of marrying the magnate's son, she was so curious about the school that she headed there right after breakfast. The teacher was standing outside the small building, ringing a handbell and calling the children for the lessons.
"Good morning!" Aniela greeted the teacher.
He was a young, handsome man, with the wavy, shoulder-length, chestnut hair tied in a ponytail. His face was neatly shaved and his green eyes flickered behind the round glasses. He wore elegant, dark blue clothes under a gray cape.
"Ah, good morning! I'm sorry Miss, but I'm afraid you're a little too old to attend this school!" he joked with a wide smile.
"That's not what I'm here for." Aniela smiled back. "I'm Aniela Adamczewska, the nobility daughter," she introduced herself.
"Mieszko Nowak, the teacher, nice to meet you." Mieszko shook her hand.
"I'm here to ask if you need any help with the school. I'm really glad that the children have the opportunity to learn now," Aniela explained the goal of her visit.
Mieszko wondered for a while. "Actually, can you draw Aniela?"
"Yes," Aniela admitted eagerly.
"So you may help me make some drawings to decorate the classroom. I want it to be more welcoming and cozy for the students."
"No problem!" Aniela agreed with a smile.
"Please, come here at noon," Mieszko asked.
“Alright, see you!” Aniela waved him goodbye as she walked away.
Maciej was on his way to work when he spotted Aniela talking to Mieszko in front of a school. It seemed that the two of them had a very pleasant conversation. Maciej stopped and observed, feeling jealous.
Hmph, why is he smiling at her like that? , Maciej thought.
“What are you looking at?” Jakub’s voice got Maciej out of his mind.
“No-nothing,” Maciej stammered, looking away.
“Ugh, you know there are three things I hate most in the whole world. Reformation, Judas and…”
“Touring theater troupes?” Maciej cut in.
“What?” Jakub furrowed his eyebrows. “No! The secular teachers! I hate him with a pure passion!” Jakub complained, staring at Mieszko and clenching his fists.
“Oh,” Maciej sighed. “You know, I have to go to work,” Maciej excused himself as he walked away. Jakub raised his hand in a form of saying goodbye and kept watching Aniela and Mieszko until they parted.
Aniela appeared at the school exactly at noon. She watched the happy children leaving the classroom, shouting over each other what they had learnt today.
“Hi, how’s the first day?” Aniela asked entering the classroom.
The whole school building was basically that one big classroom and the small room at the back where Mieszko lived.
“Pretty good I suppose,” Mieszko replied with a smile. “Here, sit down.” Mieszko pointed to the place at one desk.
Alina sat down at said desk and put some papers that she had brought with herself onto it.
“Here, there are some drawings I made when I was teaching the peasants recycling,” she explained. “I thought you may use them if you want.”
“Interesting! I’ll definitely keep them! Thank you!” Mieszko put his hand on his chest, sincerely appreciating it.
“You’re welcome.” Aniela shrugged her shoulders.
“So I can see you’re a very smart person. Trying to teach the adults something, that’s very brave,” Mieszko praised her.
“Yeah, it didn’t go as I planned, it turned out that the adults are very hard to change,” Aniela declared in a sad voice.
“Yeah, with the children it’s completely different. The future generations will be completely different from us.”
“I hope so! Sometimes I feel that I was born in the wrong time, wrong place,” Aniela sighed.
“Don’t say that! People like us were born to change the world!” Mieszko sat down tall and pushed his chest out.
Aniela grinned as they started drawing the educational pictures for the kids. Then, they decorated the classroom with them. The whole time they were sharing their views and ideas. They finished in the late evening.
“Now I’m content! The classroom looks so much cozier now. Thank you for your help!” Mieszko summed up their work, looking around the classroom.
“My pleasure!” Aniela looked around, also proud of their work. “Oh, by the way, my parents invited you to dinner tomorrow’s evening. They want to know a new person in the village,” Aniela mentioned, looking away.
“Fine, I’ll come,” Mieszko agreed.
“There’s one more thing…” Aniela paused.
“Yes?” Mieszko raised his eyebrows.
“My parents…They really want me to marry the magnate’s son…And since you’re the one…”
“They want to meet their future son-in-law?” Mieszko chuckled.
“Yeah, and marrying the magnate’s son isn’t in my plans to be honest. You’re great, but I’d like to wed a man that I truly love.”
“Don’t worry! You’re a smart, beautiful and kind young lady, but you’re completely not my type!” Mieszko assured Aniela.
“Oh really? Do you like blondes more?” Aniela joked.
“That’s my secret!” Mieszko winked. “Hey, I have an idea! You helped me, so I’ll help you. Let’s destroy tomorrow’s dinner!” Mieszko proposed with a sly smile.
Aniela looked at him with curiosity.
“First, tell me what do your parents hate the most…” Mieszko asked Aniela with a conspiratorial whisper.