So beauty loved the beast
The sun was gleaming down on everything in its path from between the dark grey clouds, the tree branches seemingly dancing in the wind, and glistening in the light as the last few drops of rain fell from the sky. My 15th birthday had not been given the brightest morning, and I would soon find out that it wouldn't be getting any better as my mother greeted me with 'wonderful' news of a marriage she had arranged with my father when I was 13, to a man she had described as a handsome gentleman any woman would be grateful to have caught their interest. Knowing that nothing I could say would change their minds I agreed to meet him.
I was taken to a building in the middle of the town, four much older men were standing alone in front of it, I had hoped that they were only relatives to my would be fiancé, but to my horror and disgust I was told that I would be marrying one of the oldest men. He took my hand, and kissed my knuckle delicately, despite my pained look, and smiled at my mother, apparently pleased with me, and went to speak with her privately. When they returned I turned to my mother, begging her not to force me to marry a man who must at least be in his mid 40s, only to be ignored as she entered the building with him and two of the other men, leaving me to wait outside with the fourth.
The following hours had been the longest I had ever been through as I waited to see them again. The man I was with had made many attempts to speak with me, but I refused to give him any response. When they returned, I was told that we would be wed when I was 20.
At 18 I went on my first 'date' with the now 47 year old Hans, he had taken me to dinner, which I had gotten dresses into a black, knee length dress I had gotten when I was 17, I enjoyed the evening to an extent, he was a pleasant man, he had a certain charm that I'm sure would capture any woman's interest, young or old. Yet the fact that he was 47 had stopped those thoughts from going any further.
When I was 19, my mother and father had moved me closer to him, naturally I was offended when I was told that they would ask me to leave.
The wedding had been arranged to be a fortnight after my birthday, a day I no longer felt concerned about. I had gotten closer to Hans, and my feelings towards him had changed dramatically, which I noticed when I realised that my mind had been clouded by nothing but thoughts of him. The age difference was no longer an issue to me, I loved him, both as a friend and a lover, perhaps more as a friend than anything else...but I did. And his actions had shown that he cared for me in return.