Ellen
Twenty-two years before the curse.
The sun shone brightly through the clear sky as Ellen ran through the meadow. Her dress billowed in the wind and her hair whipped into her face, but she didn't care.
The bag in her hand, filled with her belongings, began to feel heavy. Her belongings from her previous life, the one that had ended mere moments before.
The moment her father had turned on her.
Ellen knew in that instant that this was the only way. It was drastic, but necessary.
Her father would never understand. She never cared for society, or titles or money, or any of that. She wanted love, and passion, and adventure. And she was not going to let her father get in the way of that.
She doubted he would even care. The note she had left behind explained how she never wanted to see him again if he wasn't going to accept her decision. No doubt he would simply forget all about her and push one of her sisters at the higher nobility. He just wanted a match, he didn't care which of his children it was.
But Ellen wasn't going to stand for that.
The meadow ended, and the forest began, as Ellen continued to run, trying to get as much distance between her and the manor house she had once called home. It wasn't her home any longer, the person she was running to meet was her home.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves of the forest. She continued running, swapping her bag from one hand to the other. The forest path was covered in fallen red and brown leaves.
She smiled. Red and brown. That's what they were going to be, forever. Her hair was a dark brown colour, and as the person that she so desperately wanted to see came into sight, the redness of his hair shone in the sunlight.
He was there, stood waiting for her. His face lit up in a lovely smile when he saw her running towards him. His kind brown eyes showing all the love and devotion that she had dreamt about seeing since she was a little girl.
She didn't stop running. In fact, she ran right into his arms. He grunted as she hit his chest, but wrapped his arms around her anyway.
'You came.' He whispered.
'Did you doubt I would?' Ellen asked him.
'Well, no, but…' He trailed off.
She understood. Going up against her father was no easy thing, and it made complete sense for him to doubt that she would go through with it.
'I'm here. And I'm never going back there again..' She told him confidently.
She felt his lips, pressing against the side of her forehead.
He pulled back, and set her down. His brown eyes shone as he raised his eyebrow.
'So, shall we to church, my soon to be wife?' He asked.
'Why certainly.' Ellen replied, taking his hand.
Sam extended his other hand to offer to carry her bag for her. She smiled and handed it to him.
'Woah, what have you got in here!' Sam asked, feeling the weight of the bag.
'I said I was bringing some things. It's just a few clothes and tokens.' Ellen said innocently. Her lovely blue green eyes shone with amusement as he lifted the bag onto his shoulder, grunting slightly as he did.
He gave her a small smile, and together they walked through the forest, to the church.
The wedding ceremony was short. Ellen wore one of the dresses she had brought from the manor, and braided flowers into her hair. Sam wore the smartest change of clothes he owned, a simple shirt and tunic, but at least it wasn't covered in wood chippings and sawdust. His vibrant red hair had been combed back as he stood nervously before the alter.
Of course, he had absolutely no reason to worry. If he had learned one thing about Ellen in the time they had spent together, it was that once she set her mind on something, she saw it through, to the bitter end. He expected this marriage to be no different. It was in fact something he looked forward to.
The few assembled people of the congregation fell silent as the doors opened to reveal Ellen, looking as beautiful as ever in a lilac gown. She practically strode down the aisle, only slowing down when she stood a yard away from Sam. She beamed at him, love pouring from those unusual blue-green jewel like eyes. He smiled back.
He couldn't quite believe this was happening. After all those secret visits to the carpenter's shop, those stolen moments in the dark room he used as a store cupboard, she was finally here, declaring herself to be his wife.
They both answered the questions posed to them by the priest with absolute certainty. They both repeated their vows without stumbling over a single word, and when the time came to kiss the bride, Sam could not be more overjoyed. The kiss was soft, but full of promise. The few people who were there burst into applause, and it wasn't long before the two of them were walking back down the aisle arm in arm. Night had fallen outside the church, so they walked back to his carpenter's shop, with only the light of the moon to guide them.
Opening the door for them, Sam let Ellen walk in first. She immediately began to light the candles around the room, shedding some much needed light into the house. Sam stood, leaning on the door frame, watching her.
'Was it terrible?' He asked quietly.
'Was what?' She responded.
'The confrontation with your father.'
She stopped lighting the candles and bit her lip.
'It wasn't pleasant, but I'm glad I did it. My entire life, he's been dictating what I do and who I see. It felt nice to finally be free of that. I won't miss him, or my sisters.'
She looked up and met his gaze.
'Besides, I've got all the family I'll ever need right here.' She told him.
Sam's heart soared.
He stepped forward, letting the door close behind him. He wrapped his arms around Ellen's waist, looking down into her amazing eyes.
'Are you sure you aren't regretting your marriage to a lowborn no one? You could have been a great lady of the land.'
She scowled at that.
'No, I'm counting my lucky stars that I'm your wife.'
His wife, his wife!
His arms tightened around her waist, pulling her in closer to him. He was the one who was lucky, that this beautiful highborn woman had given up everything to run away and marry him. He dropped his head to capture her mouth in a kiss. She instantly snaked her arms around his head, plunging her fingers into his red hair. He groaned and began to walk them both to his bedroom, not breaking the kiss for one second. Once they were both through the door, he slammed it shut behind him with all the force he could muster.
They were not to be disturbed for a good long while.
The weeks passed. Ellen felt like she was in a dream. Sam was the most perfect husband she could have possible wished for. He woke early every morning, and either brought her breakfast in bed, or woke her in a much more pleasant way. She couldn't remember the last time she was that happy, if ever.
She certainly hadn't been happy at the manor. Every moment felt like some sort of excruciating constant test, for her father to decide exactly how best she could serve his purpose of connecting his family with the great nobility of the land. Her two sisters were no better than him, always chasing after one young lord or another.
But Ellen had never cared for any of that, something that made her a constant thorn in the side of her father. However, now she was Mrs Ellen Hale, and far out of her father's scheming grasp.
Sam had saved her. All those meeting in his workshop that she had been sent to in order to pick up some order of her father's, had actually amounted to something. Sam, the handsome red haired artistic carpenter that had won her heart utterly and completely. She enjoyed watching him work, bent over a piece of wood, filling it into shape, watching his muscles shift under his thin shirt. She had seen him in less, but that didn't make these scenes less appealing.
She had tried her hardest to find a place in the society of Milton. But as most of the women who lived there had lived there all of their lives, it made trying to find a group to fit into quite difficult. She wasn't completely friendless though, there were a few ladies who were perfectly polite and civil to her, but had work or tasks to complete, something Ellen had not been used to. Ellen was sure that given enough time, she would become close friends with some of those women.
Before either her or Sam noticed, three months of marriage had passed. Summer was now upon them, and each day was just as happy as the previous one. Ellen had learned how to cook from her new husband, and she in turn had taught him how to make flower crowns in the days were they did nothing but lie in the meadows, lazily sat with Sam's head in Ellen's lap.
Ellen didn't miss the family she had run away from one bit. August was a full society month, and she knew her father and sisters would be preparing to attend this party, or that ball. Ellen was perfectly content with her new life, even preferring the low born un-corseted dresses over the stupidly intricate and expensive silk ones of the nobility.
One sunny afternoon, Ellen and Sam were walking through the forest to get to the flower meadow, to spend a few hours there. Ellen had packed a basket of food for them to eat, which she had resting in the crook of her arm.
'Sam?' She asked, a small smile on her face, 'Are you happy with our life right now?'
Sam stopped walking, and instantly turned to face his wife. His expression was one of complete and utter concern.
'Yes, of course I am. Happier than I've ever been. Why do you ask? Are you not happy?'
He sounded so scared, so panicked.
'No, I am perfectly happy,' Ellen reassured him. 'I only ask, as to whether you would like a change in our lives. A small one.'
Sam looked very confused.
Shaking his head, he told his wife. 'I do not wish for any change. None at all, I'm perfectly content with the way things are.'
Ellen's gaze dropped to the ground, and she forced down the smile that was threatening to give her away.
'Oh, well that's too bad.'
Sam, reached for her chin, and tilted her face up to see him.
'Why. Do you want to change things?'
'I don't think I get a choice in the matter anymore.' She told him. It was the truth, but it seemed to make his head spin with confusion.
'What? You always get a choice; in everything we do. Have I done something terrible? Please tell me.' Sam said.
'No, it's nothing to do with you.' Ellen said. Her cheeks were beginning to hurt with the strain of containing her smile. 'Only, there's a change upon us, and there's not really much we can do about it.'
Sam only raised his eyebrow in question.
'A rather small change.' Ellen said. She set the basket she had brought down on the ground.
Sam did not understand her statement.
'Ellen, please just tell me what's going on. You're scaring me.'
Ellen sighed, the romantic-ness of the moment was ruined. The only was he was going to understand was if she outright said it.
'There's going to be a little one. In February.' She told him, holding her breath for his reaction.
'A little change to what?' He asked.
'No, A little one. A baby.' She said bluntly.
Sam froze. His eyes were wide with shock, and his mouth agape slightly. Ellen scanned his face for any sign that he was still in his body.
'Did you understand that, or do I need to be clearer?' She asked, tapping her foot impatiently.
Sam's mouth moved up and down slightly, as if he was trying to form word, but failing. Then, he released the breath he had been holding in, in a loud laugh.
'You're with child?' He asked.
Ellen let her shields drop, and the smile she had tried so hard to hide spread across her face. Nodding, she reached forwards and took Sam's hand in her own.
'Yes. You're going to be a father.' She said, squeezing his hand gently.
Sam took his other hand and ran it through his hair.
'We're going to have a baby!' Sam cried, a large grin spreading throughout his own face.
Ellen nodded.
'When did you say, February?'
'Yes. Or at least I think it is, roughly.'
'Well, how do you not know?'
'Hey, it's my first time being with child, I don't know anything yet.' Ellen told him, playfully hitting him in the arm.
He gave her a happy, but apologetic look, forcing her to laugh. Then he reached forwards and wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her into his embrace.
'We're going to have a baby.' He repeated, holding her close. She simply hummed in agreement.
'I love you, so very much. And this baby too.' Sam whispered in her ear.
'I love you too.' She told him, meaning it with every piece of her heart.
Winter came to Milton, and snow fell covering the ground in dazzling white. Ellen and Sam were forced to stay inside as much as possible. Ellen had to stay inside regardless as there was now a rather large bump sticking out of her middle, where their unborn child lay. Ellen had already decided it was a boy, due to the amount of kicking it decided to do when she had just fallen asleep. Sam told her if it was more similar to either of them, it was Ellen, so therefore it was a girl. Ellen only told him he was stupid, and she was right.
Sam was actually very considerate towards her. He would offer to do chores, as staying on her feet for long stretches of time had become difficult. When they would curl up by the fire to stay warm, he would rub her feet soothingly, easing some of the tension. Ellen sometimes woke to find Sam's arm draped over her side, resting on the bump; as if he could protect it, even when asleep.
One night, the snow was falling fast outside, and Ellen waited for her husband to return. He had gone into the village to get some more food, so Ellen had prepared the dinner. It was sat waiting on the table, getting colder by the second.
Ellen was just about to worry, when the door groaned open, and Sam strode through the door, covered in snow. He placed the bag containing food down and began to peel off the cold wet layers. When he was just down to his under things and shirt, he came towards Ellen and tried to pull her into his embrace. She mockingly fought him off, as he was freezing cold. But eventually he won, and she teased him for another hour about how he was so cold.
They ate dinner quickly and then sat by the fire, to try and heat Sam up. Ellen sat on a cushion between Sam's legs, her back resting on his front. Sam's arms wrapped around her large middle and rested right on top of where the baby was, sleeping for once.
'Do we think of names?' Sam asked.
'We still have another two months to go.' Ellen told him.
'But there's nothing wrong with being prepared.' Sam countered.
She just sighed and looked down to her belly.
'So, boy's names first?' She said.
'I still think it's a girl.'
'Well, you're wrong. Girls are far too polite to wake me at three in the morning with kicking on my bladder.'
Sam chuckled.
'Fine, boy's names.' He told her, giving her a quick kiss on the side of her forehead.
'John?' Sam asked. Ellen shook her head.
'Edward?' Ellen countered.
'He's not an Edward.' Sam said quietly. 'What about a family name?'
Ellen scowled.
'I am not naming him after my father. Also, Nathaniel is a horrid name for a baby.'
Sam took one of his hands off her bump and ran in up and down her arm.
'I was thinking more my family name.' He said quietly.
Ellen turned her head to look at him.
'Sorry, I didn't think.' She told him.
'No, it's fine. But you are right, Nathaniel is a horrid name.' He said, with a small smile.
'So, what name did you have in mind? Your father's name? What was it?' She asked.
Sam gave a small smile and returned his hand to the bump.
'Jack.' He said quietly.
Ellen looked down. It felt so right, so perfect.
'Jack.' She repeated, testing the word on her lips. The baby clearly heard his name being spoken, and decided at that moment to begin kicking.
'I think he likes it' Ellen said with a small smile.
'Yes, I think he does.' Sam said, laughter lining his voice.
'Ah ha, so you admit it's a boy.' Ellen cried.
'No, but if it is a boy, then his name is Jack.' Sam conceded. 'But we need a girl's name, just in case, nature forbid it; I am right.'
Ellen rolled her eyes, but placed her hands on top of Sam's
They were warm. Abnormally warm. She sat up a little, turning towards him and touched his forehead with the back of her hand. He felt hot. Not just warm from the glow of the fire, strangely hot.
'Are you feeling alright?' Ellen asked, concern evident in her voice.
'Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired. Come on, a girl's name, then we'll turn in for the night'
She lowered her hand, her fears not entirely put to rest, but lay back down on him regardless.
'What was your mother's name?' She asked. 'If we're naming a boy after your father, it only seems fitting that a girl is named after your mother.'
'Sophie.' Sam whispered. 'Her name was Sophie.'
The baby didn't move. Ellen liked the name well enough, but she was certain the baby was a boy, and therefore didn't jump for joy when it heard a girl's name for it. Jack, that was his name.
'Alright, decision made.' She said, pushing herself off Sam's chest, and trying to stand. He helped her up, and together they walked into their bedroom.
Ellen's worst fears were confirmed the next day.
Sam had woken up with a fever, no doubt brought in from the snow storm he'd been out in. Ellen had woken up to find him pale and sweating, with a very high temperature. She got dressed as quickly as she could and went to find the local physician.
But, being largely pregnant and walking on snow turned out to be surprisingly difficult. And to make matters worse, by the time she got to his house, his wife informed her that he had been called away to deal with another sick patient. Ellen begged her to go and find him, which she did after quite a lot of persuasion.
Ellen and the physician returned to her house about two hours after she had left. Sam was even worse now, mumbling in his fever, his red hair sticking to his forehead with sweat.
The physician told Ellen to leave the room, which she refused to do. Only when the physician told her it could damage their child, did she concede and sit in the main room.
She was so worried. She had never seen Sam sick before, never. Part of her felt it was her fault, for making him go out to get food in the middle of the snow storm. But he would have gone anyway, he was just like that.
An hour passed, and still the physician hadn't left the room. Ellen plucked up her courage and opened the door to find the physician standing over Sam, trying to cool his head with a damp cloth.
Sam however looked worse. All the colour had drained from his face, and he didn't look conscious.
'I tried to bleed him, to remove the fever. But it hasn't worked. I'm sorry madam, but I think you should prepare for the worst.' He told her softly.
Ellen's eyes filled with tears. Her husband couldn't be that sick. He just couldn't be. She strode past the physician and knelt at her husband's bedside. She took his hand in hers, even though it was hot and sweaty, and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
'Get better. I need you to get better.' She sobbed. 'Your son or daughter needs you to get better. Fight this Sam. For me, for us.'
He only moaned in pain. Ellen knew he hadn't heard her.
'I love you, Sam Hale. Don't you dare give up on us. You need to see this baby born. You were going to play with it, remember. You were going to teach them how to carve wood, regardless of the gender. And then we were going to give it lots of little brothers and sisters, remember that!'
Ellen tried to hold back the tears, but she wasn't able. The baby kicked and kicked, as if he too knew what was going on.
'Stay with me. Please my love. Stay.'
Sam Hale passed away later that night. Ellen sat by his bedside the entire time and held his hand when he departed the world.
Ellen screamed and sobbed and cursed fate for how cruel it all was.
Sam, her handsome young carpenter who she had abandoned everything for, was dead.
And she was left a pregnant widow.
It took weeks to get her to leave the house. At night, she'd hold her unborn child close and cry herself to sleep, clutching Sam's pillow in her other hand.
The baby was what helped her through her grief. It was a constant reminder that there was some part of Sam that was going to live on. She spoke to it regularly, telling it how loved it was, by both its parents. And how it's father wasn't here anymore, but loved it very much from heaven.
February came, and Ellen's pains began in the middle of the night. She jolted awake and quickly wrapped herself in a cloak, before setting off to the physician's house. There wasn't anyone else to go for her, so she had to do it herself. She made it through the pain, and almost broke his door down with the force of her knocking. He came to the door, still in his night clothes. He and his wife immediately escorted her back to her house, and laid her down on the bed. His wife acted as midwife over the next few hours as Ellen gave birth to her and Sam's child.
'Congratulations, it's a boy.' The physician's wife said, wrapping the new born in clean blanket. The baby began to scream from hunger and cold, and although Ellen was exhausted, she asked for the baby to be placed in her arms.
The physician's wife handed her the small bundle, and Ellen gazed at her son's face. Pulling back the blanket a bit, she saw a few wispy strands of hair.
Red hair.
Her heart leapt as she saw her late husband in her son's face.
The baby crinkled its nose and opened its eyes.
A beautiful blue-green colour. Just like hers.
He was beautiful. A perfect mix of both of his parents. Ellen felt tears of joy running down her cheeks.
'Hello Jack.' She whispered softly.