Willow peered out of the carriage window, did the day seem darker than
usual, or was it just her? In the back of her mind, she registered her
parents excitedly chatting about how prestigious of a family she would be
marrying into, and how it was a little misfortunate that the "young man"
she was marrying was, "just a little too eccentric" for their liking. But
Willow could have cared less if he had one leg, and four eyes, just the
thought of being forced to marry someone was bad enough. She wondered how
someone could be so shallow as to just marry a girl without even knowing
her. For all this boy could know, she would be a manic depressive with
suicidal habits, and who knows, if she was forced into marriage, she might
become one...
She was brought back to reality with her mother's "Willow, Willow, fix your dress! We're here!" With that, Willow looked out of the window facing her mother. A huge mansion erupted from the ground and willow let out a small gasp. "Wonderful isn't it?" Cried her father. "Think of it, soon you will be living here! Think of all the money and parties and status dear!" "Maybe I do not care about all that father, have you ever thought about that?" Willow quietly remarked. Willow's father seemed quite confused at this, and asked her mother what in the world she was speaking about. Her mother just replied "oh, nonsense dear, she's just moody and confused, don't worry."
As they walked up to the door, Willow felt a new shadow fall over her life, and she thought to herself "goodbye true love, I cannot dream of you anymore, it is time to face my reality."
After they had been led into one of the main living rooms in the house, they were politely asked by the maid to wait for Mr. James, who her father explained to her as her "fiancé's" father. The word fiancé cut through willow like a knife and she only slipped farther into the plush chair she had been seated in.
Suddenly, a fairly elderly man, with attire that must have been starched nine times walked into the room and cordially greeted her father. They had obviously been friends for some years, and Willow wondered how long it had taken her father to talk Mr. James into getting his son to marry her. She was already well known around all of her parents friends as "that strange child..." But then she remembered that her parents kept remarking about how strange Mr. James' son was, so it sort of fit into her mind. "Pair off the weird ones, " she though sullenly.
After some small talk with her mother and father, Mr. James spoke directly to Willow, "Now miss, I would like to introduce you to my son, Christian." "Interesting name at least," Willow thought. After no one immediately walked through the door, Christians father stated "excuse me a second..." then bellowed "Christian!!!!!!! Get down here!!!" The loudness in his voice frightened Willow a bit, but she totally forgot about it, when she heard an angel's voice speaking "coming father..." The voice melted into her ears and made her heart skip a beat, no matter how hard she tried to push the sound away.
After a few seconds, and a thundering of feet down a stair case, Willow met eyes with the most angelic site she had ever seen. It was the man from her dreams, her true love! Though upon closer inspection, he did not look so happy in true life, and she could tell why. She could see into his soul like she never thought possible, and by the look in his eyes, she could he tell he was being forced into marrying her also. And she didn't blame him, why would such a beautiful creature as himself want to marry her? She suddenly became extremely self conscious and tried to make sure her dress was completely straight and that her boots were still tied. She noticed that Mr. James nudged Christian and with that, Christian walked up to her and planted a gentle kiss on her hand. Willow was barely able to contain a gasp, and she quickly put a hand to her face to cover the slight blush she got when she imagined those lips in other places that her hand.
Thus began the happiest days of Willow's life, Her and Christian had many days together, because of the "arranged" courting their parents had set up. Willow knew in the back of her mind, that Christian probably didn't even care if they had these dates, but she had to face the fact that she was head over heels in love with this boy. His gentle smile, his eyes, his hair, his wonderfully innocent and naive look on life, his wonderfully poetic style. This all made her swoon day after day, until she couldn't imagine spending a week without at least seeing Christian once. Which, thanks to their parents, wasn't much of a fear, they usually spent a few days together each week.
Willow hoped with all her heart that Christian loved her as much as she loved him, but sometimes she would tell herself he only liked her as a friend. He would often take her to one of his favorite places in London, and recite his poetry to her, but though it made her exquisitely happy to hear it, she felt that none of it was directed to her, but to someone else, someone even Christian didn't know. But even though she often felt like this, she had wonderful times with him, they would often go to art museums together, and theatre productions, and through the months, She began to feel that Christian was warming up to her.
Often times he would grab her hand as they walked down the street, and he would often kiss her on the cheek at the end of their dates. Every time she saw him, she regretted less and less the thought of being forced to marry someone, after all, she wouldn't want any other man in the world any ways. Christian oozed poetry and romance, and Willow was only too happy to be a part of it, she especially loved his little ideals "truth, beauty, freedom, and love!" He stated them almost every day, but she wouldn't let herself realize that every time he said them, his whole being would droop a little when he said the word "love".
And thus, Willow began to fully believe that Christian and her would lead a wonderful life together. A life that before now, Willow could only imagine in her dreams. Her life could not be happier, and It was all because of the "strange young man" who had entered it.
Early one Saturday morning, as Willow was getting ready for another wonderful day with Christian, full of art, and music, and theatre, she got a knock on her door. When she opened the door, she found no other than the man that filled her mind, every moment of every day, and her heart leapt with love.
She was brought back to reality with her mother's "Willow, Willow, fix your dress! We're here!" With that, Willow looked out of the window facing her mother. A huge mansion erupted from the ground and willow let out a small gasp. "Wonderful isn't it?" Cried her father. "Think of it, soon you will be living here! Think of all the money and parties and status dear!" "Maybe I do not care about all that father, have you ever thought about that?" Willow quietly remarked. Willow's father seemed quite confused at this, and asked her mother what in the world she was speaking about. Her mother just replied "oh, nonsense dear, she's just moody and confused, don't worry."
As they walked up to the door, Willow felt a new shadow fall over her life, and she thought to herself "goodbye true love, I cannot dream of you anymore, it is time to face my reality."
After they had been led into one of the main living rooms in the house, they were politely asked by the maid to wait for Mr. James, who her father explained to her as her "fiancé's" father. The word fiancé cut through willow like a knife and she only slipped farther into the plush chair she had been seated in.
Suddenly, a fairly elderly man, with attire that must have been starched nine times walked into the room and cordially greeted her father. They had obviously been friends for some years, and Willow wondered how long it had taken her father to talk Mr. James into getting his son to marry her. She was already well known around all of her parents friends as "that strange child..." But then she remembered that her parents kept remarking about how strange Mr. James' son was, so it sort of fit into her mind. "Pair off the weird ones, " she though sullenly.
After some small talk with her mother and father, Mr. James spoke directly to Willow, "Now miss, I would like to introduce you to my son, Christian." "Interesting name at least," Willow thought. After no one immediately walked through the door, Christians father stated "excuse me a second..." then bellowed "Christian!!!!!!! Get down here!!!" The loudness in his voice frightened Willow a bit, but she totally forgot about it, when she heard an angel's voice speaking "coming father..." The voice melted into her ears and made her heart skip a beat, no matter how hard she tried to push the sound away.
After a few seconds, and a thundering of feet down a stair case, Willow met eyes with the most angelic site she had ever seen. It was the man from her dreams, her true love! Though upon closer inspection, he did not look so happy in true life, and she could tell why. She could see into his soul like she never thought possible, and by the look in his eyes, she could he tell he was being forced into marrying her also. And she didn't blame him, why would such a beautiful creature as himself want to marry her? She suddenly became extremely self conscious and tried to make sure her dress was completely straight and that her boots were still tied. She noticed that Mr. James nudged Christian and with that, Christian walked up to her and planted a gentle kiss on her hand. Willow was barely able to contain a gasp, and she quickly put a hand to her face to cover the slight blush she got when she imagined those lips in other places that her hand.
Thus began the happiest days of Willow's life, Her and Christian had many days together, because of the "arranged" courting their parents had set up. Willow knew in the back of her mind, that Christian probably didn't even care if they had these dates, but she had to face the fact that she was head over heels in love with this boy. His gentle smile, his eyes, his hair, his wonderfully innocent and naive look on life, his wonderfully poetic style. This all made her swoon day after day, until she couldn't imagine spending a week without at least seeing Christian once. Which, thanks to their parents, wasn't much of a fear, they usually spent a few days together each week.
Willow hoped with all her heart that Christian loved her as much as she loved him, but sometimes she would tell herself he only liked her as a friend. He would often take her to one of his favorite places in London, and recite his poetry to her, but though it made her exquisitely happy to hear it, she felt that none of it was directed to her, but to someone else, someone even Christian didn't know. But even though she often felt like this, she had wonderful times with him, they would often go to art museums together, and theatre productions, and through the months, She began to feel that Christian was warming up to her.
Often times he would grab her hand as they walked down the street, and he would often kiss her on the cheek at the end of their dates. Every time she saw him, she regretted less and less the thought of being forced to marry someone, after all, she wouldn't want any other man in the world any ways. Christian oozed poetry and romance, and Willow was only too happy to be a part of it, she especially loved his little ideals "truth, beauty, freedom, and love!" He stated them almost every day, but she wouldn't let herself realize that every time he said them, his whole being would droop a little when he said the word "love".
And thus, Willow began to fully believe that Christian and her would lead a wonderful life together. A life that before now, Willow could only imagine in her dreams. Her life could not be happier, and It was all because of the "strange young man" who had entered it.
Early one Saturday morning, as Willow was getting ready for another wonderful day with Christian, full of art, and music, and theatre, she got a knock on her door. When she opened the door, she found no other than the man that filled her mind, every moment of every day, and her heart leapt with love.