The official celebration began at Sundown at the Pavilion. The Thain and
Master stood on the top step, with their sons in front of them. I had long
since let my hair down, because it was annoying, and much too cold to have
it off of my neck, so my curls hung loosely around my shoulders. I was
standing with Estel, who was as nervous as I was about this whole ordeal.
"Our sons, have so graciously made their decisions about their future brides. The future of our families will be secured, and we wish to both happy couples a large family and much prosperity. Meriadoc, has chosen Estella Bolger. Peregrin, has chosen Diamond of Long Cleeve. Would these maidens please come to meet their husbands-to-be?"
I felt weak. I could not believe that he had picked me. It wasn't fair, he shouldn't have. I was going to tell him as soon as I got up there. Estel grabbed my arm, and we headed towards the Pavilion. Maidens all around us were grumbling about their rotten luck, a few were clapping politely.
Once we reached the Pavilion, we were expected to take the hand of our betrothed. We did so, but I struggled immensely. I knew what was coming next, and that I could not restrain myself.
"Will you be my bride?" Pippin and Merry asked at the same time. Estel nodded eagerly, but I couldn't bring myself to. I broke away from everyone and ran into the forest nearby, running as fast as I could away from the party.
When I stopped, I was in a clearing, in the middle of the woods. I sat down on a nearby rock, and caught my breath. Why had I run like that? What if Pippin chose someone else? That was something I couldn't bear. I had to go back and find him.
Crunch. I heard twigs on the ground snapping underfoot. I spun around, and saw a lad I knew as Otho Grubb approaching me.
"Well, what have we here?" He said, obviously drunken. He grinned, and grabbed my arm. His breath smelled of ale, and I struggled against him, but he was too strong.
"What are you going to do with me?" I asked, my voice rising in a panic. I knew very well what he was intending to do, but I was hoping that he wouldn't go through with it.
"You are such a pretty lass. You can come with me now, and don't scream for help, alright?" He pulled a knife from its sheath at his belt, and held it up ominously. I swallowed hard, and counted my odds. I felt that I would be fast enough to wrench away from him, and run, if I could only get away. My stupid skirts inhibited my running, so I ran my hand down to the hemline. Otho misapprehended my actions, and kissed me openly. I tried to push him away, but he just laughed. I felt awful, and dizzy. But I knew I had to keep my wits about me.
He started to unlace my bodice, and in doing so, he either diverted some of his attention to me, loosened his grip on my wrist just a little, or both. I seized the opportunity, and wrenched my wrist away from his hand, kicked him square in the belly, and screamed for all my worth. The kick send Otho to his knees, but not for long. As he was struggling to get up, I snatched his knife and held it to his neck.
"I should cut your throat, but I won't, if you stay here, and don't follow me. I am leaving, you filthy swine, and you don't deserve this mercy that I am giving you." I spat, dropping the knife into his lap. I gathered my skirts and ran off, sprinting as fast as I could, not trusting my judgement of letting him live.
I was no farther than fifty paces from the clearing, when Otho started chasing me. I sped up, screaming as loud as I could, hoping, praying that someone would hear. But Otho was too fast, and he soon caught me. He knocked me to the ground, and as I opened my mouth to scream, he kissed me hard.
"That'll teach the miss not to yell for help. Now, where were we?" I gulped, and tried to run, but he pinned my body underneath his.
This is the end, I thought. I will lose my innocence to this evil creature, I felt weak, and my body hurt, although he had not done anything to me. It was the same feeling I got when I tried to renounce the vow, and I realized that the vow did not want me to be put through this. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do.
I turned my head and screamed for help as he was busy untying his breeches. I prayed for rescue, and it came, but too late.
Everything went black.
"Our sons, have so graciously made their decisions about their future brides. The future of our families will be secured, and we wish to both happy couples a large family and much prosperity. Meriadoc, has chosen Estella Bolger. Peregrin, has chosen Diamond of Long Cleeve. Would these maidens please come to meet their husbands-to-be?"
I felt weak. I could not believe that he had picked me. It wasn't fair, he shouldn't have. I was going to tell him as soon as I got up there. Estel grabbed my arm, and we headed towards the Pavilion. Maidens all around us were grumbling about their rotten luck, a few were clapping politely.
Once we reached the Pavilion, we were expected to take the hand of our betrothed. We did so, but I struggled immensely. I knew what was coming next, and that I could not restrain myself.
"Will you be my bride?" Pippin and Merry asked at the same time. Estel nodded eagerly, but I couldn't bring myself to. I broke away from everyone and ran into the forest nearby, running as fast as I could away from the party.
When I stopped, I was in a clearing, in the middle of the woods. I sat down on a nearby rock, and caught my breath. Why had I run like that? What if Pippin chose someone else? That was something I couldn't bear. I had to go back and find him.
Crunch. I heard twigs on the ground snapping underfoot. I spun around, and saw a lad I knew as Otho Grubb approaching me.
"Well, what have we here?" He said, obviously drunken. He grinned, and grabbed my arm. His breath smelled of ale, and I struggled against him, but he was too strong.
"What are you going to do with me?" I asked, my voice rising in a panic. I knew very well what he was intending to do, but I was hoping that he wouldn't go through with it.
"You are such a pretty lass. You can come with me now, and don't scream for help, alright?" He pulled a knife from its sheath at his belt, and held it up ominously. I swallowed hard, and counted my odds. I felt that I would be fast enough to wrench away from him, and run, if I could only get away. My stupid skirts inhibited my running, so I ran my hand down to the hemline. Otho misapprehended my actions, and kissed me openly. I tried to push him away, but he just laughed. I felt awful, and dizzy. But I knew I had to keep my wits about me.
He started to unlace my bodice, and in doing so, he either diverted some of his attention to me, loosened his grip on my wrist just a little, or both. I seized the opportunity, and wrenched my wrist away from his hand, kicked him square in the belly, and screamed for all my worth. The kick send Otho to his knees, but not for long. As he was struggling to get up, I snatched his knife and held it to his neck.
"I should cut your throat, but I won't, if you stay here, and don't follow me. I am leaving, you filthy swine, and you don't deserve this mercy that I am giving you." I spat, dropping the knife into his lap. I gathered my skirts and ran off, sprinting as fast as I could, not trusting my judgement of letting him live.
I was no farther than fifty paces from the clearing, when Otho started chasing me. I sped up, screaming as loud as I could, hoping, praying that someone would hear. But Otho was too fast, and he soon caught me. He knocked me to the ground, and as I opened my mouth to scream, he kissed me hard.
"That'll teach the miss not to yell for help. Now, where were we?" I gulped, and tried to run, but he pinned my body underneath his.
This is the end, I thought. I will lose my innocence to this evil creature, I felt weak, and my body hurt, although he had not done anything to me. It was the same feeling I got when I tried to renounce the vow, and I realized that the vow did not want me to be put through this. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do.
I turned my head and screamed for help as he was busy untying his breeches. I prayed for rescue, and it came, but too late.
Everything went black.