Hello

And welcome back to The Gallows!

So now we get to see Lucy in the story, finally!

Some things might not make sense as of now

But the more you read into their choices and actions through the

Story then it will be clearer.

Thank you for reading!

Enjoy!


The Gallows

'Of their smiles, their smiles of plated gold-'

First Noose: A Bundle of Misery


OoOoO

"Young Miss you must hurry and get prepared!" The tailor hastily assisted her in slipping the pure white and silk dress onto her body. She zipped up the back of the blonde's dress and turned her around to face her, "Honestly, it is almost dusk, and you have yet to be prepared for your intended to come home!" Her brown eyes shifted away from the grumbling tailor as she toyed with her dress and stared out the window of the shop. How had it gotten so late so quickly? It seemed like just hours before she had awoken to sunlight on her face. Perhaps she was excited for the night's events? Her eyes roamed to the sparkling ring on her hand.

Or maybe she was nervous.

The whole day she had been a bit of a space head, barely paying attention to the minister's words as he spoke to her detachedly and told her where she should be and when she would speak. It was not as if she was not excited, in a way, she is although she was more eager than anything. Her soft hands ran over the bump visible under her silk gown. How long had it been? She could no longer remember, five, maybe six months? She could not help but be terrified for when her time came.

The blonde had heard the stories shared by mouths of mothers all around the town of just how painful the experience is, never had she gotten the chance to speak to them directly, for they were above her and turned their noses away. Maybe they were just afraid. It is a possibility, but it was one she, herself, could not avoid if anything were to go wrong. The tailor ushered her out of the back room and to a stylist who gave her a brief, appraising look as he studied her. "You look lovely, Lady Lucy." She nodded in thanks before allowing him to play with her hair.

How much longer until he would come home? Another hour or so, probably not even that. Her intended had promised to be on time just before the sun had fully set. Although he was not always one to keep his promises of when he would arrive back, sometimes coming a few hours later or a day later than promised. It was not as if she minded, more that she wondered if something had happened or if he would come home to her safely. That was it. Lucy tilted her head to the side as instructed. This would be her final few hours she had left until her freedom was taken away, before she was bound to a man her heart did not desire.

She was rushed out of the shop and taken to a simple but beautiful church on top of a small hill, it was almost time. A few more minutes before the sun would set. Was her intended already awaiting her? The church bells rang and the sound of the organ playing its tune merrily was heard, although to Lucy, it held more of a somber tune rather than its usual joyous tone. Perhaps the player could sense her unease? She was led down a short, carpeted path before the doors to the main hall of the church was opened.

He was there.

In all his glory, her fiancé was standing there with a small smile on his face. She could not help but admit that he looked handsome in his suit with his hair slightly slicked back, had she been any other person, she was sure her joy would have her racing down the red path that led to him, but she is not. Lucy took slow and gracious steps toward him, a tight smile on her face as roses in her hand were clutched tightly to her. The reception was not something large nor was it particularly fancy, just a simple celebration with her father, and in-laws along with a few trusted friends and the minister in attendance.

It one thing Lucy was sure she loved about the whole day.

Her eyes went back to his as she was handed off by her father, a few words murmured by them that went over her before he left, and her fiancé took her hands gently and they face the minister. His words were agonizingly slow and before she knew it once again, she was facing her intended as he raised the veil placed delicately over her golden hair and pale face. "You look lovely Lucy." His blue eyes looked into hers earnestly, it was hard for her to hold the stare, but she somehow did.

"Thank you," she accepted his praise reluctantly and allowed her eyes to quickly roam over his clean form. "You look very handsome tonight, Gray." He smirked and tightened his grip on her hands slightly, a shine to his deep eyes. She did not feel as good as what he was saying if she was being honest with herself, Lucy felt out of place and she wanted to leave badly, but she could not. The minister finished his small speech before finally looking at Gray.

"Do you, Gray Fullbuster, take Lucy Heartfilia to be your wife, the woman who shall bound you to life as you shall bound her?" Without hesitance, Gray spoke with a strong and clear voice.

"I do. I pledge myself to her until the day I part from this world." Oh, Mavis how hard could he make this for her? The minister turned to her and repeated the same question, but she allowed herself to hesitate.

Was she doing the right thing? The guilt was starting to eat at her, working its way into her voice and preventing her from making her answer know. Should she be doing this? The obvious answer was a no, but she couldn't refuse it, she couldn't do it to him, to herself or to the little one growing inside her. Although she opened her mouth to answer, her hesitance had cost her as the church doors were slammed open and in marched a few men of high authority. Gray gripped her arms and held her protectively in his arms. "You are interrupting our ceremony!"

The men ignored him and walked up to them, staring intently at Lucy. "Your intended has committed adultery and is to be hung for her sins." She flinched at the accusation; she had no choice! How had they found her? Had someone tipped them off? They had all skipped town to escape their holds on her, but they had come chasing after her. Lucy looked beside them at the minister who wore a barely noticeable smirk. It was him! The stuck up, arrogant power-hungry minister had given up her secret and allowed himself to be bathed in the law's graciousness toward him.

She did not have a say! No voice! Why could not they ever understand this! Lucy could not remember how many times she had heard mothers cry and tell the guards of the brutal crime that was committed against them but there was never a sympathetic ear there to listen to them. But she had listened. She heard every plea they threw at the crowd to go against them and listened as their necks snapped and their loved ones cry out in sorrow. Now, now it was happening to her and she could not get out of it.

Gray refused to release her. "And what right do you have to accuse my intended of such an act?" He was trying to defend her although even Lucy noticed his hesitance to outright say that this child was his and not another mans', even if it was true it made her heart clench painfully in her chest at the thought of him not accepting them.

"There is a bounty on her head for committing adultery with a man and producing a child while unwed." One of the higher powers spoke up with a scroll in his hand. She could feel Gray's muscles tense beneath her hands, and she could just barely stop herself from letting out a whimper. She heard her father speak up calmly.

"Gentlemen, my son did not mean to accuse any of you. He is simply on edge of the possibility of his wife being taken from him, he loves her dearly, although may I ask what proof you may have besides the bounty over her head?" Her father gave them a sharp look, "That is my grandchild and my little girl you are trying to punish, and I will not consent to her arrest until I see something that can prove she has committed such an act." Lucy knew her father wouldn't consent to her being taken even if there was solid proof, but she had to be reasonable with them.

"Here," One said, holding up another scroll. "A written testimony of the Lady reporting a man stripping her of her innocence." She had forgotten about the report she made. What little that had done her. The guards roughly grabbed her arm and shoved Gray to the ground before subduing her. The ropes were already beginning to hurt with how tight they had tied them around her wrists, Lucy briefly wondered if they were trying to cut off her circulation.

"Unhand me!" She ripped herself free of the man's grip and stepped away from him quickly before he tried to reach for her again. "I will join you willingly, but I will not allow you barbarians to touch me so freely or roughly." They snorted at her.

"You have no say."

"The Hell I don't!" She grit at them, they looked almost astonished to see a lady use such language. Well right about now she did not care what they thought, "Either I walk on my own or speak poorly of you men who so terrible touched a woman despite the knowledge of their wives' discontent."

"You wouldn't dare! No one can hear you from that lonesome cell you're in and you will be dead soon enough!"

"No, I may not live too long but word by the mouth spreads quickly if it is shouted across town." She smiled coyly, "My name still upholds a good impression on these citizens to which I have never spoken a lie. Honestly, who will they believe?" They glared at her but relented none the less, giving her a slightly gentler shove in the back and walked behind her as she walked out of the church with her long white dress flowing behind her.

Lucy could faintly hear Gray calling her name behind her and her father's disgruntled murmurs to her fiancé. If they were fine, she could do this. She rubbed her swollen stomach, an indifferent look to her eyes; she did not know what to feel. Angry? Afraid? Resentful? Sad? Maybe it was a combination of all of it, but she hated the indifference she was feeling towards the child growing within her.

It was a while later before they finally reached where she would be held until morning and then taken to the tree just outside her holding area where she would be hung in the early hours of the morning.


The Gallows

'-Deceit so natural.'

Second Noose


ALaViola: There you have it! Now the really interesting things will start in the next chapter! For awhile I wasn't sure how to go about this chapter but I finally figured out what I wanted and here it is! It will take me a bit to update after this one
as this was already written years ago when I initially made
The Gallows and as I have lots to do with real life and my other stories
this won't be a major priority for me at the moment
until one of my other stories is completed.
Anyway, thank you for the reviews and for reading!
Until next time!

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