Sorry about the wait, but I wanted to be sure I was going with this direction, or if I was going to change….

I will probably write this story idea with a different plot, but it will end the same and have the same effect. It will also be a short story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, only this tiny change to the end of the story.

Gemma POV

It has been two months since that nightmare, and I have yet to wake up. The image of him lying in my arms, dying so I can have life, seems so cruel. Why should I have been the one to be saved when all I want is to curl up and make all the pain go away? What I wouldn't give to have been able to change what happened in the Realms. Or perhaps to see my beloved Kartik, to have him hold me once again, or whisper my name. To have him kiss me, or murmur in my ear that everything would be okay, that we would work it out together.

But this shall never be, because he is gone and I am alone. All alone.

Things have changed now. I have returned to my grandmother's home in London, and the season has started. Father is ill, and men from America have come for our seasons, and though I have not been out, Father feels that I need to be married while he is still in England, and still with us. I believe he understands that something has happened to me that I cannot and will not explain, so he has left me alone.

He also believes, however, that this gives him permission to choose a "suitable" husband for me, and has been going to parties and dinners looking for such a man that would be good for me. When he came to me in the parlour last night, where I was mindlessly stitching with Grandmother, he announced that he had found the man that I would marry. I was, of course, furious. I am still in mourning for the death of Kartik, and he wants me to marry another? I told him I didn't want to marry! I restated this last night.

Flashback to the night before, parlour

"Gemma, I have found him!" my father exclaimed as he waltzed into the parlour with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"Found who, father?" I asked confused. I looked to Grandmother for explanation, but she only smiled proudly, not saying a word.

"Your future husband, of course!" he looked so excited and happy for me, but I sat there in horrified shock as he continued. "He's wonderful, pet. He has just moved here from America, charming, wealthy, and even handsome! I showed him the miniature of you, and he instantly looked so mesmerised, as if he was staring into the face of Aphrodite! Can you believe-Gemma? What's wrong, pet?"

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS? It's my life! How dare you decide who I shall marry? I told you clearly that I do not want to marry anyone, let alone some stranger that I haven't even met! Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this?"

"Gemma, I am trying to give you a good life! I'm not well, pet. I want to see that you are well taken care of before I die, and this man is the perfect man to take care of you. I told him about you Gemma, and he wants to marry you, even though he hasn't met you. He knows that we don't have a lot of money, but that is not concern to him, that has to tell you something, don't you think? I have checked with resources as well, and he has no records of arrests, gambling addictions, nothing! Perfectly clean! He also seems to come from a kind English family that had moved to America. Gemma, I truly believe he is a good man, and you deserve that. I can see how sad you have been for the past few months, Gemma, and I believe that this will make everything better!"

He looked so sad and helpless, stating how worried he has been about me, and I instantly felt guilty. He deserves better than me for a daughter. He deserves a daughter who he could be proud of, and not have to worry for. And though my heart will always belong to Kartik, I have to accept that he will never come back, and that maybe this man could make me comfortable and safe. For father, I will do it. Not that it matters, anyway. Nothing could make things worse for me than this never ending pain.

"Alright, father. I will meet him, and then I will give you my opinion. If I find that I do not like him, will you please reconsider? Please, Father?"

He sighed in relief. "Of course I will take your own opinion into account, Gemma. Thank you for giving him a chance. Now," he said, now speaking to Grandmother as well. "I have invited him to tea tomorrow, at three o'clock." He turned to leave, but I had one question.

"What is his name, father?" I asked him. I deserve to know the name of the man I may be forced into marrying.

"Carter, his name is Carter Brown." With that, he turned and went up to bed.

Flashback to present

Now I am upstairs in my room, dressed in a simple pale yellow dress that contrasts with both my skin and my hair. I look in the mirror as my maid finishes my hair, and I have to admit I look beautiful. Never before had I thought of myself as anything more than average, maybe pretty on a good night. But ever since the last visit to the Realms, my features have been enhancing until now, where I could probably be considered to be prettier than Felicity, even as beautiful as Pippa was. None of this mattered to me, of course. I'm already engaged, of course.

Before it is official, though, I have to give the final okay. Father has agreed, grudgingly, that if I feel that the man is a creep and I make a convincing argument, I won't have to marry this Carter Brown. Let's hope he has some terrible habit or perhaps he's rude…no, Father would not have let me meet him if he was. Curse it. There's knocking at my door.

"Miss Doyle, your father requests that you come down to the front room to meet your guest." Said Mrs. Jones through the door. I answered that I would be down in a moment, and dismissed my maid. Looking in my reflection, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Once I was composed, or as much as I ever would be, I stood up and opened the door, and slowly descended the stairs, trying to keep myself calm the whole way down.

Once I reached the bottom, I walk to the front parlour room doors, and taking another deep breath, I opened them.

Standing in the room were my father, Tom and a man speaking with them with his back to me. He had curly dark brown hair and was dressed in slightly dressier than common clothes, but not overly done. Like he was trying to be comfortable but also impress.

"Gemma, come in! Sweetheart, this is Carter Brown. Mr. Brown, this is my daughter, Gemma," When Father started speaking, Mr. Brown turned around so that he was facing me, and I was frozen. It couldn't be. It's not possible.

Who is it? Take a guess...next chapter will be up soon (hopefully faster than the last)

Bibliophile