Chapter Ten
When Jen found Elspeth, she closed, more like slammed, the door shut.
"Are you alright Jen?"
"No! Alanna was right, fathers are horrible"
"How quickly can we get the sister who teaches anger management down here"
"I do not need Anger Management!"
"Sure you don't"
"I'd like to see how you react when your father sets you up for marriage when you are 4 and your no good father waits until you are 16 to tell you!"
"I would take that news with grace and dignity, just as we were taught to."
"I'm glad you feel that way"
No! Not now…Please not now
"Elspeth…do you remember when you were 6, we went and stayed with the Lord of Tirragen?"
"Yes…"
I don't like where this is going, I don't like where this is going, I don't like where this is going one bit
"And you met his son Alexander?"
"The one who pushed me into Lake Tirragen? Yes, I remember him"
"Well…" Elspeth's father just gave a sheepish smile
"No! Absolutely not!"
"Now what was it you had said earlier Elspeth?" Jen said
"Shut it"
"Oh yeah…"I would take that news with grace and dignity, just as we were taught to."
"Shut up! Dad there is no force in the universe powerful enough to make me marry Alexander of Tirragen."
"He apologized"
"Yeah, only after his dad threatened to take away his horse!"
Her father was silent for a while
"He apologized"
"Is that the best argument you can come up with!"
"He grew up! He is 19 now"
"Oh yeah, sure. That argument is so much better"
"I don't care how good the argument is! You are going to marry Alexander, that is that"
"No I'm not!"
"You don't have a choice"
"I'd marry a thief before I'd marry Alex"
"Oh well. That doesn't change anything" her father said "Alex is going to be your escort to the wedding"
"If he is my escort, I'm not going to the wedding"
"Elsi, you have to if you don't go Alanna would be so upset."
"I'll apologize to her later"
"Elsi, you are one of Alanna's maids of honor" Jen said
"I guess she'll just have you Jen"
"You have to go… I'll drag you there if I have to."
There was a knock on the doorframe. Elspeth turned around as saw a man standing in the doorway
He's cute
"Oh, hello Alex" Jen said
Wait…that can't be Alex. This man is cute. The 9 year-old who pushed me into the Lake was…well…not cute
"Lady Jennaya, you become more beautiful everyday"
"Thank you Sir Alexander."
"Sir Alexander, pushed any girls in a lake recently?"
"Elspeth!" her father scolded
"For your information, Lady Elspeth, I have grown up"
"That doesn't answer my question"
"No, Lady Elspeth, I haven't thrown anyone in a lake recently" Alex said "How about you? Have you stolen any horses recently?"
"I didn't steal, I borrowed"
"You took my horse off without my permission!"
"You dumped me in the lake first!"
"That's not the point I didn't think a girl was capable of revenge and I thought you looked cute wet."
"You thought I looked cute?"
"Yeah" Alex said smiling "What happened?"
Elspeth stuck her tongue out at Alex "I became beautiful"
"You sure did."
"We…um…we should go. The wedding starts in less than hour and we have a lot of catching up to do"
"10 years of it" Alex said as Elspeth and his eyes locked
After Alex and Elspeth left, Jennaya crossed her arms "At least someone is happy about their marriage" and then she walked off to finish getting ready.
an hour later
"Where is Elspeth!"
"Calm down Lanna, she'll be here"
"The wedding is about to start!"
"I'm here! I'm here Lanna!"
"You're late!"
"I thought you didn't want to get married"
"I don't"
"Then why are you so touchy?"
"Because! Even if I don't want to get married, a wedding is suppose to be the most important day in the life of a young girl"
"Alright I'm sorry, I'm here, lets just get this show on the road."
"Where is Alex?" Jennaya asked
"He's…he's…"
"Lady Alanna, are you ready for your wedding?" Alex said running in
"He's right here"
"Come on Elspeth, lets go fix your hair and make-up" Jennaya said
"Why? What is wrong with it?"
"It…um…well…"
"It looks like you were just making out for an hour"
Alex smiled. Elspeth blushed.
"Ok… Else honey come on lets get this taken care of. Two minutes Alanna."
Elspeth and Jen walked over to the mirror. Jen shoved Elspeth down into a chair and started fixing her make-up while the servant named Kathleen did her hair.
"So you and Else?" Alanna asked Alex
"Yep… about six months."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"Are you sure you want to marry her? She isn't very lady-like you know"
"Funny, she said the same thing about you"
(The wedding begins)
Lord Alan was waiting. He was going to give away his baby girl
"Dad?"
Lord Alan's jaw almost hit the floor. Alanna was wearing a…a…a dress! A pretty white dress with a lace veil and train. He noticed that there was some embroidery over the chest that looked remarkably like a golden lioness on her hind legs.
"My little girl" Lord Alan said
"Come on Dad, we have to go down the aisle now"
Lord Alan walked Alanna down the aisle. He passed her off to Roger, and took his seat.
You can still get out of this Alanna! It isn't official until you say the words 'I do'
"Do you, Duke Roger of Conte, take Lady Alanna to be your wife? To have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or poorer, in sickeness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
"I do"
Damn. He is making this difficult for me
"Do you, Lady Alanna of Treabond, take Duke Roger to be your husband? To have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
Last chance Alanna, just turn around and run back up the aisle. Come on! Just turn around and run!
Alanna felt her foot start to pivot.