Erin stared out of the window of her room as her maidens and her mother fussed around her making sure she was perfectly dressed and made up for her wedding.
Today was her day. At least that was what her mother and father told said. She didn’t agree. She did not want to be married. It was her fathers’ day. He was getting exactly what he wanted.
She did not want to be married but she had no choice. Her father had threatened to cast her out if she did not marry Horton Ashford.
When they were finally satisfied that she looked like a bride, they sent word that she was ready.
Her father joined them in her chamber a short while later and led her to the chapel that was attached to the castle.
Horton Ashford and the guests were all waiting eagerly.
Eugene led Erin down the aisle and finally left her before the altar where she stood beside Horton. The priest began the service and Horton and Erin exchanged their vows.
Horton kissed Erin and the service ended soon after. Horton and Erin left the chapel and were congratulated by the guests before they made their way to the banquet hall.
Eugene was positively beaming and Erin’s mother looked happy too. Erin did her best to appear happy even though she was as far from it as could be.
When the wedding feast was over Erin and Horton retired to the chamber they would share for the evening before departing to go and live on a property five miles away that the families had purchased together for their newlywed children.
“At last all the ceremony is done,” Horton said as he undressed.
“Indeed, it is,” Erin replied. “Can you help me get out of my dress please?” she asked.
Horton helped Erin get out of her dress. She stood in her underwear, embarrassed and shy. Horton stepped forward and tried to remove her underwear but Erin stepped back and resisted.
“What is the matter?” Horton asked irritated.
“I’m sorry. I’m not ready. Please give me some time,” Erin said.
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Horton. He grabbed Erin and she resisted but he finally succeeded in ripping her undergarments from her body.
Erin screamed but he silenced her with a slap and she fell onto the bed.
Horton quickly removed his underwear and then fell on Erin. She lay still as tears flowed from her eyes and down the sides of her face soaking the bedsheet.
She felt Horton enter her roughly and she felt the pain as he broke her virginity but he didn’t care. She became as stone as he thrust into her again and again. He did not even notice she was not moving as he selfishly took his pleasure with her body.
As he thrust into her, she thought of Lark and wished it was him she had married, wished it was him who was making love to her. When Horton was finished, he lay on top of her for a while before finally rolling off her.
“There, that wasn’t so hard was it?”
Erin lay on the bed not saying a word. Horton fell asleep beside her and was soon snoring loudly.
Erin could not sleep. She could not imagine spending the rest of her life like this. She hated her father and refused to speak to him unless she had to. She had not agreed to marry Horton but she had not had any choice in the matter. With Lark gone, the light in her life was gone.
She felt like a prisoner and her thoughts darkened intensely as she thought of the years that stretched away ahead of her living in a loveless marriage.
She did not bother to dress properly but simply pulled a coat around another set of undergarments that she put on before she stepped outside and made her way to the big tree that stood at the bottom of the garden. She studied the tree in the moonlight and tested its strength. It was strong and old. She looked up at the branches and selected one that she was sure was the strongest. It was not too high either. She had a plan and soon she would put it into action.
She returned to the house then, unaware that someone watched her from the long grass in the field beyond the clearing in which the tree stood.