This week, I bring to you part one of a short story I have been working on. I have not written any fiction in many years, and felt like it was time to get back to it! I hope you enjoy, and come back to read the rest of the story later!
The wedding day drew near. Elena paced her bedroom listing deadly diseases in her mind, hoping to find one she could feign. A servant knocked and came in, holding her wedding gown. At least the dress was pretty. Elena had been able to select nothing for her wedding but the gown. It was a luxurious wool kirtle in a deep forest green color. Around the edges of the sleeves and the hem of the skirt was sewn an intricately woven band with white, brown, and gold threads. Elena had a new shift of fine bleached linen, and a beautiful pair of forest green hose to match the kirtle. The whole ensemble was so beautiful, she caught her breath. The servant brushed out her hair, and then Elena was left on her own.
After pacing back and forth for an hour or so more, Elena sat down heavily on her bed. She was exhausted, and she was feeling desperate. Despite the fact that her future husband and all of his family and servants were currently spending the night in her home, Elena had not seen him. Her father had failed to mention anything about her future husband, but everything she had managed to glean from household gossip was that Angelus was odd at best, and a consort of the devil at worst. However, she knew he was a man, and that was reason enough to leave. She had to escape, maybe to a convent or something. At least then she would be free from marriage. Unless her husband died before she did, this was her only chance.
Elena slipped into her wedding ensemble, feeling the heavy wool skirt swirl about her ankles as she turned. Once she was dressed, Elena bound up her hair and slipped on her newly embroidered veil. She swept silently around her room, gathering a few sentimental items and all of her jewelry. She intended to use her rings to purchase her place in the convent, along with her dress. Finally, she was ready. Elena lifted off her mattress and unpicked a few strategic stitches from the cover. From inside her mattress she pulled a small leather satchel filled with bread and dried meat, along with a leather canteen full of water. After retrieving the supplies, Elena quickly stitched the mattress closed once more. From there, she pulled the mattress completely off of her bed and untied the ropes holding it up in the bed frame. She coiled one of the ropes and slid it in the leather satchel along with her jewelry. The other she tied firmly to the iron hook beside her window which was used to draw back the heavy curtains. Elena pulled on her heavy wool cloak before testing her weight on the rope. Finally, she was ready. She took a deep breath, and climbed out of the window.
The night was crisp with the first signs of autumn as she descended the wall of the castle. Halfway down, Elena was startled to see another figure climb out of a window to her left. She froze, wondering who it was, and if they had spotted her. The figure continued to descend a few steps before they too froze. Neither spoke, but after a few agonizing minutes, a chill wind began to whip at their exposed hands. The stranger gestured to Elena to continue down. After a moment, she nodded and continued on her way, the stranger doing the same.
At the bottom of the wall, the two stood several yards apart, both staring but neither speaking. After a few more moments, the stranger took a step forward and lowered their hood.
“You must be Elena,” the stranger said in an awe-filled voice. “You are truly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
Elena took a hesitant step back. “And you are?”
“Angelus, at your service.”
Julia Explores 