Writing Prompt Part 1

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It had never been my intent to marry young. Marriage itself had always been foreign to me. The thought of marrying a man I had never met seemed completely out of the idea. Sadly, though my father did not think the same. I wrestled with the idea of whether I should consent to the marriage or make an escape in the dead of night. I had argued with my father, but he would not listen. Half the time he was drunk which made him of no use to talk to. He was as stubborn as a mule but so was I. Night after night I lay motionless in my bed staring at the sealing and canceling my ideas of making an escape that night. I thought of myself as fearless and brave to achieve such a quest of escape but when the time had come, I would fail utterly. Then the day came. The day at which I was to never sleep alone again. To wear a ring on my finger and live with a man whose hair color I was void of at present.

I had heard he was a man of fine health. Was not in the least sickly. Though, I had never met nor seen him, so knew nothing for certain. My father, who had arranged this so-called marriage, had never met the lad, as he called him, either. He himself knew little and told me less. Father’s strength was not speech, but neither was mine. Thankfully though, I possessed some of what my mother had which was a witty tong and fine humor. This situation though, I found neither witty nor humorous, as I think few girls would.

That day was of the most pain I had ever felt. When I was a young girl my mother had died leaving me alone in this world, as I thought. The pain of that day and days after had been excruciating pain. I never thought pain could be worse. Little did I know, for to have to marry a man you have never met at the age of seventeen, without your mother’s comfort nor wisdom was of more pain than my heart could bear. I had never missed my mother more now than I did in the weeks after she died. My father did not know how to raise me. After my mother died, he turned to the demon licker to fill his emptiness. Though, one’s belly being full does not change the emptiness of one’s heart and soul. That is one place that God alone can fill.

With our once fortune going to licker my father began to run into debt and with debt came gabling and with gabling came more debt. The debt rose those 4 years she was gone. Rose until my father did not know what else to do but to marry me to someone with great abundance. Money that is. We still barely had our home and most of our servants which made us appear to be in fine standing, except to those who we were in det to. I still had my dowry, thank God, for he had not yet turned it into licker.

Still my pain grew. My mind wrestled all day with the escape I once again planned. I scolded myself for not having done it the night before or the night before that. At dinner that night I took but one bite of my food. My father had caught my nerves and assured me the wedding jitters would soon pass and to not be afraid of the lad thinking me pretty for I took after him. He was not drunk but continued at the glasses of wine next to his plate. He then continued.

“Mrs. Lewis,” the mother of the lad and my name to be, “is a fine woman and will make a fine mother-in-law. She has assured me of her son’s capability to take care of you.” I heard this talk before. At least a dozen times. Still, he talked, drank wine, and ate. He was in a pleasant mood. I am sure it had nothing to do with great assistance of wealth she would give him.

 I had met the old hag but once. She came calling one afternoon about a month ago to meet me and to assure her son’s arrival before the wedding. I was to meet him but then it seemed he had a delay in his trip around the world and would not get back till the day before the wedding. I was grateful at first but then I saw that it still would have been nice to know his looks and age before walking down the aisle. I did not want to confuse him with the preacher. I assumed he was more than a “lad” as had been thought, for his mother looked old enough to be my grandmother.

Apart from all these things, my jitters came from the idea of him being in the same town as me. I would not go outside nor glanced out my window, which faced the street, for fear of seeing a man who happened to be him. His mother lived on the far side of King Burrow which made it silly for me to fear seeing him. Still, I feared.

At last, my father finished his dinner and I finished arranging mine on my plate.

“Well dear,” said my aged father as he stood up from his chair and set his napkin beside his plate. “I think I shall turn in early. I assume you are tired as well. Important day tomorrow. You will need to get up early in order to get ready and look your best.”

Why should I look my best for a man twice my age? I should look my worst and maybe halfway down the aisle he will change his mind.

My father made his way to me and placed a kiss on my forehead. Something that he seldom did. “Good night dear.”

“Good night,” I whispered back in a voice he could not hear. My mind was in thought and my eyes unmoved as they had been the entire day. Slowly but surely, I made my way out of my chair. I grabbed a nearby candle and struck a match to light it. The sun had just finished setting and its glow no longer lit the sky.

It took me a tremendous amount of time to climb the long stairs to my bedroom on the second story. There was no rush to make it to the top. Once I reached my room, I quickly packed a small bag of clothes and things to make my getaway. As I did so I questioned whether to make my way out a door or a window. Finally, I faced my optioned. It was but a bit past seven and I knew the servants would be up for a few more hours. I could leave out a door in 3 hours or so, or I could leave now out my bedroom window. The later at which scared me a bit for I was up on the second story of the house and death seemed a possibility. A possibility at which I did not object to tremendously at the time.

 I walked to my door and peeked out to catch a glimpse of a maid making her way down the hall. I knew the possibility of making my way out of a door of our house, without being spotted, were near impossible. My cousin Ella was to come to the house at 8. She was to be my bride’s maid and help me getting ready. I knew I needed as big of a head start as possibly to make the best getaway. The window did seem to be the best option for that. In making the decision I began to tie my bed sheets together as I had planned a few nights before. My body shook and I found it difficult to tie them. I opened my window and threw my carpet bag out to the ground below. The chilly night air met my face and made me shiver still I continued. Shakily I tied one end of my “rope” to my heavy bed and threw the tale out my window. With a large blow of air from my mouth I extinguished my candle. I then began my descend. It seemed easier than I had thought for the bricks against the house provided good grip for my feet. Slowly I glanced around to make sure no one was spotting me. The left side of our house was still and peaceful with not a soul in sight.  When I turning to my right, I was shocked. I had been seen.

 A human.

 I almost lost my grip and fell.

 A young man mirrored my image from the house next door. His image was faint yet well in sight. This startled me and took me a second to pull myself together. He too was climbing out of a window but with a rope, which proved better than bed sheets. Our eyes locked and he looked just as shocked as me. After a second he continued his climb and landed his feet on the solid ground. I proceeded to try to do the same. Then is when I fell. Straight down into the bushes below still holding my untrusted sheet. Quite clumsily and I did let out a gasp despite my efforts to keep quiet. The sheets which I tied together where of good condition, but I am afraid the knots I tied where a different story. I blamed myself for my clumsy mishap though it was not entirely my fault. I had never run away before and had never been taught how to tie bed sheets together in a sufficient way to hold one’s weight. Though I shatter to think of anyone who would give lessons on such a thing.

From my position I saw the man’s figure leap over the 4-foot wall which stood as a divider between my home and the one he had come from. I sat up and began to dust off my legs. Thankfully, I was near enough the ground that I was not sufficiently injured.

“Miss! Miss! Are you alright?” I heard a voice nearing my present state on the lawn.

“Yes, I am fine. Thank you,” I said as the young man bent towards me.

“It seems your bed sheets where not tied together as well as they ought.” A grin spread across his handsome face as he looked up at the remaining rope which still hung from my window. I let out a small laugh.

“Indeed.” I started to try and stand. He offered his hand and I accepted. “Maybe next time I will take your example and use a rope.” Finally standing, I was able to see what he looks like properly. He was a tall lean fellow with a full head of hair. It was light and combed softly back or had been at one time. It seemed that the descend from his window had caused the wave that had once been in his hair to array. He was dressed in fine clothing. Nothing that would be worn by a king but not that which would be worn by a beggar or servant for that matter. He most certainly was that of a gentleman or a gentleman’s son.

His lips curved into a small smile and then awkward silence grew between us. What were we to say? Two people who meet while descending out of windows? Unheard of.

“What seems to be your reason to climb out of your window at this hour?” He said breaking what ought to be broke.

“Oh that?” I said with a laugh and grin. My wit and humor seemed to kick in for the first time that month. “Well, I always like climbing out my window at night. Good exercise. The night air is good for the lunges.” A grin broke across his face as he looked towards his feet. “No,” I sighed. “My wedding day is tomorrow. My father is forcing me to marry a man I have never met, and I shall not stand for it.” Realizing the words had just flew out of my mouth I picked up my bag that lay to my right. Such things I had not spoken out loud and came as a shock to hear them with my own ears. It was strange enough to say such things but stranger still to speak them to a stranger.

“Married? Tomorrow morning? To someone you have never met?” He said in a voice of confusion but mostly something else that I could not pinpoint.

“Indeed. I’ve never laid eyes on the man.”

“Really?” He let out a small chuckle. I looked up at him with a confused brow and his laugh ended. “What is the name of this scoundrel of man anyway? Does he live in these parts?”

“Mr. Theodore Lewis. Why? Do you know him?”

“Oh, um really? A… I do. A bit... But um ugh, not as well as I should, I believe.” My brows knitted as I again reflected on this conversation which seemed very bizarre to be having with this man.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a pause. “Forgive me. Fredrick.” He held out his hand and I again excepted.

“Annabelle,” I said as I shook his hand and kept to my first name as he had. “And what is your reason for your climb?”

“Oh,” he hesitated with a chuckle. “Just some nightly exercise I guess.” As he said this a noise was heard from my above window. The door to my bedroom was being opened. I looked up to my window and could see the glow of a candle.

“Annabelle?!” came a voice from above. A voice I had heard many a time.

“I think someone is calling you,” he said quickly shifting his feet towards the wall he had just climbed. “Will you be at the palace ball next week?” He began to run towards the wall.

“What? No…”

“I hope to see you there,” he said with his eyes lit and a large smile on his face. “Goodbye!” And with that he leaped over the wall. His figure disappeared from my eyes but still I looked. I stood in shock for a moment at the sweetness Fredrick bore. A smile crossed my face without thought of doing so, but my thoughts where soon interrupted.

“Miss Annabelle!” came the sweet voice of the old maid. She stood perched over my window looking down into my eyes with a candle in her hand. “What in heaven’s name are you doing down there? You aren’t running, away are you?”

“Of course not,” I said with a small grin and hesitation. “Just getting my nightly exercise that’s all.” Hannah had seen me and would tell the other’s if she saw me run right before her eyes. I knew I could no longer leave. Not that I any longer wanted to. The last month without sleep finally hit me like a wall. The energy which I had possessed for my getaway 10 minutes ago no long ran through my veins.

“Nightly exercise indeed! You will get ill in this night air!”

“You’re quite right Hannah. I wish to go to bed. Would you come down and open the door for me.” I surprised myself with the words I spoke along with tone I spoke them in. I said them with a cheerful voice that was calm and quiet.

 Hannah did so as I had asked, and I made my way to bed in fulfillment of my words. Hannah took my sheets from my window and the lawn and put fresh ones on my bed. She closed my window and promised to keep my nightly exercise a secret my from my father as I had asked her. The plump women helped me dress for I found it difficult being in the daze I was.  I ran the memory of my attempt to escape over and over in my mind. Still, it puzzled me. Even after Hannah left me in my bed to dream of fairies and what not I still found myself baffled. I truly wondered if my fall had injured me more than I had thought. Quickly though I fell asleep while wondering what made me no longer wish to flee my home. Perhaps it was my injury or the sleep that awaited me. Or perhaps neither. Perhaps it was the unusual meeting. Yes, it must have been. It must have been the bizarre young gentleman, whose acquaintance I had just become.

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