𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Midnight Truth

"I must get going." I said into Wymonds chest. It was almost dark.

He moaned. "If you have to."

"I could stay here forever." I whispered. "In this moment. With you."

He tilted his face and kissed the top of my head. "I could too."

"I don't want to go back. I can't go back. Not to Mother and her snobbiness. Not to Father and his choice of my husband."

"Go back to Lena then. You don't want her to become one of them, do you? You need to teach her how she should behave. So go back for her."

I looked up into his eyes and I knew he was right.

***

"Hilda!" Mother's voice echoed around the yard. As I came out of the stable, I saw Mother standing with her hands on her hips. "We've sent multiple parties out looking for you. Where have you been?"

"Hilda!" This worried voice was Lenas. Before I realized what was happening, I was engulfed by her. She was crying. "I thought you had disappeared. Gone forever!"

"Hey, I'm back now." I soothed.

"Lena, get away from your sister." Mother snapped. "Your Father and I would like a chat with you alone."

As Lena reluctantly stepped back, I said, "fuck your chat. Just let me be."

"Hilda!" It was Father. "Don't use such language."

"We have organized for Ferox to take you into town." Mother said hotly.

No. No way. I thought. "Great." I tried to hide my disappointment and I think it worked.

"Very well." Father said. "I will call off the search parties." He added, turning to Mother.

***

The only light was coming from the moon through the glass windows at intervals along the hallway.

"Lena." I whispered through the thick door before I turned the handle.

As I walked in, I could hear the soft cry's coming from her bed.

"Hey." I lulled, placing my hand on her shoulder. "Why are you crying?"

She tried to steady her breathing. "I thought you had left me. You've never been out for that long before. I know you hate the thought of marriage but please, don't do anything stupid."

"How do you mean?" I asked, knowing full well she knew exactly what I was like.

"I heard you shout at Father and Mother. Then I saw you leave so I decided to follow. I got on Dream and rode behind you, just out of sight. I saw you go out of the boundary and across the open fields and hills. I couldn't leave the tree line else you would see me. I turned back then and left you be. You obviously needed space."

We sat in silence for a few moments. My head was whirling.

"Did you say where I went?" I asked.

"No. No, I told no one. I came back and I said that I went for a short ride, that was all."

"Thank you." I said and squeezed her hand.

"Come here." She said and made room for two.

I lay down next to her. Should I tell her the truth?

"Lena, I want you to listen and I want you to promise that everything I say, you will repeat to no one."

"I promise." She whispered and tilted her face to look at me. I remained staring straight into the blackness of the roof above.

"There is a place, a lake, that I go to when I need peace." I started, quietly. "After that day in the town I told you about - Wymond, the Hunter, ran into me when I was there. We got talking and I know now that I fell in love."

"Hilda, you-"

"I know." I interrupted. "Our love is forbidden and now I must marry Ferox."

"I thought there was someone else."

"Duke. Yes, but I cannot marry him either. It will be Ferox and that is final."

"Did you like Duke as well?"

"I was making do." I said truthfully. "He was the most like Wymond and I know it was wrong of me to do that." I paused, took a deep breath and said, "oh, Lena, Duke and I kissed!"

"What?" She sat up and looked down at me.

"The day that I ran off again, Duke found me. We were alone in the woods. It just happened!"

"Hilda." She breathed, not even knowing the worst of it yet.

"There is more though. Today, I was swimming in the lake."

"Goodness, weren't you cold?"

I laughed but chose to ignore this. "I saw Wymond again and-"

"You were swimming in the lake. Please say you had something on!"

"Nope! Anyway, he asked if he could join me. I said yes."

"Really?"

I told her about falling and Wymond helping me.

"He does seem nice." Lena said.

"There is more though. We kissed."

"Another man!"

"And we fucked."

Silence.

"Dear lord. What ever were you thinking?"

"I love him, Lena. I love him."

"You are an idiot, you know that?"

I didn't know weather to feel relieved or to kick myself for telling her everything. She is my sister and she deserves to know, I thought.

"Now what? You have lost your purity and you are expected to marry Ferox."

"We need to come up with a plan." I said, one already forming in my head.