Darkstache Corpse Bride AU (Discontinued)

The Wedding Rehearsal

  Somewhere in a small town in England lived two well known families. The Barnums, who owned the second biggest company in England, and the Pliers, the Pliers owned the biggest company in England. These two families weren't competing, but joining together. They were joining by having an arranged marriage between their sons, William J. Barnum and Marcus Isaac Plier. These two families have known each other for centuries. They have competed in the past, and the Pliers have always come up on top.
  William stared out of his bedroom window watching as a blue butterfly fluttered past. He sighed looking down at his drawing of the same butterfly. He smiled a bit. Drawing was William's passion and the only thing that really made him happy. He closed his drawing book and opened the window to look down at the street. His mother and father were climbing into the carriage to visit the Pliers, who lived on the next street over. William sighed, brushing and straightening his suit.
   "William! Get down here! We're going to be late!"
Eleanor Barnum, William's mother yelled as she struggled to climb into the carriage. William rushed down the stairs and out the door just as his mother was shoved into the carriage. Hezekiah Barnum, William's father snickered quietly. Eleanor smacks him with her fan. William nervously climbs into the carriage sitting across from his parents.
   "You've certainly hooked a winner this time, William!" Hezekiah said with great enthusiasm,
  "Now all you have to do is reel him in." Eleanor stated sternly,
  "I'm already reeling mother.." William said quietly and nervously,
  "Shouldn't Marcus be marrying another Lord or something?" William asked with curiosity,
  "Nonsense! We're every bit as good as the Pliers!" Hezekiah stated, with the same enthusiasm as before
  "I knew I deserved a better life than this." Eleanor scoffed
"But I've never even spoken to him.." William said sadly
"Well at least we have that in our favor." Eleanor scoffed again. The coachmen coughed harshly, inhaling their pipe as they got the horses to move.
  "Chef, silence that blasted coughing!" Eleanor yelled in anger. Chef wheezed softly.
  The carriage sat in front of the Pliers manor as the Barnums stood in front of the Pliers door.
  "Look at the way you're standing! You look like you got rickets or something..." Eleanor fussed over William as the door opened. The butler, Benjamin, stood in the doorway, his chin held high. He stepped back to let the guests In.
  "Oh, my goodness. Oh, such grandeur! Such impeccable taste!" Eleanor marveled, looking around
  "Oh, beautiful, innit?" Hezekiah smiled, walking cose to his wife.
  "It's not as big as our place, dear" Eleanor tutted
  Benjamin looked at the Barnums and scoffed as if disgusted about letting them in.
  "Bit shabby really, isn't it?" Hezekiah said, actually looking around. Eleanor smacked Hezekiah with her fan.
  "Shut up." Eleanor said quickly.
  Benjamin walked and stood between the families
"Lord and Lady Plier..."
"...Mr. And Mrs. Barnum." Benjamin stated introducing the two families.
"Oh, you must be Mister Marcus. Yes, I must say you don't look a day over." Hezekiah says to John, attempting to be flattering. Eleanor smacks her husband again.
  "No." Eleanor says, trying to shut her husband up.
  "Oh, yes." Hezekiah says, still trying to be flattering and failing.
  "Smile, darling, smile." Rebecca whispers to her husband. John attempts to put on a fake smile.
  "Well, hello. What a pleasure. Welcome to out home." John greets through gritted teeth.
  "Thank you." Hezekiah says, actually smiling
  "We'll be taking tea in the drawing room." Rebecca states turning. As they walk past a piano William stops and brushes his fingers over the keys. He sits at the piano and slowly begins to play.
  In his room, Marcus was getting ready. He was fixing his hair in the mirror when he hears someone down stairs playing the piano in the foyer. Marcus sneers at the music. He walks out of his room and out into the foyer. Marcus stops next to William, his arms crossed in annoyance.
  "You aren't supposed to be touching that." Marcus states. William jolts out of the seat nearly knocking over the flower on the piano.
  "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know!" William says, quickly fixing the seat and the flower.
  "Weren't you taught not to touch things that aren't yours?" Marcus asked, very clearly angry.
  "I-I-" William stutters fearfully shrinking in Marcus's presence.
  "No, don't speak, I don't even want to hear what pathetic excuse you have. We aren't even suppose to be alone together! God, you can't do anything right can you, you big baffon!" Marcus sneers standing over William. William shakes shuffling back a bit. Marcus sighs in annoyance.
  "Come on, we have to start the wedding rehearsal." Marcus grabs Williams hand leading him out of the foyer.
  Hours have passed and William can't seem to say his vows correctly.
  "Master William Barnum, from the beginning, again." Priest Valentine says, very annoyed. William gulps gripping the candle in his hand tightly. Marcus is beside him, annoyed as well.
  "W-With this candle.." William goes to light his candle with the other candle. The candle doesn't light.
  "This candle..." he attempts the second time, still no luck.
  "This candle." The candle still refuses to light. Marcus sighs in annoyance next to William.
  "Shall I get up there and do it for him?" Eleanor whispers to her husband.
  "Don't get all aflutter, dear." Hezekiah says calming his wife.
  "With this candle..." the candle still doesn't light. Marcus rolls his eyes and lights Williams candle.
  "You're supposed to have the candle in your right hand." Marcus whispers. William quickly tosses the candle into his right hand.
  "With this... this..." William freezes lifting his left  hand.
  "Hand." Valentine states, in a loud authoritative voice.
  "With this hand... I... with..." William takes to many steps forward and bumps into the table.
  "Three steps, three! Can you not count? Do you not wish to be married, Master William Barnum?" Valentine asked in an angry voice.
  "No! No!" William replied all too quickly. Everyone in the room gasped.
  "You do not?" Marcus asked, looking hurt.
  "No! I meant, no, I do not not wish to be married. That is, I want very much to.."
  "Pay attention! Have you remembered to bring the ring?" Valentine asked.
  "The ring? Yes. Of course." William squeezes the ring too hard between his fingers and it slips from his hand. The ring rolls under Rebecca's dress. She gasps as William reaches under her dress for the ring. In the process, the candle caught Rebecca's dress on fire. John quickly stomps on the flames trying to put them out. Marcus grabs the cup of wine on the table and dumps it on the fire.
  "You idiot!" Marcus yells, stomping at William.
  "This wedding cannot take place in until Master William is properly prepared! Young man, learn. Your. Vows." Valentine states very angry. William backs into the door and quickly leaves.