His Beauty and Her Beast | THOMAS SHELBY

TWO| Church Bells and Gyspy Dances

The day of the wedding, Katelyn's ribs had healed some but walking and practically anything but sitting and laying made her gasp in pain.

Dressed in a flowing white dress with laced in floral details, Katelyn sat while her mother fretted around the room. Her long hair was combed and braided down her entire back with flowers pins through the braid.

"Oh you look darling!" Katherine, Katelyn's mother beamed at the young woman sitting in front of her. On what should be the happiest day of her life, Katelyn sat there resisting the urge to cry. She doesn't even know the name of the man who's to be her husband.

"Don't have that pout, my dear," Kaitlyn's mother advised, leaning down to whisper in her only daughter's ear, "think of it this way, you're getting out of this house and away from his grasp. I made sure the man you're set to marry isn't old and mean, he's 28 and a war hero."

Twenty-eight!? I'm nineteen! That's still a nine year difference.

A small sense of relief filled Katelyn against her will, at least he isn't 50 and a drunkard she thought.

Resolving herself to her fate, Katelyn sat up straight and reminded herself that if her father saw a gloomy face today she'd have more than a tweaked rib.

"You're right, mother, thank you." Katelyn said, forcing some happiness into her voice. It was worth it when Katherine practically cried in joy, happy to see her daughter escape the main source of her pain after all these years being helpless to do anything.

"Now, you will have to deal with your father walking you down the aisle. Then you're free of him," Katherine said, applying the veil to the top of Katelyn's head.

"I can manage that." Katelyn replied. Her mother smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"I know you can, my brave girl."

Not long after, Edward walked into the room. Clad in a fitted suit with a fedora top hat and a cigar in his mouth.

"Ya ready, Katelyn May?"

Katelyn inwardly rolled her eyes, hating whenever Edward addressed her by her first and middle name.

"Ready." Was the short reply that came from Katelyn, standing up with her mother's help. Katelyn stiffly walked towards her father, gingerly interlocking her arm with his, hesitating at first as if his touch would instantly cause pain. Which was the case oftentimes.

Right before they made it to the aisle where everyone would see them, Edward suddenly yanked Katelyn closer towards him and spoke so quietly only she could hear.

"Behave, or I will beat you bloody and sell you to a brothel." Edward sneered quietly, going back to his fake charming demeanor right after.

Shaken, Katelyn managed a small nod to ensure Edward she understood. Satisfied, Edward signalled for the two to continue onto the aisle.

On cue, the Bride's March began playing, and Katelyn had to suppress the urge to cry under the veil that hid her face.

As Katelyn approached her soon-to-be husband, she felt the pain in her ribs grow with her anxiety, swirling together in a cloud of emotion and pain all over her chest. Breathing hurt, walking hurt, existing hurt.

Katelyn approached the front where she's supposed to kneel next to her future husband. Holding her breath, Katelyn knelt next to the man she was about to marry.

From the back Katelyn could tell he was tall and had very broad shoulders, when she glanced towards her side as she knelt down Katelyn saw a glance of bright blue eyes, almost crystal-like.