I'll Leave You Words

.11 - 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓵𝓮𝓭

𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒
⋆⋅✧⋅⋆
(shackled)

𝐂louds lined the spring sky, tainting its bright blue into a dull gray. It was as though not even the sun could dare to face Judith's demise. However, Aunt March's smile made up for the gloominess and gave light to the world on this dark day. This had been the moment she had been waiting for her for the past sixteen years, after all. She could finally let Veronica Almeida go knowing she had spared her daughter the troubles that dared to ruin her so. It had never been easy. Judith had been defying her since the day she brought her back to Massechusits; it was a trait she had acquired from her father no doubt. Veronica was never so bold. But in the end, she won, she saved the poor child. Whether she would see that in return seemed unlikely but Aunt March could rest easy knowing she would be cared for. 

Judith however wore no expression. She wore no anguish for the life she was losing or joy for the one she had gained. She was just empty as she carefully stepped out of the carriage. No emotion thumped her now cold heart. It was the only way she'd be able to cope with what was to come, to shut it all off. She looked a decorated corpse as her feet met the coarse pebble of the road. Dread bellowed in her stomach as she looked ahead of her to see the man waiting. He stood before a beautiful estate, one that put even Fred's to shame, his arm wrapped gently around an elder woman's. Judith could see his smile from where she stood a few feet back. His blonde hair had styled neatly atop his head and he wore a fancy velvet coat that appeared to swallow his figure whole. 

She couldn't help but wonder what Jo would think if she could see her now, surely the girl would have swum the ocean itself to get here and rescue her. 

She probably looked like the devil to him. 

Aunt March insisted she wears bright pastel colors to welcome the new spring and season of celebration, but this was no joyful meeting for her. This was a time of mourning and death and she would represent it as such. Judith's hands clasped together against the front of her skirt, the lace of her gloves catching against the other. She refused to hold Aunt March's arm even when she persistently held it out for her. 

"Judith." Aunt March quietly scolded, but the younger girl said nothing and kept her eyes trained ahead with the same blank expression still on her face. All she had to do was get through the introduction and then she could force her leave. "You must present yourself well. This is to be your husband."

Husband. The word sent a strike of pain through Judith's heart. It took everything she had not to flinch at the sound of it. "Husband?" She inquired, her questioning gaze quickly dropping to her Aunt. "But this is to just be an introduction. You said-"

"I said I found you a plausible fellow, one I much approve of." Aunt March interrupted, her tone leaving no room for her to argue but somehow she did anyway.

"You spoke of a suitor," Judith stated, fighting against the anger threatening to build her words. "Not a husband." He appeared quite gifted in beauty, she would admit, but he lacked the brown curls nor sharp green eyes that constantly plagued her mind into insanity. 

Aunt March turned away from her, irritation beginning to flash in her eyes as she looked ahead to the man Judith was to marry. "Suitors are for children and the unfortunate, Judith. There will be no more as you are neither."

Tears stung her eyes as her heart plummeted even further into her chest. She too, looked away from the elder woman beside her, much too disgusted to continue. "You signed me off into marriage?" The question was barely a whisper as it fell from her lips.

"You will understand one day." Aunt March coldly replied.

Judith merely nodded a cold and short nod. She had never felt more helpless in her life. She had expected society to fight against her and retaliate as she defended her rights. One day her fighting would come to a cease, she had long known this. She just hadn't expected Aunt March, the person who raised her and whom she admired so, to be the one to strip her voice from her. 

Betrayal flooded through Judith's veins as she lowered her gaze to her hands. She could see the silver shackles bound so tight against her skin that she had to rub the skin of them to ease the pain. Tears threatened to prick her eyes but she wouldn't allow them to show, not here. Not yet. The passing of air through her lungs became constricted with each step she took closer to the man awaiting her. She never would have imagined such a drastic change in her life such as this to take place in a little under a day. There was and will be no time for her to grieve over the loss of her own life and bring herself to mentally accept what was to happen to her. She was simply being dragged through life at a speed so high she would never be able to find proper footing.

"Judith, my darling." It took everything she had not to flinch at the sound of the deep voice. She hadn't realized she was standing right before him until then and her head remained down as she stared at her hands. "It is nice to finally meet you."

She said nothing in return, her lips drawn in a tight line as she blinked harshly to keep the tears at bay. It wasn't until Aunt March's hand wrapped tightly around her arm that the brunette lifted her head, a smile forced against her lips as she stared into his dull blue eyes. She had never wished so dearly to see the color green more in her life. "It is nice to see you as well." She sweetly spoke, the words easing Aunt March's hold on her. "Though I must apologize as I cannot seem to remember your name."

"No apologies required." He dismissed, his smile shining bright as his eyes roamed her face. Judith had never felt more violated by a gaze. "My name is Lou."

"Lou," She repeated, the sound of his name falling from her lips seeming to please him. "A most interesting name. I can't say I know of any Lous."

"Well, I am honored to be the first." Charm radiated from him as he spoke, but she was immune to such tricks and not so easily swooned. "I apologize for saying such, but your beauty gifts my gaze. I cannot say I've ever seen it so raw and holy with my own eyes. What wonderful children you must grow."

Aunt March hummed in approval beside Judith as the brunette forced her smile to grow despite the falter in it. Tears threatened to come much fiercer now but she bit down on her cheek to stop them. "You flatter me, Lou." It had become apparent to her then that he could care less about how she felt toward their situation. He must have thought to have won such a grand prize by having her presented before him. She was certain the excitement and bright smiles beaming from the elder woman beside him weren't helping in deterring him from seeing this only through his own eyes. He couldn't see the emptiness in her eyes, the facade of her smile that never once extended to her eyes, or the tremble that affected her hands. She was actively falling apart at the seams right before him and all he cared for was indulging in fantasies of her beauty. 

"Come, it is getting much too cold out here." The woman beside Lou, who Judith guessed to be his mother spoke. Her voice was light and flowed sweetly from her lips as though it were honey but still, it did nothing to ease the fear and sorrow building in Judith's chest. "I have tea waiting inside."

"A most noble gesture." Aunt March applauded with a small nod of her head, setting the suggestion into motion. The chains only grew tighter against Judith's skin as she stepped into the manor, solidifying her fate.