My Precious Flower

Chapter 9: Fled Away

Tobias briefly explained the plan he had to help her escape from her arranged marriage without being noticed. He would sneak in through the window of her room which was at the back of her house while she would pretend to get ready for the wedding ceremony. Paulina had to keep up appearances, pretending to get ready for the ceremony while she waited for him to arrive. The clock ticked on, and her anxiety grew with each passing minute. She could hear the distant chatter of the wedding guests and the occasional clinking of glasses, signaling that the celebration was in full swing. Her maid Hildegard, oblivious to the true nature of Paulina's preparations. Paulina glanced nervously towards the window, her heart pounding as she imagined Tobias slipping past the prying eyes of the household.

When is Tobias going to be here? she thought, her heart pounding in her chest. Please don't let him get caught... I can't do this. I don't want to marry here...

Hildegard, her loyal maid, worked diligently beside her, oblivious to the turmoil in Paulina's mind. As she tugged on the strings of the corset, her hands paused for a moment.

"Are you alright, miss? Did I tie it too tight?" Hildegard asked, her tone concerned as she stepped back to examine her work. 

"No, Hildegard. I'm okay," Evita responded, forcing a smile. "I think you've helped me enough for now. Do you think you can give me a moment by myself?"

"But I haven't started on your makeup yet," her maid replied. 

"You don't need to help me with that. I can apply it myself. I just need time to memorize my vows," Evita lied. 

Hildegard hesitated, her eyes studying Paulina's face for a moment. "As you wish, miss. But don't take too long, the ceremony will begin soon."

She bowed and slowly walked out of Paulina's room. As the minutes passed, Paulina's thoughts were interrupted by a faint, almost imperceptible sound. Her breath caught in her throat as she strained to listen. There was a gentle, cautious tap at the window, and her heart leaped with hope. Tobias had arrived. She opened the window for him and they embraced and kissed each other again, but this time for a short while.

"Tobias..." she said, barely able to withstand her emotions. "I was scared you wouldn't make it, Tobias."

 "But I'm here," he assured her quietly. "And we don't have time to waste. We need to leave this instant, my dear."

Paulina quickly gathered a few essential belongings from her closet. She took Tobias's hand, feeling the strength and reassurance in his grip. Before they left, she carefully locked the door to her room so that no one could enter and discover their absence too soon. With her wedding dress still on, Paulina ran alongside Tobias, the elaborate fabric of her gown trailing behind her. They moved swiftly through the house, avoiding the bustling servants and oblivious guests, including her father and Melvin. They reached the waiting carriage, and Paulina hurriedly climbed inside with Tobias right behind her. The driver snapped the reins and slapped the horses with his whip, urging them to speed up. The carriage jolted forward as it hurtled down the narrow roads away from the house. Back at the wedding ceremony outside, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense with each passing minute. Guests exchanged puzzled glances, whispering amongst themselves as they speculated on the cause of the delay. The vibrant floral arrangements and lavish decorations began to lose their luster in the face of mounting anxiety. Melvin stood rigidly at the altar, his fingers tapping impatiently against his thigh. The officiant, holding the marriage book in his hands, shifted uncomfortably, aware of the unease settling over the gathering.

Melvin said out loud. "Where could Paulina be? Ceremony was supposed to start 10 minutes ago."

The tension at the ceremony reached its peak and then a servant came rushing in, his face pale and eyes wide with alarm. The guests fell silent, sensing that he bore urgent news.