The Villager

22

ʚɞ Ruth ʚɞ

The village stares in disgust as my arm is tangled with Ophelia's. Ophelia has been shunned from the ton for her works. All the ladies in the brothel were shunned, but they were good girls. They all had dreams just like anyone else, some chose the life they live now and some did not.

I have never judged Ophelia, but I did not prefer her face to be beat in every now and then. Ophelia did not care about the attention she attained. She simply walked alongside me, holding her chin up high with such confidence that every lady has. Her hips move in her tight dress as she walks, her cat eyes sharpening at only the ladies whom judge her with their eyes.

Another thing the village judged her for was wearing her down. Of course I gathered looks, but these looks they give Ophelia are supposed to scare her off, but she paid no mind.

"So, have you thought about what I said?" She turns her head, her lips tilting upward in a smirk.

"I have." Nodding along to her words.

She looks away now, still keeping that same smirk to herself as she walks. "Will I be invited to the wedding?"

"There will be no wedding."

"I could beg to differ..." She mumbles and I try ignoring it, but her words echo throughout my mind and they can't seem to escape. We keep silent until she brings forth another conversation. "Perhaps, it is a good idea if you wish to not marry."

"Why?"

"It seems as if the ladies at the brothel are being whisked away by marriage..." I hear her sigh. "Darla was promised a life of security and freedom, all she has to do is do her duty in being his wife."

"Good for her," I commented.

Ophelia eyes me. "The rest of the ladies are next, I can feel it. There will be no more brothels left if they keep getting hitched."

"Perhaps, you are next in line." Bumping my shoulder into hers, I let out fits of giggles.

"You would have to put a stake in my throat before I ever marry." She holds a look of disgust.

"Oh, come on." I scoff. "Perhaps a gentleman comes and sweeps you off your feet? Promising you the world of love and protection."

She eyes me with boredom once more not speaking a word. Ophelia hated men, but chose a job to please them. You would never understand the way she worked because she wasn't an open book.

"You won't forget me, will you?" She suddenly questions with a frown. She swallows a large lump in her throat. I tilt my head in question. "When you do finally marry Timothy, you won't forget me, right?"

"Ophelia..." I bring her closer to my being, hugging her from the side now. "There is no world that I wish to live in without you in it."

"Good and you shall tell those ladies of the palace that as well. They shall keep their royal hands off of you," she speaks out of jealousy and I cannot keep my laughter down. She bites back a smile, a true smile that she keeps hidden- she calls it a form of weakness, but I find her smile beautiful and she looks happy. "Perhaps, I will have to share you..."

"How?" Raising a brow, her eyes find a figure in front of us and her lips lift in another smirk.

"I shall burn him alive if he hurts you again..." she mumbles to me and my brows furrow with confusion until I look up to meet who she was referring to. "Lord Timothy Hampton."

Timothy sends a friendly smile to Ophelia. "I must capture this moment in my mind because I am shocked to see you out and about."

She shrugs. "Taking a stroll with the lovely Ruth Myers. Would you agree?"