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Bride
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Ruth, we are getting married today. I can not describe the joy, bubbling in my heart, the love. I feel like a young man in his youth. From today on, I will grant you the desires of your heart, I will love you with all my power, my strength and heart, to my purest of flowers— King Eglon
“Open your eyes, my Queen.” The young maiden from the palace said, with her hands on Ruth’s shoulder.
Ruth’s eyes fluttered open, and she held her reflection in the mirror, sculpted from Egypt, the image almost strikingly clear. Her long brown dreads were pulled up into a tight bun, her skin glowed, her lips painted a glossy red, with sapphire earrings dangling in her ears, a nose ring, engraved in gold, and a necklace made of diamonds, all complementing the purple traditional bridal dress she wore.
“You are truly the fairest of them all.” The maiden continued to praise. “All that is left is the crown on your head.”
Ruth remained silent, her expression stoic. This made the bubbly smile on the maiden’s face fall.
"Forgive me, my lady," the maiden began, " for intruding, but ever since I arrived, your expression is though someone died, and you're not getting married."
Ruth stared at the eyes of the young woman, brown, genuine.
Never give your trust to the maiden's. They sell your secrets to the highest bidder.
Her mother's words of advice came back to her, a strong warning. She dismissed it, a breath escaping her.
"What is your name?" Ruth enquired.
"Leah."
"Leah, what is your take on marriage? Should one marry for love or..."she left it hanging, unable to understand why she was marrying the King.
For power? For his temporary desire for her?
Leah said nothing for a moment, her brows furrowed. "Forgive me, my lady, but it seems we come from two different worlds."
Ruth nodded. "In your world, what is the answer?"
Leah laughed, a snort escaping her. She covered her mouth with both hands. When Ruth fell into soft laughter, the young woman breathed easier.
"A woman should marry for money."
Ruth's eyes widened.
Leah caught the look. "I come from a humble family,"she gestured towards the plain dress she wore.
"We...barely have enough and when we do, we experience bliss in our souls but it also makes us—makes me angry, at the thought of how we miss out on basic necessities such as food, and water and sometimes even a shelter. We stay up wondering what we've done to deserve this. My mother, she tells me not to have children, not to bring them into this world to suffer with me. My father, he tells me not to marry a man who looks at me, with pain in his eyes due to his inability to provide for me."
Ruth was at a loss for words, the silence deepening.
"If you think about it? For me, there is no choice. Only the question of whether my children will go hungry or not—and a woman - can barely make money on her own, I work in the palace, but I am far from where I want to be."
YOU ARE READING
Ruth: Reimagined
Romance"I want you to belong to someone Ruth." Adira said, her voice softer. "I want you to be able to breathe in a world where everything is placed on a woman's chest, on her back and tied to her legs and then she's told to be beautiful, to be good enoug...
