To Love Your Husband

Chapter 1:

How did this happen? Anna Katherine thought as her handmaid carefully placed another pearl pin in her light brown hair. She looked at her long elegant white and gold flowered dress, the train wrapping around the stool where she stood. Confusion wrapped her mind in a haze, a knock at the door snapping her back to reality.

            Her sister peaked her head through the door. “We are ready when you are.”

Anna Katherine nodded and glanced once more in the mirror. The same impassive expression she always wore stared back at her, her normally brown eyes looked yellow from the light and her emotions.

            “I am ready Violetta.”

Violetta put her hand to the soft planes of her sister’s cheek and gave her a weak smile. “I tried Nan, but you shall grow to love him and I shall always be close. Enzo and I are but an hour’s ride away, come the instant you need me.”

            Anna Katherine gave her a peck on the forehead and stepped down off the stool. Now the top of her head only reached Violetta’s nose. Anna Katherine was but one year younger than her sister, but she was definitely finished growing. Violetta was graced with a tall, lithe figure and was considered the beauty of the family. Her deep brown hair hung in ringlets and set off her green eyes like flaming emeralds. Where Violetta was tall and thin Anna Katherine was short and buxom. They would joke that they should trade their height and breasts, though secretly envious of the other’s figure.

            “Now let us go, I wish to watch the entire kingdom fall in love with you as you walk through the doors.” Violetta smiled with a glint in her eyes then noticed something in her little sister’s eyes.

            Though Anna Katherine’s expression never changed, Violetta could always tell her exact thoughts. Anna Katherine was known by most as Lord Isaac’s emotionless child. Only Violetta truly knew her sister’s nature, which was shy and impossibly sweet.

            “Let us away Lettie.” Anna Katherine said in response to the squeeze Violetta gave her shoulder.

            Violetta smiled and linked their arms. “Really though your breasts have never looked better.”

            This earned a short laugh from her target and a ringing one from herself. The maid curtsied as they left, coloring at Violetta’s crude mouth. Everything else happened in flashes. First Anna Katherine was taking her father’s arm. Next she was kneeling at the alter, her hand clasped in her soon-to-be husband’s. She repeated what she was told manually then the moment where most couples would kiss passed; there was no kissing in this church.

Suddenly, they were married. She blinked in surprise at her hand lying on top of her husband’s. As they walked together down the isle she risked a glance at his face. To his credit he kept a calm expression, though she could somehow feel his tension. Together, the stepped onto a stone balcony. For a moment Anna Katherine was blinded by the sun and deafened by the roar of a crowd. When her vision returned, much to her relief, the roaring was cheering.

“Smile.” An oh-so-familiar voice whispered from behind Anna Katherine and her heart contorted, but she obeyed.

An even louder cheer rewarded her. Looking out at all of the people, young and old, she realized that these were her people now. A young man lifted his daughter onto his shoulders and she threw a little yellow flower to Anna Katherine, a big gap toothed smile on her face. It was just a weed, but the gesture touched her. She waved to the girl and pressed the flower to her heart. The crowd went wild, they went on for as far as she could see, so she waved to even those farthest away.