The Ghost of a Guardian

Chapter Thirteen: Wedding Jitters

Annabeth walked down the aisle, only this time it was not a dream. Though everything seemed like it, she walked slowly down the aisle. Her stomach began to churn, and she felt as her stomach was in her throat. They were in a church, it was very royal looking, the roof was even more beautiful. The roof, she thought suddenly. She stopped abruptly; everyone was looking at her with deer-like eyes. She stood there frozen for a few minutes.

She looked towards Christopher, he looked sympathetic but in his eyes, she saw hatred and anger. Someone began to push her forward and hanging her off to Christopher. He took her arm in his and they stood before the priest. Christopher leaned down so his lips just barely touched her ear. "you thought you could run away? Silly child, you'll pay for that later." he said with a wicked grin. Annabeth cringed as he kissed her temple.

"Good evening, everyone. Please take your seats and we will begin." The priest began. "Today, we share the bond of two souls in love. Not just as a physical bond but the emotional bond that Mademoiselle Annabeth Marie Collins and monsieur Christopher Thomas Smith share. Today we witn-" The priest began but Christopher interrupted him.

"Skip all this shi- gibberish and get to the more important things." Christopher snapped. The priest looked shocked but continued. "It's just a bunch of nonsense anyway."

"Do you have the rings?" The priest asked. The man next to Christopher handed him the wedding bands. "Repeat after me, 'I Christopher..."

"I Christopher," Christopher repeated.

"Take thee Annabeth,"

"Take thee Annabeth," Christopher then slipped the ring onto Annabeth's finger harshly.

"As my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,"

"As my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health," Christopher made sure to maintain eye contact with Annabeth the entire time he spoke.

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith." The priest finished the vows.

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith." Christopher roughly placed the other ring in Annabeth's hand.

"Now, Annabeth you do the same." The priest began to recite the vows again, but Christopher interrupted for a second time.

"She clearly does, can we just get this over with?" Christopher rolled his eyes.

"I now pronounce you man and wife." The priest hurried out before the impatient boy had time to interrupt him again. Christopher forcefully made Annabeth put the wedding band on his finger. Which he followed with grabbing her and kissed her as a sign that she now belonged to him. He then grabbed her arm and shoved her towards one of the guards.

"Take her to the suit, I will be there shortly." He huffed.

The man whisked Annabeth away as they headed down the aisle an into a hallway. They traveled in silence until there was a loud metal-like bang. Annabeth quickly turned around to see Maggie standing behind her, holding an unlighted candle stick.

"Come quickly, before they find us!" Maggie yelled grabbing Annabeth's hand and started to run. "We must make it to the rooftop!" She whispered hastily to Annabeth as they ran.

They ran up the stairs and were about to escape to the roof when more guards found them, pushed Annabeth out of the way, knowing if they did anything to her it would be their last, but they grabbed Maggie and started to bear her. Annabeth cried out in agony.

"Leave her alone! She's just a child!" Annabeth sobbed.

She tried pulling one of them off Maggie, even managing to make one fall over. However, she was no match for them and got an elbow to the nose, causing it to bleed. She held her nose, preventing it from staining her dress. She looked at Maggie, she was beaten to a pulp. Her left eye was a deep purple and already mostly swollen shut. A river of red flowed from her nose and her lips were a couple of hits away from being split.

"Run Annabeth, run!" She tried to yell but it only came out as a whimper Annabeth could hear.

"I won't leave you!" Annabeth tried to force her way past the attackers, but it was no use.

"Just go!" Maggie's cries where silenced after a finally blow to the head.

"I'll come back for you, I promise!" Annabeth placed her hands in the praying position, in a way of saying god bless her, and she ran for the roof.

She ran over the freshly fallen snow, not caring that the snow collided with her dress. She ran to the railing, the snow and bitter cold stinging her cheeks and bare arms. She sank to the ground, sobbing not caring of anyone heard her. Suddenly she looked up at the railing, using it to help herself up. She looked down at the traffic below.

"This is it. It can all end now." She softly cried to herself.

She lifted her leg over the rail, then the other. Her breathing became rapid and she began to hyperventilate. Slowly she let the fingers on her left hand let go of the bar. Just as she was about to let go of the bar, she felt a hand grab her shoulders. They pulled her back over the bar and held her tightly.

"There's a shortage of beautiful women in this world, it be a pity if it were to lose one now." Said the silk-like voice.

Annabeth smiled to herself.

He was back.