Captured Innocence

Chapter 5

Emmy stood behind me fixing my hair as I stood in front of a mirror looking in distaste at what I was wearing. I was wearing an old wedding dress that was far to plain for my taste. But I had learned that it was Theo's mother's, a tradition of theirs was for their brides to wear their mothers dress. I had no makeup on but a thin veil soon cloaked my face.

"You look beautiful," she told me fixing the shoulder of my dress. I glared at her through the mirror. She recoiled away from me slightly when she seen my reflection in the mirror making me feel bad. "I know it's not fair what they do," she whispered. Even though I was in the same room as her I could barely hear her.

"Why don't you leave then?" Her hands stilled in my hair as she heard me.

"I-I-umhm," she choked on her words. The thought had never crossed her mind.

A knock on the door had Emmy move back as she bowed her head looking at the floor. Vincent study in the doorframe giving Emmy a look making her leave. "Now Isa I understand that you might be hesitant with the arrangements today," he placed his hands on my shoulder before the sprang up wrapping around my neck tightly. "But if you embarrass me or my son this evening you won't like the consequences, am I clear?" He squeezed a little as a warning. I nodded my head making him smile and then he left the room.

"Are you ready?" Emmy called outside the door. I slowly walked towards her a ball knotting in my stomach. I wanted to tell her no that I didn't want to go through with this but then a tall figure appeared over her shoulder.

"I'll take her from here," his dark voice rumbled. I wasn't a little bitch but I was smart, that didn't stop me from looking him dead on in the eyes through the thin material only to realize that he wasn't making eye contact. He was taking all of me in. "You look beautiful. I don't think I need to say this but please don't do anything stupid or there will be consequences." My mind rushed to the image of the woman bashing Luke's knee and I shuddered. Theo took my hand leading me out of the bedroom and towards the staircase. The house was quiet not another soul to be heard anywhere inside these walls. My heart thumped in rhythm with every step I took toward downstairs.

Soon we were leaving the house through the back door. The sun split the trees that surrounded the house, people sat on the ground on white blankets, flowers scattered in no particular pattern making a jagged path.

"Link me," he whispered trying not to move his serious face. I obliged the thought of the sledge hammer invading my mind. He smiled as we walked towards his father who stood at the end of the path. His face was covered in a shadow even though the sun was high in the sky. A haunting smile danced across his face as we neared. My face did not move once, I wouldn't display any emotion they anticipated to see. Fear, hesitation, disgust.

We stood in front of Vincent who smiled looking past us to the small crowd. He cleared his throat his intimidating voice capturing everyone's attention. "Family, Relatives, and Friends. Thank you for joining us in the union of my son and his soon to be wife. We are all apart of the same community and all share the same values-" his eyes slithered back to me. His cold gaze could belittle you by just being able to feel it creep across your figure. It made me realize why Emmy lacked so much confidence and self belief, she had no one to tell her how great she was. I didn't let him affect me I was a strong independent person who needed no validation from a bunch of nut jobs, of all people.

"My son has been sent an outsider by God and today they are to be wed. My son do you pledge to provide and protect your soon to be wife, no matter the cost?" Vincent's eyes were intense but it didn't phase Theodore. I imagine growing up with him you'd grow immune to his intimidating demeanor.

"I do," his voice was smooth with no hesitation.

"Isa do you take the responsibilities of beholding the Knight name excepting all of our values? Do you pledge to honour and obey your husband till death do you apart? Do you solemnly swear to provide for this family by providing children and carrying out a woman's role that is necessary to keep this family functioning? " It wasn't just Vincent watchful gaze I could feel now. I could feel the eyes on my back, it was as if every creature in this clearing was watching me.

"I do." There was no tremor in my voice. It came out calm and collective. I wasn't going to let these freaks know how I was feeling on the inside.

"Perfect, now you may place rings upon the others hand and seal this marriage with a kiss." Theo slid a plain gold band on to my finger and I did the same to him. The veil covering my face was lifted showing mostly bruised skin. I could see the nerves in his eyes as he leaned down towards me closing his lids and placing his lips against mine. I didn't move and I wasn't going to let him deepen the kiss.

Cheers erupted from those gathered behind us and when we turned I could see Luke sat beside the girl from yesterday. He had a set of crutches with him that would help him be mobile. I peered at his seated form, emotions of sorrow and helplessness swamped his orbs, I'm sure the same emotion was mirrored in my own.

Theo interweaved his fingers through mine tugging on my arm making me glance away from the man who would always have my heart. The ring that was placed on my finger felt heavy, like an anchor had been placed there and was weighing one side of me down. We walked back down the ammature path while people patted Theo on the shoulder in congratulations.

I only noticed now the huge table that was near the door to the back yard surround by minture ones.  Food was scattered on every table and in the corner of my vision I could see the gleam of pride in Emmy's eyes as people complemented her cooking skills.

Theo and I approached the head table and he sat at the top while I sat to his left hand side. He held my hand the entire time after lifting up a plate of food for me. I moved my fork around the plate pretending to eat, I didn't have it in me to place any food near my mouth in fears that I would be sick. 

"Eat up you'll need your energy." I wasn't too sure about how I felt about Theo, was he as bad as his father seemed. Or was he worse just better at concealing it.

I slowly began eating the few vegetables and carbohydrates that filled my plate. Emmy took my plate away before Theo could look at what was left from the small smile on her face I think she knew what she was doing. I smiled back at her, a small gesture of her helping me.

Everyone around us was loud and an atmosphere was brooding as they celebrated through alcohol. As the night slowly started to descend upon the crowd a huge fire had been lit. My hand was clamped in Theo's strong grip as we stood up. The heat licked my skin as we grew closer. Dancing bodies gleefully laughed surrounding the flames.

His hands settled on my waist and his body began to sway making me do the same. Slowly they slithered up to cup my jaw, my eyes found his only to notice the glossy sheen to them. His breath hit the skin on my flushed cheeks. Slowly his face neared my own, before his lips touched mine I knew he was drunk. His tongue pushed through my sealed lips, the taste of alcohol flooded my mouth.

I could hear people cheering behind us, no one noticed my stiff body. Theo pulled away momentarily, his hooded eyes glanced behind me. He bent down to leave a chaste kiss on my lips. I was once again following after him. Our shadows no longer to be seen as we left the light. Barely any light illuminated our path as we began our journey back towards the house. The noise faded with the light into the background. The noise of the grass beneath us was all to be heard.

We came to the back door that was left unlocked. Theo quickly opened it and I was ushered inside. His hand rested on the small of my back guiding me through the house, we got to the stairs and my legs grew heavy.

His lips grazed my ear. "It's okay you don't have to be nervous."

I took a deep breath in before taking a step. With each step forward I took another long breath and before I knew it we had reached the top and stood outside his room. His hand came from behind me and slowly pushed open his door. My feet moved as my brain went into overdrive thinking of what was about to happen.

My eyes stared down at the white linen sheets on the double bed, my heart was like a wild rabbit trying to jump out of the confined space of a cage. He turned me around to face him, it disgusted me that I found him attractive yet at the same time it wasn't the worst thing possible. I could be stuck with an ugly, hairy, pot bellied man in his late fifties.

His lips met mine and my sense's left me, I couldn't hear, I couldn't see and I couldn't feel anything and I was thankful. My mind went blank when I closed my eyes. I tried to imagine the beach that Luke and I had been to at the beginning of the summertime. A small smile graced my face as I relished in the memories and suppressed the one that was happening right now. My memories would be my escape, for now.