In the years she'd lived, she'd never felt such a draining sense of dispair as she did now. Standing at the makeshift alter in the empty ballroom with Jonathan made her soul bleed. If her mother was looking down on her, she was sure she'd be screaming, fighting, and clawing her way to Isabella. Jonathan stared at her with cold calculating eyes that made her want to scream.
After leaving the room Arus was harbored in, she'd gone back to her father. She'd argued. Even shouted, which was something she'd never done to her father before. He could only shake his head solemnly and tell her to trust in him. She wanted to trust her father, but trusting in him after he'd given her to Jonathan was a difficult task. Eventually she left, once he promised to set "Arus" free, not saying another word, knowing it would hurt her father, so that he could come to understand even a fraction of how hurt she was.
Arus...Darius. So badly she didn't want to believe it but as soon as he'd said it...she knew it to be true. Those green eyes. The way they darkened when they looked at her. The way he smiled. The way he smelled. Isabella nearly whimpered. If she'd known...You would've what, Isa? He could care less about her now. The cold hatred on his face and the indifference in his voice had told her that much. He'd gotten what he'd wanted, as she'd feared all along. The shame of asking him to run away with her and having her request denied was nearly too much to bare. He'd taken her and used her.
"Why the long face my sweet?" Jonathan beamed.
Clearly the veil over her face hadn't hid her as much as she'd hoped.
She wanted to glare at him. To fight him. But ultimately what was done was done. She wouldn't bring anymore shame on her father or her name before he died. She was fairly sure her heart had split in two already, the piece that belonged to Darius already dying, and there was no room for feelings other than a gut wrenching, soul clenching sadness.
The priest came in and began speaking but all she heard were tones. No words. She kept her eyes focused on the floor in front of her. The silky gown was her mother's. A dress she'd hoped to wear on the happiest day of her life. Instead it should have been black because she felt more like she was mourning. She'd lost Darius all over again.
A watery tear slipped down her cheek to cool on her chin before it dripped to the floor like the first drop of rain. She knew where there was one tear, there was going to be a whole storm. She sniffled.
The priest stopped for a moment and looked in her direction.
"Oh, don't worry about her," Jonathan said, "She's just so happy."
The priest nodded slowly and then continued reading from the book in his hands.
She tightly closed her eyes and willed Darius to run in and end this whole charade. Doing so made more tears leave her eyes in streams down her face. Please. Please. Please, she willed. She pictured him running down the steps and fighting Jonathan almost hearing the clanging of swords. She pictured him putting his arms around her for an embrace and then lifting her to run off. Run away from all of this. But no. There was nothing but silence and the rumbling of the priest in his robes.
For all she knew Darius was gone already. She just hoped he'd left her mother's key behind.
"I Jonathan St. James take thee Isabella Fairbairn to be 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, dill death do us part, if the holy church will ordain it: And thereto I plight thee my troth."
Isabella turned to look at the doors but Darius didn't burst in. In fact, even her own father wasn't here. He was too sick to leave his bed and Jonathan had refused to have the wedding his her fathers chambers. Probably fearing that her father would come to his senses.
"It's your turn, my dear," the Priest said softly to her.
"Yes, my love." Jonathan said as he gripped her hands with iron fists.
"I Isabella Fairbarin take thee Jonathan St. James..." Her voice shook. It was hopeless. "To be my wedded husband," Her stomach rolled and she paused trying to keep from retching. Jonathan crushed her fingers in his and she responded by squeezing the bandaged fingers on one of his hands. He hissed. "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, dill death do us part, if the holy church will ordain it: And thereto I plight thee my troth." She spoke the rest as fast as possible to keep from stopping again. There was no rescue.
Jonathan slid a cheap band on her left finger and she gagged bowing her head. Jonathan bowed as well and the priest did the final blessing.
They were now married.
Her life was over.
The priest said a few words, patting her on the shoulder softly and left but she was too numb to really take notice. She couldn't even say what he'd said.
"Well wife," Jonathan sneered, "I think it is time to consummate this marriage." He leaned close to her ear. "Don't even think about fighting me, or you will regret it."
Her stomach plunged. To think that she'd actually been safer trapped on a ship with a bunch of rowdy pirates, thans he was with her now husband.
Jonathan gripped her arm harshly and tugged her outside leading her to the stables. She had nothing but the dress on her back. The warm night air seemed wrong on such an occasion. It should have been storming or windy, or something...anything other than a beautiful night.
Isabella went to her horses stall but Jonathan reached and yanked her back to him. "Do you honestly believe I will give you the means to ride away from me? I have waited too long for this and I'm not taking any chances."
He pulled her to him and pressed slimy, cold lips against hers. She pushed her hands against his chest wanting to scream. He only laughed. Pain radiated up her arm where he crushed her.
Before she knew it he'd flung her up over his saddle and he was settled behind her, his hot musty breath slipping past the side of her face, long slender fingers digging into her hip and moving to her thigh to grope her there.
"Since you're already accustomed to riding, I think you will be ready for a rough ride then."
She knew exactly what he was saying, and it had nothing to do with horses. She ground her teeth together. If Darius could survive a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean, she could survive this.
She hoped.
She prayed.
YOU ARE READING
Pirate's Ransom
Romance*COMPLETED NOVEL* Isabella's father, the Lord, tells her she must marry before he dies. When Isabella fights him, he lets her have one night to choose the man she will marry. When the castle is suddenly stormed by Pirates and the King will not give...
