My first ever attempt at a love story. I hope you enjoy it.
Copyright Annie Warner-Mattey 2010
'God made man, and then said I can do better than that and made woman' - Adela Rogers St John
It's 1622 and I'm just about to be married off to Lord George Hampshire. My brother had said that this was the last chance I had to ensure a stable future for myself and my family, and after the last incident, I couldn't afford blow it. My age of 18 was very old for marriage, and I was shocked when the Hampshire family agreed to marry me off to their eldest son. He being a Lord enabled me to have comfortable future. It was the perfect life style for a broke duchess like me.
The only problem I faced was that I am a new born vampire (thanks to my previous husband) and my future husband couldn't know or find out about that.
Wearing a very thick cream coloured wedding dress, I wipe the beads of sweat falling on my forehead. My fiery red hair blew in the wind as the priest announced an important part of the ever lasting ceremony.
"Do you, Lord George Hampshire, take Duchess Elizabeth Appleton to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do" replied a low, well spoken, English accent. His hazel eyes bore into mine while his curly, rich chocolaty hair billowed around his chiselled face in the spring wind. He had a slight smile on his lips, as if he had known me for more than just 7 hours. This was the first time we had met and I was convinced that the 23 year old man was going to be a minger, with ginger hair and acne. But this man, with a height that's about a foot taller than me, was a god. I could see his strong biceps through his shirt (thank you vampire eyesight), and the strong planes of his chest were to die for. If I'd had more years of practice, I might not have swooned right there on the spot. But here I was, swooning.
This examination only lasted about 2 seconds while the priest was muttering the important question to me.
"-your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do" I breathed in my Irish tinted accent. I looked up into George's eyes which sparkled with happiness.
Even though I have perfect hearing, the priest's voice disappeared as soon as my now husband swept down to kiss my lips. My auburn hair tied up in a tight bun at the back of my hair started to become uncomfortable with the sudden rush of blood.
But this sudden blood rise wasn't the result of the sexy man kissing me. Oh no, this was because his lips stung mine as they crushed upon me. His lips stung because they were ice cold.
Just like mine...
We both pulled back suddenly as if we had just been struck by lighting.
"I-I-" I stuttered. Trying to make a sentence about what had just happened. He seemed to be in the same condition, but recovered much quicker than me.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for witnessing our wonderful wedding. Now it is time for the feast. Please make your way into the garden." He announced pointing to the garden of the Mansion that he calls home. People started evacuating the building. My eyes swept the room; I was still in awe struck. I noticed my mother grinning at me as she exited the door and my brother looked proud of me. My two sisters couldn't stop bickering and my dad was talking to my father in law. By watching them, I recovered. I had done them well, even if this was a very strange occurrence- and I need to have a long talk about this with my husband...- I know I had done them well. I can support them at long last. And that is what is expected of me, being the oldest child. I turned back to my husband and said "Look, I know what you are, you know what I am, we can talk about this later and get on with the rest of the wedding now. Okay?" He looked at me surprised. He obviously hasn't seen the bossy side of me yet. And he probably thought he would be in control of this marriage! Men. Any who, he still did what I told him to do.
