Life Eternal

7

"To hide from me
Navigate all alone
On this tempestuous sea
To ride with me"

"Well, you look absolutely pleasant this evening." The older man said the smell of tobacco and alcohol lingered in his breathy words. Arabella had to bite back that urge to scowl, instead, she remained silent and kept her eyes down as she smoothed her skirt, her mother shifted in the seat next to her.

"Arabella?" Her mother said through a pushed smile though Arabella heard both of them clearly, she pretended not to. "Arabella?" her mother said again although more firmly this time.

"Hmm?" She looked up at the two.

"Mr. Francis was speaking to you." Her mother gave her a sideways glance but Arabella brushed it off.

"Oh um-" She sighed. "Thank you, Mr. Francis. You are too kind." She replied a bit theatrically while glancing away.

"You'll have to forgive my daughter sir-" Arabella's mother started with a friendly laugh. "Her mind seems to wander off sometimes."

"A dangerous habit for a woman to contain-" The man chuckled slightly. "But no harm was done. I like it." He gave Arabella a sly smile and a gleam in the eye which caused her to scoff in disgust and lean back in her seat.

"Do you really Mr. Francis?" Arabella hummed out and tilted her head.

"Yes dear." He responded as he sipped his tea.

"Why is that?" She was quick to bounce back with another meaningless question as annoyance built up in her.

Though he was taken aback by her abundance he slowly replied, her mother midway sipping tea. "Well, I find it an attractive trait too-"

Yet Arabella cut him off.

"That trait is Attractive?" she bitterly snickered. "Or is it because no other girl in town wants to marry a pervy, older, drunk like you? So much so that you have to rely on a forced engagement with the Towns unsociallable girl as a last result. And even then, she isn't interested. Perhaps its because you lack in personality. Are you really that desperate for your needs? Or Maybe-" She raised a brow and slowed her words down. "Its because you're getting old. " Her mother's eyes widened as she choked on her tea.

"Arabella!" She gasped after redeeming herself from the tea choke. Yet Arabella didn't look to her mother, just blankly stared at Mr. Francis's shocked expression, while a smirk began to grow, he was at a lost for words, and she couldn't seem to figure out where this sudden confidence of hers came from.

Later that day when Arabella got home she was about to storm up to her room but her mother caught her wrist with an intense grip. She almost yelped.

"You better pray that Mr. Francis can forgive and forget this mouthy instance of yours." Her mother spat.

"Oh, mama-" Arabella turned to her with harsh eyes and raised a brow. "What makes you think I pray?" Shrugging her mother off her wrist she ran upstairs and slammed the door behind her.

With annoyance and frustration, she pulled her hair down from its neat updo only to jump from fright when she heard something thud against her window. Pausing she only watched the glass until another thud hit it. This time she slowly approached it.

Getting a better glance outside she sighed in relief to find it was only Tobias throwing rocks at the glass. With swift hands, she undid the clasp and opened the window.

"Tobias?" she grinned out of happiness and slight nerves. "What're you-"

"You never showed up today." He spoke back while making sure to keep his voice low in order to not draw too much attention.

"Yes, I know. " She frowned slightly. "I'm sorry my mother made me go to tea with Mr. Francis," she responded back while tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Mr. Francis?" He repeated but shook his head and spoke again. "Come on." he motioned her down.

"What?" she breathed.

"Climb down." He spoke back with a smirk.

"Tobias-" Uncertainty sounded in her voice.

"Don't worry, you won't fall." He chuckled.

"No-" Yet he cut her off again.

"I'll catch you. " There was a spark in his eyes as he met hers and it held trust. "Come on."

Mother was going to murder her after this...

She glanced back at her room before returning her gaze.

"Okay." she sighed after a pause. Arabella stepped onto the ledge of her window and sat letting her legs dangle. With a shaky breath, she stopped. "Don't let me fall Tobias-" She warned.

Tobias smugly responded. "I'll try."

She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed as she carefully slipped her foot into a crack in the solid stone wall and eased herself out of the window ledge. Slowly Arabella used the cracks and edges of the wall to help her make her way down. As well as some help from a thick vine that snaked its way up against the housing. Soon enough she felt two hands grip her waist from behind to help gently set her feet onto the soft grass.

"See?" He softly breathed from behind her and spoke against her hair. "Wasn't so bad."

Arabella turned to face a pleased smile and kind eyes just inches from her.

" I wanted to show you something." He said not moving away from her just yet.

"And what would that be?" She asked slow and quiet. Her eyes trailed to his lips, Tobias certainly took note of that and moved his hands off her waist while stepping back.

"Come on." He spoke back not entirely answering her question. 

Without hesitation, she followed behind him.

"So-" Tobias placed his hands behind his back. "What's the deal with Francis?" He asked her slyly.

"My mother wants me to marry him." She stated as she watched the grass beneath them as they walked. Tobias didn't speak which made her look up. "Our family's money is going barren. My marriage to Mr. Francis would be..." Arabella trailed off. "Profitable."

"Do you like him?" Tobias spoke suddenly and held almost worried eyes when he searched her face.

"Goodness no." She scowled. There was silence as they continued to walk soon ducking into the forested area. Leaves crunch beneath their feet and the air was cool. The sound of a gentle breeze filled between them until he spoke again.

"Must you?" He sighed and furrowed his brows.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked with a hint of confusion.

"Marry him." Tobias bit his lip and explained further. "Must you really marry him?"

Arabella stopped to a halt, Tobias took note of that and stopped too, tilting her head she studied him. Why did he care so much? She could see it in his face.

"Well?" He prodded her in a tone eager for her response.

"I don't know." She stated. "I don't want to."

"Then don't." Tobias took a step closer to her.

"What else will I do? Where would I go? I'd have no family, without that I'd have no home and become a beggar woman on the streets." The tone in her voice rose with frustration that was directed towards her situation. Tobias looked at the ground and said nothing, so, she raised a brow and lifted his chin with her hands. "Why would it matter to you?"

His eyes were forced upon her and she could see him shrink behind them. After silence, he spoke, but it wasn't at all what she expected. Tobias brushed off the topic.

"We're here. What I wanted to show you is inside." His voice was both defeated and quiet so Arabella decided to drop it for now. Looking up, she realized they were near the hospital. Just through the clearing, the familiar building stood and once again they trudged through the grass towards it, only this time with dreadful, tension-filled, air between them.