Mara

7

The days until the wedding crawled away as I sat irritably in my room. Weston refused to leave me. His offers were sweet, but all he did was break my heart and make my foul mood worse.

“Mara love.” He called from my bedroom. I was in my sitting room attempting to read a book, but my brain refused to rest long enough to read more than a few words. “Eat something. You haven’t had dinner.” He appeared in the door way holding a small plate. My stomach churned unsteadily just looking at it.

“Thank you Weston, but I have no appetite.” I leaned my head back irritably against the arm of the sofa. “Just a few hours and I am already bored half to death.”

Weston’s smile was cautious, as were his footsteps as he approached me slowly. “You are very hard to please Lady Princess. Very active. Very…” He hesitated slightly, contemplating how to finish. “Distracted.” He lifted my feet and sat at the other end of my sofa. I gave up on my book, and basically threw in onto the ground. “Come to bed Mara, you’ll feel better in the morning.” His thumb rubbed over the top of my foot.

“I won’t feel better for a month.” I swung my feet around so they landed surprisingly softly on the floor; stood and brushed off my skirts. Weston stood up as well, and then followed me to my bedroom. “I won’t feel better until I get out of this God forsaken room!” I cried flopping face first onto my bed. I felt Weston rest a cautious hand on my back and sit next to me, but I didn’t shoo him away this time.

“I know,” He whispered next to me. “I understand.”

Of course he didn’t understand, but I let him believe that he did. Grimacing into my pillow I began to wonder what Jameston was doing at that very moment.

A few nights later a soft rap against the door woke me from a troubled sleep. I carefully shoved Weston’s heavy arm off of me, and then stumbled to the balcony. I was already smiling when I pulled back the curtain and saw Jameston. He smiled brightly, and then I held up a finger to my lips. He rested his hands on the door and I mirror him. He motioned to the door knob on his side, telling me they had locked it with a key, so he couldn’t get it open. I frowned, but then Weston sat up and I quickly closed the curtain.

“Mara, what’s wrong?” He asked his voice thick with sleep.

“Just restless.” I lied hoping he hadn’t heard the knock. “I used to go out onto my balcony when I couldn’t sleep, but it is locked so I can’t escape.”

He held out his arms to me, and I moved back to him. I rested against his chest as he drifted back to sleep, but now it actually did elude me.

I was reading my book in my sitting room when I heard Weston come back from a visit with my father. He came to the doorway and leaned against it.

“You’ve forgotten haven’t you?” He asked looking me in the eye. He didn’t seem irritable, or angry about what ever I had forgotten, but he looked hurt.

“Forgotten what?” I asked sounding far more irritable than I was. His eyes were sad, and he moved over to the couch where I sat.

“Tomorrow.” He hinted leaning toward me. “Mara what is tomorrow?” He asked taking my hand trying to hide the emotions in his words. I’d become very irritable being locked in my room for so long. I tried to keep from pushing him away, but every once and a while I snapped at him. It hurt him when I didn’t show his the love for him that he thought I had, and that just me more frustrated. “We wed tomorrow.”

His words were like an anvil falling on my stomach. The wedding was tomorrow. Weston wasn’t banished, and I hadn’t spoken to Jameston in a month. I’d been trying to keep Jameston off my mind, but he always found his way in.

“I love you,” I lied throwing my arms around him so he wouldn’t see my frustrated tears. He held me tight and buried his face in my shoulder. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ve been horrible to you. I’m so sorry.” I cracked holding him tighter. I shook with my tears, and he knew I was crying.

“It’s not your fault my love,” He whispered kissing my ear. He kissed me on my lips with the passion he always had for me and my tears flowed faster. I couldn’t remember him carrying me to our bed, or falling asleep in his strong embrace.

I woke the next morning frozen to the bone. I shivered and pulled up the blankets that had been kicked down to our feet. I didn’t want to wake up. I rolled over and my cloths stuck to my side. Confused I opened my eyes and saw why. Sticky red blood clung to my side. Panicked I felt my side but felt no pain. The sheets turned red all over, and Weston’s blood covered his side.