𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲 ↝ 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯

II

  Elizabeth stares coldly at her reflection in the mirror, her head slightly turned. Her long blonde hair was now styled into a neat braided crown. Elizabeth would always rather have her hair down, the way she prefers it, but her father never ceases to insist that fixing it up portrays a better image to how a woman should look.

  The dress Meredith had picked out for her was nothing short of beautiful, just over blown. The ballgown is a light shade of baby blue. Little white ribbons have been hemmed at the foot to reveal a white lace underneath. Sitting comfortably over her shoulders lays a pure virgin white fur wrap made from only the finest and softest of furs; arctic fox. Meredith also added a light blue hat that sits just next to the center of her head, lace also drapes down off of the front of the accessory.

  "Why must I go, Meredith?" Elizabeth asks breaking the silence, Meredith looks up from lacing up the back of the dress and into the mirror to meet Elizabeth's eyes.

  "I'm not one to speak on the subject, dear."

  "You must agree that this is barbaric!" Elizabeth says before walking away from the mirror and towards her window, Meredith watches intently.

  "Patrick is a nice man, Elizabeth. I wish you would just give it time-"

  "My God! The you all speak about him, you make him out to be a saint! " Elizabeth exclaims, she sighs deeply and quickly calms herself, she shakes her head softly. "I have spent the past three months trying to find some sort of feeling towards him besides... nothing."

  Meredith picks up her eyebrow before sitting down on Elizabeth's white ottoman that sits at the foot of her bed, "Nothing?"

  "Nothing at all. When you love someone... the first thing you should feel is happiness when just looking at them. With Patrick, it just... feels empty."

  As Elizabeth continues her oration, Meredith just begin to feel sympathy for her. Ever since Elizabeth was small, she would always spiel whatever was on her mind to Meredith. Meredith practically raised the little girl into the young lady she is today. She too understands what it feels like to feel completely hopeless and ripped from any kind of power. She was once in Elizabeth's shoes, only her shoes were not satin with cut steel beads.

  "I don't know anything anymore, Meredith," Elizabeth sighs with tears beginning to collect in her eyes, "I just want simplicity."

  Meredith stands up from the ottoman and walks towards Elizabeth. She wraps her skinny arms around the young woman and in return, Elizabeth wraps her arms around Meredith's waist.

  "Everything will be as it should be, my Dear. I swear it." Meredith soothes as she rubs Elizabeth's back in attempt to calm her. Elizabeth's mind slowly begins to clear from the fog.

  "Is he good to you?"

  Elizabeth nods her slowly head against Meredith's chest. Meredith smiles to herself before pulling away from the warm embrace and holds onto Elizabeth's shoulders.

  "Ever since you were a little girl, I've prayed you would find someone to treat you with upmost respect and care. If he does that... I wouldn't fight it any longer." Meredith advises, making Elizabeth's heart crumble, she lets out a shaky sigh.

  Meredith would rather tell her to just follow her heart and forget all about that Patrick Blythe. She would tell Elizabeth to just run and never look back, just keep looking towards what she truly wants out of life, however, Meredith must take Leviticus into account. Leviticus would make Elizabeth's remaining years under his roof a living hell for her if he ever found out about how much Elizabeth dreamed to be away from him and his dreams for her.