First Step To Forever

The young lad gazed out into the night, and the spark in his river stone grey eyes seemed to outshine the light of the full moon, as he waited out of the huge black gates of the mansion with a ragged bag slung over his shoulder. He knew that they didn’t have time, but he remained patient. He almost looked like a frozen statue, pale white, and stationary, as if lost in time. His hard life had taught him to be patient, and wait for things to happen, even if deep inside he knew that they never would. He held his breath and waited.

 

Even if it takes forever, he thought to himself, and looked down at the cemented floor.

 

Inside, in one of the furthermost sections of the mansion, a little golden tea light hanging from a hook by the window, glowed with all its power. The cool breeze blowing seemed to be trying to extinguish its flame, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t. Inside the room of which the window was a part, a young maid with luscious auburn wavy locks and piercing crystal blue teary, somewhat placid eyes, sat at the foot of her bed. She was wearing a long embroidered silken dress one of her maids had specially tailored for her. Mixed feelings were overwhelming her, and she didn’t know how to react to anything that was happening to her. Her heart was throbbing, and she couldn’t stop those saline tears from falling down her cheeks.

 

Her mother stood in the middle of the room, and her gaze was fixed right at her. She herself was in one of her night gowns, but unlike her daughter, a decisive and firm expression-one that seemed impossible to melt into another-clung to her face.

 

“Serah, you’ve lost your mind. He is nothing but a filthy commoner. How can you expect him to give you all you require? How will he keep you happy?” her mother questioned her daughter Serah’s tears.

“I will be happy with him! Haven’t I told you so many times before? ” Serah practically shouted as she stood up to face her mother in rage. More tears streamed down her face, and she didn’t bother to wipe them.

“He is the son of a shepherd! You have been brought up in such a way that you cannot live under the conditions they live. You are the daughter of a duke! Try to get your head back to where it belongs, Serah. I won’t tolerate this nonsense anymore. I am very disappointed in you. Give me one good reason why you want to be with him?” her mother replied. Serah could see that she was frustrated, but her mother managed to keep her voice level.

 

Her mother’s questions disgusted her. She couldn’t believe that she still needed answers to them.

 

“One good reason?” she asked her mother, almost sarcastically, “You still need a reason? I love him! Isn’t that enough?” her voice finally broke.

Her mother waved one hand indifferently and she was about to say something in her defence but Serah’s voice cut her in, “Do not behave like you don’t know what I mean. I don’t want to end up like you, and marry another one of those old, rich men just so that I can bask in his money and cheer my heart with materialistic pleasures. Accept it mother, you never ever loved father, and you don’t even now,” she said as the coarse words slid down her tongue one by one, causing her mother to stumble, and catch the edge of her daughter’s bed for support.

 

A sudden weakness had the mother in its grip. Her own daughter, without having any knowledge of her mother’s secretive, dark past, had said the words she was dreading almost since what seemed like forever. It was like her darkest nightmares had come true.

 

“How…,” was the only one word she could manage.

“Aunt Rosette told me. She doesn’t keep anything form me, so much unlike you,” Serah replied, gazing out the window.

“But Serah, what is wrong with Isaac? He’s from a sober family, he’s charming and rich”

“He is a beast! Why don’t you see that? Everyone knows that his previous wife ran away from the village because he ill-treated her! Yet father wants to give me away to a man like that.”

In the brief minute that followed, Serah’s mother thought to herself. Deep inside, somewhere in the depths of her heart, she knew what she had to do, but indecision was tossing the thought around in her head. Rationality finally hit her and she regained her balance and stood up elegantly in her usual manner. She wiped a stray tear escaping her eye, and looked up at her. Her decision was made. The firm expression returned to her face, and she took one of Serah’s hands in her own.

 

Serah couldn’t read her expression. It was hard to understand what her mother’s decision was. Inside, she had lost heart, and she sincerely didn’t believe that anything was going to change. Her shoulders dropped, as a few more tears escaped her eyes. I’m sorry Jacob, she thought to herself, and after that, her expression turned solid, even though she felt as if she was going to burst into pieces like glass.

 

Outside the gates, Serah’s lover Jacob was waiting and still waiting. To him every second felt like a year, but he was ready to face floods or storms or anything for his beloved Serah.  Images of her naturally pink lips, rosy cheeks, and auburn hair came and went from his mind like a dream. And that was what kept him strong. That was what gave him strength to keep waiting for her. Somewhere inside, he knew that she would come. She would come, no matter what.

 

Inside, Serah was racing down the stairs in a long brown hood which covered her face and made it hard to recognise her. She was followed by her mother, who was vigorously scanning the path, making sure that no one was in the way. She caught her daughter’s hand and led her to her room.  She silently thanked God that her husband, the duke, wasn’t there, and rushed to the chest of drawers at the far end of the room. She opened the upper drawer carefully, without making much noise, and took out a little jewel box.

 

Serah stood nearby, panting for breath. She had no idea what her mother was doing. She was just mouthing silent prayers and trying hard not to cry. She was hoping that her father wasn’t anywhere around. She was very well aware that if her father found out about what she was doing, she and Jacob both would be beheaded without anyone knowing. She was of noble birth, but had fallen in love with a commoner. The son of a shepherd, her mother had called him. And she couldn’t blame her. He was the son of a shepherd. But there was so much more to him.

 

Serah and Jacob were like two bodies bound to one soul. They were inseparable and indestructible. When they were together, they could overcome anything, even if it were two against the world. They were in love. And that was all that mattered. Serah didn’t care about anything else. She was engaged to a man called Isaac, the son of one of her father’s best peers. He was chosen as the perfect suitor out of nepotism, of course. No one else in the city knew about it, not that they would ever let anyone be aware of it. Serah’s father only cared about his social status and respect in the community. That was why he was ready to give away even his daughter to a violent, idiotic man such as Isaac, who had nothing but hay in his head, and muscle in his arms.

 

But Serah didn’t care about anything. She had thrown the engagement ring in the garden somewhere among the rose bushes out of disgust long ago.

 

Her mother’s hands were trembling, but they worked robotically accurate. In a matter of seconds, she handed Serah a stack of notes wrapped in a silken cloth, and a bejewelled silver charm bracelet.

 

“Serah, the money will be enough to take you out of the village, three or four ahead at least. This bracelet has been passed down to the girls in our family since centuries, and I want you to keep it,” Her mother half whispered to her, her eyes full of terror.

“What if you’re caught?” Serah asked her mother, equally terrified.

“It won’t matter, as long as I can keep you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Don’t do what I did, Serah. Fall in love, and live your life. Money can’t give you everything you’ve ever wanted. You can never buy love,” she said, her voice finally breaking.

“But we will never meet again,” Serah said, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t believe what her mother was allowing her to do. She couldn’t believe that it was the last time she was seeing her mother. Her mother, no matter how beastly she seemed to be at times, was still the only one in her whole forsaken family who actually loved and cared for her, and not the pomp and show and everything else.

 

Serah’s mother took both her icy cold hands into hers. She kissed her forehead and hugged her for one last time, and simply said, “I know”

 

Serah slipped the stack of notes and the bracelet in the deep pocket of her robe and allowed her mother to lead her outside. The guard outside with the fat belly was asleep, as usual, but for the first time in her life, Serah and her mother were happy about it. It wasn’t long before they reached the main gates, fortunately unnoticed.

 

Serah looked outside of the iron gates. Jacob was there. She could see him, and she was simply overjoyed by the fact that he trusted in her and was still bearing on in spite of her being so much more later than she had promised. She looked back to see the huge, hollow marble structure she called home for the last time. Of course, from that day forward, she would never have any personal seamstresses, or two maids by her side all the time to take care of her, or the best gowns and dresses money could buy. But also, from that day forward, she would have something she wanted and craved for since the day she was born. Something that she never had, but always desired: Love and Freedom.

 

Serah’s mother unlocked the gates, and unbolted them. She stepped out along with Serah, and smiled weakly at the sight of Jacob. Serah ran to him and he pulled her into a hug. Their lips barely brushed briefly, and they remained that way for the next few seconds. Serah was okay. She felt safe and sound, and happy and all sorts of delights showered upon her unexpectedly.

 

“Jacob,” Serah’s mother called, her voice now level. “I accept you as my son in law”

 

The words acted as an elixir Jacob desired since what seemed to be like the beginning of time. His guilt washed away, and he could finally meet eyes with Serah’s mother.

 

“Take care of my daughter,” she finished, and nodded, motioning them to leave before anyone noticed.

 

Jacob nodded, hugged Serah again, and took her hand. Serah looked back and waved a hand to her mother, and then they disappeared into the night.

 

Neither of them knew what they were doing, and neither of them knew how they were going to survive the world and get away from the people who knew them. While Serah was running away from her rich family, Jacob was running away from his strict, orthodox one too. By the people all over the world in the later years, they were known as young, stupid and irrational people with their hearts upon their sleeves. That was how they were judged after they heard their story.

 

But none of that bothered Jacob or Serah. They were together, forever, and that was what mattered.

 

 

Author's Note

This is my first attempt to a story of this genre. Please review! :D
Thanks for reading

Reviews

[AK]

Wow Rhea! This story is really well written and wonderfully conjured. It reminds me of this awesome dance recital that I saw by one of Sir's students about Goddess Parvati's mother reprimanding her for choosing Lord Shiva, whom she called filthy, tousled and unable to get his daily meals. I love how the story transitions from an unpleasant scene to a loving and happy one. Keep writing!

[Aehr]

I apologise for replying so late :P But anyway, thank you for reading! :D

[Cyndi Goodgame]

Loved this quick fairy tale. I am a sucker for happy endings. One spelling mistake, but overall great story. Would be great in a collection of short stories.