-Jade-

Jade was surrounded by her father's white rosebushes, they were her favorite. She used to hide among these bushes as a child whenever her mother was angry with her. This part of her father's garden had always been her favorite. 

The white roses reminded her of her childhood, and simpler times. A part of her life when she wasn't thought of as someone who had to be given away to some man. 

Tears ran down her face, she was still sobbing even though she had been here for hours. More tears trickle down her cheeks when she thought about that she was to be given away to a man she had never met. Was he her own age or was he old? Would he treat her kindly or just as a sow to provide him children?

"It's decided." She silently told herself, looking up at the grey clouds above. It would rain tonight. The color of the clouds were a very dark shade of grey. If she was unlucky, it would pour down on her in any minute, but she didn't really see how that could make her life any worse. Her parents, who she trusted the most, had went behind her back and promised her to a stranger.

"They gave me away to a stranger... and there is nothing I can do about it" She whispered. 

I could run away... The forest is right behind father's gardens. I could just...

Suddenly she heard a twig break and sat up in fright. She turned to the left and caught a glimpse of Iria whom was hiding behind the hedge separating the garden Jade was in and the one she stood in. Her dark hair was braided into two long braids, touching her elbows.

"What is it, Iria?" Jade asked softly while wiping tears away from her face. "Why are you hiding?"

"Why are you out here all alone?" Iria asked in return. Jade watched as her little sister walked towards her. "Why are you so sad?" She asked. 

Jade smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. "I'm sad because I don't want to go." Jade answered in the simplest way she could. Iria probably didn't understand what was happening.

"Are you scared that the man will be bad?" Jade gave her little sister a surprised look. She clearly understood more than Jade thought. "Mother says he is a nice man and... if he is, then you don't have to be sad, Jade." Iria said with a timid voice and sat down next to Jade in the grass. Iria looked sincerely worried about Jade when she met her eyes. "I heard them talking after you left."

"What did they say?" Jade asked, laying on her side. She laid her head in her right hand.

"They are sad because they knew you wouldn't be happy about this." Iria whispered. "Mother seems very sad as well. Father is rather quiet..." She added. Father usually didn't say much, even less if he was in a bad mood. "Will they be sad all the time after you leave?"

"No, Iria... They will only be sad a little while, then everything will be back to normal." Jade lied and felt awful for it. 

It didn't feel like her parents were going to miss her at all. If it hadn't been for Iria, she wouldn't have known they were sad at all. 

"I told mother that I didn't want you to go, but she got cross with me and said that I should be happy for you." Iria were a smart little girl. Jade felt sad that she would probably not be around to see her grow up and become even smarter. 

She gave her sister a quick wave, signaling for her to lay down next to Jade. Iria curled up next to her and looked at her.

"Do not worry, Iria. Everything will be fine." Jade whispered softly. She tried to let her own words comfort her as well, but on the inside she was falling apart.

. . .

A couple of hours later Jade woke up, still lying in the grass. It felt nice and soft beneath her. Steps could be heard coming from the garden next to the one she was in. Jade sat up with her eyes fixed at the entrance. Shortly after her father stood there, silent.

"What?" She muttered, her voice coarse from crying. "Is there something else you want from me before he comes to collect me?" She keep from sobbing in the end.

"No." Her father answered. "Well, your forgiveness..." He added and took three steps closer to her. Before she could answer that she would never forgive them he continued: "Jade, you knew that at some point someone would ask for your hand in marriage. That is the way it works. I know that you know this. Why are you this upset?" He asked with sadness in his voice. He reached out to touch her cheek, but she shied away, refusing to look at him.

"Don't touch me." She whispered. Her father sighed, hurt. She knew her words pierced his heart. She had always been his little girl. 

She was the child he had been given at a very young age,  but  he had always cherished her. Jade had never felt like a burden or unwanted, except for now. Her father went back to the arch of ivy and studied her silently. 

Jade lifted her gaze. He was just standing there. The dark hair, with streaks of grey, had never looked so grey to her. "Jade, my dear child. It is what it is. I know that is not what you wanted... but... This will be a good thing. I hope that you will see that in the future." He mumbled with disheartened eyes.

"I thought that I at least would have a say in this!" She exclaimed frustrated and got on her feet. "That I, just as Marie, would see my future husband ask you for my hand. After he had asked me for it first!"

"Marie married Peter." Her father stated as if Peter was an immense worse candidate than the man who he had chosen for her. Jade could hear that her father thought that his argument spoke for itself. Everyone thought that Peter was a poor match for Marie because of his love for the ale, mead and wine... and all the other drinks that intoxicated him. "He is a drunk, is that what you want?" He chuckled lightly. "A drunk?" 

Jade shook her head. This wasn't about Marie's poor choice in men, it was about the fact that she got to choose Peter.

"Marie chose Peter. I want to marry someone that I chose." She answered bitterly. "I don't want to be sold and sent away to some stranger."

"My sweet Jade..." Her father's voice was warm as he went up to her. He looked into her eyes and she felt some of her anger disappear. "You cannot stay with your mother and me for the rest of your life. You are almost twenty-two years old now." He touched her cheek in the same comforting way he had done when she had been upset as a child. When she didn't reject him he put his arm around her.

"Yes, and what of it?" She argued. "It is not as if it would be a bad thing if I stayed! I do most of the work around here anyway! How are you going to manage all the chores without me? The small ones are a handful!"  She hissed. 

Her father watched as she counted reasons to why she should stay. "Jade. You will be fine." He promised, making Jade realize that she was scared of leaving. He dried her cheeks from tears she hadn't noticed were trickling down her cheeks. 

She suddenly understood that she wasn't trying to convince her father that they needed her. She was trying to convince him into letting her stay because she needed them. Jade started crying even more and he looked at her with agony in his eyes. He hated seeing women cry, especially his daughter.

"Jade, you are an adult now and we have found you a fitting husband. We would never give you away to someone we didn't know was worthy of you."

"You are my father." She sobbed. "You are supposed to think that no one is good enough for me." She cried, constantly wiping away tears. Her father chuckled and she leaned against his chest like a child would. The large hands held her and he turned her face upwards with a finger underneath her chin. Afterwards, he dried away some more tears and caressed her head softly.

"That is very true." He agreed and freed her from his arms. "But this young man, is as damn close to being worthy of you as any young man can get." He said and walked back to the house. "Believe me." He said, turning in the arch. "Let's just hope that he can handle you."

Those last words were said with a grin and he held his hands out to his sides. Jade couldn't resist the laughter that made its way out of her while she watched her father walk away.

. . .

When the sun was setting, Jade ate dinner with her family. This would be the last meal before her betrothed was expected to arrive...

Suddenly, it knocked on the door. Jade looked at her father, whom nodded at her to go and open it. Reluctantly, Jade got up and walked to the door. Her hand trembled as she reached for the handle. Please don't be an old man... She prayed as she opened the door.

On the other side stood tall, young man. Jade's first look at him had her lost for words; The young man was very attractive, handsome even, but his face looked as emotionless as a statue's. He wore a black cloak, with a hood, made out of thick fabric. Underneath it he wore a cream-colored shirt with a high collar. His hair was almost as dark as hers but not quite, and it was tied neatly in the back of his neck with a dark piece of fabric that looked more expensive than everything Jade wore together. The eyes looking at her were stern. She noticed how they were a beautiful shade of dark blue, deep like lakes.

Jade suddenly realized who this man was. It was him. Her suitor. She slammed the door in panic, right in his face. She could hear him make a surprised sound on the other side of the door.

Why is he already here? She thought and backed away from the door in fright.

"Jade!" Her mother cried out sprang from her seat towards the door. 

Jade ran upstairs to her loft room and closed her door behind her. She could hear her mother swear at her, and her rude behavior before she opened the door for the man. 

"I am so sorry, your grace!" Her mother gasped.  

Jade couldn't believe her ears. What had she just called him? Your grace? The man calmed her mother as he as let inside of the house;

"Titles are not necessary. Was that her?" He asked but it didn't really sound like he cared.

"Yes." Her mother answered and laughed nervously. "We told her today, and she..."

"She is just delighted." Her father filled in when her mother had turned silent. He sounded a lot more convincing than she did. 

"You could think otherwise when she slams the door in my face." The man responded emotionless. Jade's father muttered something in response. She listened as the man's footsteps as he walked further into her father's house. It seemed like he was examining its every corner. Jade could hear the creaking of almost every floorboard.

"So... This is your... residence?" The young stranger asked politely but there was nothing close to kindness in his voice. 

Residence? Who talks like that? Jade thought and pressed her ear closer to the door.

"We are so sorry about that, your grace. We think the news startled our sweet Jade." Her mother answered. Jade froze. Her mother had called him 'your grace' twice now. Was he of royal birth? 

Impossible! She thought. Royals are not supposed to marry low-class girls like me. They marry noble girls. Are royals even allowed to marry someone like me?

"Please, madam. No titles." The man reminded her. "I don't want your daughter thinking that she must speak to me like that. Would you be so kind and get her? We have a long journey ahead of us and we better be going as soon as possible." He said. "My carriage awaits." He added. "Whenever she is ready."

"Of course." Jade's mother said and hurried up to stairs.

A second later, the door Jade was hiding behind opened. Her mother was surprised to find Jade on the other side of it.

"What in heaven do you think you are doing?" She whispered agitated at Jade and slammed the door behind her. "You cannot slam the door in his face! He is of royal birth!" 

Jade instantly became lightheaded. She hurried over to her bed and sat down. How can he be royal? How is it even possible? I am just a farmer's daughter! Her spinning mind made her even more lightheaded.

"Jade! Compose yourself!" Her mother hissed. "He is waiting for you downstairs!" Her mother handed Jade her bag that she had packed for her earlier.

"I don't want to go." Jade said and begged her mother with her eyes to let her stay. "Mother please!"

"You have to." Her mother answered and pulled her daughter up from the bed. She started adjusting Jade's clothes and pinched her cheeks quickly to give them a pinker shade. "You are too pale." She mumbled and combed Jade's hair quickly with her fingers. She then handed Jade the bag and forced her out of the room and down to where her future husband waited for her.

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Thank you for reading, hope you liked it. I know this one was just Jade's POV but there will be more of William's in the future.

Love Jenny

Updated: 1st of September 2020