A Little Fiction, Cause It's Friday

The prompt today: Your character is determined to do something they know to be a mistake.

She brushed her hand across the soft skirt of her new dress and frowned. With a shake of her head, she threw her shoulders back and tilted her chin up, this was her chance and she would take it. Perhaps it would work out. She chewed her lower lip for a moment then threw the dress over her head before she could change her mind and flee.

Flight was, realistically, the only other option. She had been promised. The wedding would take place today. After that, well, it would remain to be seen what happened. She glanced at her reflection and grimaced. Plain was the word people used when they were kind. Homely echoed through her thoughts. Brown hair, lifeless and dull. Brown eyes that did not shine. Ruddy cheeks creased from age and hard work. Flight would put her at the mercy of strangers. At best she could find work as a servant, at worst...well, it was not much different than this option, though with a wedding she would have some legal protection. She sighed and reached for the veil her father had insisted on. It was nearly opaque, but she knew her way from this room to the next where her bridegroom stood, waiting.

She cast one last glance around the room of her childhood and slipped into the new sandals that were given her with the new dress. Something to celebrate her new status as a married woman. She managed to hold back the audible snort that thought caused and reached for the door. She would do this, and let the consequences be on her head. At the back of her mind, the rebellious thought filtered through that it was her father who ought to bear the brunt of the consequence, as this was his scheme. She shook herself mentally, she had agreed and now she would follow through.

There was no fanfare as she joined her husband to be at the altar. This was a simple ceremony for family. An expansion of the household, nothing more. Words were spoken. Vows exchanged. Each second ticking by driving another little stab of pain into her heart. She should be joyful. She should know she went to the arms of one who loved her. Swallowing, she said the words, forcing her voice to be steady.

It was done. She peered through the veil at the face of her husband and caught her breath as he reached for the edge, his face shining with joy and expectation.

Time stood still as the smile melted from his face, pausing at confusion before flaring into wrath. His mouth dropped open and a choked sound escaped as his head swiveled from her face to her father's, "Leah?"