Marriage First
Catherine Gillette
4-17-2005
Outside the window, an interesting suitor studies the young maiden as she
carefully touches her handkerchief to her lips. She detests the food being served to her,
but willingly allows her thoughts to overcome and make light of the situation. 'The soup
is not so bad. The bread may not be edible, but at least no rats have scurried across my
feet... yet.' She must eat with a different servant five nights a week for three years.
Afterwards, a "white knight" will come and carry her away to live a life worthy of her
name, which she cannot speak nor think. If she fails to stay calm and perfect at the table,
though, her father will disown her. 'Why did he have to catch me sitting in the room
alone with Ralph? The problems that man caused, and yet not a thing happened between
us. Actually, I know for a fact that Ralph is only into the noblemen.' She smiles as the
young girl in torn clothing places another tray on the table in front of her. 'It has been
over two and a half years since this punishment started. Soon, the "white knight" will
come. But can I hold out?' A rat scurries over the top of her boot. She does not even
wince. 'Too many times a rat has crossed my feet... too many times. Why must I still be
punished?' She continues to eat the horrible food and drink the watered down wine.
'They serve their best for me, and yet, it is still far worse than any meal you get at my
home.' She nods to the master of the house, her own beloved servant, Garret. "It has
pleased me very much to have been allowed in your humble home, Garret. Maybe I shall
come again in a day or so? If not, I shall see you back at work as soon as your foot heals.
May my Father grant you many wishes and may the gods do little but bless. Hope to all,
be praised." She turns around and calmly walks out of the house. All of the peasants bless
her and watch her leave. They ask for her safe return home through the deadly cold. She
nods her farewell and steps out into the snow.
The suitor steps in front of her. "Good evening, miss, would you care for a
drink?" He is not wearing the best of clothes, but his speech shows his gentlemen up-
bringing, if the maiden actually listens to him instead of just be repulsed by his garb.
"I am sorry, I am not allowed to drink on nights like these, Father forbids it." She
sighs and looks at him. Their eyes meet and she realizes he was not just some humble
workman, but brought up a gentleman. "But, I dare say you can walk me home."
The suitor was pleased at the idea of bringing this young maiden home. "Yes, of
course." He takes her arm and begins the walk back to her mansion. "So, may I ask the
beautiful young lady's name?"
She shakes her head. "I cannot say my name. I cannot speak it by mouth or in
thought. I am not allowed to say it for it curses me and my burden from other mistakes is
bad enough."
The suitor looks at her cautiously. "So, who may I ask for your name?"
She frowns and looks beyond him not wanting to upset the gentleman. "The next
one to know my name is the one who asks to marry me."
He carefully rethinks what she had just said. 'Marry her? Without knowing a
name? He looks her over. "Okay, I guess then I will not know your name until you are
married."
She nods. "Even then, you may not know." She turns her head and watches the
intricate flakes drift down from the sky onto the ground and the houses surrounding her.
Snow is very pleasing to her eyes.
The suitor nods at his own thoughts. "Well, then you shall not know my name
until I am married."
Her thoughts of the dancing snow break and turn back over to the suitor. "But
why? Do you have such a bad name that you wish not to tell anyone?"
He laughs wholeheartedly. "Oh, far from that, but for many reasons, I will keep it
a secret. It is my name that causes me to wear such clothing. As my name is the reason I
hide."
She shrugs. "Oh, is that all." Her mind races, 'Who is this mysterious man? Who
willingly offered me a drink and is taking me home?' She comes to the conclusion to
have him meet her father; this man will surely tell her father his name. 'Father will have
him tell his name and then I will know.' She nods. "Would you like to meet my father?"
He ponders a moment before answering. "I guess I would, but with every ounce
of energy in me I will not give my name."
She laughs to herself. "So you say, but my father can persuade the best of men.
He once got a stubborn old sailor to give up his ship for a job in our navy... and as you
may know, we are landlocked." She walks with the suitor up to her door with a note of
laughter in her voice. The butler greets them and takes their snow covered cloaks as they
wait for her father to call on them in the hall. Her father then asks for them to come to his
study.
Her father, a well built master of the small piece of land the old king gave him,
nods at them. "Good evening. May I ask who you brought before me tonight after you
had just spent time with another servant for your evening meal?" He was friends with the
dead king and will soon be expecting a visit from the king's only son, Divan. Her father
suspects the dead king's brother, the "ruler" right now, is creating a very bad situation for
the young prince, who is the only real heir to his family's throne.
She smiles and curtsies. "I am sorry, Father, but he wishes to keep his name a
secret until he marries."
Her father is taken aback at this, but looks the young man over well. 'Another
one?' "So, you, young man, are so particular in your views that you are willing to wait
until marriage before speaking your name?"
The suitor bows losing eye contact with the master of the house. "My name shall
remain hidden from people's knowledge until I marry and I shall speak my name aloud to
complete the vows. Then I shall take my bride back home." He stands back up straight
and proud. He shall not give his name easily to this old man no matter how much his
daughter believes.
Her father is not sure how to deal with this. 'He would be handsome, if he takes a
bath; he would be presentable, if he is given proper clothes. What more is there to be
desired in a young suitor?' He nods. "Okay, I see, but tomorrow night, while my daughter
is at her evening servant dinner, you will come here and we will speak in private."
The suitor nods. "Have it your way. I shall return to my apartment back in town.
Thank you for the lovely walk, miss." He kisses her hand and leaves.
She smiles much like you expect a cat to smile, devilishly, at her father. "I wish to
know his name by next Thursday, Father. Use whatever means necessary." She walks out
leaving her father to ponder.
Being it was Friday, her father had one week to get his name out of him. 'What
shall I use to accomplish this feat?' He laughs.
The next day comes and goes; the maiden returns home to hear her father did not
get the suitor's name. Her father solemnly relates the conversation he failed at to her.
Then Sunday rolls around, which was the night of the ball that has been planned
for weeks. The maiden dances with the suitor, who says, "I shall tell you my name, if you
give me yours." She shakes her head and changes the subject. At the end of the ball, the
maiden goes to her father.
"No, my child, I do not know his name yet." He sighs and watches his child head
to bed full of sadness.
As the next three nights pass, no new information about the suitor is learned. The
maiden starts to worry, Thursday is approaching and she still does not know his name.
The maiden heads off for her servant's dinner. After the maiden leaves her home, the
suitor knocks cautiously on the door. The master calls to him to enter and greet him in
the study.
"Sir, I shall be continuing on my journey soon enough. I thought I would find
what I am looking for here, but atlas, my search is far from over." The suitor bows and
holds his hat in his hand. The butler takes his jacket, but the suitor does not relinquish
the hat. He nods and thanks the butler as the butler leaves.
The master stands and walks over to the young man. "What have you been
searching for?" He drapes his arm over the young man's shoulder and listens closely to
what he has to say.
The suitor shakes his head. "My uncle told me I could not return home until I
fulfilled my quest. He did not send me on it, though. I sent myself on it. I am in search
of the most important treasure in the entire kingdom."
The old man turns away from the young man. 'Could he be the "white knight"?
The only prince? The one who has come to claim my child, who is not really my child,
but a princess from the kingdom not far away?' "What would that be?"
The suitor shakes his head. "I may not grace the room with her name." He
glances at the old man not facing him. "For she is the only thing worthy of this kingdom.
Neither I nor my uncle is."
The master turns back to the young man. "So, she is to rule by your side when
you return to the castle, Prince Divan?"
The suitor nods. "Yes, she is. I must find the lovely young Anna, before my
uncle ruins my entire kingdom." He turns a few shades of red and covers his mouth.
The victorious old man smiles, almost laughingly at the prince. "I have been
waiting for you. I knew your father, the old king, mayherestinpeace. You may go and
take the princess back with you, for it has been her you have been courting."
Prince Divan goes white in the face. He drops his hat and kneels to the ground,
not out of respect, but out of lack of strength. "I thought she was from the first moment I
saw her, by her beauty alone. After this week though... I shall go and claim her now.
Thank you. May my entire kingdom thank you. I thank you, from the bottom of my
heart. I shall take my leave of you. I will bring my beautiful young bride back home
with me and you may see her after she gives birth to her first child. Thank you again!"
He calls for his carriage to pick him up outside Anna's mansion. He runs out of the
house in search of Anna.
She walks home from the servant's dinner crying most of the way. She meets the
suitor on her walk. She holds back her tears as he wanders over to her. It is Wednesday
night and she does not know what to do.
"Good evening, my mysterious maiden. How is your night going?" The suitor
smiles warmly at her and takes her arm. He acts as if he does not know, but in his heart
he knew now and forever he will get to hold her and bring her back to his home. His
smile and eyes light up, as he still tries to hide his happiness. He walks her back to her
house.
On the way, she turns to him. "My night is horrible. The Davidson's home was
dirty beyond belief... and I still do not know your name."
He looks at the ground and stops moving. "Aww, that is so sad. I shall help your
day along, or rather night." He straightens up and clears out his throat. "I am Prince
Divan, and you are my new Princess Anna. I have missed you these thirteen years, when
my uncle banned me from seeing you. Now that I have found you, I shall marry you and
take you back home where we shall become the rightful heirs to the throne."
She looks at him and blinks. She remembers the day when she was forced out of
her real home, she was very young, only five, and they sent her here to live. She was told
not to think of or speak her rightful name. She had forgotten the title she once held. Now
that he knows, does this mean she will be forced into marriage to this total stranger? She
stares at him wide eyes and open mouthed. "But, I..."
He nods at her and smiles. "I've been searching for you these past twelve years,
being too young to leave that first one. Now that I've found you, you are not leaving my
side again." He grabs her around the waist and hugs her gently.
She returns the hug. "But, Father...?"
"I told him before coming to see you. I told him I will be stealing you away. I told
him he may come to see you after you give birth to our first child. That way you will be
bound to me, so if you decide to run, I will have an heir for my throne when I retire. For
I will not think of taking another wife after you, just like my father." He ushers her to his
carriage waiting for them. "You will never be alone, never again. You will never see
another servant's dinner unless you wish it, and you will never have to hide your name
again, my Anna."
Gillette 1