Flash Fiction Friday on Saturday (yes I am late again)

Every Monday Dottie over at Tink's Place posts a picture and then on Friday (Flash Fiction Friday) we post a story to go along with the picture. The story has to be about 350 words, give or take. 

(pic has been removed: woman in storm)

The Wedding Day

by Blodeuedd

Even the flowers tried to keep Lorina there as she ran out in the garden. The leaves blew around her and kissed her skin, butterflies landed in her hair, but she continued to run and would not stop. This was her wedding day; the dress lay in a heap on the floor in her tower. Her maidens had screamed after her as she ran out in her shift. But they did not try to stop her, because in the end they did not want to be here either.

She was to be given in marriage to the youngest prince of Rhone. Her country’s neighbor, the one you had to please. But she did not care for pleasing as her nerves took over. Other princesses suffered the same fate, but they did not marry a beast. She stopped and just stood there crying. The youngest prince of Rhone was cursed it said. He was more man than, the sources said he looked like a bull of some sort and, no, how could she marry that?!

“Lorina,” she closed her eyes as she heard her father’s voice. “You are shaming us.”

She dried her tears and picked a flower. “I was just getting flowers for my hair father.” She picked a few more and hurried past her. Her maidens did not look at her when she returned, instead they finished dressing her. A lamb to slaughter.

The wedding vows were not even said by him, instead his brother said them in his place and she thought she was about to faint. What were they giving her to? After the feast that followed they brought her to his chambers and her maidens cried as they undressed her.

“It will be fine,” she tried saying but they would not stop. She was calm now; it was like she had escaped into herself. But when she was lying alone in the bed she started to shiver and as the door open she saw a silhouette in the moonlight and she closed her eyes. She heard him come closer and she tried erasing the horns from her memory. The she felt a hand brush hers and a soft voice spoke.

“Do not fear me.”

She shook her head.

“Please.” His plea was heartbreaking and she opened her eyes.

“How?” This was not the man she had seen. No, this was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

“I am cursed during the day,” he said with such sadness that she reached out and touched his skin. Now he was crying too and her heart opened for the first time in weeks.

“It will be fine”, she whispered and took him in her arms.

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I am stuck with fairy-tales it seems :)

Other participants:

Melissa

Carol

Carole