Thread: Arrangements (Aldir, Silvamoon)

It was a well known fact that all girls of marriageable age that were part of wealthy families would be betrothed to a man with wealth and a title of his own, to further the position of the girls family in society. Love was something that was not a factor in the equation, much to Victorias chagrin. As the only daughter in the family she had grown up under the tutelage of tutors and governesses, learning such delicate arts as dancing and painting in order to one day satisfy her future husband. Her father and mother cared for the family, but were often away on business and left her to explore her own natural curiosity. As she grew older Victoria grew more headstrong, often failing to appear for lessons because she was off reading in a hidden nook or off riding one of the familys horses. She was a precocious child, stubborn and sharp tongued at times. As she aged and her parents began to spend more time at the manor leaving the running of the merchant business to other associates, the girl had to learn to curb some of her wilder tendencies but they still lurked beneath the surface. Victoria simply wasnt made of the same mold as some of the girls that she knew, content to sit and sew all day and waste their lives away. Instead she longed for freedom, her head filled with romantic tales she had read as a child. Her parents were always upfront with their plans, telling her that they were negotiating with this or that prominent family to arrange a marriage for her. Whenever those plans inevitably fell through the young woman would relax, and eventually she came to believe that she would have time to meet a man and fall in love on her own terms. The thought thrilled her. All too soon the time came when her parents again informed her of another betrothal, and this time as the assigned date of the wedding drew nearer Victorias fears grew that this time the arrangement would not be broken. Not wanting to take the chance that she would be forced to wed this new stranger, the young woman began making arrangements to disappear for a little while until the disappointed groom eventually left their home without her hand in marriage. On the eve of her wedding Victoria made sure that her maids were overly plied with alcohol to celebrate the upcoming nuptials, and once she was sure they were asleep she pulled a dark cloak over her thin sleeping chemise and petticoats and crept out the door with a bag of clothes and food to sustain her for a while. It was a very late hour in the manor house and most of the servants were sleeping, but she took no chances creeping stealthily along the back staircases and corridors until reaching the main level. Ensuring that no one was around to observe her she silently opened a door and slipped through it, breathing a sigh of relief as she approached the stables. Victoria was so absorbed in the jubilant notion that she had nearly reached her destination that she failed to notice the man sitting upon a nearby bench until he stood suddenly and startled her. Inhaling sharply at the shock of seeing another out so late, Victoria then raised her hand to shield her mouth as if she could take back the sound and not reveal her presence. The moon was obscured, but it peeked behind the clouds briefly enough to illuminate her features briefly. She had pale coloring, her skin unblemished except for the blush spreading across her cheeks. Most of her honey blonde hair was pulled back under the hood, but a few tendrils escaped and swept across her forehead. Im sorry, you startled me sir. His presence was a surprise, evident by how wide her hazel eyes went. In her haste to escape the house Victoria didnt pay much attention to his garb and mistook him for a servant. Ill let you get back to your duties, but could you perchance open the western gate for me? I would surely appreciate it.