At eighteen, she took a journey full of uncertainty. The future was unseen and unknown. She drifted like a leaf on water. The hometown she once lived in was too far to be seen. The emptiness in her heart was growing, questioning everything. Her eyes were full of worries, but tears were nowhere to be seen. She seemed to be at a loss while the wind carried her to a familiar place, yet the people there were strangers she had not met. In her long journey, she found herself in the place the people called Bial, a village of joy and prosperity.
The village was peaceful and quiet. The scenery was different from her hometown, a place she had not imagined. She found a place to live and made new friends.
In the village, the Laurdy family ruled the land. It was a huge family that was devoted to their culture and beliefs. In the Laurdy family, there was a young man named Aiden. He was known by the people; he was perfect with broad shoulders, a slim waist, and a tall height. He was romanticized by the women in the village. He had a captivating look that made Kelly notice him. The ladies in the village were attracted to him.
In this village, there were distinct beliefs, and the family of Aiden was very attached to those beliefs. No matter who you were, where you came from, or what your culture and beliefs were, it did not matter. The family would get what they want, and the people would stand up for their culture. If you crossed the line, you would pay the price, or you would be bound to do anything that they were going to say.
During this time, Aiden showed his intentions to Kelly, expressing his emotions toward her. On the other hand, she knew nothing about their culture and beliefs. She was swayed by Aiden with his warm and gentle treatment. She thought that it was normal to be with the person that you liked, to walk with him side by side, and to eat and talk about fun things with him. But it was totally different for Aiden's family and culture. The people in the village and Aiden's family noticed their actions, seeing that Aiden and Kelly had gotten close with each other. She had not noticed that the eyes of the people in the village were watching her actions, and one move could make everything change.
For the past three months, the relationship between the two was undeniable. It came to the situation where the two of them showed intimacy in an open space.
It was normal in the village to celebrate a festival to be thankful for the successful harvest. Since there was a celebration, Aiden invited Kelly to stay the night together. Then, right after the festival, everything changed. The people looked at Kelly differently. Then came a sudden invitation from Aiden's family. She was anxious and nervous as to why Aiden's family was inviting her. What was the reason that the Laurdys were requesting her to visit the family?
It was then she learned the assumptions of the villagers and the Laurdy family. She was chained to a decision. The head of the family asked:
"Marry my son Aiden or pay the price that we want."
The mistress of the house walked in and sat on the right side of her husband. She crossed her legs while staring right at her, and said:
"If you are not going to marry Aiden, then you are going to give us a fortune."
Kelly clenched her hands on her dress and the words echoed in her mind. The confusion could be seen on her face as she furrowed her eyebrows. She was lost for a moment and said:
What?
Why?
"I do not know anything."
Lord Laurdy leaned back on his chair, and his eyes darkened.
"You have been with my son for quite some time now. This is our culture and belief. My wife is starting to get sick, so you have to marry our son."
She was confused and leaned forward on the table. Her trembling voice echoed all over the corridor.
"If your wife is getting sick, that has nothing to do with me. I do not know your beliefs. Your culture has nothing to do with me!"
The atmosphere became intense as Lord Laurdy stood up and walked toward Aiden. She could barely see the firm clench the Lord gave to his son. He tapped his cane.
"It is simple, my child: marry my son or pay. That is your option. And if you did not know about our beliefs, then you should have known; you should have asked. Marry Aiden; it is up to you,"
he said with his deep, firm voice.
As Lord Laurdy and the mistress of the house walked past her, she felt the cold air slap her face. She felt like the heavens betrayed her in that moment. She left the Laurdy house in shock, with her emotions in turmoil. She was not yet ready to start a family. Aiden did not even bother to talk to her. He knew their beliefs, but he did not tell her anything. If she ran away, they were going to sue her and make her pay, and if she did not marry Aiden, she did not have a fortune. The price that she was going to pay would be based on how much the Laurdy family wanted.
Still in shock, she kept her composure to deal with the situation. She took a paper and started writing a letter to her siblings to ask for their help, but for quite some time, no one responded. She had no choice. She looked in the mirror in the dark, cold room, stared at her reflection, and then she asked herself,
"Do I love Aiden?
Did I love him?"
Her lower lip was trembling. She reached up with a shaking hand to touch her delicate face, watching her reflection mimic her desperation. She lowered her face, which meant everything, as if surrendering her hopes and dreams to the reality she would face, a world she never imagined. It was never meant to be this cruel as she forced herself to have that smile with the deceiving looks. She hoped even she herself could be fooled by the mask she tried on for the very first time. She whispered, but at that moment, the words sounded hollow to her own ears:
Yes!
I love him.
"Aiden will be my world."