Chapter Text
Elaine is sitting in the front row holding her breath.
It was the rehearsal for Arlo’s and Seraphina’s wedding, an arranged marriage between the two families to make their businesses stronger.
She looks at her lap, as Remi, in her pink dress, is sitting next to her, glowing with excitement. Remi wouldn’t stop murmuring to Blyke about how she couldn’t wait to see Seraphina in a wedding dress.
Elaine wasnt really listening to anything that was going on in the room, her heart felt heavy with hurt and guilt.
She had been in love with Arlo for years, she never told a soul about her feelings even if sometimes it was obvious. But now he was going to marry Seraphina, and the guilt was eating her alive, not because she never confessed but because she knew her friend didn’t deserve something so complicated. She was already marrying a man she didn’t love, Elaine didn’t want to be more of a burden.
Her family wasn’t rich like Arlo’s or Seraphina’s or Remi’s, hell, between Blyke and Her, Blyke’s family was richer. She was thankful they let her be part of their social circle, and her feelings made her feel heavy, because it meant she was in the way.
Remi’s kind voice shook her out of her trance.
—Elaine, the rehearsal is over—
She lifted her head slowly, the pink lady was standing in front of her, Her eyes wander to the people behind Remi. Blyke was talking with Arlo, Elaine felt her throat close and immediately stood up.
—Thank you, Remi— She smiled quickly, wanting to not make obvious her pain. Remi seem to look behind Elaine and her smiled widen. —Seraphina! — The pink head run to hug the soon-to-be bride. While the blue hair girl turned slowly.
Seraphina hugged Remi back, before looking at Elaine.
—I was thinking maybe you two could stay for dinner—
She knew Seraphina had been different lately, ever since her sister married, she seemed to be more relaxed. It wasn’t like Seraphina’s parents approved of Layla’s choice of husband, so the sister ended up living hours from town. Yet, Seraphina visited often, and seem freer lately.
—I would love that! — Remi said cheerfully. But the guilt made Elaine feel heavy. For god sake, this was her friend that was getting married in two days and she couldn’t stop thinking of how this hurt her. How could she be so selfish? Yet Elaine smiled as she nodded along Remi’s agreement, instead of saying ‘no’ like she wanted.
—It’s a good idea! I’m sure you are nervous with the big event coming up—
—Yeah— Elaine felt herself getting scared by Blyke’s voice coming from behind her— I’m sure you two want to cheer her up but Remi and I have plans so ... — Remi looked confused at his words before she seem to understand.
—Oh I forgot— That got a laugh from Seraphina —Don’t laugh! It’s-—Blyke cover the pink head’s mouth before another word could come out.
—That’s it! We are late to meet Isen! See you around! — With that Blyke took Remi with him as he drag her away nervous.
—Those three are always plotting— Elaine said with a small chuckle.
—Always— Seraphina complemented.
A long silence followed between them. Friends. Sure Elaine called Seraphina a friend, yet they don’t feel like they are really friends. Elaine for her part even if she had tried to be friend the stoic girl, somehow it always ended up with her telling Arlo about Seraphina’s latest update, if she had done something out of the usual, if she was seeing somebody, etc. Elaine never talked about her own life to the blond man, it was always about her ‘Friend’. And she knew Seraphina never truly opened up to her, they only really hanged out if Remi was involved. So probably they were more of acquaintances than friends.
Yet Elaine wanted to think they were friends. Even if Seraphina’s parents saw her more like a background object than someone from their daughter’s social circle. In the end, She knew she was invited because they didn’t want strangers filling the seats.
—Are you planning on getting engaged soon Elaine? — The blue head turned her head slowly, holding her soft smile to face her friend.
—Yes, My family is already looking for someone fit— She was avoiding to just verbally vomit right there, because she didn’t even have a choice in anything. Her family wanted her to marry someone from higher standing than her, so the family could get benefits. Yet, the problem was much simpler. Her family was barely something compared to Arlo’s, Seraphina’s or even Remi’s. The case of the last one was the best situation ship one could reach, since her brother was going to inherit everything, and they have a good relationship, Remi could choose freely without worries, even got to hang out with someone of lower standing like Isen with no worries. Elaine case was just ... Too complicated compared to the best one. But one thing was clear.
She can’t afford a prince charming, so she only had to marry someone that can promise better.
Even if it was old, or had bad habits.
A jealousy began to grown in her chest, Seraphina was marrying because her parents said so, and if in any moment the marriage ended, she could fall into the arms of her sister and live as she liked. But what did Elaine have except a pathetic one-sided crush and a dream?
—I see— After a silence Seraphina keep talking — I hope you tell me and Remi first —
—Trust me, I will— Again that uncomfortable silence between the two of them. Elaine couldn’t take it anymore — I should head home, and you should try to rest, standing up for hours must be exhausting—
The contrary nodded, before looking behind Elaine.
—Have a good night, Elaine— Seraphina walked pass her, and when she turned to see behind her, she felt her eyes watery. Arlo was speaking naturally with his soon to be mother-in-law. When the magenta hair woman joined the conversation, the blond man linked their arms. They looked meant to be. And Elaine couldn’t stand watching.
She hurried out of the rehearsal room and outside of the building.
The cold of the night seem to hug her as she step into the street.
Dang it, she forgot she had arrived in Remi’s carriage because the driver was out sick.
The plaza wasn’t far, she could walk, yet she didn’t want to get home. She didn’t want to hear her own mother say how much Arlo and Seraphina were the perfect image of a nobility couple. She didn’t want to keep hearing people cheer up a marriage that reminded her of how shitty her position was.
She ended up heading to the forest outside town, it wasn’t like the town was big, but it was near a lot of things. A lake, the path to the capital, a farm, etc.
Elaine needed a place without people watching and critiquing everything, a place where she could bury her feelings so they would never be heard.
Her steps fill the air, the crack of the old leafs reassure her of the lack of life around her. Elaine started looking around so she could sit, or just find a distraction.
Her eyes deceived her for a moment, a tree looked like the torso of a man.
—Ha— Laughing at herself she looked closely at the tree. A branch of it seem extended with five twigs, it oddly resembled an arm with fingers, but she couldn’t make out a hand. Looking up, some bumps in the log made it seem like it was a face, the apparent bump that looked like soon it would grow a twig seem to be like a nose. A thought pupped in her head.
A way to get rid of her feelings, to bury them for ever. She took a breath and placed herself firmly in front of the tree. Staring at where she guessed the eyes would be placed.
—I know that you have never saw me like someone you could share your life with, I know I’m less of what you expect for a partner, I know I’m not as beautiful as Seraphina, that I was just a help to keep you at pair with her life. Yet I can’t help to love the way you seem so composed under any circumstances, the way you laugh with the people you hold dear — Elaine let a bitter laugh once she realised something and step closer to the tree— god, you have never even smiled with me, always Seraphina this Seraphina that. I’m your fucking lapdog! and you still don’t look at me! —Her hand’s reached out to scup the vague shape of a face, tears starting to leave her eyes— Is that you hate me? Or am I just a convenience? Am I even something to you?! —
A silence filled the air, Elaine looked at the log like it hold the answers to her questioning. A low soft hurt murmur left her lips before taking more volume.
—I love you, and I’m nothing—
—I love you but you don’t know—
—Why can't you break my heart already instead of doing this slowly? —
—I wouldn’t mind if you only looked at me once, but just look at me too. I’m here. So please ... If you choose me for once ... If you just say it too ... I will stay... So please marry me, let it be only us in this, I’ll wait ... To hear it from you too ... I love you, so let me be by your side and you by mine—
She closed her eyes, the tears slowly stopped, she ignored the sound of a crack, guessing there was a wild animal around.
She raised her own hand to clean her face, but something made her freeze, there was a almost skeletal hand around her. A cold skeletal hand that pulled her closer to what used to be the log of the tree, now a muscular torso of what to her scandal seem to be naked or covered in a thin fabric.
—I do— His voice seem to finally make her snap, she looked up, a sharp face meet her eyes, with his black hair and dirty gold eyes, he seem to have parts of his flesh showing some bones. She open her mouth to scream-
Then she fainted.