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Wedding bells rang, and the ceiling reached the heavens. The church we find our characters in is pure white, unless you count the stems from the tall flower vases lining the pews. The people sitting in these very pews have unusually somber looks on their faces, given the nature of their gathering.
At the end of the pews, on the stage where a priest stands, is a man. Russo is his name, and the somber looks can be blamed on him. Standing under an arch covered with creeping vines covered in white flowers, he stood out, not just because he is clearly the groom.
But because he was wearing clothes he had attended a meeting in, just hours before arrived. He hadn’t even bothered to change into the white suit with lace details he paid so much for.
As the doors across the way from Russo opened, a glittering, blinding figure emerged. As she stepped forward, the guest couldn’t help but be frozen in awe of her beauty.
The bride, walking forward, covered her face with a thin veil. The guest's awe quickly turned back to sadness, as they could see through the veil to the bride’s face.
Emilia, the bride, was frowning, barely holding back tears. As she took large, slow strides down the aisle, she glared ahead. At Russo, the nonchalant groom, bored of his own wedding.
All of this negativity can be accredited to the nature of Emilia and Russo’s relationship; complete strangers.
Not only had they never heard of each other before a month ago, Emilia vehemently opposed marrying Russo.
Regardless, as the priest spoke of holy matrimony, as the onlookers cried, as the bitter couple said “I do”, Emilia and Russo married.
And thus, their fates were set in stone.
Many moons passed, and Emilia, the remorseful bride, hasn’t left her new home. At first, all she did was cry, filled with regret. But once she came to terms with her new life, she decided she wouldn’t waste it.
That was, until, she was told she couldn’t leave the manor; at all. No reason was given to her, just a flat “no”. So now, she was stuck. As grand as the manor was, it was rather small compared to the area that surrounds it. A dark, foggy, but gorgeous city, was the only thing Emilia could see.
“What’s beyond the fog?” She’d ask herself, day after day, night after night. What people could she meet, what creatures may be lurking, fearing the day the fog clears?
One day, as her mind wandered, her imagination as her only entertainment, someone knocked on her room door.
She lived in a high tower, of her own volition. The room itself was modest; nothing more but a desk, a shelf, and a bed, with a small closet attached. Up this high, she could see to the end of the fog. She could see far beyond the overgrown stone walls of the manor.
So when someone knocked on her door, she was confused. No one came for months, not even to check she was still alive. Not even her new husband.
When she opened her door, a maid met her gaze.
The maid blankly greeted her, and began to explain her newfound presence. All the maid said was that her name was Ralphina, and Russo assigned her to Emilia for unknown reasons.
Emilia was curious why Russo suddenly cared enough to have someone care for her, but not for long. It was probably expected of him to treat her somewhat well.
Regardless of how many questions Emilia had, she decided it was better to just accept the situation; experience told her she’d be met with denial after denial, so it wasn’t worth getting her hopes up so needlessly.
She accepted her fate; Trapped in a tower, with a view beyond her reach, and a stranger watching her every move.
More months passed, and soon it became a year since Emilia became trapped by a man she rarely saw. In this year, the few times she did see Russo, he was busy with something else.
Despite the bitterness encasing her very soul, she managed to remain content. Happy even. As now, she had Ralphina. Ralphina kept her distance, did as she was told…
Until one day, when she saved Emilia’s life.
The days were dull and empty. The halls were barren, with the high ceilings only making that emptiness clearer. Her room felt like a prison. Her view that once fueled her, began to taunt her.
The world was just outside her reach, and it would remain that way until her dying breath. She could feel her heart breaking, piece by piece. Until one day, it finally crumbled.
The view from her window, from her high tower, was so enticing. What was beyond the fog? What was within it? If she just stretched out her arms, if she just walked toward it, she would know.
If she just opened that window, she would be free from this prison.
But Ralphina refused. Grabbing Emilia and pulling her back to reality was just the beginning. Ralphina, soon after, began doing everything she could to care for Emilia.
It took time, but Emilia became content with her life.
She had Ralphina to comfort and care for her, play games with her, read with her; she found a companion. Ralphina would bring gifts whenever she left the manor, which she did only once a month for a few days, and the days she stayed with Emilia, they’d spend their time talking and laughing with each other.
She needed nothing more but Ralphina. And Ralphina felt the same. They were happy.
Emilia’s newfound attitude managed to reach Russo. Russo, who cared about nothing but work and himself. When he, from his office window, would see Emilia on her walks, he’d find himself enraptured by her joy.
When they first met, she was teary-eyed and angry. She seemed like a very spoiled person, especially with how often she would complain about anything she could. But her attitude now was much more appealing.
Her joy made him crack a smile. Russo, the stone-faced man with no confidence to approach her. For months, he’d just watch her from afar, working up said confidence. He began to hope for a future with Emilia. Russo, the man who actively avoided interacting with Emilia, was looking forward to a future with this stranger he called his bride.
Russo failed to acknowledge Ralphina, the maid that, out of her own curiosity, asked to become Emilia’s caretaker. Russo was too blind to see how Emilia looked at Ralphina. Or, he was too wrapped up in what he wanted to care about reality.
One day, Russo visited Emilia.
When Emilia heard a knocking at her door, she rightfully assumed it was the only person who cared to visit her; Ralphina. It was those few days of the month where Ralphina would leave, so Emilia thought she was back. She happily opened the door, only to be met with her neglectful husband holding a bouquet of flowers.
Russo was quick to bungle his confession. He greeted her, walking into her small room without permission. He spoke of how he came to love her, how much joy her joy brought him. How he had a difficult time focusing now, because she would wander his mind, day-in, day-out.
How she had to take responsibility for what she’s done to him.
Having placed the bouquet on her desk, on Ralphina’s letters, staining them, he grabbed her hand. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek, gazing into her eyes.
“We deserve the chance to love each other properly, so let us start anew.” Russo said.
Emilia, honestly, felt more uncomfortable than flattered. She didn’t despise Russo, nor did she think he despised her. She knew they were strangers, and, thanks to Ralphina, managed to even sympathise with him. It was likely he had no choice in marrying her either.
But she was content. She didn’t need or want his love, so this revelation of Russo’s was very bad for her. Just as she was about to deny Russo, Ralphina arrived, gifts in hand. All she saw was Russo and Emilia, too close for comfort.
Emilia immediately pushed Russo away from her, worried Ralphina would misinterpret things. She began to explain what had happened, letting it slip that she didn’t have any feelings for Russo. Right in front of Russo.
She realized too late what she had done.
Russo, still shocked, said nothing. Russo, a man who always got what he wanted, refused to see reality. Instead, he crafted fictitious reasons as to why Emilia would choose a maid over him. He saw no fault in himself, no, he saw evil in Ralphina instead.
The maid must have tricked Emilia into distrusting him. She must have cursed her. Russo was quick to make his thoughts known, not caring that Emilia is a person who can’t control her feelings.
His rage manages to scare the women, who both can’t do anything but watch. In a crescendo of anger, Russo fires Ralphina, claiming it as a mercy. No one could oppose him. No matter how inconsiderate and irrational he was being. So, begrudgingly, Ralphina left the manor.
And thus, Emilia’s life went back to being meaningless, with the added benefit of Russo’s unwanted love.
For nights after, she’d lay in her modest bed, staring at her ceiling. What was Emilia to do without Ralphina? Sure, Russo’s gifts could be grander than her’s, but Emilia didn’t care about that. It’s not like he knows what she likes. Russo couldn’t spend as much time with her as Ralphina, in fact, the only way he could required him to push his responsibilities aside. She also didn’t love or care about Russo, and it was clear he didn’t either. He just discarded someone Emilia very clearly cared about, just because he felt threatened by her.
One night, as Emilia’s mind wandered, tears streaming down her face, she heard a knock, coming from her window. She thought it was just the wind, but then someone called her name.
She got up, confused and a bit scared. But what she saw was the very last thing she could fear.
It was Ralphina, who broke into the manor and scaled Emilia’s high tower just to see her again. But that wasn’t all Ralphina came back for.
“Would you like to run away with me?” Ralphina asked. Ralphina knew how important she was to Emilia, but she had a selfish reason for this as well.
For Ralphina loved Emilia, and couldn’t bear to be away from her. She was quick to explain her love, she knew they didn’t have much time. Ralphina made it clear Emilia didn’t have to go with her, but if she did, they could leave the manor and explore the land, together.
How could Emilia refuse the perfect life?
Emilia began packing what little she had. She grabbed a few dresses, a box of jewelry, and the letters Ralphina gave her. She tossed Russo’s decaying bouquet to the floor, and stuffed the letters into her luggage, with everything else. Ralphina reached out to help Emilia climb out the window. When Emilia grabbed her hand, smiling widely, they heard footsteps coming towards her room. Ralphina hurriedly grabbed Emilia and swiftly helped her out of the window.
When the door cracked open, Emilia turned to see who suddenly visited her.
It was Russo, who came to check on her. He could tell she had been upset these past few days, and thought visiting her without any prompting and trying to convince her Ralphina was evil was the best way to comfort her. Russo realized what was happening immediately, and snapped back into an irrational, scary man.
Emilia rushed to climb out the window, and as she did, Russo tried to grab her but missed. When he saw Ralphina helping her run away, he only got worse. Russo left the room in a hurry, so he could cut them off in the grass. How could he let the only thing he loved leave?
When Emilia and Ralphina reached the ground, Emilia pulled Ralphina by the hand, running as fast as they could. Ralphina shouted to tell her where to go; a certain overgrown, caved in wall, with large rocks lining the bottom of it.
Halfway to the wall, Ralphina and Emilia were suddenly tackled to the ground by Russo. He pushed Ralphina, who had gotten injured falling so suddenly, harshly to the side, and grabbed Emilia by the throat.
He began questioning her. Why would she run when he gave her so much? He loved her, he let her be when she wanted, he could give her so much more if she just asked.
Why would she run away? He loved her, she was the first thing he ever loved. She could just explain to her how to love her right, it wasn’t like he knew.
His parents showed him nothing but contempt, the rest of his family was trying to usurp him. He had nothing and no one. He can’t let her leave, she’s all he has.
Quickly, his excuses began to muddle in Emilia’s mind. Russo’s hands around her throat were tight, too tight for her to breathe. He was choking her to death, claiming to love her. Emilia was on the brink of passing out, when, suddenly, Russo let go.
She was too out of it to understand what was happening, but she’s certain she heard snarling, and a man screaming in pain. Emilia didn’t manage to get her bearings, and passed out with a sore throat. All she could do was hope Ralphina was safe, and ran before Russo could do anything to her.
When she came to, she was in a cozy cabin. Everything was made of wood, unlike the stone and marble manor she was familiar with. The cabin was at the edge of the fog, and the manor faded into the background. Sitting in a chair beside the bed she laid in, was Ralphina.
They had made it out of the manor, and could finally live their life as they pleased.
-The End