Free Reads!! Wednesday Briefs – Innocence & Carnality Part 7

Welcome to the next part in my Wednesday Briefs flash fiction serial, Innocence & Carnality! Each chapter has to be between 500 and 1,000 words and this week I chose the prompts, use “There isn’t even music playing.” and a photo of a throne.

The next morning, Nathan ponders his situation.

Click here to start from the beginning

Part 7

The wedding of a Victorian noble was a grand affair. At least a year was required to plan the entire event from the staging for the hall, to the miles of decorations, to the clerical blessings. A month of rehearsals alone were necessary to choreograph the actual function. It was a social event one dared not decline, and woe to the family not invited. Lords and ladies far and wide would celebrate the union, every detail governed with meticulous attention. All because it is our station.

Once a year, each fledgling lord and lady parades before the Monarch, High Governor of Victoria. It was our duty to be presented before the heads of our land, to be recognized as worthy of our class and approve us to wed into society. It was our defining moment. The pageantry and ritual was tedious at times, but we were taught from birth how we were bred to provide role models for the lower classes. Hence the strict guidelines and structure in our lives. We learned birthright alone was not enough, it was a gift earned through our actions and deeds. Deviate and be damned.

When my official confirmation arrived by post, I was elated. I ran through the house showing anyone who would listen. My father beamed. It was one of the last times, I think.

I felt I’d followed my tenets carefully, and the indoctrination ceremony left me ecstatic. I’d rehearsed the motions until exhausted, although it didn’t mean I wasn’t anxious. One by one, we stood before the Golden Throne, awed by it’s splendor, trying not to wet ourselves as they scrutinized us and the apothecarian’s report proving our blood lineage.

My knees quaked as the smallest frown came upon the Monarch’s face. I couldn’t tell if he was displeased or if it was his normal manner. My father stood beside me, which was customary, as he was the one presenting me.

The Monarch’s gaze was harsh and unsettling. “Thank you, Lord Valencus, for presenting young Nathan before us. Given the state of Victoria after the plague devastation, it would be a shame if Nathan were allowed to indulge his baser instincts, rather than do his part to restore the community.”

Father’s voice was thick. “Y… Yes. Of course, Milord.”

As we bowed and stepped away, Father’s face grew crimson and his tone became sharp for the rest of the day. I noticed the odd stares directed at us as we completed the ceremony. Father refused to explain. I didn’t understand the gravity of the exchange at the time, but standing here at my wedding, clarity became a measure of hindsight.

A short trip found our small group in the local vicarage, giving the requisite prayers. My parents, brothers, Lord Rother, and the hulking man who played his attendant were the small audience. No congratulatory crowd of guests. No reception to celebrate the joining.

The rustic pulpit served the droning vicar, in a building crafted by tradesman, not artisans. There was no luxury as would be expected in an aristocratic ceremony, only function. We wore fine clothing, but not attire suitable for a wedding. The whole thing was an insult and my father was the architect. Any noble family would be ashamed at the callous handling of the whole debacle.

I held my head high, refusing to acknowledge my offense. My parents sat focused on the vicar’s words, Mother looking vexed at the whole ordeal. Lord Rother stood by my side, a willing participant. Never had I felt like such an outcast.

I swallowed hard at the stage whisper Finn gave my mother. “There isn’t even any music playing.”

“Hush, Finn,” she hissed. “Making mischief at a time like this is horribly common.”

Finn recoiled, his shock obvious. I doubt he’d ever been scolded in my presence. Rather than feel solidarity from her defense, I felt nothing. The significance of the moment was lost on me.

Father had failed to react to Finn’s remark at all. Was I so beneath him?

Years of neglect and his dismissive remarks rushed through my memories. The wave was strong and a deep, stuttered breath barely centered me. It would take little to drown. How I managed to control my contempt, I’ll never know. The rage sat on my tongue, twisted with suffocating heartache. Knowing any outburst would embarrass Lord Rother and be a waste of time, I curbed myself.

One moment of shame in front of the Monarch sparked years of poor treatment I didn’t earn and certainly didn’t deserve. I refused to cry in front of my family, no matter how tempted. It wasn’t my fault my orientation conflicted with the country’s direction. I have been the unwilling player in this ghastly theatre.

Lord Rother may not have been my ideal love, but at least he wanted me. He said I was what he was looking for with only a minor introduction. Why wait, he said. I held worth in his eyes. A worth beyond my Father’s narrow vision. Could I be the spouse Lord Rother required and find a place for myself in his home? It’s what I was trained for. The travel to another land sounded less daunting and more opportunistic every minute. Surely I could build a new life in Francine? I grasped the concept for dear life.

Squaring my shoulders, I tugged my jacket straight and tamped down my unease. There would be no emotional outbursts other than looking forward to my future. My marriage had been arranged to a proper gentleman after all.

No matter what came next, I would hold tight to my ideals. I was better than I’d been treated, still the noble I was born to be, and would make the most of my situation. Only once I made this decision, did I come to hear the vicar’s words.

“I now pronounce you, Sir Nathan Valencus and Lord Rother Marsh Delaga III, joined for life.”

Check back next Wednesday for the next installation… Be sure to take a read at the other briefers free reads this week here: Wednesday Briefs