Chapter - 3

The horses trot along happily down the dirt path as they pulled the carriage behind them. Shelly glanced out of her window and noticed the royal guards gathered in the front and back of the carriage as they escorted her to the cathedral. A crowd of nobles formed along the dirt path and they waved and cheered as the carriage passed by them. Shelly sat back in her seat and her stomach began to turn. Was she feeling sick? She placed her hand on her forehead to check for a fever, but there wasn’t one…not even a drop of sweat. The sweating sickness and flu were both ruled out and she didn’t exactly feel sick. She then took several slow, deep breaths and realized she wasn’t sick at all. It was that pesky nervous feeling she would get a lot by worrying about things that didn’t need to be worried about. Her mother had always referred it to butterflies or jitters.

Lady Edith placed her hand on Shelly’s, “Is everything alright, Milady?”

“I’m just a little nervous, but I’m alright,” Shelly smiled slightly.

Lady Edith smiled sweetly. “There’s nothing to be nervous about, Milady. The Prince simply adores you. You know that."

The carriage came to a stop, and Shelly looked out of the window to take in the astonishing scenery that awaits her outside. The cathedral is beautiful, and the marvel of architecture, craftsmanship, and construction of this old English Tudor Gothic style was magnificent. The main entry was arched and had within it, two large doors that were arched as well. Above this entrance, was an exquisite stained-glass rose window, imported from Bloodstone Keep, all covered by a gabled roof with some lintels and sills at the ends, and topped with a cross. Enclosing this remarkable entryway were twin columns on either side that rose above the roof and surrounded with brick piers at each corner. The footman opened the door and extended his hand to Shelly and her lady soon after. Shelly smiled and accepted his hand in return and exited the carriage where her father, Daniel awaited her.

Daniel hugged Shelly tightly and placed a kiss on her forehead, “Sweetheart, are you ready?”

Shelly smiled in return, “I am. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. I can’t believe that it’s finally here!”

Tears of joy welled up in Daniel’s eyes, but he remained calm and extended his arm to his daughter before they entered the cathedral. The inside was far more beautiful than Shelly had expected. The entry-level was fabricated using taupe concrete cinder blocks with arched windows and concrete lintels that united them with the arched entry. Gorgeous blue curtains with silver designs hung from every window and navy-blue banners with silver lions draped delicately on the concrete walls.

The guests rose from their seats and the musicians began to play their soft music as Daniel and Shelly step through the double doors of the church. A cascade of flowers and happy faces greeted them as Daniel walked his daughter down the aisle to meet Prince Jeremy. Upon finally arriving at the back of the church Daniel placed Shelly’s hand into Prince Jeremy’s and gave him his blessing.

“Who gives this woman to this man?” the Priest called out.

“Her father does,” Daniel replied and took a seat next to Sybil who’s in the front row.

As Shelly stood at the altar to face the guests, their faces became a blur. A bit concerned there could be something wrong, she gazed towards her future husband, Prince Jeremy. A few strands of his thick ash brown hair escaped under his crown and brushed against his forehead as he turned towards Shelly and took her hands into his.

“Is everything alright my love?” Prince Jeremy whispered; a bit concerned.

A sudden sadness came over Shelly as she looked out towards the guests to find two empty seats in the front row where her parents should be sitting. The only face that stood out amongst the guests is a young man, no more than maybe nineteen years of age. His dark brown hair pulled back into a ponytail tied just above his shoulders, and his slightly muscular chest barely fit into his suit. The young man gazed up at Michelle with his loving dark blue eyes and gave her an encouraging smile to keep going with her vows.

Nibble.

Shelly jumped up, and wondered what that was, but shoved that thought to the side because she’s about to marry the man of her dreams.

She visually imagined Prince Jeremy standing at the altar, and quickly fell back to sleep.  His hands slid around her waist and Michelle couldn’t help herself and gazed into his eyes and the Priest began to speak again.

Nibble-nibble.

Something is at her feet, distracting her thoughts. She looked down and there’s nothing there but the train of her gown.

The Priest smiled and said, “You may kiss your bride.”

Prince Jeremy’s exquisite vibrant-blue eyes locked on hers as he gently wrapped his arms around her. She coiled her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as he leaned in for the kiss. His lips felt tender and warm as they met hers and he firmly but lovingly tightened his arms around her.

The guests stood and applause after the Priest announced the royal couple as husband and wife. Prince Jeremy took his wife’s hand and they quickly ran down the aisle. The royal couple made it back to the carriage with their guests on their heels who were tossing birdseed over their heads. The footman closed the door behind them once they were inside and took his place next to the driver. The coach took hold of the reigns and commanded the horses to head towards the castle.

Toll! Toll! Toll!

Shelly’s eyes peeked out of heavy lids and turned over groaning quickly pulling the covers over her head to block out the offending light the morning sun had brought.

Nibble-nibble!

Frustrated, Shelly tossed the blanket around her waist and quickly sat up and looked to see what was by her feet. She looked down and noticed her dog, Starling sitting by the foot of her bed.

“Stupid dog,” Shelly grumbled.

This sucked. Shelly had never been in a relationship before. Sure, she had a few crushes in the past, but none of the boys would even think about looking her way. Dreams were the closest thing she could get to a love life at the present time, and just when she married the man of her dreams, the stupid dog decided to nibble on her toes.

‘I’m not sure what’s worse. The dog nibbling on my toes, or the church bell tolling in the distance,’ Shelly thought.

“Shelly! Time to get up!” Michelle heard her mother yell from downstairs.

Shelly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yelled in return, “I’ll be down in a minute!”

After Shelly dressed, brushed her long auburn hair, and put her makeup on, she finally headed downstairs. As she entered the dining room, her mother was setting the table. The sweet aroma of fresh-baked biscuits and fried bacon filled the air and her tummy began to rumble in hunger. She looked towards the head of the table and noticed her father sitting there reading his morning paper.

She placed a kiss on his cheek and took a seat next to him, “Good morning Papa!”

Daniel looked up from his morning paper, a smile formed on his face,” Good morning sweetheart! Are you ready for school? Just think, you’ll be finishing school in just a few weeks.”

Sybil grinned and placed some bacon and eggs onto their plates, poured orange juice into three goblets and set them onto the table, “How time flies. Seems like yesterday you were wrapped in your fleece blanket.”

“Yes, I’m ready for school and I can’t wait to finish in just a few weeks!” Shelly replied in excitement.

“There’s something we need to discuss with you before you leave for school, sweetheart,” Sybil said as she took her place on the opposite side of the table next to Daniel.

‘Oh boy…here it goes. The no boys until I’m thirty speech,’ Shelly thought.

“You know how we’ve been having a tutor come over for piano and singing lessons?” Daniel inquired.

“Shelly gave a little smile. “Yes! I love to sing and the piano lessons have really paid off! I can play almost anything now.”

Sybil looked over at Daniel and took his hand as he began to speak, “Your mother and I have planned for you to take up a career like we have. Either acting or singing. It will pay off in the future, and you’re very good at it. So good, that we have set up for you to meet with the Regisseur after you turn sixteen next month.”

“Papa! I don’t want to be a performer. I want to go to the university and be a nurse, or perhaps be a teacher. I want to do something meaningful with my life…something that will make a difference in the world, Shelly replied in hopes her parents would be just as excited about her decision as she was. 

Sybil turned her towards Shelly. “Now sweetheart, your father and I have had this planned since the day you were born. There’s no backing out of it now. Everything is set in stone. You’re meeting with the Regisseur and that’s final!”

“But Mama! Renee and I have had plans to go to the university for a very long time. We’re even going to share a room! If you would just listen to our…” Shelly began but her father quickly interjected. 

Daniel pounds his fists on the table angrily and furrowed a brow. “I have heard enough of this nonsense! You’re meeting with the regisseur on your sixteenth birthday and that’s final! If Renee’s parents are alright with her going to this…this university to become something that’s totally useless, then that’s fine. You’re our daughter, and you are going to make a life for yourself. I never want to hear another word of the university nonsense again! Is that clear!?”

“Crystal clear,” Shelly rolled her eyes and grumbled. 

Daniel leaned forward in his chair and raised a brow. “Excuse me? I didn’t quite hear what you said.” 

At that moment, Shelly could feel her future crumbling from under her. Her parents had just crushed the dream of ever attending the university with her best friends. She knew her parents are strict, but she also knew that they love her deeply and she better not disobey them. How could she possibly get them to see nursing and teaching aren’t useless? After all, they did send her to school to learn from a teacher. Then there was the time when she was only six and she had fallen ill to the pesky chickenpox and her parents had sent for the doctor and he came with his nurse. Surely, they couldn’t believe all of that was nonsense. Shelly shoved her scrambled eggs back and forth with her fork on her plate and slowly took the last bite and shoveled it into her mouth before she drank the rest of her orange juice. 

 “Well aren’t you gonna answer me?” Daniel said frustratedly.

Shelly glanced down at her empty plate and knew just how she could get out of the house and away from the argument. Her friends would be gathered by the fence across the dirt path from her house, waiting for her just like they do every morning to walk with them to school. 

She quickly pushed that thought to the side and looked up at her father. “Yes, Sir. Crystal clear. May I be excused now? I’m gonna be late for school.”

“Of course, you can sweetheart. Have a good day at school,” Sybil told her daughter.


Shelly grabbed her lunch and books off the counter and shoved them into her basket and headed outside of the cottage. As she walked across the dirt path that leads to the schoolhouse, she noticed Renee and Erick who are joined by their friend, Austin as they were waiting for her by the white picket fence. 

Renee and Erick Covington were twins, although not identical, they shared many of the same dreams and passions. Shelly had known them her whole life and their birthdays were only a few weeks apart. Erick spent most of his days helping his father at their farm after school while Renee would help their mother around the house and learn how to bake and how to be a lady. 

“If yer gonna be married and raise a family, yer gonna have to learn how to take care of them,” their mother would say. 

Austin Hawthrone, a little older, but only a month apart from the others. He had moved into the village a month after Shelly and her parents. Since the children were old enough to start school, they became the best of friends, and have remained so for the past twelve years. Unlike Shelly and the others, Austin is more of the bad-boy type as he was always getting into trouble in class and would skip school at least twice a week for unknown reasons. But for as long as he can remember, he had always wanted to take Shelly out alone without Renee and Erick around to interfere or take her attention away from him, which he was always too afraid that she would reject him or their friendship would get awkward if things didn’t work out between them. 

Every morning, Renee and Erick waited for Shelly by the white picket fence which surrounded their Tudor style home across the street from her parent’s cottage. As Shelly stepped out of the cottage and began to walk down the dirt path that leads to the school. She glanced over at the white picket fence in front of Renee’s and Erick’s Tudor style home, and there they were. Renee and Erick were already waiting for her who were soon joined by their friend Austin. 
As Shelly approached her friends, Erick held a small mirror in the palm of his hand as Renee brushed her long dirty blonde hair before she added a second coat of lip-gloss. 

Austin nervously slicked his brown hair back with his fingers and leaned onto the fence next to Renee and leaned forward as he began to softly speak to her. Renee gasped and playfully slapped his shoulder and returned her attention to the small mirror Erick held to look over her makeup.

Erick glanced up from Renee and noticed Shelly crossing the dirt road and began to comb back his thick shoulder-length raven hair. Suddenly he dropped the mirror and it cracked as it hit the ground. 


Renee shot a look of surprise at Erick and began shouting. “That’s ten years of bad luck! Do you honestly know how long it would take me to do this at home if Ma and Pa would allow it? I’ve never seen anyone so clumsy in my life! How on earth did you ever come to be my brother?”

Erick raised a brow and shouted in return, “How about you bite me, Renee!? It’s not like I broke your precious little mirror on purpose!”

Austin’s eyes widened when he noticed Shelly approaching him and flashed a smile.

“Ahem. Looks like the lost has been found,” Austin smirked.

Renee turned around and turned her attention to Shelly and folded her arms, “Took ya long enough to get here! We’ve been waiting for you for over thirty minutes. What kept ya?”

“I’m sorry,” Shelly began, but Renee quickly interrupted.

Renee smiles slightly. “You can tell us while we walk to school. We don’t wanna be late!”

Shelly gave a little nod in agreement and began walking with her friends down the dirt path. A few moments of silence spread between them before she began to tell them about this morning’s events.

“I sat down to have breakfast with my parents, but once again we got into another argument,” Shelly sadly told her friends.

Renee folded her arms. “What did they wanna argue about this time? How much it’s your fault that dumb dog shit in your father’s shoes again?”

Shelly sighed deeply and explained, “No. About how much the university is just a dream and learning about teaching and nursing is nonsense. They won’t even allow me to speak of it. I just wish they would see how many lives I could touch. Ya know?”

“That’s not fair! Your parents should be proud of you and support your decision,” Erick chimed in.

“He’s right, ya know. I’m going to medical school after I finish school to be a doctor. My parents couldn’t be happier and are very supportive,” Austin added.

Renee hugged Shelly tightly and soothingly said, “I’m sure your parents will come around. They must see how brilliant you are! You’re the smartest person I know. They’ll eventually wake up and smell the roses. You’ll see!”

Shelly gave a nod in agreement and thanked her friends and the four of them made their way into the school. As they pulled the door of the small schoolhouse open, other students scattered throughout the hallway, throwing paper airplanes and shooting rubber bands at one another. The bell rang a hallow toll in the tower above the school, signaling all its students to begin heading to their classrooms. Shelly gripped her basket of lunch firmly and followed the other students in the classroom. Once inside, she hung her cloak on a hook next to the others and seated at the desk in the third row next to Renee.

The teacher wrote his name on the big chalkboard and began to speak. “Hello everyone. For those of you who are new here, I’m Mr. Howard and I’ll be your teacher for the rest of the year.”

Austin took a seat with three boys in the back of the room who are new to Willowdale. The four boys began pointing and whispering at Mr. Howard as he spoke. Curiously, Shelly glanced in the direction the troublesome young men were pointing in and noticed one of them had planted thumbtacks in Mr. Howard’s chair in hopes he wouldn’t notice them before taking a seat at his desk.

Mr. Howard turned his attention towards the four boys in the back of the room and raised a brow, “Mr. Hawthorne, would you mind sharing with the rest of the class what you find so funny in today’s lessons?”

Austin’s smile turned solemn. “Ahem. We were just sharing a joke, Sir. There’s nothing important to share with the class.

“One more outburst like that Mr. Hawthorne and it will be detention for all four of you!” Mr. Howard warned.

Austin shrugged his shoulders and gave a small nod in agreement before Mr. Howard returned to his lessons.

“Did you notice the back of Mr. Howard’s head?” Renee leaned over and whispered to Shelly.

Shelly smiled widely and made herself calm down and suddenly burst into laughter.

“Shh. You’re going to get us in trouble. How can you help but not notice the light beaming off his head?” Shelly whispered in return.

Renee stifled a giggle and one of the nerdy boys next to Shelly tapped her on the shoulder. He quickly glanced up at Mr. Howard, who was still writing a math problem on the chalkboard. The boy handed her a small folded piece of paper.

“What’s this?” Shelly asked the boy.

He shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to the teacher. Shelly curiously looked at the paper and noticed someone had drawn a rose with some small writing under it which looked like initials but the letters were too small for her to make them out.

The note read, "I have never before seen such beauty. The way your eyes sparkle and dance when you laugh makes my heart flutter. I can just imagine the two of us together. I love you and have always loved you. Sadly, I don't think that you feel the same. Meet me by the rose bush behind the school before you walk home and you will find out who I am. Love always, your secret admirer."

Shelly quickly re-folded the note and stuck it in the front pocket of her apron. She quickly looked up to the front of the class to see Mr. Howard had called Erick up to the front to solve a math problem. Frantically, Shelly looked behind her to see if she could figure out who her secret admirer is, but to no avail.

‘I can’t wait until the bell rings so I can find out just who this mystery man is,’ Shelly thought.

At last the hollow bell tolled, signaling schools out for the day. Rene, Erick and I remained seated until the rest of the students gathered their belongings and exited the classroom.

Nervously, Shelly wrapped a free strand of her hair around her index finger and noticed only the teacher and the three of them remained in the small building. She stuck her hand into the pocket of her apron and held the folded piece of paper in her hand her classmate handed to her. Then she remembered she was supposed to meet this mystery by the rose bush behind the schoolhouse.

“Rain, I’ll meet you outside,” Shelly turned and said.

“Alright. I’ll be out there shortly. I need to speak with Mr. Howard and then I’ll be right out,” Renee replied.

Shelly grabbed her cloak from the hook and buttoned it around her neck, and grabbed her basket. She then exited the building and headed to the back of the schoolhouse and found Austin leaning against the fence. She stopped dead in her tracks and for a split second she thought about turning around and waiting for Renee and Erick, but she decided to gather her courage and approach him. After all, there’s no way Austin could be her secret admirer. He was her friend, and she had known him her entire life. If he had been in love with her, she’d have known it, or would she?

“What are you doing here?” Shelly shouted.

Austin flashed a dashing smile and Shelly continued. “You’re not supposed to be here! I’m supposed to meet someone here, so I’ll kindly ask again. What are you doing here, Austin?”

Austin smiled and inquired, “I know you’re supposed to meet someone here. Who do you think wrote that note and dew that rose?”

"I-It was you!? You're the one who wrote the note?" Shelly gasped in surprise.

Austin ran his fingers through Shelly’s hair. "Of course it was me! Sorry to disappoint you if you were expecting someone else."

Shelly’s cheeks were burning; She wouldn’t be surprised if they caught fire! She turned hastily to run off, but Austin firmly grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let go.

“Let go of me!” Shelly demanded.

“C’mon Shelly, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Renee has known that I had a crush on you since we were kids. I tried to ignore it and go out with other girls, but none of them were you! Those feelings for you have only grown stronger. I know in my heart there’s no one else out there for me. I should know, I’ve spent almost all of our school years looking, and those years are almost over. I’m sorry if you were disappointed to find out that I was the one who wrote the note,” Austin told her.

Shelly smiled slightly, embarrassed by the way she was just acting, "No...I-um... I'm not exactly disappointed. To be honest, I'm not sure who I was expecting. But I certainly wasn't expecting it to be you. Not one of the most popular guys in school. I-I'm a nobody. The only friends that I have are you, Renee and Erick. No one else will even look my way. You could have anyone that you want...Why would you choose a nobody like me?”

Austin loosened the grip on her arm and cupped her face with his hands and said, "I chose you because you're smart, funny, cute, loving, and caring. You're the most amazing girl…woman that I know Shel. Far from a nobody. I have always liked you, but I was afraid to come forward. I didn't want to destroy our friendship, but then again, a relationship has to start somewhere doesn't it?"

"I suppose so. Friendship is the perfect way to start, but I always thought you were into Renee?" Shelly replied.

"Renee? She's like a sister to me, and we treat each other like family," Austin chuckled.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." Shelly began, but Austin quickly interrupted.

"There's no need to apologize. A lot of people think that I'm into Renee, but we're just good friends. No one understands our relationship. A lot of people don't know this, but our parents own the Hawthorne and Covington plantation. Her folks and my folks are the best of friends as they grew up together. So, I guess in a way we are family. Trust me when I say that you’re the only girl for me, Shel,” Austin informed.

“Say! There’s gonna be a play downtown on the square. Would you like to come with me?” He asked.

“Go with you? Are you asking to court me? Shelly asked curiously.

Austin shrugged and said, “Well, yeah. If you would like to call it that.”

“Shel, C’mon, we’ve gotta start heading home. We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Renee said out of breath as she and Erick approached Shelly and Austin.

Austin sighed heavily, “School has been out for about forty-five minutes now. I’m sorry that I kept you for so long. Renee’s right, we should be heading home. If your parents are all wound up when you get home, I’m sorry. Just tell them that I made you late.”

Shelly smiled and nodded in agreement and the four of them began to head down the dirt path together that leads through the forest and eventually leading us home.

Renee and Erick laughed about the day’s events and how Austin came so close to getting into trouble with the new boys at school. Austin playfully punched Erick in the shoulder and grabbed the hat atop Erick’s head and teased him with it before he tossed it back to him.

“That’s not funny, Austin!” Erick said frustratedly.

“Ooooh! Look who’s got their braies in a twist! What’s with ya?” Austin said playfully.

“It’s nothing really. I just want to go home and study for the test tomorrow. Instead, I’m stuck working the fields on the damn farm, while Renee over there gets to be taught how to be a lady,” Erick explained.

Renee furrowed a brow, “Hey! Bite me, farm boy! It’s not my fault that I was born a girl ya know! I don’t wanna learn how to be a lady! I happen to love the way mud feels underfoot!”

Suddenly, Renee jumped and let out an ear-piercing scream. The rest of the group looked at her curiously, as she pointed her index finger to the left side of the path. As the group looked to see what Renee was pointing at, a strange man leaned his slightly muscular body against one of the old oak trees and smiled at them as if he had been waiting for them to come through there. His eyes glowed a golden yellow, and his well-trimmed beard matched his jet-black hair which laid over his shoulders as he continued to watch us curiously.

Credits

Check out these lovely builds!

Gothic Abbey by Lyhandros

I used the inside of this castle as the cottage in Willowdale where the royals are hiding their daughter.

Castle by Silverwolf_6677.

Home of Daniel and Esther Covington and their children; Renee and Erick.

Schoolhouse Timmssimms and I worked on together. 

Forest by Timmssimms