I do, But I Don't...

Author's Note: This story was originally made for the prompt: Write a story about someone whose life is planned out for them, but they decide to go against it. I didn't finish until last week, then I had to decide if I wanted to put it out.

With all that being said, I hope you enjoy the story.

Alaina was not prepared for the information that was relayed to her that afternoon. 

“You’re going to marry Lord Hempsworth. You’ll attend tonight’s function and place your attentions on him. This has been planned since your birth. This will surely tame your impetuousness.” 

“W-what?” Alaina stuttered. 

It was quite a shock.  

“Why haven’t you told me sooner?”  

“Your mother and I waited until we knew you were ready.” 

“Ready? What does that even mean?” 

“Your mother and I believe you are mature enough to understand this is what you have to do.” 

“What if I'm not? What if I say no to this ridiculous notion? If I reject the social standard?” Alaina asked 

I didn’t look good for Alaina to act in this manner, but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t subject herself to a life of misery. She would do anything to escape this arranged marriage. 

“You will do as you're told. There will be no ‘rejecting the social standard’. I won’t have it. That’s the end of this discussion.” 

Alaina nodded her head, but secretly was figuring out a way to get this settled. She promised herself she would.  

***  

Alaina sat on her bed, contemplating what she would do. It had to be elaborate to outwit her parents. She could just run away, but they would probably check to see if she was ready for the night. She could feign an illness.  

   That would get her out of duties, but what would her illness be? It was likely she would be asked what was wrong with her. A cough would require her to feign that as well. Pretending to cough would probably make her actually cough. She could sniff up some dust and have a sneezing fit. That would be hilarious. Not to her, but to someone, at least. The thought of that feeling made her sick. Perfect! Alaina would have no need to feign an illness. 

  Ugh! What was she thinking? Feigning an illness? That would only work for a few hours.   

................... 

This was going too far. She would simply go up to her mother and tell her to unarrange the agreement right away. 

***  

“No, Alaina. It doesn’t work that way.” 

“Mother! You could be the first to do it. You could change the way it works.”   

“Absolutely not!” Her mother exclaimed. “I’m shocked you would even consider such an outrageous thing. The fact you would even ask this is preposterous.” 

“Mother!” 

“Alaina, behave! This behavior is unacceptable.” Mother spoke, walking away. 

There went that idea. Now, what would Alaina do? She would be stuck in a loveless marriage for the rest of her life. 

It would be sufferable and horrid. Alaina did not want to subject herself to a life like that, but did she have a choice? No, probably not. Tonight would definitely be a long night.   

 The night festivities included dancing. Oh, how she would loathe dancing tonight. She would be limited to dancing with lord Hempsworth. Not that Alaina danced with a load of men on one night, but she never danced with the same man every dance. 

Walking into the ballroom, Alaina spotted him. Lord Hempsworth donned a navy-blue coat, black boots, and black pants. She had seen him before, but she had never thought him handsome. Tonight; however, she did. She didn’t know why. It was a quite unusual thought. 

What was happening with her life? Why was this happening to her now? It was all so sudden. It was as if she was being targeted.  

What had she done to deserve this? Had she been too slow with making a choice in her life? No, that wasn’t it. Her parents said it had been planned since her birth. 

Did Lord Hempsworth know about this arrangement? It was possible they did not tell him anything about it.  

Her father had made it seem like she had to get his attentions before he and Alaina wed.   

“Would you care to dance?” Lord Hempsworth said as he walked up to her. 

The music had just changed to Beethoven’s 1st symphony in C major. 

Alaina thought for a moment, “I do. Thank you.” 

He took hold of her small hand and led her onto the ballroom floor. 

Alaina enjoyed listening to this symphony. Dancing to it would bring her a bit of joy. 

She now supposed that dancing with Lord Hempsworth wouldn’t be too bad. As long as the music was good.  

Surely, they wouldn’t dance too long. Especially if she did not engage in conversation. 

“I was wondering, were you intending to search me out tonight?” 

Alaina was tempted to not answer him at all, but she decided against that. 

“I suppose it was a possibility, though I highly doubt I would have searched you out.” 

“Why not?”  

“I just think I would not be so bold as to seek a man out at a ball.”  

“Bold?”  

“Yes, that is what I would call it. As many have told me, boldness is a horrible trait in a woman.” 

“I disagree with that analysis.” 

“Does it matter if you agree or not? It is my opinion, and yours does not matter.”  

“It does if we are to wed.” 

So, he knew about the arrangement. 

“Y-you know.” 

“Of course I do.” 

“You acted as if you did not know. Why would you do such a thing?” 

“Why would you act as if you wouldn’t go along with it.” 

“I have no intention of going along with it.”  

“That would be an unacceptable trait in a woman.” 

“What would you know about that?” 

“I have much more knowledge than you know.” 

“How do you plan to go along with it?” 

“All I have to do is marry you. That’s not that hard to do.” 

Alaina knew she shouldn’t, but she was going to do it anyway. Pulling her hands from his grasp, Alaina trudged off the dance floor. 

There was no way she would listen to this mockery. Alaina was going to run away from all of this and be free for good. She would never be forced to do anything against her will. 

No one would control her. Alaina would say, “I do,” to freedom.