What Have You Done

A girl is abducted by a demon and slowly starts to fall in love with him. (It's kinda like Beauty and the Beast/ Hades and Persephone.)

“Sit up straight my dear, it is not proper for a young lady to slouch at the table.” My mother’s slightly harsh voice jarred me from my pleasant daydreams, and I glanced at her with a slightly annoyed look that matched the one she was giving me. It was always difficult dealing with my mother, she was set in her ways and was determined to make me into a proper lady. I hated every moment of it, and just wished she would leave me be. That was never the case though, and every day I would get a lecture about something I had done wrong. With her, it seemed like I could never do anything right, and she would tell me as much every chance she got. I sighed softly, and straightened my spine, instantly correcting my posture.

                At the moment, we were having a simple breakfast of bread and milk. The other day I had managed to find some berries, but mother insisted on saving them for later. We were one of many poor families in the small village, but still my mother liked to give herself airs and make herself seem more important. I held my tongue as a sarcastic comment burned in my throat, knowing that if I said anything, it would just result in another one of her lectures. “I want so much more than this life. No one understands how badly I want to be free. I could leave all this behind and go on grand adventures, see all the beauty the world has to offer.” I thought to myself, allowing a small smile to grace my lips. When I was little, my father would tell me fantastic stories about all his travels around the world. I could listen to him for hours on end, just looking up at him with wonder filled eyes and a bright smile. Sometimes he would promise that once I was old enough, I could accompany him on one of his merchant trips.

                But sadly, those days are long gone and the memories are all I have left of him. He died almost a year ago, and from that point on, my life fell into a tedious unchanging pattern. Day in and day out, I would complete chores around the house. Mother would clean the house and cook food for us, and I would tend to the gardens, feed the animals, and wash our simple clothes. It used to bother me at first having so many chores, but after many months of the same thing, I grew accustomed to it. Somedays I would look forward to it, because it meant that I could have some time away from arguing with mother. I would have to say that I quite enjoyed tending the garden, as I loved to see the beautiful flowers once they bloomed. I took joy in knowing that I had made it possible, with all the work I had put into caring for the flowers paid off.

                I finished my small serving of food in silence, getting anxious to go outside already. My mother finished soon after, then quietly got up and began clearing off the table. It always amazed me that no one ever saw how truly unhappy I was, but I knew that people only saw what they wanted to see. I stood from the table, careful not to bump anything as I was rather clumsy, another one of my flaws that mother always pointed out. “Thank you for the food, mother.” I said politely, getting an approving nod from her as my only acknowledgment. I made my way outside, fluffing out the skirt of my plain blue dress. I set about doing my normal routine and the hours flew by, as I sang softly while working so I would not get too bored. That was another thing I liked about being alone, I could sing whatever song came to mind and it would not bother anyone.

                The sky was soon turning brilliant shades of orange and red as the sun began to disappear, so night could take over. I picked up the gardening tools I had been using and walked over to put them away in our small shed. I turned and looked one more time at the pink star gazer lilies that had just bloomed, and smiled softly. Those were one of my favorite kind of flowers, roses included, though I had tried many times to plant them to no avail. The plant would grow, and it would seem that there would be many beautiful flowers, but in the end nothing ever came of them. There was one time when a single rose bloomed, but by the next morning, it had vanished without a trace. After that, no other roses ever grew. Eventually I stopped trying to grow them, and focused more on the lilies. Sometimes, when the sky was turning to dark, I would almost feel like someone was watching me from afar. This happened for years on end, to the point where I almost did not notice it anymore. It seemed to be happening less and less, so I never really paid much mind to it. On this night, I felt the familiar gaze settle on me from somewhere in the shadows, causing me to shiver lightly. As always I looked around, and as usual there was no one in sight.

                Brushing away the slightly eerie feeling, I turned and walked over to the flowers, kneeling down and inhaling the sweet scent the flower gave off. I smiled once more, gently propping up the plant as it had started to lean to one side. “My pride and joy.” I said softly, as I stood and walked back into the house, not noticing the sound of rustling coming from the forest surrounding our house. I quietly made my way into my room and shut the door, raising my arms above my head and stretching my back. With a tired sigh, I opened a drawer and pulled out my white nightgown. I changed quickly, eager to get to sleep after the long day. Then I pulled back the covers of my bed and slid in, quickly curling up and snuggling into the soft blankets. Almost as a second thought, I glanced out my window, my thoughts drifting off to think of the small meadow hidden away.

                Years ago, I had stumbled upon the hidden glen, and fell in love right away. I would sneak away to the meadow whenever I could, though that become less and less frequent over the years. It had been a couple of months since I was last able to escape and go there. It was a truly beautiful place, with a small waterfall that poured into a crystal clear lake. There were flowers of ever color surrounding the lake, and each gave off an intoxicatingly sweet aroma in the gentle breezes. I experienced that eerie feeling of someone watching me each time I frequented the meadow. Though it seemed like whatever was watching me, held no intention of ever hurting me. The first time I went to the meadow, I did not notice the presence until I was ready to leave. It was the day I found out that my father would never return from his trip abroad, never again would I get to hear his tales of travel. I had run to the meadow in tears, tripping over a fallen branch and collapsing not too far away from the lake. It had become a place to hide away when I needed to be alone.

                In my village, I was one of the few girls who knew how to read, and many ridiculed me for it. My father had been the one to teach me, seeing as how mother thought it was highly improper for a young lady to know how to read, especially since most of the other girls could not. I think that maybe she resented me for being able to pick up on learning how to read so quickly. My worst tormentor was the village’s most eligible bachelor, his name was Thomas. Unfortunately for me, he was stuck on the idea of us one day becoming husband and wife. Nothing I did ever fazed him, though I tried several different methods to rid myself of his unwanted affections. He fancied himself to be some Adonis, and could never quite figure out why I never threw myself at his feet like the other girls in the village did. He was insufferable and never got the hint that I wanted nothing to do with him. Once he found out I knew how to read, he interjected his opinion about it. He was always telling me that it was not right for a woman to read, and I would just turn from him and walk in another direction. My mother adored him of course, and she would always tell me to be on my best behavior whenever he came calling. Although it infuriated me, I played my part so I would not have to suffer a lecture once the buffoon finally left.

                Eventually, my mind finally settled and the many thoughts drifted away into the night. I blinked sleepily, and looked out the window one last time, thinking just for a second that I had spotted a silhouette of a man hidden in the shadows. Sleep claimed me before I could look again, and I fell into a dreamless slumber. The next morning, I awoke later than I normally do, and I immediately launched myself out of bed thinking that mother would be furious. I changed quickly, then walked fast into the kitchen, looking around in confusion when I saw used plates on the table, and mother nowhere in sight. I blinked rapidly, thinking that maybe I was dreaming the whole thing. Mother came back inside a moment later looking very pleased for some reason. “Oh my dear Juliet, our luck is changing.” She said, pulling me into a somewhat stiff embrace. I looked at her in confusion once she let go of me, tilting my head to the side as was my habit.

                “Whatever do you mean, mother?” I questioned carefully, fearful of setting her off. She just looked at me and smiled, before starting to make me something to eat. I sat down, trying to figure out what could have made her so happy. She had not even corrected my posture or told me to comb my hair. Such behavior was very strange for her, and I could not wrap my mind around it. A few minutes later, she set down my favorite breakfast food, French toast. I looked at the food, then looked at her with an eyebrow raised in suspicion. “What? A mother can dote on her daughter every once in a while.” She said, noticing the look I was giving her. I shrugged lightly, then started eating the food. She seemed so excited about something, and I knew that it would not be long before she told me about it. A few minutes later, she proved me right.

                “Oh my darling girl, a very charming young man stopped by this morning inquiring about your hand in marriage. I told him that you would be delighted to wed. He will make a fine match, and his financial status will certainly help bring us out of poverty. You know how we struggle to get by, and with your father gone, we need to take this opportunity to secure our future.” She said, in what I liked to call her empress voice. I looked at her in shock, a bit of the French toast falling from my fork. “W-who asked about my hand in marriage, mother? And why would you tell him that I accepted without asking me about any of it?” I asked her, once I had managed to find my voice. She gave me a warning look, and for once I ignored it.

                “It should not matter who asked, my dear. The point is that once you marry, we will no longer be slaving away trying to make a living. Besides, the decision is not yours to make, I know what is best for you.” She said in a voice that stated that the matter was settled. My temper flared to life, as the subject angered me more and more with each passing moment. How could she treat this like it was nothing? It is my life, and I should have a say in what happens in it, not blindly let her control every aspect. The fork clattered to the table, as I let go of it, making a loud crash that reverberated in the silence. “Mother, how could you do this to me? I am your daughter, not some prize to be handed to the highest bidder. Whoever it is, I refuse to marry him.” I crossed my arms stubbornly and looked away from her. She let out a loud sigh of annoyance. “Must you be so vexing, child? Thomas Sharpe will make a fine husband, and you will marry him whether you like it or not. I will not let you throw this opportunity away just because you feel like being selfish.”

                That was the last straw for me, and I stood abruptly, feeling so angry I was starting to see red. “I-I’m being selfish?! Mother you are forcing me into a loveless marriage with a man that I despise! My future is being taken from me, and you dare to call me selfish? What about you? You only want me to marry him because he comes from a rich family!! You do not care about my happiness at all, you only care about the money and status that you will receive from the union! Well, I will not stand for any of this, and you cannot force me to marry that buffoon! I would rather die a thousand painful deaths than give you the satisfaction of condemning me to a life of misery.” I spat at her, moving back when she tried to grab my arm. I turned and ran from the house, ignoring her angry yells for me to come back. I ran all the way to my secret meadow, not stopping until I got to the lake. I collapsed under a huge tree and leaned my back against the trunk. Angry tears blurred my vision, and I glared out at the lake as I tried to calm down. It had been awhile since I last felt this angry, and it was very draining. I poked at the small pendant hanging around my neck, and my anger started to melt away into sadness. The necklace was the last gift my father had given me, and he had told me that it was supposed to protect me from evil. “Oh father, if you were here, you would not let her bargain away my future.” I said softly, gently wrapping my hand around the crescent moon shaped charm. Tears fell from my eyes as I thought about him, and I pulled my legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees. I laid my head down and cried for what seemed like years.

                As I cried, I sensed something watching me, and this time it did not seem eerie. In a way, it was almost comforting to know that I was not alone. I knew that there was nothing that would change my mother’s mind once she decided to do something. Tears streamed down my face, as I mostly mourned the imminent loss of my limited freedom. “Maybe I should just run away. That could solve some of my problems, but at the same time, I have no place to go.” I muttered through my tears, hugging my knees tighter. I stayed hidden in my little meadow and just watched the day pass me by. My thoughts drifted off to my mother, by this point, it would not surprise me if she had alerted the authorities about me running away. I stopped crying finally, and felt so drained that I slumped over onto my side in the soft grass under the tree. My eyes were drifting shut and I let myself relax in the gentle breeze of the meadow that I adored.

                I jolted awake to see the sky was growing dark, and I shivered as a chilly breeze tickled my skin. I felt something in my hair, and reached up to touch the item. To my surprise, my fingers met the familiar softness of flower petals. Strange, I had not picked any flowers during my time in the meadow, and I was certainly too upset earlier to bother with it. I pushed myself off the ground and stumbled over to the lake. I looked down at my reflection and my eyes instantly locked onto the beautiful red rose tucked gently into my hair. An unsettling feeling washed over me, and I turned and started making my way back toward my house. I had finally made up my mind that I was going to leave this place, so I might have a chance to live my life the way I wanted. I did not get very far though, when the ground started to shake violently. I pitched from side to side, trying to keep my balance and failing. The ground broke open with a deafening sound, and I fell hard and rolled onto my side. My long hair fell onto my face, blocking my view of what was happening.

                I heard flapping noises, like there were huge birds flying overhead, but it was a strange sound at the same time. I pushed my hair back so I could see once more, and I instantly paled when I realized what was making the sound. Landing beside the huge hole in the Earth, was an ominous looking chariot with fearsome winged horses that were dark as thunderclouds. To add to the frightening visage of the horses, they also had intimidating red eyes and flaming manes and tails. I started pulling myself backwards on my arms, as a man in black armor slowly approached me. His appearance was a terrifying thing to behold, huge horns protruded from his head, his eyes were like hell fire, and he had sharp talons instead of fingernails. He looked down at me from his intimidating height, and seemed to study me. I kept backing away from him, but all of a sudden I stopped moving as my back hit against a tree trunk. I had heard of demons emerging from the depths of the underworld, but I had never thought the stories were true.

                He kept moving closer and closer, until he had me trapped against the tree trunk. “Do you wish to escape from this provincial life, my lovely?” He asked in a voice that sent shivers down my spine. I curled into myself, trying to put more distance between us. “W-who are you, how did you know that I wanted to escape from it all?” I said in a shaky voice, not meeting his eyes. He ignored the question and instead held out one of his clawed hands to me. “I can offer you an escape, all you have to do is take my hand.” He sounded pretty convincing, but something felt off about the whole thing, and I did not trust him. When I did not take his hand, he knelt down in front of me and gripped my chin firmly, making me look at him. I flinched at his intimidating appearance, and a look of hurt passed through his eyes for a split second before disappearing again. I slapped his hand away, starting to feel my stubbornness flaring to life. “What do you want from me, beast?” I spat at him, trying to sound brave.

                He growled angrily and I paled once more as his clawed hand wrapped around my wrist in a painful grip. I was yanked harshly onto my feet, and pulled toward the waiting chariot. My shocked mind instantly realized what was happening, and I started pulling back, trying to free my wrist from his hand. I managed to wrench free, and I turned and started running from him as fast as I could. I had barely made any distance between us, when I felt arms wrapping around me, pulling me back. I screamed as I was lifted off the ground and slung over the demon’s armored shoulder. “Let me go!” I screamed, beating on his back with my fists and kicking my legs furiously. He said nothing and walked over to the waiting chariot, setting me down with a surprising gentleness. Before I could move an inch, one of his arms was wrapped around my waist tightly, holding me in place. With a flick of the reins, the demonic horses started to move, picking up speed with each passing second. Soon they were moving faster than anything I had seen before, and the chariot was starting to lift off the ground. Despite my earlier reaction toward him, I leaned into his chest, wanting to be close to someone. The wind whipped my long hair around, and I shut my eyes in terror. The horses bellowed as the chariot plunged sharply downward. I opened my eyes to see what was happening, and screamed when I saw we were heading straight for the ground.

                Rushing flames met the chariot in a blinding flash of light, and I turned my head away. The chariot landed with a slight jolt, and I slowly opened my eyes. In front of me there was a huge, imposing castle shrouded in fog. I stood there staring at it, momentarily forgetting about my captor. I felt something brush against me, and the next thing I knew, I was being cradled. I looked up at him with wide eyes, and felt my face heat up slightly. He started walking toward the huge building, and I just looked around, taking in my surroundings. “I hope you like it here, Juliet.” He said softly, and my heart about stopped when he said my name. “H-how do you know my name? Just who are you?” I asked in an unsteady voice. The large wooden doors opened with a loud creaking sound, and we went into a great hall. He looked down at me, staring intently at me, like he had done earlier in the meadow. “You humans refer to me as Mordred. I have spent eons alone, but one day I happened to see you. All humans seemed the same to me, but there was something different about you. Over the years, I saw the changes in your life, both good and bad. I was there the day you found out about your father’s fate, and that was when you changed. After that day, I saw how unhappy you were, and I knew that you longed to escape from your sorrow. We are one and the same, my love. We both long for something more.” He said, looking deep into my eyes. I held his gaze, not knowing what to say to all that he had told me. He kept walking deeper into the castle, passing many rooms.

                I watched it all go by, getting lost in thought. Soon we came to a beautiful sitting room, and he gently set me down. Still feeling rather fearful of him, I backed away as soon as he let go of me. That same sad look returned to his eyes, but he did nothing to hide it this time. I felt guilty and looked away from him, tears welling up in my eyes. I just wanted to get out of this place, so I could have my freedom and travel wherever I pleased. At the moment, it all seemed impossible and I did not know what to think. I felt his hand under my chin again, and he gently tilted my head so I was looking up at him. “I-I cannot stay here.” I said soft as a whisper. He tensed at my words, and I almost wished that I had kept quiet. I expected him to get angry, like he had before in the meadow. Nothing happened, he just looked down at me. He looked miserable, and I am sure I did not look much better myself. One and the same, he had said, and I was starting to see the truth of the simple statement. We were both deeply unhappy, that much was obvious.  

                “I am afraid I cannot let you leave this place, my love.” He said softly, his sad eyes locking with mine. I gently moved back, looking away from him. It was all so strange, and I had no idea what I was feeling at the moment. Many different emotions were whirling around, and most of all I felt a growing sorrow. The man in front of me looked so lonely, and part of me identified with what he was feeling. I had always felt a little bit lonely, since I never fit in with the other children in my village. At the same time, I wanted to get away from here. The whole reason I was going to run off was so I could get away from my arranged marriage to the buffoon and be free to lead my own life. I looked around the room, trying to find a way to escape, but before I could make a move Mordred was holding his arm out to me. I looked up at him and tilted my head in confusion. “Come, I will show you to your chambers.” He said softly, gesturing me to take his arm.

                With great reluctance, I took his arm and let him lead me from the room into a long corridor that was dimly lit by torches. I remained silent and just looked at everything we passed, taking into account that everything was very beautiful and certainly expensive. “So this is what being rich looks like.” I thought, feeling amazed that such a creature like him could possess such wonderful treasures. I gazed at everything decorating the corridor, not noticing that Mordred was watching my reactions with a small smile on his face. Soon enough, he led me to a huge wooden door and stopped walking. I bumped into him lightly as I was still looking at the décor and hadn’t really noticed that he had stopped moving until it was too late. I muttered a small apology and looked up at him. We were standing in front of a large wooden door, and I tilted my head in confusion.

                Reaching out one of his taloned hands, Mordred opened the door and momentarily blocked my view. When he finally moved aside, I felt my mouth drop open in shock at the room before me. It was easily the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. A large vanity was set up against one wall and next to it was a huge wardrobe. An ornate door led out to a balcony. There was a canopy bed made up nicely, and it had heavy curtains tied back with rope cords. Mordred gently led me into the room, and I let go of his arm in favor of looking at all the items in the room. I quickly crossed the room and with shaking hands, opened the doors to the huge wardrobe that had intricate carvings all along it.

                The wardrobe held the most beautiful gowns in every color imaginable, and I gasped and put a hand over my mouth. I reached out and gingerly poked at one, almost afraid it would disappear before my eyes or burst into flames. I took in all the wondrous colors and designs of the many, many gowns. Each one seemed prettier than the last and I gently poked at all of them, before closing the doors of the wardrobe. Almost as a second thought, I looked down at my own dress. It was pale blue and had a simple design. Small white sleeves, and a corseted bodice, there were no designs on it, and it was a dress that I wore the most. Back at home, I only had a few simple dresses since we were so poor and struggling to get by on a constant basis. I felt a small smile stretching across my face, as I turned to look at the next thing that was new to me. I practically ran over to the vanity, almost tripping over my feet in my excitement. On the vanity were a beautiful mirror, a soft bristled brush, and a small comb. I looked at my reflection in the mirror on the vanity, and saw the amazement reflected on my face.

                Mordred moved over to me, and I held back my instinct to back away from him. He seemed to pick up that I was still afraid of him, and stopped a fair distance back from me. The soft smile was still on his face though, almost like he was trying to reassure me. “All of this is yours now.” He simply said. Again, I looked at him in shock. He turned and swiftly left the room after that, leaving me to my thoughts. I shakily moved to sit down before I collapsed. “I-I do not understand. Why would he give me this nice room and all these beautiful things if I am a prisoner? I thought for sure that he would throw me in the dungeon.” I thought out loud, pacing around the ornate room.

                A week had passed, and I was still trying to adjust to my new life, which I grudgingly accepted once I found no escape. I was alone for most of the day, left to my own devices and having access to lots of rooms in the castle. Most of the time I would mope around and carry on in a depressed way. I never saw another soul as I wandered around, and I found it strange. Was Mordred truly alone here? That would explain why he was so lonely. My thoughts were becoming too distracting, as I walked around the dreary castle. I smoothed out my dress, which was one of the elegant ones from the wardrobe. I looked out a window and saw that it was getting dark, though it was hardly different from earlier in the day. With a sigh I made my way back to my room. I felt despair take over once again, as thoughts of my old life clouded my mind. I felt tears piercing at my eyes, and stubbornly I held them back.

                That seemed to work until I got inside my room, as soon as I closed the door tears streamed down my face. I longed to once again see the blue sky and bask in the sunlight. I ached to be able to visit my secret meadow and see all the beautiful flowers. Despite what had happened the day I was abducted, I found myself wanting to see my mother again. I knew that she would still be furious at me, but I would not care as long as it meant that I could be free once more. I had already forgiven her, and even started to regret my harsh words. It might have been kind of harsh, but she was just trying to make sure that we were provided for. I wiped at my eyes, and tried to stop crying, but it did not work. Eventually I stopped trying and just let the tears streak down my face, as I quickly changed into my nightgown. I crawled into bed and pulled the heavy curtains so they blocked out all the light. I covered my face in my hands and cried even harder. I fell asleep soon after that, curled up in a ball, half hidden under the blankets.

                The next morning, I awoke and rubbed at my eyes that felt like they were sealed together permanently. With a heavy hearted sigh, I sat up and pushed back the covers. I opened the curtains slowly and cringed at the brightness of the room. Then I moved from the bed and made my way over to the vanity. My reflection gazed back at me, looking pale and miserable, just the way I felt. I picked up the soft bristled brush and carefully ran it through my unruly hair. Once my hair looked better, I set down the brush and got up, making my way to the wardrobe to pick out an outfit for the day. I settled for a sort of Grecian style gown. I slipped on a pair of mint colored slippers that matched the dress, then carefully arranged my hair into a half up style. Once I was finished preparing for the day, I got up from the vanity and made my way to the door of my room.

                I softly shut the door behind me and slowly made my way to the huge library that had become my place of sanctuary. Back in my village, books were my one form of escape from my monotonous life. My imagination would run wild and I would be pulled into grand adventures that reminded me of my father’s merchant trips. Oh how I had longed for something to happen to me, but now that it had come to pass, I desperately wished for things to go back to the way they were before. All these thoughts swirled around in my head as I walked through the library and picked up the book I had been reading the day before. A plushy chaise was carefully placed by a huge gothic style window, and I had claimed the spot as my own the first time I had discovered the library. I curled up and opened the book carefully, glancing at the page until I found my spot. I started the read and soon felt the world around me melting away as I envisioned the story in my mind.

The story was most intriguing and the descriptions were so vivid and beautiful. It was a fairytale about a young mermaid who saved a prince from drowning during a horrific storm. She carries him to shore and waits until someone finds him and takes him to safety. The only problem is that he does not know that she was the one who saved him. She becomes sorrowful as time passes, and goes back to the beach where she left him in the hopes of seeing him again. It turns out that one of her sisters knows where the prince lives and the little mermaid is able to see him again. Then she makes up her mind to go to the sea witch and ask her to turn her human so she can win the prince’s heart and earn a human soul. The witch prepares a potion for her, and as payment cuts out her tongue. The mermaid swims to the beach by the prince’s palace and drinks the potion at dawn, and passes out from the intense pain from her tail splitting and forming legs. Every step for her is pure agony, like that of thousands of knives stabbing into her. She endures this pain for the prince, and tries to win his heart. The two are inseparable, and the prince confides that if he had his choice, he would marry her. Then things take a tragic turn when the prince has to travel to the neighboring kingdom to meet the princess.  He meets her and immediately recognizes her as the girl from the beach, the one he thinks saved him. The two are to be married as soon as possible. The mermaid’s heart breaks and she knows that her death will come with the dawn. She will turn to seafoam because the prince married another. He would never know what had happened to her, and he also would never know that she was the one who had saved him. Her sisters appear shortly before dawn and try to get her to slay the prince with a dagger the sea witch gave them. Once the prince’s blood touches her feet, her tail would reappear and she could return to her family in the sea and live out her three hundred years. In the end she realizes that she cannot kill the prince because she loves him too much, so she hurls the dagger into the water before diving in herself. She then turns into foam on the sea and she rises into the air and becomes a daughter of the air. With good deeds, she will one day be able to obtain an immortal soul.

By the time I got to the end of the story I was in tears and could barely read the words on the page. I gently closed the book and held it to my chest, tears slowly rolling down my face. I failed to notice the sound of the library door opening and then softly closing. I set the book down on a small table by the chaise and then gazed out the window, not bothering to wipe away my tears. Soft footsteps started to become more distinct and reached my ears, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned quickly toward the sound and saw Mordred approaching me, a confused and worried look on his face. Out of instinct, I shrank back against the chaise as he got closer to me. Then he noticed the tears on my face and the next thing I knew he was by my side.

“My love, what has happened? Are you alright?” He asked me in a slightly panicky voice. Quickly I moved to wipe away the tears, but his large hand caught my wrist gently before I could.