Butterflies and Hurricanes

[[Brian]]

It was slightly strange seeing Kirsty's family again; it seemed like an eternity since we had seen them last but she seemed happy enough. Or at least she was putting on the happy face for them, she wasn't talking to me.

In fact, she didn't come down for breakfast and if I had not enquired with the cook if she knew if my fiancée had actually eaten that morning, I would have thought she hadn't eaten at all. She had merely eaten in her room, that was all.

She'd then proceeded to give me the cold shoulder. Ever since her parents arrived she had been with them or packing all of her possessions with help of the maids, and ignoring me and avoiding me at seemingly all costs.

My mother and father could tell there was something wrong but apparently her parents couldn't unless they were just too happy to see their only daughter to actually care she might have fallen out with her future husband.

Her grandma seemed ever more in her element upon seeing me and my father together and started yelling the moment her eyes set on us about werewolves. My parents had both glanced at Kirsty with wide eyes who only had to shake her head ever so slightly to answer what they were asking.

It was brushed under the carpet. Kirsty's parents brandished her demented, and we adjourned to the sitting room with her complaining incessantly, adamant she was not mad or demented and that what she claimed was true.

I could feel the palm of my hand prickling under the invisible scar from the silver burn I had incurred the day I had blagged my way into gaining Kirsty's hand. It was not a lie, however, and I did not regret anything that I said that day.

Absentmindedly I felt Kirsty's delicate soft hand find mine and she gripped it, though she would not meet my gaze and I knew, in that itself, that she had not meant it last night when she had said she hated me. I guess she was merely angry.

This was a huge relief.

Her hand in mine, the prickling cooled down immensely and I almost gave a content moan like a dog would when happy. Good job I could catch it before my mouth opened to release it into the air. That would have been nothing but disastrous.

Now I stood gloomily watching as she watched all her belongings get shipped from the house. It was only five days till she couldn't be seen in public again till we were married. That would be horrible, but I think not having her within touching distance would be worse.

She would not even be in the same house as me, she would be alone with her parents and her crazy grandmother in another part of town, the other side of town and the prospect gripped my throat and squeezed so tight I choked on my own breaths momentarily.

Dad furrowed his brow and patted my back as I choked, everybody's attention firmly fixated on me. I could see the dire concern in Kirsty's crystal eyes and she took a step towards me but I waved my hand at everybody to dismiss it.

"What on Earth is wrong with you son?" Father asked me when I was done.

Kirsty was no longer looking at me, but I could tell she was sneaking glances at me in her peripheral vision. I wished she would stop it, I was fine. Other than her not talking to me...and other than her moving out...where she isn't near me...

And I can't sleep on her bed at night...

And I can't protect her...

Oh God!

The breath in my throat hitched once more, my chest felt tight. Nothing would go in, nothing would go out. I was choking on my own breaths as my body was consumed with panic and fear for what was looming over my head.

I heard a scream and a pair of hands fluttering over me as I doubled over coughing and heaving to get some air into my lungs. I tried looking up and was so unbelievably happy to see it was her. Grabbing her arms I used her to straighten up.

"Don't..." I gasped, trying to caress her cheek in my hand.

"Brian breathe!" She commanded, her voice a high pitch. She sounded a little hysterical but I did as she told me to, I breathed. I tried to relax and I breathed, taking one deep breath at a time, and letting it out before taking another.

"Don't go," I pleaded in a breathless whisper. "Please...Princess..."

Her expression was strange and for a moment, a very long fraction of a second I couldn't read what it was she was feeling which unnerved me. I didn't like not knowing what she was feeling or what she was thinking.

It was only fleeting and soon I could see what she felt. Annoyance; of course, she wanted to be gone and she was also supposed to be angry at me, but that was there as well; her anger wouldn't go till we had come to a resolve. Her concern and her compassion, her love.

She was torn.

Suddenly she frowned. "You're not just doing this so I will stay, are you?" She asked accusingly. "You are not putting this attack on are you?"

Of course it's happening because I want you to stay but I most certainly am not putting it on! I am not that shallow no matter what you seem to think of me after our argument! My hesitance lost me my chance; she sighed, grizzling.

"I have to go," she said, her voice low and quiet before turning back to her parents and walking with them to the carriage.

I watched in despair as she climbed in with no second glance, no worrying glance, no gentle smile to assure me she would be fine. Even a flick of the middle finger would have been nice because at least she would have acknowledged me somehow!

There was just nothing; it was almost as if she knew how hard this was for me to watch her going, how hard it was for me to let her go live away from me and so was doing it deliberately to hurt me. Unless she didn't want to look because it was hard for her too?

No, definitely getting in touch with her dark side. All women have them, they like to get back at people it's their thing that they do.

I sighed, I'm such an idiot.