Wedding Eve - Caleb ficlet
Title: Wedding Eve
Author: lilachigh
Rating: PG13
Setting: Season 7
Wedding Eve
Betty walked slowly up the church aisle, pretending. Tomorrow she would become Mrs James Sutton. The ruby and emerald light streaming in through the beautiful stained glass windows patterned her face and long blonde hair with flickering jewels. She shut her eyes, held her imaginary bouquet in front of her - blood red roses and white lilies; it was going to be so wonderful - and in her mind she heard the organ playing, her father next to her, all their friends and family watching and smiling… she was going to be so happy.
“What are you thinking, I wonder?”
The voice made her jump. She opened her eyes and smiled up into the young man’s dark eyes. It was a shame that their usual priest wouldn’t be taking her wedding service, but he’d failed to come back from his long-overdue holiday.
She’d heard her parents whispering that it was odd, so unlike him, what could possibly have happened? But Betty hadn’t really worried. Her only concern had been that the wedding might have to be postponed. Jeez, that would have been so awful. She would have died if she couldn’t get married tomorrow. Just died!
But this new priest had arrived out of the blue and although he was much younger and she didn’t care for some of his sermons - he seemed to talk an awful lot about sin - at least he was here so the wedding could go ahead, no problem.
She laughed now. “I know it was silly, but I was just picturing tomorrow.”
“Not silly at all, my child. Anticipation is half the fun of any event.”
“Oh, do you think so, too?”
“Indeed. Having the thought, planning, looking forward to the deed itself, savouring the moment - and then afterwards - “ For a second or two his dark eyes glittered in a most alarming way and Betty felt - well, it was silly to call it fear, because hey, she was in church talking to a priest!
“We’re having a big party afterwards,” she said. “And of course you’re invited, Father.”
“And after the party?”
Betty felt a little blush fight with the ruby light that was painting her face. “We’re going to Hawaii for our honeymoon!”
“Where you will be sinning, I am sure.”
She blinked. She couldn’t have heard him properly. “I’m sorry…”
“But you’re not, are you, Betty?” He took a slow step forward and she backed away, still clutching the imaginary flowers in front of her. “You’re not sorry that you and that poor excuse for a man are going to be lying together, fornicating, indulging in all the sins of the flesh that he and you can think of together.”
Betty could see his lips moving, heard the words, but most of them didn’t make any sense. Fornicating? Sins of the flesh? This was the priest talking. No, she was having a nightmare. Yes, of course, that was what this was! How silly of her. She was still in bed, warm and cosy, still fast asleep, and any moment now Mom would be knocking at the door to say breakfast was ready and did she want pancakes or waffles and there would be her wedding dress hanging under its cover and she’d jump out of bed and have a quick look at the beautiful white lace -
“You’re a beautiful looking girl, Betty, but soon you’ll be ugly inside and I feel that’s a real shame, I truly do. So, let’s stop it from happening, shall we? Let’s just stop you - now!”
Her neck broke easily, too easily for Caleb. He sighed and dropped her body on the floor. He was too impatient, too impetuous. He could have kept her and played with her for hours. He‘d be punished for spoiling the game.
And he turned and walked away - and the crimson and emerald reflections settled on the still body in little patterns; the only flowers Betty would ever carry
Author: lilachigh
Rating: PG13
Setting: Season 7
Wedding Eve
Betty walked slowly up the church aisle, pretending. Tomorrow she would become Mrs James Sutton. The ruby and emerald light streaming in through the beautiful stained glass windows patterned her face and long blonde hair with flickering jewels. She shut her eyes, held her imaginary bouquet in front of her - blood red roses and white lilies; it was going to be so wonderful - and in her mind she heard the organ playing, her father next to her, all their friends and family watching and smiling… she was going to be so happy.
“What are you thinking, I wonder?”
The voice made her jump. She opened her eyes and smiled up into the young man’s dark eyes. It was a shame that their usual priest wouldn’t be taking her wedding service, but he’d failed to come back from his long-overdue holiday.
She’d heard her parents whispering that it was odd, so unlike him, what could possibly have happened? But Betty hadn’t really worried. Her only concern had been that the wedding might have to be postponed. Jeez, that would have been so awful. She would have died if she couldn’t get married tomorrow. Just died!
But this new priest had arrived out of the blue and although he was much younger and she didn’t care for some of his sermons - he seemed to talk an awful lot about sin - at least he was here so the wedding could go ahead, no problem.
She laughed now. “I know it was silly, but I was just picturing tomorrow.”
“Not silly at all, my child. Anticipation is half the fun of any event.”
“Oh, do you think so, too?”
“Indeed. Having the thought, planning, looking forward to the deed itself, savouring the moment - and then afterwards - “ For a second or two his dark eyes glittered in a most alarming way and Betty felt - well, it was silly to call it fear, because hey, she was in church talking to a priest!
“We’re having a big party afterwards,” she said. “And of course you’re invited, Father.”
“And after the party?”
Betty felt a little blush fight with the ruby light that was painting her face. “We’re going to Hawaii for our honeymoon!”
“Where you will be sinning, I am sure.”
She blinked. She couldn’t have heard him properly. “I’m sorry…”
“But you’re not, are you, Betty?” He took a slow step forward and she backed away, still clutching the imaginary flowers in front of her. “You’re not sorry that you and that poor excuse for a man are going to be lying together, fornicating, indulging in all the sins of the flesh that he and you can think of together.”
Betty could see his lips moving, heard the words, but most of them didn’t make any sense. Fornicating? Sins of the flesh? This was the priest talking. No, she was having a nightmare. Yes, of course, that was what this was! How silly of her. She was still in bed, warm and cosy, still fast asleep, and any moment now Mom would be knocking at the door to say breakfast was ready and did she want pancakes or waffles and there would be her wedding dress hanging under its cover and she’d jump out of bed and have a quick look at the beautiful white lace -
“You’re a beautiful looking girl, Betty, but soon you’ll be ugly inside and I feel that’s a real shame, I truly do. So, let’s stop it from happening, shall we? Let’s just stop you - now!”
Her neck broke easily, too easily for Caleb. He sighed and dropped her body on the floor. He was too impatient, too impetuous. He could have kept her and played with her for hours. He‘d be punished for spoiling the game.
And he turned and walked away - and the crimson and emerald reflections settled on the still body in little patterns; the only flowers Betty would ever carry