Cursed 2

FORTY FOUR

The sun was shining brightly behind the window of the room of a young woman who was wearing a beautiful white wedding dress with brown embroidered appliques that highlighted the golden color of her hair previously adorned by her with small flowers that reminded her of her best friend .

“Are you ready? I can enter?” Briana asked from the other side of the door.

“Ahead.”

The mother poked her head around the door and when she saw her daughter she opened it wide with force.

“Look at you, you look beautiful!” Briana exclaimed proudly, “I have brought you the lapislázuli necklace that Darrell gave you, I think it is the right day for you to wear it.”

“Thank you mother.”

“Wait, you've something stuck in your hair” the woman said reaching out to remove the flowers from Caili's hair.

“That's it, perfect! You look like a princess.”

Briana always craved the magical day where she could see her only daughter marrying a beautiful dress, but something was different.

“When Darrell sees you, he'll be stunned” added the mother with a forced smile, “All the guests are already in the chapel. Your father, your uncle, Darrell's family, and that friend of yours Owen are already there.”

“But Nora isn't here” Caili interrupted sadly and continued, “she must have left Castle Combe right now.”

“She could have stayed until after the wedding” Briana protested indignantly crossing her arms.

“I don't blame her, mother. After all, this is what has caused us to take different paths. In fact I'm even glad she's not here today, it will be all easier.”

Briana saw Caili dressed as a beautiful princess, but when she heard those muted phrases that came from her daughter's mouth, she carefully observed her face and noticed a prick in her heart seeing that there was no happiness and illusion in her expression. The day she had waited for so long was not how she imagined it.

“You don't want to be a princess... you want to be a warrior” Briana murmured to herself.

“Mother? You've said something?”

“I was hoping that in time you would find happiness with Darrell, but I have realized that it will not be so.”

“What do you mean?”

The sad face of the girl turned into confusion. Briana exhaled before continuing.

“I sacrificed many things in my life by marrying your father and even though I love him, I still dream about my life from before. We were very selfish with you without thinking of your happiness, as were my parents with me at the time. Caili, if your dream is to be a knight, you should go for it.”

“What? Are you serious?” she asked clutching her mother's hands with disproportionate enthusiasm as she looked into her eyes without blinking.

“If you want to find your friend, you should run” she replied causing her daughter to hug her crying with happiness.

Everything was smiles and knowing glances that, despite their differences, the two loved each other. Briana thanked God for realizing in time what really mattered, her daughter's happiness.
The girl quickly removed the necklace and the dress she did not feel identified with and grabbed from the closet a simple outfit that she used to wear when a thought crossed her mind.

“What about the debts? And father?” she asked with concern.

“I'll take care of it, now go. Write your story, go your own way.”

“I love you!”

That last sentence brought tears of relief to Briana who, for the first time in days, could know that she was doing the right thing and knew that despite everything her daughter did not hate her.
The girl ran down the stairs when her mother's voice made her stop short.

“Caili, don't forget this, you'll need it” she said as she placed a long object covered by a leather cloth in her hands.

“Are you sure?”

“Your father no longer needs it and the sword should be passed to his son, or in this case his daughter.”

“Thank you!” she exclaimed in a frenzy, “When I become a knight, I will serve someone I have long admired and promise to return with enough money to pay off the debt.”

“I'll settle for seeing you again safe and sound.”

The young woman hugged her mother for the last time and she quickly left the house towards the outskirts of town.

Minutes later, the guests observed the entrance of the chapel where Briana appeared alone with a small suitcase heading towards her husband.

“Is she ready?” Alexandre asked his wife.

“Caili won't come” she declared making the atmosphere tense.

Darrell's confused parents jumped up from the bench, while the curious eyes of the people rested on them.

“What does this mean?!” the fiancé's father shouted at Alexandre making his voice echo through the walls of that place.

“No... I don't know... dear?” he said nervously looking at Briana without waiting for her unexpected response.

“I'm leaving!”

“What?”

“I'm going to go with my mother for some time, Alexandre. I want to start my own pastry shop.”

“What... what do you mean? Are you... leaving me?”

“What I mean is that I need time to myself. Alexandre I love you, that will not change, but I will not give up my dreams either.”

Briana kissed the cheek of her husband and with a determined step and the suitcase in her hand, she left the chapel with a smile. The guests began to whisper in the little church.

“Alexandre! What is all this? Where is your daughter?” Darrell's father yelled again, “how dare you embarrass our son?! I'll get you disowned for this! I will ruin your life and your social status! You will have nothing!”

The young man's parents stormed out and their footsteps echoed on the wooden planks of the floor. Alexandre sat on the bench dejected, still processing what had happened.
Meanwhile on the other side of the room, Owen was near several girls who were whispering among themselves and laughing maliciously about what happened.

“Poor Darrell, as handsome as he is” one of them began, “Caili has always been a very strange girl who was in the clouds, but I never thought she would be foolish enough to leave him standing at the altar.”

“I'm sure she's gone with that beggar” added another of the girls, “and her mother has also left her husband. Their reputations have just been ruined.” she laughed, “Maybe stupidity is hereditary.”

“If fighting for your dreams is hereditary, it's a lucky family!” Owen broke in loudly and proudly into the conversation, making the girls shut up in embarrassment.

On the outskirts of Castle Combe, Caili ran along the long dirt road until she perceived in the distance the back of her friend who was walking with a sack on her shoulder.

“And the usual together?” Caili yelled trying to catch her breath making Nora turn abruptly towards the source of her voice.

“Caili? What are you doing here?”

“You wanted to get out of here and visit other places and I want to become a knight and meet the Blood of Wolves Witch, so what better plan than to go with my best friend, don't you think?” she declared with a big smile causing Nora a feeling of enormous happiness knowing that they would continue together no matter what happened.