Chapter One / The Wedding
Fabien sat down heavily at a table near the bridal party. He eyed once of the bride's maids he has seen at the alter during the wedding. Her hair was a mixture of light brown and blonde which were in small corkscrews around her pretty face and her deep blue eyes. She was beautiful beyond anything he had ever seen but what really made him feel a warm tingle inside was her smile, full of laughter and kindness.
He bit his lip, he wanted to ask her to dance but he hardly knew her. Slowly he counted to 10. " 1, 2 ,3 ,4 ,5 ,6, 7, 8, 9, 10," he got up and walked over to her. "Hey, would you like to dance?"
"Um sure." She took his proffered hand and they walked over to the dance floor. The moment Fabien's feet touched the dance floor he was all cool again, he was where he was meant to be.
"My name is Fabien Riften by the way."
"Aria Areece," she blushed which was what most of her kind did when they met Fabien's gaze. His sandy gold shaggy hair and bright blue eyes with his deep feel smile usually got most of the girls blushing. They began to dance, Aria's head on his shoulder as the slowly revolved on the spot. Next was a much more up beat song and by the end they were both out of breath.
"I'll get us some drinks," said Fabien as they stepped off the dance floor. Aria nodded walking back to the bridal party's table. Fabien made his way back to Aria with two glasses of champagne in his hands. He sat next across from her, smiling he handed her the glass of champagne.
"Thank you Fabien." She blushed again, "so what's your background?"
"I'm a doctor and work at the Penbrook Hospital. I play guitar and write stories in my free time," he paused, " and I'm sitting across from a beautiful lady that I would like to know about."
Aria smiled, "Okay then, I work in the medical field too, I'm a nurse and I draw in my spare time. I enjoy the wilderness and I'm sitting across from a very smooth talker. She smiled and he smiled back. "Would you like to come to the after dinner at my father's lodge?"
"I would be delighted."
Chapter Two / The Lodge
Fabien followed Aria off the boat to a view of an expansive forest surround a large lodge made from wood and a distant sand beach. "You want to catch some fish with me out on the lake with me?," called Aria already up the lodge steps.
"Sure if you want my company." They both dressed into more causal clothes and headed back out to the dock. He looked back as they pushed off from the dock, "Your dad has a pretty nice place up here. What's the matter?" Aria's face had turned gray.
"There's something I haven't told you Fabien, I'm sorry." She began to cry, tears cascading down her face.
Fabien went over to her and held her in his arms, "It's okay, just tell me."
Aria hiccupped, "I'm engaged to another man, but, but...," her voice trailed off.
"It's okay just tell me." Aria's tears dampened his shirt as she cried again her face buried in his shirt.
"I, I don't really like him, I'm marrying him because he is wealthy and pays for our house and everything else. Our family would be broke with out him and, my, my father might have to go to jail if he can't pay off his debts. He thinks that he can buy everything with money even love. He's cold inside though and he sometimes hurts me."
"Fabien's face grew somber, "You don't have to marry him, you can marry whoever you like, I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you when I'm around. How come his wasn't at the wedding, or was he?
He wasn't there he always makes excuses for stuff like that." She had stopped crying.
"Whatever happens you deserve someone as great as you are, he stared deep into her eyes, lets go catch some fish now okay?" Aria nodded conflicting emotions bouncing around her mind.
Chapter Three / Jack McLancy
Aria sat kitty-corner from Fabien at dinner and next to Jack McLancy her fiancé. Dinner seemed to pass in a blurred movie. Everyone laughed and talked to Fabien who seemed to get on very well with everyone. Then she averted her eyes to the man next to her, a hairy, unshaven, smelly man. He sat slouching eating loudly. She shuddered, how could she live with him too?
That night she lay in bed alone Jack had said that he had to meet up with some friends of his in town and was staying there for the night. She thanked god, sleeping with him was awful. She lay awake for what seemed like an hour.
Finally she got up and went out into the hallway. She crept to the last door in the hallway and tapped gently on the door. She waited five seconds then turned back down the hallway.
"Aria?," came a whisper. She spun around Fabien stood in the doorway. He beckoned her over. "What's the matter?"
