Chapter 1

October 8th, 1847

A woman with curly dark brown hair stands still as she watches an oak coffin getting placed into the ground. Her face covered by a black veil as she stares at the coffin with her dull blue eyes as she cups her black gloved hands together. Her rose red lips doesn't frown nor smile as she begins to watch a man begin to speak about her latest husband who have died. The ground below her begins to sink as her heels push the ground around the heel part of her black shoes.

"Victoria Brimswald, would you like to say anything about your late husband, William Booth?" A man says while holding onto a wooden cross.

Victoria looks at the man before her, "My husband was a good man, he only wanted what was best for me and left me with his personal belongings, his house, his money, and his horse so that I may be settled well."

The man nods and turns around while holding the cross high, "May our father give pity upon this man for all of his sins may be vanquished as he rests in peace!"

Victoria hears everyone around her say amen as she looks at the coffin. She turns around and walks away from the group as they begin to chant. A smile formed on her lips as she walked up to a brown horse that was drinking water from a bucket. She unties the lead from the nearby post and gets onto the horse. She pats the horse as she turns the horse to where a man stands still in front of her. Victoria quickly loses her smile.

"Charmed to see you, Lady Victoria Brimswald." The man bows a bit while letting his dirty blonde hair fall in front of his face a bit before standing back up straight.

"John Harbor, I didn't expect you to be here." Victoria clenches tightly on the lead as she stares at the man before her.

"I was waiting for you to be done with the funeral so that we may ride to the church to be wed." John spoke happily.

Victoria felt an uneasiness from her stomach, but she decides to ignore it, "I am happy to hear that you wish to ride with me... and to make me your wife..."

John smiles wide, "I am very much happy to make you my wife, Victoria Brimswald." He walks over to Victoria's horse and pets its head. He looks up at the woman before him, "So much beauty for a woman who never smiles while around me."

"A smile will surely be upon my lips once we are at the church." Victoria says half truthfully.

John stops petting the horse and walks ahead a bit, "I am aware of the awful rumors that are being spread about."

"Of how my late husband has died?" Victoria asks concernly.

"What?" John turns to her.

"Nothing my dear, let us go to the church to be wed." Victoria motions the horse to go forwards as to which it responded to her command while changing the subject.

"R-Right my love..." John runs over to where a blonde horse stands while eating grass. He gets onto the horse and follows his soon-to-be wife.

On the way to the church has been long and quiet, the pattering of the horses' hooves and sideline chattering of people as they stare at Victoria and John riding side-by-side. Pointing at Victoria since she has lost her husband a few weeks back and her father arranged an 11th marriage for her to not weep for a man. The rumors of how her other husbands died is still a mystery, but the only people who have seen their deaths was none other than Victoria and her friend, Isabelle Lancer.

Isabelle Lancer would soon disappear from the sight with Victoria as soon as they are seen walking out of the house together. Everyone who has seen Isabelle and Victoria together are sure enough not to mess with them, but the Queen. They are close friends with Queen Victoria and her husband. They would go into the castle and have tea with her until evening. Everything seemed to be a set by people who have heard stories of Victoria Brimswald and Isabelle Lancer and want them to no longer in the town.

Victoria looks at everyone who stared at her as they all look away. Knowing that everyone wouldn't speak to her face about words that they spew out of their mouths. She looks over at her soon-to-be-husband and notice that he is smirking at all the girls as he went by. She looks away from him and knows everything all too well. He is becoming one of them.

John looks at Victoria, "Everything alright, my dear?"

Victoria continues on looking straight ahead, "The sun is setting, we should be near the church." She attempts to remove herself from the topic.

"Victoria, you cannot just pretend as if you don't care about your own personal health." John makes his horse goes before her own.

Victoria stops her horse and looks into John's eyes. Her expression doesn't change, "I do care, I am just drained after today. I only wish to marry and relax in my bed."

John nods and turns his horse toward the insight of a white church, "We are almost there, my love!" He ushers his horse towards the church and runs on ahead. Leaving his soon-to-be-wife behind.

Victoria ushers her horse forward as she watches John stops his horse in a stable and rushes inside. She turns her eyes onto the sun to see that it's going down slowly, this day couldn't go any slower. Once Victoria reaches the stable, she gets off of her horse and takes off its lead to let it wonder in its cube. She hangs the lead on a hook as she walks towards the church. Her black dress flows behind her as she cups her hands together. She goes up the 5 steps to a white door and opens it with her right hand. Once the door was open, Victoria could see her friend, Isabelle, and her parents, George Brimswald and Margret Brimswald. She approaches Isabelle and smiles slightly at her.

Isabelle looks over at Victoria with her light blue eyes, "My another day of you marrying and another day of attending a funeral."

"It's tiring, my parents don't know when to stop trying to find me a man to suit my needs." Victoria looks over at her parents who are nearing her.

George walks up to his daughter, "My lovely daughter, you look stunning." He grabs Victoria's hands into his own.

"Flattery won't save you, father." Victoria loses her smile.

Margret glares at Victoria, "Do not speak to your father that way, young lady. He worked very hard in finding you a man after that horrendous man have died."

Victoria returns the glare back at her mother, "My life should be in how I control it, not by the both of you."

"Silence child. You have no say in anything." Margret spits venom at Victoria. She turns away from her and walks to her seat.

George let's go of Victoria's hands, "Do not ever speak to your mother like that again." He follows his wife to their seat.

Isabelle puts a hand onto Victoria's shoulder, "Do not beat yourself over what they say, you already do enough, love."

Victoria let's out a sigh, "Not enough in their eyes, but this isn't their life. It's mine." She straightens herself out and takes in a deep breathe. She begins to walk towards a pair of white doors and opens them. She grabs the nearby bouquet from a small table and walks down the aisle while watching everyone stand. She eyes John who looks at her with a false smile. A smile doesn't form on her lips as she has done this now 11 times. It has always been like this, her parents find her a suitor and they enforce a wedding on the same day as the funeral. It feels like a taboo, but it's a terrible taboo.

John holds out a hand to Victoria as she let's go of the bouquet with one hand in order to let her hand be on John's. He gestures her across from him as he gives her a calm smile, "You look very beautiful."

"You saw me not even an hour ago, John." Victoria says bluntly.

John laughs and looks at the priest next to him, "You may now begin."

The priest clears his throat, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of John Harbor and Victoria Brimswald."

John turns his eyes onto Victoria and winks at her.

Victoria feels as though she is going to throw up from the sight that she has just witnessed. She looks at the priest and clears her throat, "May we skip to the vows and rings, Father Paul?"

Father Paul looks at Victoria, "I am afraid not, Ms. Brimswald." He clears his throat and continues, "May their matrimony last for eternity. For the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit bless this couple who wish to be united in their holy church of sacrimony. John, may you take Victoria to be your beloved wedded wife and love her for eternity?"

John smiles as wide as he possibly can, "I do."

Father Paul looks at Victoria and forces himself to smile at her, "May you, Victoria, take John to be your beloved wedded husband and love him for eternity?"

Victoria doesn't speak for a short few seconds until she moves her lips, "I do." She instantly regretted saying such thing. Her stomach feels as though it was actually going to puke.

Father Paul clears his throat in knowing that Victoria regretting in saying such a thing. He knows that this isn't her first time and it might not be her last. He looks down at the book that he holds, "You may tell each other your vows."

John holds out his arms and grabs onto Victoria's hands, "Victoria, you are as beautiful as a black rose, as sharp as thorns, and mysterious as a fox. When I have laid my eyes onto you, you were the only one who has stolen my heart. I shall be faithful and loyal to you until the end of our days. My love for you shall never be ending. If another woman is beautiful than your own like Isabelle, I wouldn't hesitate, but stay by your side."

Victoria narrows her eyes at John before taking in a deep breathe and letting it out slowly. Wishing for this to already be over. She closes her eyes and reopens them to see that John was smiling like a fool. Knowing that he might as well be lying. Victoria straightens her back, "John, you have not stolen my heart since it has cold stone walls around it. You are as bright as air and lonely as a lone wolf. I have heard of the rumors about you in seducing women, but little have I known that your charm has not worked on me. My love for you is as little as an ant. I shall be loyal to our graves, but there shall be no love since I cannot give."

Everyone gasped and some waved their fans for what they have heard. Victoria's parents glared at their daughter for what she has said. Isabelle laughs to herself as she knows her friend is true to her words and doesn't have love for the man before them all.

Father Paul stares at Victoria with misbelief of what he has heard as he looks over at John who laughed in uncomfort.

John squeezed Victoria's hands, "I take it that you must mean that you will gain love for me as soon as you have healed from your previous deceased lover."

Victoria looks over at her parents who are glaring at her before looking back at John, "If that is what you believe than believe it."

John turns his head to the priest, "Please continue, she must be grieving because of the loss of her lover."

Father Paul nods and looks back down at his book, "May we have the rings of matrimony."

A young boy walks up to the altar with rings on a pillow and holds out the pillow.

John takes a ring as Victoria takes the other.

John holds out Victoria's left hand, "Victoria, may this ring symbolize my love for you." He slides the ring onto her ring finger.

Victoria grabs onto John's left hand harshly, "John, may this ring symbolize of the false love that you show." She slides the ring onto John's finger.

John laughs a bit, "Shall I kiss the bride now?"

Father Paul nods.

John lifts up Victoria's veil and stares into her eyes. He notices her beauty and leans in to kiss her while closing his eyes.

Victoria doesn't move an inch as he presses his lips against hers. She felt like gagging as he leans away. She watches John grow a smile on his face as he turns towards everyone. Her eyes goes onto Isabelle as a way to tell her that something is sketchy which causes Isabelle to nod. She turns her eyes back onto John to leads her down the altar and outside of the church.

John rushes Victoria over to their horses and helps her get onto her horse.

Victoria says sharply, "I can get on my horse, on my own."

"I just wish to help, my wife." John rushes over to his horse and gets on. He ushers the horse onward to where he was in front of Victoria, "I have some business to attend too, I shall see you at the house." He turns the horse away and ushers it to go somewhere.

Victoria sits on her horse as she pets the top of its head, "I want to follow him, Samuel. I have to see if my hypothesis is correct." She motions her horse to go after John which it allowed.