Bailing out?

The details for the following day were finalised after dinner and everyone retired to bed with anticipation for the big day. The servants stayed up late at Claire's demands and as Adeline lay on her bed, she could hear movements from every corner of the house. Even when everyone went to bed and the house was quiet again, Adeline still couldn't fall asleep and she tossed and turned in bed.

She couldn't believe she was counting hours from her life changing occasion. By tomorrow she would be someone's wife, and a member of a royal family. She would be living in another house, with total strangers for the rest of her life?

Exhaling deeply, she sat up on the bed and raked her fingers through her long hair. The night was quiet and the candles in her room were still burning. Her eyes and her mind were wide awake and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Pushing away the covers, she put on a silk robe and got out of bed.

She didn't bother to wear any shoes as she picked up a burning candle and quietly walked out of her room. She opened the door to Vina's room and peeked inside, to find the girl sleeping with her legs across the bed and the quilt almost falling off the edge. She walked in and adjusted her sleeping position, then proceeded to the library which was two rooms away from her bedroom.

The library was a vast room with piles of books arranged in order of their genre on the wooden shelves. There was a couch and two armchairs placed around a wooden table, facing a fireplace. Adeline randomly picked a shelf and her fingers started trailing across the books' covers. She had read most of the books in this library and knew most covers by heart.

After a few minutes, Adeline finally settled on a familiar cover and carefully pulled the book from the shelf. She walked towards the couch and placed the candle on the table, then started flipping through the pages.

Adeline had come across this book several times but had never read it.

The story was about two boys, Edward Tudor, and Tom Canty. They were born on the same day, but under very different conditions. Edward was a prince and his birth was awaited by everyone in his kingdom. Many celebrated his birth for days and he was raised in wealth and riches.

On the other hand, Tom Canty was born to a poor family who felt his existence was a burden to them because they could barely feed themselves.

When the two boys cross paths, they realize that they look alike and were both overjoyed for different reasons. As an unwanted son from a poor family, Tom had always admired the lives of the wealthy. However, Edward, who had everything provided to him, always longed for freedom because he was always expected to behave prim and proper.

The two boys decide to switch lives and impersonate each other, but they learn later that they could only handle the normal they were used to.

The morning sun found Adeline seated on the couch in the library, her senses fully immersed in the story about the prince and the pauper.

The candle was burning out and almost burnt the table, but the door to the library burst open and the rush of air extinguished the fire.

Adeline looked up and her eyes met aunt Claire's hardened gaze.

"For the love of God Adeline! What are you doing here? Did you get any sleep? You should be preparing for the wedding, your wedding!" Claire scolded, taking Adeline's hand and leading her out of the room. Adeline didn't respond and let herself be pulled away.

She was brought to her room where Rosa was already waiting. Claire didn't waste time and instructed Rosa to help Adeline with her bath.

As Adeline soaked in the warm, fragrant water, her mind felt strangely relaxed and she closed her eyes as Rosa scrubbed ger arms with a washcloth.

After the bath, Adeline wrapped herself in a clean towel and sat in front of the antique mirror in her room, Rosa standing behind her with a hairbrush in her hands.

Adeline's hair was very long and soft and Rosa always enjoyed running her fingers through it, but today there was no time for that. Even Adeline felt the urgency in her actions because if it were any other day, Rosa would massage her head before combing her hair.

Claire walked in time when Adeline was putting on her chemise and she took the corset from Rosa. "You shouldn't have stayed up late reading, my dear. Now you have dark circles around your eyes on your wedding day!" Claire chided as she pulled the corset strings.

Adeline gasped when she felt her pull harder and she instinctively placed her hands on the dressing table.

"Hold your breath," Claire instructed and before Adeline could even breathe, the woman pulled the strings harder and Adeline's hands gripped the table tightly.

"Aunt!" She exclaimed as she shifted uncomfortably. "How am I supposed to breathe in this?" Her voice dripped with irritation but the older woman just ignored her.

Claire then helped her with the gown, and other accessories. A pearl necklace rested around her neck, with matching earrings hanging from her ears. Her aunt applied paint on her face to hide the dark circles and Adeline endured all of it with a blank expression.

When it was all done, they walked down the stairs together and found Duke Sage and Adler waiting at the sitting area.

When they heard footsteps, they both looked back at the same time and a smile appeared on Sage's lips. His eyes became misty as he stared at his daughter. She was so beautiful. Genevieve would be in tears if she were to see their daughter right now. Adler also had a look of adoration on his face and his eyes had a rare gentleness.

Adeline didn't meet their gaze and kept her eyes on the stairs until she reached where they were standing.

When she saw their faces, her blank expression changed to one of amusement and her lips curled upwards. Who would have thought she would get to see these men with this kind of expressions.

"Adeline," her father's voice choked with emotion and Adeline found herself smiling wider.

"I really look that beautiful?" She joked and Sage gave a short laugh.

"Sage, you'll have time for this later. Right now we're in a hurry," Claire urged. Adeline turned to Rosa and the latter smiled at her.

"You're not coming?" Adeline asked and Rosa subconsciously glanced at Claire. Claire's eyes were filled with disdain and it was obvious for anyone present that she didn't want the maid to attend the wedding.

Ignoring her aunt's expression, Adeline said to Rosa, "Go and get ready, I should see you there."

The church ceremony was to take place in the Grimwood public hall where events like these were held. It was only a short distance from the Duke's mansion.

Adeline travelled with her father in one carriage, while Adler and Claire travelled together in another one. Vina was already at the venue with Howard.

Sage and his daughter sat across each other but Adeline's eyes gazed outside the window. She felt very uncomfortable because of the corset and her posture was a little awkward. A blue veil covered her face but her father could feel the discomfort in the air.

The journey was fast and quiet. Outside the hall, carriages and horses queued outside but the owners were already inside, waiting for the bride. Adeline alighted the carriage with the help of her father and raised her head taking a deep breath to brace herself.

As she stood in front of the huge double doors, the wedding bells rang in announcement of the arrival of the bride and Adeline bit her bottom lip, fiddling with the hem of her dress nervously.

"The first daughter of Duke Sage of the Grimwood duchy, from the Havenbridge Kingdom, miss Adeline Sage Grimwood!" A man's loud voice announced and the guards pushed the doors open.

Adeline felt her heart leap to her throat at the sensation that overcame her whole body and for a minute, her legs refused to move. Her breath quickened and the murmurs that erupted from within the hall sounded distant to her ears.

"Adeline," her father's soft whisper pulled her from her anxious thoughts as he nudged her hand with his elbow.

Adeline turned to look at her father's worried expression and felt like bursting to tears. I don't want to do this. I can't do this.