by Bella Grant
“Jason. Jason—the same Jason you wanted nothing to do with. Did you sleep at his house, because I don’t remember seeing you come in?”
“No,” Elena replied quickly. “I didn’t sleep at his house. He came over when I was in the barn,” she gesticulated, pointing to the places she mentioned. “I was about to come in, and he had this basket and he asked me to have supper with him, and I went and… I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You know, because he chose you does not mean you have to act like this. You’re still a young lady, and I expect more from you.”
“More what? I didn’t do anything. I merely had some food. What’s so wrong with that?” She hated arguing with her father, and the tears stung her eyes as she tried to force them back.
“I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with him,” he said, stirring the guilt in her.
“I didn’t. I don’t.” She shrugged and wiped her hand down her face. “I don’t know. He isn’t the person I thought he was.”
“He isn’t the person you thought he… you don’t know this man. You begged me to protect you from him, and then you run off and sleep with him.”
“It’s not like that,” she cried, and she couldn’t stop the tears. “I’m sorry, but I must have been tired, and we simply fell asleep. Mom!” she called to her mother as soon as she saw her head stick outside the kitchen door, no doubt wondering about the ruckus outside. Elena was hoping for a little more sympathy from her.
“I don’t know what to say. You are a grown woman now. You need to make good decisions.”
Elena was heartbroken because they didn’t even believe her. She hadn’t slept with Jason—not in that sense and not last night.
“But it was—oh, forget it,” she replied sadly and attempted to go around him. She stood at the entrance to the kitchen as if some force was keeping her out, but it was only her stubborn refusal to deal with anything else that might happen she didn’t want to talk about. She turned robotically and walked to the barn.
She heard whispers as she went, but she was too hurt to care what they were saying. She had disappointed them, but it wasn’t as if she had set out to spend the night with Jason. Or to have had sex with him in the barn. What would they say if they knew about that? She heaved an exasperated sigh, and her shoulders sagged as she visited with the horses. Not even their happy neighing and whinnying were enough to put her in better spirits, and she went about her daily tasks by rote.
She fed and watered the horses and the pigs, and checked the chicken coops. Elena cleaned the watering troughs, raked the barn, and even pruned the vegetable garden. Anyone watching would think she was trying to avoid going inside the house to face her parents. They wouldn’t be wrong.
By the time she was finished, she was sore and it was almost midday. She hadn’t eaten anything since the fruits and sandwiches with Jason, and although her stomach rumbled, she had no appetite for food. She felt adrift at sea, wind-tossed and without bearings. She had no refuge from her sea of emotions—she couldn’t escape to her room because her shame had followed her there; she couldn’t go to Jason because that would cause even more trouble; and she was nervous about going into town. After what Charlotte had seen, she could only imagine how the tongues wagged.
She felt sick, and as the thoughts bombarded her, her stomach twisted inside her and she bent over quickly as nausea flooded her and she hurled onto the grass. She gripped her knees and waited for the feeling to pass. She had pretended to be sick before, and her lies had finally caught up with her. As soon as she felt better, she wiped her hand across her mouth and headed to the house. She was passing through the kitchen when her mother appeared from nowhere.
She handed her a slip of paper. “Your father wants these from the store.”
Elena groaned. “Now?”
“He said you aren’t married yet. You still have a job,” she said, but her voice was more sympathetic. She reached out and caught Elena by the chin. “What’s wrong with you? You look pale.”
Elena wriggled her head from her mother’s hand. “I’m hungry.” She took the piece of paper and headed out.
“I’ll make something for you when you get back,” her mother called after her.
Elena didn’t respond or look back. She was tired, more tired than she had been in quite some time. She could feel the exhaustion seeping under her flesh and into her bones, and she was weighed down by it. By the time she ran into the first person on the street, Mrs. Ray, the farm owner a few houses down the street, she knew something was up. She was always pleasant with her, but she looked at her and quickly away, like they had had a quarrel Elena was oblivious to.
Elena wrinkled her brows, but she ignored the woman. Maybe she was having an off day. But when she ran into Emma, who not only avoided speaking to her but also moved further away from Elena, almost tripping on the curb to get away.
“Emma, what’s wrong?” Elena asked the girl. “Did I do something to you?” Usually, Elena would ignore the village people, but she always maintained civility with Emma and the nicer ones who didn’t go out of their way to put her down.
“No,” she hastily answered. “You’re lucky. I hope he makes you happy.”
“You hope he…what?”
“I have to go.” She hurried past, looking back occasionally to catch glimpses of Elena.
Elena was passing Julianne’s house a few minutes later when the woman, upon seeing her, fled from the porch and hurried to the gate.
“Elena,” she whispered loudly and called her over in a hushed tone like they were conspiring to do something Elena hadn’t discovered.
Elena was taken aback, but, not to be rude, she ventured closer. “Yes?”
“How was it?” she asked, her eyes bright with wonder and her tongue tracing her lips. “I’ve always wanted to know what it would be like to fuck the prince.”
Elena’s eyes almost popped out of her head, and she clamped her hand to her chest. “Where did you hear that?”
“Is it true?”
Elena didn’t know what to say, and she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Without answering Julianne, she stumbled back onto the street, totally aware that the reactions she had received so far were a result of rumors. But what had they heard? Julianne was her best bet to get the exact wording. She hurried back to the woman, who was more than anxious to talk.
“What did you hear?”
“Well,” she began her story, like all gossips did, “Charlotte found you and the prince under that oak tree you always go to. You were naked, like you two had been going at it. As soon as you saw her, you covered yourself and threatened to tell everyone she had slept with him if she said anything.”
Elena felt like throwing up again. “That’s not what happened.”
Julianne looked confused. “You weren’t under the tree?” Like that was the only part that didn’t make sense.
“Yes, I was. But it wasn’t like that.”
“But you did fuck him, right? Please tell me you had the common sense to fuck that man. The things you could have gotten from him,” she uttered, and her eyes glazed at the thought.
“Nothing happened,” Elena retorted and walked back into the street.
“Does that mean I can have him?” Julianne shouted, which drew more attention to her.
“She could at least have waited until she got married first,” two old women whispered to each other as she got close to the store. They turned their noses up and walked away.
Elena had never been quite so self-conscious until that moment. It was hard to ignore a lie, but she had no one to blame but herself. Tears blinded her as she handed the slip of paper to the grocer and he handed her the items. He glowered at her, but she didn’t care. She knew how news spread like wildfire in the village, which was why she kept to herself most of the time. She had been a victim of it before, but not like this. The worst part was she hadn’t even done anything, not last night, anyway. Everyone thought she’d fucked the prince under the oak tree. H
ow could she live that down? It was bad enough she actually did have sex with him, but everyone had their own version of it now.
Jason had brought her nothing but bad luck, and it would serve her better if she stayed away from him. He couldn’t force her to marry him, and if he didn’t want anyone else, he would have to return to the comforts of his castle without a bride. With any luck, she wouldn’t see him again, and the gossip would die as easily as it had started.
As she thought about it, she knew it wouldn’t be any time soon. Like a prisoner to the gallows, the trudged back to the farm amidst stares and rude remarks. She felt like she was making a walk of penance, except at the end of the journey she would not be purged.
How could such a beautiful night turn into a day like this?
Jason
Jason was finally beginning to think no matter how much he wanted to be with Elena, he was waging a war he could not win. No matter what he did, it blew up in his face. She had run off again, and he didn’t have sufficient words with which to appease her. So what if they had been seen by that village girl? What harm could that possibly do when everybody knew he’d chosen her? He was beginning to think she was never going to warm to him, and he heaved an exasperated sigh as he stood by the window, looking upon the place he had called home for the last several weeks.
His brows raised when he saw Candace’s father approach the gate and open it with such ferocity it almost fell apart.
“Prince Jason!” he shouted when he got to the door.
Jason stood by the window, wondering if he should respond to his blatant aggression or have him thrown in jail. He decided against the latter.
The man was pounding on the door when Jason grabbed the knob and twisted it.
“Yes?”
The man stalled for a moment, like he hadn’t expected an answer. He placed his hands on his hips and heaved. “Is that why you didn’t choose my Candace?”
“Is what why I didn’t choose Candace?”
“You know. I always knew there was something sneaky about that Elena—always walking around like she’s better than the other girls in the village. Yet she put out so easily. If you had wanted a whore, why didn’t you just choose Julianne? She would have gladly accepted, instead of making a mockery of the fine women of our district.”
Jason could hardly believe what the man was saying. “What are you talking about?”
“We all heard about you two sleeping under that oak tree,” the man railed, and his arms flashed about as he gesticulated wildly as he spoke. “That’s all you wanted. The sex, and because my daughter refused, you chose someone easier. Well, good luck with that, Prince Jason. I guess you can go back to the castle a satisfied man.”
“Now hold on a minute,” Jason argued. “Who came up with those lies? Was it Charlotte? It had to be.” And then something dawned on him. If this man spoke like this, chances were the news had reached Elena’s family, and they must think the worst of him. He had to go to Elena’s family, and apologize for the falsity perpetuated throughout the village.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re not as noble—”
“One more word and I will have you arrested. I might be living here, but I am still your prince!” Jason sneered.
The man opened his mouth like he was going to speak again, but the words died on his lips. He half bowed and stepped back as Jason pushed past him.
He had demonstrated more humility living in that village than he had thought he was capable of. He had known he would hate the arrangement, and every day away from the castle and his friends had strengthened his position. Until he started feeling things—emotions and concerns he thought were for the weak. Elena had gotten to him, and instead of elevating her, being with her had only left a darker stain on her already weak reputation. He had to make amends if that were at all possible.
He walked hurriedly to the farm, hoping they would allow him inside. There was no one around when he arrived, and he stalked up the front door and banged on it. Gregory opened it, but unlike the other times, he was not pleased to see him.
“Can we talk?” Jason asked right away, feeling the urgency swell in him like a rolling tide. He was anxious, and sweat beads swarmed his body.
“What about?” Gregory asked flatly, his expression bland.
Jason didn’t know where to begin, and he turned on the landing outside the door as he tried to gather his thoughts. It hadn’t occurred to him that Gregory hadn’t heard and that he might be the bearer of bad news.
“I…want to apologize for… I heard some talk in town about what happened with me and Elena. Nothing happened, sir, I can promise you that. I have great respect for you and your daughter, and I would never do anything to tarnish her name.”
“Yet you have.”
Those three words hit Jason hard, and at that point, he appreciated the extent of his damages. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. We had a picnic, and…we simply fell asleep. Nothing else happened.”
He felt like a child after getting caught by his parents for sneaking away and bathing in the castle river without their permission. His father had made him feel so guilty that day he didn’t even think about disobeying again. Those familiar feelings returned, and he began to feel small as he stood before Gregory.
“I think it would be better if you go,” Gregory said sadly and stepped back.
Jason tried to look around him. “I can’t see her?”
“She doesn’t want to see you. The villagers did a number on her. She needs some time.”
Jason’s heart sank, but he understood. “I’m going to make this right. I’ll handle this,” he said through gritted teeth and returned to the street.
He was bubbling over with anger, and he searched for Charlotte like a hunter would prey. He found her as she was leaving a neighbor’s house when he was passing. He stopped abruptly and faced her, the venom in his eyes slowly poisoning her as he stared, and he saw the smile retract from her lips that were beginning to curl when she saw him.
“What the hell?” he barked.
Charlotte pressed her hand against her chest and looked at her friend, like she didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Don’t play dumb with me!” Jason continued, and his fingers dug into the post at the gate.
“Prince Jason, I…I don’t know—”
“You damned well know you didn’t see me or Elena doing anything under the tree. Why would you go around spreading rumors like that?”
“Oh,” her lips muttered, and she blushed with embarrassment.
“You know what, this won’t do. You started this, and you are going to finish it.” Jason pushed the gate in and grabbed Charlotte by the arm.
“Wait, hold on a second,” she wailed.
“Not a chance.” Jason was resolute in his decision, and he dragged her behind him, yelping and tugging at him as they drew the attention of the other villagers. Jason looked around and sneered as he stomped to the square, and Charlotte’s eyes bulged as she looked at the terrified faces of the people they passed.
“What’s going on? What’s wrong, Charlotte?” someone asked.
“Let me go!” she begged and tried to pry her hand free from his vice-grip hold.
Jason ignored her, and the crowd grew in number by the time they reached the center of town. When he arrived at the point in the square where he felt satisfied he could be heard by the majority, he let her go with such force she staggered back.
“Tell them!” he commanded.
Charlotte’s frightened eyes searched the people for help. She rubbed her wrist and gulped.
“Tell them!” Jason shouted again, stepping menacingly closer to her.
She shrank back and held her hands up like she expected him to strike her. “No!” she screamed as she tried to evoke the sympathy of the watchers.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Charlotte, if you don’t tell these people what you did, me smacking you will be the least of your problems.”
“What hap
pened, Charlotte?” a middle-aged man asked as he pressed through the crowd.
“Bud, I…I…” she started, and the first signs of tears appeared.
“For God’s sake, say something,” the man uttered as she stepped in front of her.
“Okay. Allow me,” Jason intervened when he saw she wasn’t going to speak. “It came to my attention this morning that there is some kind of rumor around the village about me and Elena under the oak tree.” He paused, and he saw the self-righteous stares from some of the women who believed the rumor. “We had a picnic, and we fell asleep. That’s it. Charlotte saw us in the morning lying there…nothing was happening. Nothing happened!”
Voices started murmuring, and heads turned as they checked each other for any other avenue to the truth.
“Is that true, Charlotte?” Bud asked. “Did you make up all of that about Elena and Prince Jason going at it?”
He glared at her, and she finally caved. “What was I supposed to do?” she asked the now less than impressed crowd as they turned their noses up at her.
Jason was amazed at how fickle they were, but he was pleased that the truth had finally come out and he didn’t have to sell it too hard.
“What you can do,” he started slowly, “is get over it. I don’t want to marry you. This didn’t help, either. And you know what?” he asked as he turned about and addressed the people. “Elena has every right to stay away from you. I mean, all it took was one person—one liar—and you were so quick to throw her under the bus. She has more class than all of you put together. You should be ashamed of yourselves,” he ended fiercely and hurried away.
He heard the buzz of their voices as they expressed their embarrassment, and of angry words being hurled at Charlotte. But he’d had enough. He wanted to get out of the village and clear his mind. With a heavy heart, he returned to the cottage and gazed down the street towards Elena’s farm. All his efforts had been in vain, and as he stepped inside and saw the box of returned gifts, he kicked the side in, sending the box hurtling across the floor. It crashed into the wall and overturned, and he was reminded of the time they had shared in the barn and how everything had crashed and burned after.