The Exiled Gem

A Vow of Maidenhood

'You shut up!' Betty screamed at him. 'You- you- you won't tell me what to do and what not to do! Mind your own damned business! And don't you dare show me your face ever again!' She added, to Alexandra.

'Betty-' Alexandra began, 'what did I do?'

'You don't know?! YOU DON'T KNOW?! I get it - you were jealous of me! My happiness - my engagement! You came back to destroy everything, Mabel!' She replied, yelling at the top of her voice. With her yellowish hair hanging around her shoulder, it seemed as if Betty's head was on fire.

'Betty it- it's not like tha-t,' Alexandra said, she was crying again. Sometimes Alexandra hated the way she broke into tears so fast when Betty was concerned. Otherwise, she had a hard shell (sometimes she was hardhearted) and had grown a rather thick skin. 

'It is NOT,' Kane agreed, walking over to Alexandra and putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. 'NOT at all, Miss Betty. And we are going, if you do not want us here. Just remember: when somebody nears their destruction, the first mistake they do is to shun their well-wishers. Like you are doing right now.'

This one hit even closer.

Betty stopped her carnage of House Furniture. 

She didn't speak. She just looked at Alexandra's red face, biting her lips - Alexandra knew she was already regretting her words. But she also agreed with Kane. Especially because she was not all feeling nice being accused of jealousy by Betty. Which she so did not have. 

For perhaps a minute, or more, nobody moved. Kane truly was emotionless, he turned away, as if to leave. But Alexandra did not, she remained staring at the Heiress, trying to convey how hurt she was without words. 

'Come on,' he said, trying to pull her away, but Alexandra's feet were rooted.

'Come on.' He repeated. Still, no movement.

'Mabel.' 

And this time, Alexandra knew it was enough. She turned herself, and Betty was watching them mutely. They walked up to the door, Alexandra knew Betty was watching her. Kane unlatched it, and she was still watching them.

'Mabel,' Betty finally said. And that was all she needed to, Alexandra raised a napkin to her face, still turned away - wiping the tears she did not want anybody to see.

'Yes, Betty?' She then asked, turning towards her with a dry face.

'I - I don't know why I said that - I don't know anything Mabel - I- I feel I'm destroyed. I feel- everything is over.'

That much was enough. Alexandra didn't care anymore who saw her tears. She flung the napkin aside and rushed to Betty, throwing her arms around the girl. Her tears clung to her cheeks, slowly drying down. But Betty didn't hug her back, she simply broke down completely.

Alexandra had never seen someone bawl in such a heart-wrenching way. Betty was into such a violent production of tears that she gasped every now and then for a bit of air. 'Mabel, why?' She sobbed, hiccupping. 'Am I - hic - not - hic - destined for -  even a - a bit - hic - of happiness?! I - hic - trusted him - hic - more than anybody else!' She knelt down on the floor once again. 'I - hic - I hate everything. I - I don't want -  to talk to him. I - hic - I don't want to see his face ever again. I - I - will make my own life.' She said, staring at the ground again, no longer crying.

'I will make my - my own life. And - and there will be no man in it!'

'Not even Emperor Liam?' Alexandra asked her, trying to smile through tears. The joke evoked stronger emotions, Betty shut her eyes, more tears streamed down her face.

'He would have never done what William did...' and she shook her head, though her whole body jerked with it. 'But he isn't meant for me, and I don't want to hanker for what is not meant for me, Mabel. I know it. I know no man is meant for me. I... I VOW FOREVER MAIDENHOOD!' She yelled all of a sudden, hitting the floor with her fist. So violently that Alexandra left her, moving away. 'I SHALL ALLOW NO MAN TO COURT ME EVER AGAIN!' She hit the floor again, and Alexandra stood up, turning to Kane - whose eyes were a little wide, as though he couldn't believe Betty was capable of that. 'I AM COMPLETE IN MYSELF! I DON'T NEED A MAN - ANY MAN - FOR IT!'

Alexandra turned to stare at Betty, half wonder-struck, half amazed. Fully shocked. Rather, surprised. And pleasantly so.

'Absolutely, Miss Betty,' Kane agreed, quietly. 'You have everything you need to write your own destiny. You do not need to go hankering after that cheat. I say, throw off that ring. Free yourself of that bondage. It means nothing now.'

'You're right-' Betty sniffed. 'It means-' she said, pulling off the ring, 'NOTHING!' And she flung it away. Betty then turned to Alexandra, 'Did I ever tell you, Mabel - that my dream was to build a family? It still is. Though now, I'll build it my way. And it certainly does NOT include anybody named William Patrick Atkinson.'

And William Atkinson was then abandoned, by both the honorable ladies, like a flea.

A/N: Wherever there was a forward-thinking, stable society, independent women always found their way to it. No matter what time frame it was in. And in the time frame this novel is set in, Dowry went both ways. Even the men gave dowries - in case they fell lower in the social ladder, as Atkinson does, to Jessica Quotes. 
Betty, meanwhile, always appeared to be simple, straight, affectionate and old-fashioned. Often, however, we judge a book by its cover. Just because the cover names the book as "for children" doesn't mean it cannot be a good read for adults.
Just because a person is simple, doesn't mean they cannot stand up for themselves. And sometimes, loss of innocence is good. Especially, if it makes way for practicality.