All is Fair

Part 1

                                                                              *Theodore's POV*

Once upon a time I wished for love. I wished for a marriage that I chose. Well, that didn't happen. The funny thing is that I knew it wouldn't but I wished anyways. The world around me wouldn't allow a marriage that I would be happy in anyways. For several reasons, the main and biggest reason being it's illegal. I tried fighting myself on the subject. I tried to change and be more like the average man. Clearly that didn't happen, but I must follow my parents' wishes. They wish that I be married to the chief of police's daughter. Some form of political advantage would come from this alliance. I can't say that I understand anything about politics. I guess this is fairly strange, since I am the son of one of the richest families in the country. As the date of the wedding quickly approaches, the realization that I have yet to even meet my wife-to-be hits hard. I call upon my parents to request a meeting with the girl before I can marry her. I refuse to marry someone I've never met.

                                                                                   *Alice's POV*

My father just informed me of the greatest news in the whole world! Not only has the head of the Darcy family agreed to enter an alliance with our family, sealed by marriage, but the son has requested to meet with me. I must confess I've had a crush on Theodore Darcy for many years. I saw him for the first time as he was sneaking around town trying not to be caught in town. He looked so lost, yet excited to be out alone in a town full of people he's never met before. He asked me for directions to a good hiding place. I guess I look really trust worthy. Or maybe I was the only one who had realized he was there. Either way I grabbed his arm and walked him to the best hiding place I knew of. The world around us vanished and we were alone for even a little while. I felt a bond with him, even though I didn't even know his name. I found out weeks later when I saw him step out of a carriage, dressed in elegant clothing, unlike the first time I saw him. Nothing about him seemed upscale or upper class when we first met. He didn't act any different than your average man, other than sneaking around town like some form of outlaw. I didn't dare approach him after that day. After all, he is a future lord. Our worlds are just too different. My father informs me our meeting will be this Thursday. Great, I've only got two days to find the perfect dress and plan something for lunch. Hopefully all goes well. This is the man I will marry.

~Thursday Morning~

                                                                          *Theodore's POV*

I wake up in despair as I realize that this is the morning of my meeting with my future bride. I will admit that it will be nice to have a name and a face to match that title. I still am not thrilled at the fact that I have to marry her. I'd like the chance to find my own love and not have to learn to love some woman I've never even met. At least I have the chance to meet her before the wedding. I'm fairly relieved that her family agreed to my suggestion for a lunch engagement to allow us to get to know each other. This marriage would be unbearable if I had to meet her on the "big day." As I make my way through the morning, I find myself unable to calm my nerves. The woman I am soon to meet will change my life forever. The world around me seems to be moving in slow motion and I have the inability to make it speed up. I am dreading this meeting, but I must admit that I am at least a little excited. While I find myself unable to love her, I will have comfort if I am able to befriend her. Friends are few and far between in this world, and if I can love her in some way it'll be for the better. As time leisurely crawls to the ten o'clock mark, I start to make my way out the door. The servants try to stop me, insisting that I should wait and take the carriage but I, like my grandparents before me, purely enjoy walking from place to place. As I begin down the driveway, I think back to my grandmother.

"Darling, it is true that walking keeps you humble. The real joy of walking however is the feeling of being connected to the world." She would always say things like that, which had to get annoying for my grandfather. However, if you ever saw them together, you would always catch him looking at her with a kind of admiration in his eye. I feel like there is a history behind them that I've never been told. The walk to the café in which I will meet my fiancée ends all too soon as I approach the town.

The world that I was once connected to disappears as I enter the town. The atmosphere shifts from one of a calm serenity to one of, well, a town. The townsfolk running around, conducting their businesses, trying to find their children who have run off to play while their parents are shopping, it all has such a loud sound, yet I find myself drawn into the excitement. Not long after entering the town walls, my nerves about meeting the girl are gone. I now feel confident in my social standings, my life, and my decisions. I can do this. I walk into the café and pass the workers who feel the need to bow to me. Honestly people, is that necessary? I take a seat towards the back and inform the waitress that I will be meeting with someone, a girl to be specific, and to send her back when she arrives.

"You'll know who she is." I state and send her away with an order of two coffees. A few moments later she brings the coffee and announces the presence of a young Ms. Alice Kent. She enters as I stand to hold the chair out for her. I will admit that she is very pretty. Her golden curls fall just past her shoulders, and her eyes, god her eyes; they seem to stare into one's soul. The green color is speckled with blue and gold flecks draw you in and won't let you go. Her dress shows off her curves and any other man would find that fact appealing. And while I can definitely say that she looks very good, I cannot bring myself to say that I find myself attracted to her body the way another man would be. I look at her once more, less at her features and more at who she is. She looks familiar I can't fathom how but I've definitely met her before. She sits and waits for me to sit as well. She takes a sip of her coffee, looking entirely too excited.

"Good morning. Thank you for meeting me." I grin as handsomely as I can as I greet her.

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I hope you all are enjoying it so far!!  <3 Thank you so much for reading <3