It didn't snow today, so the sunset sky revealed a beautiful orange glow. This might be the last twilight sky I see in this house, because Nicolas said that after I became that creature's property, I might not be able to come back—it's annoying that he always speaks bluntly like that even though his feelings might not be as cruel as his words. The carriage was waiting in front of the house, ready to take me to the creature's place. As the sun sank completely, and darkness began to cover the horizon, it would be my last time to be with my family.
In a white satin wedding dress, I sat on my bed, waiting alone in my room. Although it was called a wedding dress, what I was wearing this time was just a plain white long-sleeved dress with no pattern, with a thin veil covering my head and face, and not even a tiara. Only my hair was tied up in a neat braided chignon just like when Thérèse got married.
The sound of the door creaking instantly drew my gaze to the figure of Alienor peering in the doorway. As I threw him a smile, she rushed in and hugged me.
"Rossie, are you leaving now?" Alienor's soft whispering voice completely broke my heart.
I nodded. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
Alienor looked up, and looked at me with teary eyes. "I don't want you to go. No one will ever want to play with me again."
My tears instantly erupted, though not a single sound came out because they were stuck in my throat—as much as possible I didn't want to make a sound even though tears flooded me and Alienor's shoulders. I hugged Alienor very tightly as if I didn't want to let go. Yes, I really didn't want to let go. I didn't want to let Alienor feel lonely. But I had no choice.
Raymond and Thérèse appeared from behind my slightly open bedroom door. Without a word they entered and approached me who was still lost in Alienor's cries. They both looked at me blue in the eyes. I tried to smile sincerely as they walked closer towards me. However, Raymond and Thérèse did not return my smile at all. At that moment, the tightness in my chest returned. The intense trembling that shook my entire body made me limp, yet it pushed me to lunge at them, drowning myself in their tight embrace. I knew they didn't want to let me go. I could feel it. I didn't want to let go either.
"I don't want to go! I don't want to be sacrificed, sis! I'm scared! I'm acute!" I cried softly in the explosion of cries.
Alienor returned to our embrace, crying even harder.
"I'm... really scared. I don't want to go...."
"Oh, Rosalynne..." Thérèse hugged me tighter as she continued to sob. "My sister who was so innocent and naive, who was vulnerable and scared. Why do you think we refused Father's orders? We were so worried about you! We never wanted you to leave either. We were scared too. But we couldn't do anything because you had decided. This is a very big decision. We just hope you never regret it."
"I'm proud of you, Rossie. Even though Father has been mistreating you, you still obey him," Raymond whispered in a voice that almost drowned me out.
"Remember that we love you here and care for you very much. There's always a place for you to come home to," Thérèse continued.
It was true what Thérèse said. I was just too innocent and naive. I honestly never wanted to go through all this. I didn't want to leave, no matter how bad things were in this house. But I couldn't refuse Father's orders. At least, by accepting all this, I could make Father proud and acknowledge me. Also, I can get out and escape from Father's shadow.
After a while of being immersed in melancholy, Raymond and Thérèse began to break their embrace, and wiped away the traces of tears that remained on their faces—I couldn't believe that Raymond could shed tears too.
"All right, Rosalynne. The time has come."
* * * * *
As I stepped out of the house, the few people I saw at the meeting last night greeted me under the darkening evening sky. Under the stars that began to sprinkle above the sky, they showed the same expressions. They were pitying me, but they also looked relieved that their suffering was finally coming to an end.
Father was already standing by the carriage door like a typical page man. Unfortunately, even in my last moment of life in this house, he didn't show any expression at all.
Just before I stepped off the veranda onto the cold, snowy ground, Edgar Marveille suddenly appeared before me like a flash of lightning about to strike. His forehead was bent, and his face looked a little pale. I could tell he wasn't happy with this decision. He walked closer, then grabbed both my hands. I thought he was going to pull me up and take me away, but he didn't.
"I will never forgive you and your father for the decisions you made." The trembling in Edgar Marveille's voice sounded sad. He gripped my hand tighter. "You made me feel useless and helpless. And now you're going to leave me?"
I smiled, even though it hurt. I took off the clear sapphire-edged ring on my ring finger, and gave it back to Edgar Marveille. "I'm sorry, Marquis Marveille. It turns out I can't love myself yet."
Unexpectedly, Edgar Marveille's gallant body pushed itself up, trapping me in his embrace so deep that I could do nothing to escape. "I will save you. I'll put this ring back on your finger. Just make sure that beast doesn't hurt you," he whispered.
My eyes widened as my heart rate increased. What the-
"Come on, Rossie!" Raymond pulled my arm and forced me to walk again.
When Edgar Marveille finally stepped aside and gave way, allowing me to leave, I turned back, looking at him who now looked calmer and more sincere. As our eyes met, he just smiled as if to reassure me of what he had said a moment ago.
When Raymond had escorted me to the opened carriage door, his job was done. For the last time, Raymond hugged me tightly for a short time. He stepped back, taking his place on the other side of the open carriage door.
"Come, Rosalynne." Father held out his hand.
Once again, I took one last look at my surroundings. I saw Thérèse and Alienor on the veranda of the house, standing listlessly, looking at me with tearful eyes, accompanied by Marie who also seemed to have stopped crying. There was also Edgar Marveille with a calmer look on his face, although there was no longer the charming smile etched on his handsome face. Behind the carriage that would take me away, five men—one of them is Nicolas—who rode horses were ready to see me off. And finally, I looked at the face of my older brother who was standing next to me, before I finally got into the carriage that would take me away.
As the carriage doors closed, and as the carriage began to move, I felt that the gates to the new world were opening. I just didn't know yet how that world would swallow me up.