Free Web NovelChapter 2: You Don’t Want to Carry Me
The wooden doors to the chapel hall swung open. Valeria rolled across the floor, but her attention wasn’t focused on her own wedding, instead she scanned the pews looking for her parents. She had held on to the hope that the wedding wasn’t just a plan to get rid of her, to remove the fallen hero from their family.
She checked the pews once, then twice. Finally, a third time before she was sure.
Sure, that her parents had finally abandoned her.
Just like they had for the past year.
Not even her closest friends showed up to the wedding; a wedding she didn’t even want.
Even if she had disagreed her parents would have still married her off. She was just a wilted flower in their eyes.
’Even my soon-to-be husband only has his parents here.’ Valeria thought, finding his own social standing to be similar to her own.
The rest of the walk down the aisle was quiet. She was dragged up the stairs by the maid and placed across from the groom.
The priest continued to officiate the wedding, while her eyes were glued to the wedding dress covering her legs. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at the man she was being married to.
’He’s probably just one of those lecherous nobles, who just want to take advantage of my disabled state.’
"Lady Valeria Chamberlin, do you accept Sir Lucius Kreuger as your husband?"
She moved her hands, signing to the maid, agreeing to the marriage.
The priest asked the groom the same question.
"I do."
"You may now kiss the bride."
She had expected it, but she couldn’t stop him from doing anything. Her eyes closed waiting for the inevitable.
But, instead of a feeling on her lips, she felt a warmth on her cheek.
’Did he just kiss my cheek?’
She finally brought herself to look at the man bent over in front of her.
Their eyes finally met and she noticed his expression.
Nervous.
Scared.
As though he had just made a mistake.
Valeria looked away.
She supposed she couldn’t blame him.
***
Lucius was standing dazed, Valeria sitting quietly next to him. When the wedding had been officiated both the bride and groom descended the stairs, where his parents were waiting for them. His mother ran up and hugged him, her previously wiped tears returning.
His father put a hand on his shoulder, silently congratulating him. The hug lasted a while, but when she let go her attention shifted from her son to her new daughter-in-law.
"It’s great to finally meet you, Lady Valeria. We welcome you to our family, you are now a Kreuger after all."
In response Valeria tapped her ear, reminding the eager woman about her condition.
His mother began to apologize, before Valeria raised her hand, stopping the woman.
The maid behind her stepped forward and began signing rapidly. Her movements were fluid, but Lucius couldn’t interpret even a single meaning from the signs.
Valeria followed up with signs of her own. When she had finished, the maid spoke:
"Lady Valeria does not hold the mistake against you Lady Kreuger. She is happy to be a part of your family, but asked where she would be staying now that she was officially not part of her family."
Lady Kreuger’s eyes lit up, clearly about to share something she found exciting.
"We have prepared a house near the academy for you two. There is a carriage waiting outside to take Lady Valeria and my son to your new love nest." His mother winked at him, as she said ’love nest’.
The maid nodded and began signing to Valeria, who signed back.
"Lady Valeria is quite tired and would like to get some rest, after the long day. She wishes to greet the Lord and Lady at a later date."
"That is fine. I remember how tired I was after marrying Luke’s father. Lady Valeria and Luke should head out to the carriage."
The maid signed again, before stepping out of the aisle.
Lucius was confused. Wasn’t she her attendant?
"Are you coming?" Luke asked the maid.
"No, Sir. I was only assigned to Lady Valeria until she became married. I am now just a maid of House Chamberlin."
Valeria signed to the maid, before she walked to one of the doors by the stage and exited the large hall.
’How am I supposed to communicate with someone who is deaf? I don’t know a lick of sign language.’
"Luke, dear, you should get going with your wife. We will be sure to visit soon."
His parents gave him a smile, before walking back down the aisle and leaving through the large wooden doors.
The only people left in the hall were Lucius and Valeria.
"Should we get going?" Luke asked, knowing the question would fall on deaf ears.
Valeria seemed to read his lips as she nodded in response.
He walked behind her, wrapped his hands around the grips on the wheelchair and they moved out of the chapel. Passing the large banner, that was meant to congratulate them.
They continued in awkward silence. Lucius carefully dragged her backwards down the stairs, the same way he had watched the maid do it.
Just as his parents said, there was a carriage waiting in front of the chapel. Four horses were harnessed to the carriage, with an older man sitting in the drivers seat. Luke approached the stagecoach cautiously, not sure if he was truly there for them.
"Are you here for us?"
"Unless you aren’t Mr. and Mrs. Kreuger."
Confirming that this was the correct carriage, Luke pushed Valeria to the door and unfolded the collapsible steps.
The only problem was, the steps didn’t reach the ground and the door wasn’t wide enough to fit the wheelchair. He thought of a solution where Valeria would be able to stay seated, but nothing came to mind.
Valeria had started to sign to Luke, before remembering he couldn’t understand sign language. She shuffled around in her wheelchair, finding a pad of paper and a pen. She scribbled words quickly, before tearing off the paper and reaching out to Lucius.
Just carry me up. The wheelchair is foldable.
Luke’s eyes widened at the writing. How could he carry a woman he had just met?
Noticing his apprehension, Valeria wrote on another piece of paper then handed it to him.
You don’t want to touch me just because my legs and ears don’t work anymore?
After Luke read the note, he was ready to verbally explain his reaction, but stopped himself and gestured for the pen.
Valeria gave it to him and Lucius wrote a quick set of words.
No, I just didn’t want to be weird and touch you without making sure you were okay with it.
While Valeria was reading the note, Lucius wrapped one arm under her legs and the other behind her back, resting her head on his shoulder. She dropped the note as he lifted her out of the chair and walked into the carriage.
Her face said it all: confusion.
Since her injury two years ago, nobody had asked for her consent to move her.
Not the servants.
Not the healers.
Not even her own parents.
Yet the low noble standing before her seemed reluctant to touch her without her approval.
Valeria stared at him.
For the first time in two years, she felt flustered.
