just_muse_me : Legal : Before the Vows
Duela Dent
Batman
500 words
Duela Dent took a drink from her glass of water as she glanced out of the window, down at the lovely arrangement set up for her wedding. Alone and with six hours until the wedding, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Why was she doing this?
Not marrying Jonathan, no. She knew why she was doing that. She loved him. He loved her. She wanted to be with him, and he wanted to be with her.
But why all of this?
Why did she have bridesmaids from the Crane family? A flower girl? A ring bearer? Why was there going to be a reception?
She didn’t regret the trip. It had been a breath of fresh air, a time away from Gotham that had reminded her that not everywhere was as dark as her home. But, she reminded herself, she and Jonathan could have gotten married in some little church or some government building. They could have just signed a sheet of paper with witnesses and been done with it. Yet she’d put so much work into making something of a production of it.
Duela felt she hadn’t gone overboard. The attendants were scarce, and the reception would e a quiet, little to-do. Still, a part of her wondered if it wasn’t too much.
She looked at her dress and almost laughed. Who was she kidding by wearing white? Over half-if not every member-of the wedding party knew she was pregnant. Still, she’d bought herself a white wedding dress. What had happened to the days of just wearing the nicest dress one owned? One that might actually be worn a second time?
Duela chuckled and raised her water glass to replacing sensible traditions with foolish ones.
What mattered-what really mattered-was that she would be with Jonathan. He’d never leave her, never abandon her. Everything else was silly pageantry. Jonathan had been remarkably patient with all her planning.
For just a moment, she wondered what he’d say if she asked him to elope.
He’d do it, she realized a second later. If she found him, said the word… he’d have the car waiting to find somewhere quiet, somewhere away from everything.
The thought made her smile, and the smile remained genuine when Madeleine Neville came into the room. Madeleine was a Krane by birth, married to a rather eccentric Frenchman. She was warmer than Greta was, but in a way that always made Duela wonder if she wasn’t sharpening a dagger to plunge into someone’s back. However brilliant her husband might have been, one look at them together always made it obvious that Madeleine controlled everything. That man didn’t dare breathe without his wife’s permission.
“Shall we get you dressed now?” she asked.
Duela looked at her. She could send her away, say that she was done with all this foolishness. She could fetch Jonathan, tell him, and they could run off together, get married in some little, unknown place…
Finally, Duela smiled at Madeleine. “That sounds great.”
Batman
500 words
Duela Dent took a drink from her glass of water as she glanced out of the window, down at the lovely arrangement set up for her wedding. Alone and with six hours until the wedding, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Why was she doing this?
Not marrying Jonathan, no. She knew why she was doing that. She loved him. He loved her. She wanted to be with him, and he wanted to be with her.
But why all of this?
Why did she have bridesmaids from the Crane family? A flower girl? A ring bearer? Why was there going to be a reception?
She didn’t regret the trip. It had been a breath of fresh air, a time away from Gotham that had reminded her that not everywhere was as dark as her home. But, she reminded herself, she and Jonathan could have gotten married in some little church or some government building. They could have just signed a sheet of paper with witnesses and been done with it. Yet she’d put so much work into making something of a production of it.
Duela felt she hadn’t gone overboard. The attendants were scarce, and the reception would e a quiet, little to-do. Still, a part of her wondered if it wasn’t too much.
She looked at her dress and almost laughed. Who was she kidding by wearing white? Over half-if not every member-of the wedding party knew she was pregnant. Still, she’d bought herself a white wedding dress. What had happened to the days of just wearing the nicest dress one owned? One that might actually be worn a second time?
Duela chuckled and raised her water glass to replacing sensible traditions with foolish ones.
What mattered-what really mattered-was that she would be with Jonathan. He’d never leave her, never abandon her. Everything else was silly pageantry. Jonathan had been remarkably patient with all her planning.
For just a moment, she wondered what he’d say if she asked him to elope.
He’d do it, she realized a second later. If she found him, said the word… he’d have the car waiting to find somewhere quiet, somewhere away from everything.
The thought made her smile, and the smile remained genuine when Madeleine Neville came into the room. Madeleine was a Krane by birth, married to a rather eccentric Frenchman. She was warmer than Greta was, but in a way that always made Duela wonder if she wasn’t sharpening a dagger to plunge into someone’s back. However brilliant her husband might have been, one look at them together always made it obvious that Madeleine controlled everything. That man didn’t dare breathe without his wife’s permission.
“Shall we get you dressed now?” she asked.
Duela looked at her. She could send her away, say that she was done with all this foolishness. She could fetch Jonathan, tell him, and they could run off together, get married in some little, unknown place…
Finally, Duela smiled at Madeleine. “That sounds great.”