By the River

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8:

Dria let the warm water soak away all her tissues for the moment though in truth it was only temporary and would not really be so easy. She let the water ease the ache in her muscles and wash away the tension of all the day’s events. She sighed and opened her eyes as she looked around the room. She knew after tonight everything was going to change. It has already changed as it was. She looked towards the fire and watched the embers burn brightly. She soon became lost in the flames, and she did not realize her bath had become cold.

“My dear are you ready to leave the tub? I am sure by now the bath has become cold and is not very much pleasurable.” Her aunt spoke softly, startling her from her deep thoughts.

“Oh, aunt I apologize I was deep in thought. But yes, it has become cold, and I do wish to get out. It is no longer enjoyable you are right.” Dria said as she stood up accepting the cloth her aunt handed her to dry off with. She wrapped proceeded to quickly dry off and slip on her night clothes while moving closer to the fire to brush and dry her hair. Her aunt came and sat down next to her, taking the brush from her niece’s hand, and beginning the quiet and soothing process of detangling her hair.

“So, tell me from the beginning my dear. What has transpired here tonight?” Cecilia murmured.

Dria nodded her head and started from the beginning until the end, only pausing when it became too much for her. “I know I am foolish, but I did not mean for this to happen. I truly would never bring shame upon myself and especially never your auntie. I cannot believe I am one of those stupid foolish girls who let this nonsense happen to them. I did not even do it because I thought I was in love. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I should never have gone out there alone while so many people are around. It was a grave error on my part that I shall be punished for all eternity for.”

Her aunt paused in brushing her niece’s hair and listened to Dria. “Though it may sound like there is no hope left we will figure this out. No one knows of this foul deed but the one who did the deed. Tell me what he looked like and was there anything that could point him out among a crowd?” her aunt asked.

“He was tall, handsome dark hair, and green eyed. Umm tall very tall. I came barely to his broad shoulders.” Dria replied.

Her aunt looked at her niece with a raised eyebrow. “Dria that sounds like a nice description of a handsome young man not of a monster.”

Dria blushed bright red, “I suppose he was a very good-looking man but that does not erase what he has done to me. That is not acceptable behavior. And how are we to know who he is? I pray he was not a merchant passing through and I will never see him again. Aunt, what if we cannot find him and fix this issue? And who is to say I want to spend my life with a man who defiles young virgins? What if I am not the only one? What if it is a game to him, he plays on young maidens? How will I know? Or even trust him for that matter? I cannot do this Auntie I just cannot. It is more than I can bear. I am a fool, marry me off to some old gentleman who will not care for my virginity or not. I will not be able to do this.” Dria said, becoming more and more agitated as she spoke. She stood and began pacing the room as she kept her rant going.

Cecilia sat watching her niece’s battle. She did not know how to best calm her nieces’ nerves when she had never been in a situation like the one her niece was found in. She tilted her head and continued to listen to her niece while her mind was going through all possibilities that could save her niece from the disaster, she currently was in. She was not sure what they were going to do but she knew she had to speak to her husband about everything that was going on and see if he had any ideas or thoughts on the matter.

“My dear that is enough calm yourself down. We will figure this out but there is no sense in getting all worked up before we have a solid plan. Let us call it a night and then we can discuss this tomorrow when we are all well rested and much more clearly headed than we currently are now. Perhaps your uncle will know what to do and can give us some suggestions. He is great at planning and strategies. Let us take a deep breath, get some rest for the evening, and rejoin each other tomorrow morning for breakfast where we will be able to find a solution.” Cecilia said.

Dria stopped and turned towards her aunt. She sighed and nodded her head feeling the fool for her childish behavior and how silly she was behaving. She nodded her head and walked to her aunt as she rose and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She promised she would talk to her in the morning and go to sleep.

She climbed in bed and turned down the lamps as she lay in bed, she thought how different it would be if she were a man. She giggled to herself because she knew she would never be in this predicament if she was a man. She mentally slapped herself for all the trouble she was causing and how she was being such a ninny. She was raised better than this.

“Dria what have you gotten yourself into this time? When will you learn your lesson and behave more like you are supposed to? How can you be so careless? Now you have done it good this time! No lady would have gone out when so many strangers were out and about. You are a fool; you basically went out there with a flag saying do as you will. I am not the brightest chit around,” She whispered to the empty room.

She wondered what her brother and uncle were going to say after this debacle. She knew she was in for a tongue lashing once she woke on the morrow. She knew it was not going to be pleasant at all. She almost dreaded the looks and the words they would give her once she joined them. She was loath to see the disappointment her brother would show her.

Her brother was one of the few people whose opinion truly mattered to her the most. He was and always has been her hero. He got to travel, and do as he pleased but he never treated her like she was a delicate flower that could not take it.

She almost did not want to fall asleep because when she woke up it would all become real and not just a nightmare, she felt she was having now. She turned on her side and thought to herself as she closed her eyes; she was a smart young woman and knew that there would be a solution after a good night’s sleep.