Reborn: I’ll Save This Doomed Marriage

The Runaway

We arrived in the late winter. It was frigid and our house was poorly stocked with fire wood. It had only taken 3 months to arrive by boat, and I had been comfortable enough during our trip. I was happy and overjoyed at spending this time with Edward.

As we set up the rest of the house, we only set up enough for the next to final months of my pregnancy. We had decided we would only return until after the birth, and is if everything is in good order and good health.

I had been laying in bed when Edward had thrown his arms around me, caressing our baby as he kissed the side of my head. “I have to leave for a few days. The maids here will take care of you. I shall not be more than four days.” I sighed as he said those words to me. I would be alone, without his company, waiting day after day with no communication.

I didn’t know what to say or do, all I did was agree and that I would be safe. I was feeling very uneasy as a bad feeling had washed over me.

He kissed my forehead as his warmth left my body cold. I didn’t know why I had this stomach churning feeling but I couldn’t help but blurt it out.

“I have a bad feeling about you leaving.”

“You said you’d be okay? What’s wrong?” He looked at me worriedly.

“Just...a bad feeling.”

“Everything should be okay, why don’t you go out and make some friends? It should lighten your spirits.”

“No, what would lift my spirits is if you would stay. I don’t have a good feeling at all.”

“I believe you angel, it’s just that...I can’t cancel my meeting on a feeling. I believe you, I really do, however, I cannot afford to listen. My father is already not happy with your pregnancy not aligning with our marriage. I’m afraid that he will take this out on you. I don’t want him to think of a reason why to hate you.”

“You can let him hate me all he wants, just listen to me.”

“I cannot. Please understand me, I would never forgive myself if he turned the blame onto you.”

“You cannot go! I forbid it!”

“You cannot forbid me! You are my wife and you listen to me!”

“I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“...I didn’t mean it.”

“You did. Just go.” With that, I walked away.

I didn’t know that I wouldn’t see him for another three years after that.

I had walked into town, it was a very intense heat, the sweat gathering across my forehead seemed annoying, but I had to think of who I was representing. I was representing the Southern Isles Kingdom, I was their princess, and by that, I was to be treated as a respected diplomat.

I strolled through the markets, trying to find some more wood and dry goods to hold us through the winter.

“Oh I’m sorry!” I said as I bumped into a nice gentlemen. He was tall, towering over me as his dark hair was slicked back. It was ruffled and he had guns on each hip.

“I’m sorry ma’am. It’s my fault.”

“It’s quite alright, here,” I handed him some potatoes from my bag.

“Take these, you look like you need them more.” I said softly as I placed them into his hands.

“Thank you ma’am...what’s your name?”

“Prince...Jade, you can call me Jade.” I didn’t want to give away my title, I didn’t want him to feel as though he had disrespected me by calling me ma’am.

“And yours?”

“Henry.”

“Nice to meet you sir.”

“It looks like you have a handful, would you let me carry your things back to your house ma’am?”

“Oh no, I’m sorry, I don’t want to impose you, I’m sure I can manage.”

“Miss, there is no way you will be able to lug all that fire wood by yourself plus your goods. What kind of man would I be to let a married woman carry back her things on her own.”

“Thank you, you are too kind. I live just on the edge of town.”

“Alright, let’s get a move on before the snow starts, bad storms coming our way quick.” He said no more to me as he grabbed my things and huffed off to the house.

I had opened the door, the fire place had gone out, leaving the house frigid and leaving me shivering.

I bent down to sift the embers to warm my hands before starting to unload the firewood.

“Allow me ma’am.” He bent down and started placing the logs on me one by one.

I had wondered where the servants were, they were supposed to be keeping the house while I was out.

“Where is your husband?”

“Seems a bit personal,” I said as I removed my heavy coat and replaced it with a thick shawl.

“Ma’am...with all due respect, you are pregnant and alone here, your husband shouldn’t have left you alone in the dead of winter.”

“He is away...on business. He had to go, our money is...”

“Tight, I understand.”

“Yes,”

“A man has to do whatever he has to in order to provide.”

“Naturally.”

“Well ma’am, thank you for inviting me into your home, I should get on going.”

“It was nice to have met you, and please take more to compensate for the fire, and as a show of gratitude for helping me carry my belongings.” He looked down at me before shaking his head.

“No thank you ma’am. The potatoes should be just fine. I hope that things are better for you and your husband.”

“Thank you,” with that he turned around and left. It had never occurred to me how dangerous this could have been. He could have murdered or kidnapped me. He could have taken advantage of me.

I sighed as I sat on the floor by the fire, just waiting for Edward to come home to me.

I had awoken on the floor, startled by a knock at the door. I had lifted myself up, going over before cracking open the door and seeing a youngish looking girl around my age.

“Yes? How can I help you?”

“I was looking for shelter from the storm, I saw the fire through the window.”

“Of course! Come in, please sit by the fire.”

I had thrown more logs on and immediately went over to the kitchen to gather the tea pot, trying to warm some water for her.

I had walked out, setting it on the fire as I took my shawl off and wrapped it around her.

“Oh miss...how far along are you?”

“Oh, just around five months.” I had grabbed another two large blankets, wrapping another around her as I wrapped mine around my body.

“I bet your husband thinks it’s a boy?”

“He wishes it to be a girl, actually, very unconventional if you must ask me.”

“That would be nice, I bet you are overjoyed...is this your first?”

“Oh...yes. Do you have a husband?”

“No, I am not lucky enough to.”

“Surely you must have someone you like? You are a very beautiful girl, you will find the right one when the time is right, you must trust me on this.” She looked down at her hands before tears gathered in her eyes.

“This is all a trick...miss you must flee from your home. It had become a target by rebel groups. They have chosen you for your signs of wealth. They sent me to distract you, I didn’t know that you were pregnant and alone! Please you have to go, please believe me!” I looked at her, my eyes bulging as I heard the thundering knocks at the door.

I quickly ran to the kitchen, fleeing from the back door and into the blurry night.

I didn’t understand why she would tell me, I couldn’t understand how I could be so selfish as to risk not only my own safety, but my child’s as well. I ran as fast as I could, stopping on the hill to watch the house erupt into flames. All of my belongings, all of Edward’s belongings were gone. I heard their angry shouts as I saw their dark shadows running towards me. I turned around, starting to run again.

I ran into the forest, dodging between the trees as I heard them yell out my name. Fear surged through me as my tears streaked my cheeks. My lungs felt as they were about to burst, my throat was dry and choking, my feet ached.

I ran through the night, afraid to stop on the way for fear they would catch me. Dawn had broke, and I stared up at the morning sun, admiring it’s warmth it had blessed upon me. My knees were weak and I was on the verge of passing out in death’s icy grip.

I stumbled down the small hill, my eyes meeting a small house in the middle of the valley. A small stable, and some cattle nearby. I started weakly running, in search of some warmth and food.

As soon as I reached the end of the fence, I was confronted with the idea of someone hurting me. Not everyone would show me hospitality. I had started my back walk away from the small farm before I had heard a voice echo through my ears.

“Hey! You! What are you doing on my property?”

The voice seemed familiar, but my fright took over me as I stood there frozen.

“Hey! I’m talking to you! Speak or be shot!”

My heart was pounding my breath hitched, the words were caught in my throat.

“Hey! Hey are you okay?” His voice became softer as my legs gave way and I fell into the soft snow that covered the earth.

My eyes slammed shut as I embraced death’s grip on me.

My eyes fluttered as I felt warmth cover my body. A small moan escaped my mouth as I tried to sit up. My head split into two, my vision blurred and distorted.

“Hey...hey...stay with me.” I felt a light tap to my cheek as I felt cold water hit my forehead.

“Jade? Jade you okay?”

I shook my head, trying to get up again but my body was too heavy.

“What on earth happened to you?” He whispered to me as he dabbed my forehead. My eyes opened groggily, I lifted my head, and used all of my strength to sit up in the bed.

I was met with a concerned stare has his eyes met mine. It was the man from the market, Henry.

“What happened to your husband?”

“I don’t know, my house was burned down by someone targeting the nobility.”

“I shall go into town and find your husband...it’s a whole days walk, but I’m sure I will find him in the village. What is his name?”

“...his name is...Prince Edward of the Southern Isles.” His eyes looked down at me in disbelief. “I am Princess consort Jada Marie,” he stepped away from me, his hand covering his mouth and he looked me up and down again.

“And why are you here?”

“He had diplomatic meetings, we came here to spend our honeymoon and raise our first born.” I looked away in shame. Shame that I had let this fall upon myself.

“It’s...look, it’s not your fault. I’ll go get your husband, but they will be looking for him if they haven’t ambushed him on his way already.”

I looked at him with great concern as I lowered my eyes onto my stomach.

“I’ll leave when your fever breaks, try to track them down. Meanwhile I have enough supplies to last a few weeks. I’ll stock up the fire wood for you before I head into town.” He said, going back to dabbing my forehead with his wet cloth. “Your fever must break soon, I don’t know how well your body handled being out in the cold that long, to handle making that trek in the amount of time that you did.” I looked down at my feet, which still seemed blue to me.

What would this mean for my child? I had no idea what to expect with the rest of my pregnancy.

“When I’m in town, I’ll send for a doctor, I’m sure I have enough money until I can get back out to trapping.”

“...is that what you do for a living?”

“I trap and sell animal pelts during the winter, the rest I hunt for my food. It’s scarce in the winter time.”

“I see...”

“How did you last so long out there?”

“I had the will to live.”

“You had the will to live alright, man would’ve died in a storm like that. Especially if they were running alright.”

“I had to protect my child,”

“...naturally. You are a remarkable woman, you know that princess?”

“So I have been told.”

“I seen your back when you I had to get rid of your dress to get your body temperature up. What kind of man is your husband?” He looked down at me with a serious expression.

“My husband is a kind man, much kinder than my first husband I assure you. As for those scars...those are from my father.”

“Who could mark a pretty creature like you?”

I didn’t reply to his comment. He cleared out his throat before apologizing.

“Never talked to a princess before, don’t know what’s appropriate and what’s not.”

“I don’t mind, really. It just hurts to think about my past. And now with the situation I’m in, I think of the worst.”

“You shouldn’t dwell on the bad, look on the better side of things. You have your life, all of your toes still. And you found me, and not some other man wouldn’t be as kind.” He smirked as he gathered the pot off the fire and hung it. “I’ve been boiling your water, figured it’d be better for the baby.”

“Thank you,” I nodded my head at him.

“Also got you some soup.” He set a bowl on the table next to me. I looked around and saw that there was no other bed, I looked at the ground and saw a small cot near the door.

“Where do you sleep?” I asked curiously.

“Over there,” he pointed with his spoon.

“You must be quite cold by the door.”

“Keeps us safe. Keeps you and that baby safe. I don’t know which group targeted you yet. Could’ve followed your tracks to my farm.” He said shoving another spoonful into his mouth.