Chapter Text
"I want my mom!"
"Me too!"
"I'm scared!"
"Where's my teddy bear?"
The kids keep sobbing and hiccupping and after she has tried to calm them with every single piece of candy in her kitchen, Suzie gives up and goes looking for Dustin.
She finds him at the bar, chitchatting with the captain. "Dustin, move your bony ass and come give me a hand; the new arrivals won't stop shrieking," she says.
Dustin knows better than to contradict her, so he offers an apologetic smile to the captain, drowns down what's left of his beer and follows her to the kids' room.
The situation is bad, but not desperate: the kids are still weeping, though.
Dustin stomps in the room, glares at them and shouts " SILENCE! I KEEL YOU! "
For an instant the room is stunned into silence, then the kids start wailing all together.
Suzie's eyebrows disappear into her hairline and Dustin chokes, embarrassed. "Last time it worked," he objects.
"Last time they were teenagers! " Suzie hisses.
"Do something , goddammit. They're kids, just...tell them a bedtime story!"
Dustin beams, and Suzie groans.
"It must really be that one? Again ?!"
Dustin nods vigorously and rubs his hands together. "Come on, guys, settle down!" He exclaims. "I know that you might be a little scared and nervous, but I promise you everything will be ok. Now, who wants to hear a really nice story?"
The kids look at each other, than sheepishly lift their hands.
"Great!" Dustin is clearly pleased. "It's the story of a young man quite stupid and naïve-ouch!" He massages the spot Suzie's elbow just hit.
"As I was saying, this young man's name was Steve Harrington: he was a dreamer, the only son of a wealthy family with no noble title. One day, his parents decided they wanted him to marry the only daughter of a noble family with no money..."
***
UPSTAIRS
Steve opened his window and breathed in the crisp morning air.He would have loved to be able to go out and run, until his lungs burned with exertion but his parents wouldn't approve of such vulgar physical activity.
His parents wouldn't approve of anything he liked, actually.
Steve sighed, setting the wooden cage down on the windowsill. The little robin kept inside chirped, bouncing excitedly up and down.
"Today is the day I set you free." Steve told him, with a sad smile.
It was also the day he was going to be caged. He opened the little door, and the bird got closer to the now empty part of its cage; its chirping became doubtful.
"Go, now!" Steve shook the cage a little. "Your wing is cured and if you stay you'll become tame, then it will be impossible for you to go back into the wild."
Besides, he was not allowed to keep the bird anyway.
As though it finally understood what its master expected from him, the robin slowly scampered out of the cage.
He chirped some more, as if he was grateful, before experimentally moving its wings and finally flying away.
Steve stared at the bird until it was just a dot on the horizon, then he closed the window, just as his mother's voice started calling for him.
***
The young man with dark blonde hair and intense blue eyes was walking around the town, watching with barely hidden disgust as the people performed their own daily tasks. There was a fisherman, cutting away heads and tails from the fish he was going to be selling at the market in a few hours. The old shopkeeper, sweeping the sidewalk and the squealer, who was walking up and down the square and suddenly started ringing his bell.
Here ye, here ye, ten minutes to go till the Wheeler/Harrington wedding rehearsal!
The fisherman, who had quite a bad cough, stopped cutting, cleaned his hands on a dirty rag and jumped on a carriage, riding away.
Looking closely at the side of the carriage, the young man saw the Harrington logo on it.
The fisherman had probably gone to pick up the family for the rehearsal.
The man's smirk widened.
Only good things come from weddings, he’d had more than one occasion to prove that theory.
He straightened up his tie, smoothened out his jacket and followed the carriage.
***
"What a marvellous day for a wedding." Steve's mother said, once they had gotten in the carriage and it had started moving.
"I agree, couldn't be better," his father added.
Steve sighed. "I guess."
"But Steve, this is just the rehearsal! If we want things to end as they should, we have to be sure that everything goes well. So walk straight, comb that hair and for God's sake,
smile
, would you? I gave you dimples for a reason."
Steve just nodded, tuning her mother out after a few seconds and let her smooth, comb, pinch him as she wanted.
He was deeply nervous and his mother was not helping.
"You hooked a winner this time, Steve," his father said, trying to make him feel a little more at ease.
"Sure." Steve answered, rolling his eyes.
"Dad, why is Nancy Wheeler marrying me?" He asked immediately after. "I mean, she's a noble! Shouldn't she marry a lord, or something?"
His father smiled. "We are as good as they are, son. Blue blood doesn't make them better than us."
"Oh, I know that, but-I haven't even spoken to her!"
"At least we have that in our favor." Steve's mother muttered and his father glared at her.
The carriage stopped, while the fisherman who drove it kept coughing.
"Dammit, Gareth, cut it out!" Steve's mother shouted, poking the top of the carriage with her umbrella.
Steve's shoulders sagged, as they got down from the carriage and climbed the few stairs to the Wheeler's entrance door.
"Look at the way you're standing!" his mother hissed while ringing the doorbell "It's like you got rickets or something..."
***
Lady Wheeler looked out the window and sighed. "Why is the sun shining on this ominous day?"
Lord Wheeler got closer to her. "Now, don't be that way, dear. You know we wouldn't do it if we weren't forced to."
The woman looked flabbergasted. "They are merchants , darling! It's so vulgar!"
"Would you prefer not to go on with the wedding and have to sell the house because we can't pay the mortgage, then?" He asked, ironically.
The woman gasped. "How did we end up like this?" She wondered, hiccupping a little.
Lord Wheeler held her shoulder with an arm. "Now, now, let's not be melodramatic. Nothing's gonna change for us; we'll keep our status, our title and our house."
The couple started walking down the hall. "Who would have thought that Nancy would have come in handy eventually?" The woman said. "I mean, we were basically forced to take her in after my stupid brother died in that stupid hospital..." She shook her head violently. "He had it coming! No one in his right mind would spend so much time with sick patients and expect not to be infected! He was a doctor, he should have known better."
Her husband didn't even try to interrupt her. When she started rambling about her brother, his death and the weight he left on them, there was no way to stop her.
"Anyway" She stated at the end while they got down the stairs to meet their guests, "with that mouse-like face she's lucky to have an arranged marriage, or she would have died a spinster."
***
Nancy was sitting in her room while the maid, Joyce, helped dressing her up for her first meeting with her husband to be.
"Joyce, what if Steve and I don't like each other?" She asked, biting her lower lip nervously.
"Ah! As if that has anything to do with marriage" Joyce answered, a bitter edge in her voice. "Not in your world, at least. Do you really think your uncle and your aunt like each other?"
Nancy blinked. "They must! A little?"
Joyce shook her head. "No, pumpkin. They don't. They have been raised to think that marriage is a partnership and that's what they want everyone to think."
Nancy sighed, staring at her hands. "Well, I don't."
Joyce kissed her forehead and smiled at her. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. Now let me lace this corset properly, or you won't be able to talk without gasping."
***
Once the two pairs of parents met, they moved to the west wing to take tea. Steve was right behind them, when he saw a piano standing to one side of the room. There was a thin layer of dust on the keys, which showed that no one had been playing for a long time, and Steve couldn't resist.
He sat down and let his fingers roam freely on the keys. As it happened every time that he got the chance to do something he loved, he became completely lost in playing; suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder, and he squeaked, jumping up from the stool so fast it fell on the floor.
In front of him there was a strong looking girl, blonde hair bouncing, who was wearing a long grey dress.
Her eyes were warm and friendly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said, "You play beautifully."
Steve cleared his throat. "I'm the one who's sorry, miss Wheeler. It was very rude of me to-well-"
Nancy stepped closer. "Nancy, please." She lightly caressed the wooden instrument. "My aunt doesn't let me anywhere near the piano.
Music is improper for a young lady, too passionate
, she says. I always wanted to learn how to play, though, it was my father's."
Steve's eyes widened.
Aunt?
Nancy's eyes turned sad. "Yeah, Lord and Lady Wheeler are my aunt and uncle. My father was a doctor and he got infected with the same disease he was trying to find a cure for. I'm proud of him, I never blamed him for anything. My aunt and uncle never really wanted me, but the family thought they were the most fitting, being the richest and the only ones with no kids. I never lacked anything, except love. They’ve never loved me."
Steve felt the compelling urge to hug Nancy and shield her from the world. She had already seen enough and still she was sweet and caring.
She was the kind of person he could eventually fall in love with. Maybe this arranged marriage was not a completely bad idea, after all.
"You know, Steve, since I was a little girl I've been dreaming of my wedding day. I always imagined my father, tall and proud, walking me down the aisle and handing me over to the man I'd chosen, the only one who I'd love enough to want to leave my father's side." Nancy sat on the piano stool, then she looked back at Steve with a little smile. "Then my father died so that part of the dream was shattered but I kept thinking I'd find someone to fall deeply in love with, someone I'd want to spend the rest of my life with." She clenched her hands tightly in her lap.
"Now it all sounds so silly."
Steve shook his head and sat down next to her. "It's not silly, Nancy. Not even a little bit."
Nancy sniffed. "Listen, Steve. I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am to you for doing this. I really can't stand this family anymore, and I can't wait to be free from them...besides," her cheeks turned pink, "You'll be the first person who willingly chose me. I can't explain how much that means to me."
Steve smiled and nodded. "I'm the grateful one," he answered. "I think we're going to be happy."
Nancy grabbed a sprig of jasmine from the small vase standing on the piano and offered it to Steve. "I think so too."
Just as Steve was reaching to take the sprig, hurried steps were heard and Nancy's aunt appeared, looming on them from the living room's entrance. "What impropriety is this?! " She shrieked. "You shouldn't be alone together !" She glared at Nancy, then turned her cool stare on Steve. "Whatever. Father Hopper is already here, so come along and let's do this, before I change my mind."
***
Three hours later
"Harrington, come on! From the beginning, again . With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine. Is it clear?!" The priest glared at Steve, who swallowed noisily and nodded.
"Wedding vows, take 15, and- action !"
Steve cleared his throat. "With this candle..." he fidgeted and the flame extinguished. He lit it up once more. "-this candle..."
Father Hopper's eyes twitched. While Steve tried once more to light the candle, the doorbell rang. "It's a Lord Eddie Munson , sir." The butler announced, coming in with a card.
Lord Wheeler stared at the name, confused. "I haven't a head for dates: I think I'm early for the ceremony," a voice stated, apologetically, while the young man from the market approached the people seated in the rehearsal room.
Nancy looked at him curiously.
He was tall (even if not as tall as Steve ) and built (even if not as built as Steve ). He had fluffy honey-coloured hair and a shadow of mustache under his nose. His eyes were an intense blue, quite enticing, but so cold that Nancy felt a shiver run down her spine. All in all the guy was quite handsome, even though something was off about him. Apart from the fact that he wasn't as handsome as Steve , that is.
"Is he from your side of the family?" Lord Wheeler whispered.
"I can't recall." His wife answered, but then shrugged. A Lord is a Lord, period. "A chair for Lord Munson, now!" She ordered.
As soon as Lord Munson was seated, he waved a hand dismissively. "Do carry on," he said.
Nancy blinked.
"Shall we try it again , Harrington?" Father Hopper asked, frustration plain in his voice.
Steve adjusted his tie. "Yes, sir. Father. Sir. Certainly." He cleared his throat again, moving the candle from his right to his left hand. "With this...this..."
" Hand " Father Hopper supplied.
"Right. With this hand" he took Nancy's hand and stepped towards the table acting as the altar "...I will-" he stopped abruptly when he collided with the table, sending both the glass with the wine and the decanter tumbling on the white cloth.
"Three steps, three ! Can you not count ?! Do you not wish to be married, Harrington?!" Father Hopper was livid.
Steve lifted both his hands. "No! No, I-"
Nancy paled. "You do not ?"
Steve grabbed her arm. "No! What I meant was no, I do not
not
wish to be married. That is-"
The pastoral of Father Hopper fell on Steve's head and he whimpered in pain. "Pay attention !!" The priest shrieked. "Did you at least remember to bring the ring?"
"Of course I did!" Steve smiled at Nancy, while he took it out of his pocket, but his fingers were sweaty due to the increasing tension and the ring slipped away.
"He even dropped the ring! This boy doesn't want to be married and that's it, " Father Hopper says, shutting his bible.
"How disgraceful," Lady Wheeler muttered.
Steve crawled on the floor and retrieved the golden band, but the priest glared at him. "This marriage cannot take place until he is properly prepared. " He growled. Then he turned towards Steve. "Learn. Your. Vows." He articulated slowly, then pointed towards the door.
Steve nodded repeatedly, then his gaze shifted on his parents and the Wheelers, all staring expectantly at him, and then at Nancy, who looked so small and lost in that immense mansion. "Yes sir," he stuttered, before leaving.
"My, he's quite the
catch
, isn't he?" Lord Munson asked, ironically.
Nancy ignored him, and walked up to Father Hopper, whose expression wasn't mad anymore but laced with concern. "My darling, are you sure this is the right thing to do?" He asked, taking Nancy's hand in his.
"I mean, look at him! He's distracted, clumsy, naïve..."
Nancy reciprocated the grip. "He's also sweet, and caring. He'll be a good husband, I know he will." She smiled at the priest who she had come to consider a surrogate father. "He's a good man, and will take care of me."
The priest shook his head, but smiled back. "You really want to leave this badly? This is security, not love. And besides, if there’s a girl that doesn’t need anyone to take care of her, that’s you."
"I don't know if I'm meant to find love, Father, but I know that I'm going to die if I stay."
Father Hopper wanted nothing more than to hug the kid but he knew better. Appearances were everything in the Wheeler household and he was conscious that, if her aunt and uncle knew about the bond between them, they would have found a way to take that away from Nancy as well. It was as though since they were miserable, she had to be too. He sighed. Maybe Nancy was right and Steve Harrington was her ticket towards a better, happier life.
That's all he wanted for Nancy.
As he excused himself, he noticed that the mysterious Lord was staring at Nancy, a disturbing leer on his face. He didn't like the man, not one bit. Besides, there was something familiar about him, even though he couldn't put his finger on it.
Where have I see him?
He wondered.
"Watch Lord Munson," he whispered in Nancy's ear, "he's not here by chance."
Nancy nodded and watched as he left to go back to his church.
The sun was setting.
It was going to be quite a long night.
***
Steve sighed as he looked at the water under the bridge that connected his hometown with the forest. He took the jasmine out of his pocket and smelled it. "Nancy must think I'm a fool," he murmured to himself.
He meant what he said: he wanted to marry her, to take her away from a life she didn't want and was making her unhappy. He wanted someone to care about, someone to share his life with and maybe someday the respect and the affection could turn into love.
It's not like he could choose to do anything else, after all.
Just like Nancy, his life had been planned and there was no escaping it.
He pushed his hands deep into his pockets and started walking towards the forest.
"It really shouldn't be that difficult," he mumbled, "it's just a few simple vows! The hand, the wine, the candle, the ring."
After he tried to repeat them, multiple times and finding out he simply couldn't , he sat on a root standing in the center of a clearing.
"There's no use," he said, looking at the ring, which was twinkling in the moonlight.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Hell, no! I can and will do this!" He exclaimed, standing up. "With this hand I will lift your sorrows, Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine."
He walked up to a dead-looking tree and snapped a little sprig off of it.
"With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring..." He picked it up and knelt to the ground, "I ask you to be mine."
When even the last of his vows were done, he slipped the ring on a branch coming out of the grass.
"I did it," he thought, beaming; then suddenly the ground started trembling under his feet and he grabbed the branch he put the ring on for leverage.
His eyes widened up when the branch grabbed him back , then the earth opened and a cloud of blue mist came out, while the branch dragged him down.
Steve saw a shadow looming over him and then he fainted.