Comforting Actions for Juliet

[Reuben Slade]

( trauma ) : our muses sit together after a traumatic experience.

@julieta

[Deleted]

Most of her life Juliet's father was absent, she barely knew him until she was of an age that he could start looking for a husband for her.  It make her cringe as she listened to him demanding to know from her tutors all her many skills that would make her a good choice for marriage.  There were many things that she did that he would not approve of such as her love of cooking and baking.  The last time he came home to find her in the kitchen she had been banished to her room for days without any of her books.  He hated that she spent time reading, reading books he called rubbish and letting her know that any dreams of a love match for her were a waste of her time.  

Once she and Rueben had become engaged he would come over to see her.  On this day they had been planning to go for a walk in the garden, her father had been just sitting in the corner of the room reading his newspaper and ignoring them until another guest arrived.  Juliet paled immediately as this guest walked in, he was one she knew well because every time he appeared something horrible happened.  He and her father never got along so she was braced for a scene.  Once her father spotted him he forgot that anyone else was there as the two men started to shout back and forth before they started threatening each other.

Juliet didn't know what to do she felt frozen in shock until she saw the fists start to fly then she screamed and ran from the room outside to the garden where she sank down in the tall grass as she did when she was a little girl trying to hide.


Reuben Slade

[Reuben Slade]

Tag: @julieta

never make

DECISIONS OUT OF FEAR.
ONLY OUT OF SPITE.

Slade had been spending some time with Juliet today. Despite the fact that they were engaged, there was still a great deal to get to know about her in order to determine whether she would be a fit mother. He of course was not going to speak of it in the presence of her father, even though he did not seem to be paying attention to their conversation. Regardless, the time was interrupted when a man stepped in and seemed to provoke quite a reaction.

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Slade remained seated, both hands on the top of his cane as he just watched the scene unfold. Juliet ran out and the two men started physically fighting one another. Slade still did not move. This was none of his business and he would not get involved in the bickerings of two men. The commotion did alert the household staff as a couple of them came rushing in to pull both men apart. Rueben rolled his eyes, having had enough of laying witness to this. Without a word, he rose to his feet and casually walked passed them and out of the room and towards where he presumed Juliet went: the gardens.

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It was incredibly distasteful when one allowed their business affairs to interfere with their household. One should never mix the two nor conduct business affairs at their estate where their family lived. Slade ensured to keep these two things separate. And would certainly not allow a man prone to elicit such intense reactions in his house. As Rueben made his way through the gardens, he caught sight of Juliet, curled up and appearing to be quite effect by what had just happened. Which, was to be expected.

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He moved towards her, standing next to her as she sat. He remained silent for a few moments, allowing her to process. He supposed the expected and common reaction of a man affianced, would hold his intended . . . comfort her. Embrace her. But none of these things were common of Slade so instead, he remained present. There, but silent . . . until adequate time had passed where he finally spoke. "I presume this is not an isolated incident in your household," he both stated and assumed based on all that he witnessed unfold. His presumption indicative of the fact that this -- and perhaps similar ordeals -- had occurred in the Allen household.

[Deleted]

Juliet had completely forgotten that Reuben was there as she fled from the room.  Now as she sat huddled up in the garden she felt awful, how could she have done that?  And her father, couldn't he see how his actions affected her? Or did he not care at all? She sighed as she processed everything but jumped hearing the sound of footsteps behind her.  Then she realized it was Reuben, he didn't sit beside her but he was here.  He had come to her side, that made her feel better.  They might not be in love but they did care enough to take care of each other.

Yes this had happened before, more than I care to remember.   My father has more enemies than anything else.  Juliet sighed then turned to look up at him with her blue eyes glistening from unshed tears.  This will sound like begging but I want to marry soon so I can escape this place, I need to be in a place where I feel safe.  I don't want to worry that one day I'll wake up to find God knows who here.  Her voice shook as she spoke and she hoped that he would understand her reasoning.


Reuben Slade

[Reuben Slade]

Tag: @julieta

never make

DECISIONS OUT OF FEAR.
ONLY OUT OF SPITE.

Slade could see the clear trauma that Juliet was experiencing from what she now confirmed was indeed a frequent occurrence. While Slade did not like the idea of wedding a woman who's father had such enemies and conducted his business in this manner, he also knew that they would not get through his own people or barriers of his estate. He trusted his staff more than anyone. He locked eyes with her as she looked to him, blue eyes moistened and he could read the sincerity in them when it came to her next words.

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She wanted to wed soon. She wanted to escape her father's home. It sounded all too familiar as he thought of his first wife, and what she had desired. Granted, her personality was far different from Juliet's, but incentive of escaping a household was a commonality between them. Slade remained silent for a moment, before finally responding. "When we are married, there are two things I can assure you of with the utmost certainty," he began to tell her. "The first, is that my personal affairs and business affairs, are kept entirely separate." Something that he did not respect about her father, but something that he was reassuring her of. While she and the ton may not be aware of exactly what his business all entailed, the aim was to give her that understanding that his business associates would be no where near her. Just as they were no where near Evelina.

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"The second, is that you will be securely protected." So that she need not fear any enemies around her, or even her father's to have found her. He would have both her and Evelina well protected. While he could not provide Juliet with that physical comfort that perhaps women in her state so desired, he hoped his words brought her mind to ease. For he meant them, and would not have said them otherwise. "We will wed soon," he added, knowing that was something else she desired. Because after witnessing her with Evelina, and knowing all he did about Juliet . . . he was comfortable in his decision.

[Deleted]

Juliet wiped the tears from her eyes as she gazed up at him.  He was a savior in her eyes, not only was he going to marry her so she could escape this daily hell but he promised to protect her.  No one in her life had ever said that to her.  She could tell that he meant it too.   There was a sincerity in his voice that soothed her immediately.  If he had asked she would have married him right this minute as he was promising her all the things she wanted in this world but love.  

All her young life she had dreamed about getting married for love but she had never felt or experienced love so as she gazed up at Reuben she knew that love was not going to be something she needed.  She needed to be protected and he was offering her that.  You don't know how much you have touched me.  I will be a loyal wife and do anything you ask of me. She vowed as she slowly stood up next to him.  


Reuben Slade