Cadie's Story

Lovely! The world had never felt so beautiful to me before with the birds singing in the fresh green trees and the flowers all bowing their beautiful heads to me, the bride to be of the handsome Lard Flabblegum.  The lake I was passing glistened like liquid diamonds but to my intoxicated mind it seemed as is if even it couldn’t have more sparkles than my large diamond ring.

Just in case you are wondering, that was total sarcasm.  Bitter, angry, defiant sarcasm. This truth was I was furious. The world seemed like it hated me, the birds like they were laughing at the torture I was going through, and the flowers like they were ducking their heads only to hide their triumphant smirks. I was mad for several reasons. First, because I did not want to marry the ugliest, fattest cruelest old man in the kingdom, second, I hated rings with big diamonds and third because all the gossipy old ladies in town were pointing at me and giggling every time I passed them. One especially sour old lady would throw rotten vegetables at me and screech that I had no business setting my cap for the Lard like I had.

“T-Take him! He’s all y-yours!" I would screech back "I kn-know you’ve always w-wanted him. Y-You’d be a ch-charming match! An ugly old m-man and an uglier old w-woman! Why d-didn’t you t-think of it sooner?”

“Watch your stuttering foolish mouth barin! Just because you’re engaged to the richest man around doesn’t mean that you can hold your head and skirts above your elders! Respect us who have worked to give you everything you ever had!”

“T-The only things y-you have ever g-given me—M-MA’M—were t-twisted ears and rotten v-vegetables. Y-You can k-keep those as far as I’m c-concerned! They m-match your face and t-teeth.”

I stalked off and tried to find comfort in the woods by myself. It didn’t work, everything seemed to watch and laugh at my misery. Finally I flung myself full length in the leaves and cried until my eyes burned.

I felt a light but firm hand on my shoulder.

“Are you all right Miss? Is there anything I can help you with?”

I jerked my head up defiantly.

“N-no! J-just g-go away and s-stop laug—“ The words died on my lips. Two of the bluest eyes I had ever seen were looking down at me full of kindness.

“Can I help you Miss?” A young man's pale face looked anxiously down at me.

My mouth hung partly open the unfinished words still hanging on my tongue. The blue-eyed young man drew me gently to my feet and steadied me with his small but strong hand on my elbow. I was surprised to see that I was actually taller than him. Taller and thicker, something rather unusual for the half starved orphan girl.

“No. I don’t think you could do what I really want done, you’re too small.” The words would have popped into my head and onto my tongue for anyone else who looked like him but somehow those blue eyes chased all my fears away and made me quite confident.

“Yes. I’m engaged to the most disgusting person and I don’t want to be.”

“I see.” His face didn’t show surprise only concerned interest.

“It’s like this, I’m and orphan and he’s a Lord. He’s been a very unbeneficial benefactor for three years now and insists it’s time for pay back. So he says I have to marry him. Somehow he’s my legal guardian, though I know Mother (who was sick and died eight years ago though I tried to nurse her back to health) never signed over my papers and I certainly didn’t. Anyway he says I’m going to marry him and if I try to run away he’ll find me and bring me back to make my life even more miserable.”

“I  see.”

“So what I am to do? He’s a creep and the last person I would want to marry and besides that, I’m only seventeen. I’m not ready to lead the life of a grown up! Seventeen is too young.”

“Seventeen is too young.”

Something in his voice made me look up I was startled to see and almost bitter smile playing around his mouth.

There was an awkward silence and I unconsciously began to tap my foot impatiently.

“I’m sorry; I know I am taking a long time before I make any helpful suggestions.”

“Oh… it’s okay. I just tap my foot sometimes.” I stood on it to make it stay still.

I heard a horse’s hoof beats coming towards we both and instinctively ran for cover. Ducking behind a large bush we saw an enormous gold and black horse sweep past us. He was riderless.

“Hey where’s he going?”

The young man leapt to his feet and I let out a stifled scream as a horse’s head appeared over the bush.

“Iiippp!” the young man jumped back and then laughed and put his small white hand on the horse’s gold nose. “Rosh! When am I ever going to get over you doing that to me?”

I looked at him curiously.

“This is my horse, if you haven’t guessed. Sometimes he randomly…Um…often he comes and—and—finds me.” He coughed and looked away.

“Who are you?”

"You mean, 'W-who are y-you?"

The amazing blue eyes turned on me and only then did I  realize I was no longer stuttering.

“Who am I?" the blue eyes laughed. "Who are you?”

I found myself laughing too. Just like me, forget that I never told someone my name and forget to ask for theirs until something more than politeness prompted me.

“My name is Cadie and I think you already know a lot about me so that’s all the introduction I’ll give you.”

“Nice to meet you Cadie. My name is Isaac Ruebens and I am going to get you out of this situation. The only other introduction I will give you is that I’m sometimes called The Iron.”

So that is how I met The Iron.  And thanks to The Iron's wonderful care my stutter has almost disappeared except when I get very nervous. You might also be glad to hear that I am very happily situated, (I’m hoping that soon I’ll be even happier!) and not married to Lard Flabblegum. Another piece of interesting news is Lard Flabblegum, after searching unsuccessfully for me finally gave up and married the old lady who threw rotten vegetables at me--I was right about what a charming couple they would make. There is nothing more I can tell yet because it would endanger too many people’s lives including this very special Iron…and… one other…very special…person. Maybe some day I will write more about The Iron who has done so much, but then again, I’m not a very good writer and maybe…Jeri-- the other person will write it instead.