The Switch

The Contessina Originale

The Switch

Chapter 5

The wine in your cup was sweet. Your marriage platter, meant for you and for Kragan to share off of, was practically overflowing, with generous portions of each offering. Each bite was just as delicious as your groom was handsome.

You happily sat side by side in a special newly wed chair, big enough and wide enough for two to sit together at the head of the table. His warmth a wonderful comfort and seeping into you. The music was beautiful and delightful, upbeat and filled the room with heavenly sound. Your family and his were eating down the table, his family taking up one side while yours took up another as your family did their best to talk about plans and hopes and dreams for your future with Kragan.

Kragan and his family never catching on and noticing that with every utterance made by a member of your family was always prefaced with 'if they get the chance'.

But you did. And while you appreciated the well-wishes- to hear 'if they get the chance' and mentally knowing that in all reality the answer was always going to be 'no'.

Kragan however noticed that you seemed to be more somber, and more quiet, the more you listened to your family and his talk and could only come to one conclusion.

"Tess." Kragan whispered which brought your attention back to him.

"Hmm?" You hummed when you turned towards him.

"Don't feel like you have to live up to their expectations and their hopes and their dreams. All they are- are suggestions. You're not going to disappoint anyone if we decide to not do anything that they're saying right now." Kragan reassured you in a soft whisper.

"Now, it's just...it doesn't feel real. I feel like I'm dreaming and that any moment now, I'll wake up and find that I'm still betrothed to Ron. And that you and your wonderful family were nothing more than figments of my imagination. It still feels too good to be true." You admitted in an equally soft whisper as you couldn't help but feel your eyes grow glassy as you tried to smile happily but there was a bittersweetness in your eyes as your guilt grew by the heartbeat. You felt it growing like a enourmous weight on your heart and in the pit of your stomach. You suddenly had the overwhelming urge to just confess to everything and shred that marriage certificate to save Kragan his inevitable heartbreak. Because your success would inevitably be his sorrow.

"Well let me fix that." Kragan offered before he leaned in and kissed you softly which got you to giggle.

"That's not helping, it's making it worse." You can't help but laugh as you covered your face with your hands to hide your blushing cheeks.

"Well, here, how about this." Kragan offered as he pulled out the picture he had drawn up of The Contessina and put it in front of you.

"Awww, are you going to name a ship after me?" You asked him as you took the picture and looked at it, amazed how he seemed to draw this free handed, there was no marks that he used any kind of tool. But yet, his well trained eye and hand had crafted a masterpiece.

"I'm going to build you a ship and then name it after you. It's going to be the first of its kind." Kragan insisted.

"You're going to do what now?" Thaddius asked, only overhearing his son say the words "build" and "ship".

"He's going to build me a ship!" You announced to everyone at the table as you smiled happily before you turned the picture over to show everyone at the table before you passed it around.