I Didn't Want to Get Married

Ever since (Y/N) had left, I had been consumed with frustration and impatience to see her again! Thank God she had agreed to marry me, or I surely would have perished in time! It seemed that every moment held some sort of barrier that tried to hold me back from seeing her sooner, to stave off our wedding day, I was going mad!

I knew well enough that I was too impassioned, and that my father should be the chief negotiator of the marriage agreement. However, I let him know that I could never know peace if her family wasn’t happy, that I simply had to have (Y/N). Though father agreed, we argued on a few key points.

Firstly, I was worried he might expect far too exorbitant a dowry from the (Y/L/N)s, I was terrified it would become an issue. Ultimately, he let me know that he was sensitive to the fact that they were of a lesser financial background, and that he would handle the matter with appropriate diplomacy.

Secondly, he refused to pay for the special license I had hoped for, once an agreement was reached, that would circumvent the need to read our marriage bann at Church for three consecutive Sundays. Three Sundays! That placed our wedding at a month away at the least! Granted, it was a considerable expense, but the license could be obtained easily from the archbishop’s office in the Doctors’ Commons in London. This would also have allowed us to have the ceremony at home, and even in the afternoon, if we so chose.

However, father insisted it was wiser to minimize expenditures. He required we put the money towards an account from which (Y/N)’s pin money would come annually. On that matter, I eventually conceded, but only after he granted me my greatest wish.

As a wedding gift to (Y/N), I did, indeed, start the frenzied construction of a stable for horses of her own. It stood near mine, and I busied myself at first with its design, together with Blasko, one of my trusted horsemen, and the finest hired contractor I could find.

After construction was well under way, I left Blasko to oversee matters, and I occupied myself with my second goal. What sort of gift was a completely empty stable? Of course, I had decided I would give (Y/N) Hecate, if it pleased her. And I had ensured a fine stall in (Y/N)’s stable would be ready for her Oldenburg mare. But I had plans for more…

First, I wanted to get her a ridiculously flashy Drum stallion. One that wouldn’t kill her. Naturally, I went to go visit Shaun, to see what he had available. What I found surprised me; he had just the thing. Instead of a Drum, I came home with a very handsome, young, silver dapple Gypsy Vanner stallion, and showy would be an understatement. I was desperately hoping (Y/N) would let me breed him! I temporarily housed him in my stables, for the time just calling him, ‘Boy.’

Next, I felt like (Y/N) had a fondness for giant, older horses, if Danzig had been any sign. Something to baby. So I went to the auctions, a dreadful place full of suffering. It turned my stomach, and hurt me to see what happened to the animals no one purchased. But on the second day, I saw exactly what I had been waiting for: a matched pair of Clydesdales in their late teens. Two mares, skinny, but charming and calm, and trained to pull a carriage as well as ride. I took them both in a moment of weakness.

As soon as I got them home, I spent the next few days with Jon working on the two old nags. They both needed grooming, a visit from the farrier, and good feed, for starters. They were gentle as a pair of old Labradors, and ultimately I was glad I had gotten them. I thought (Y/N) would like them, they had kind eyes.

Notes

Pin money: an allowance to a woman from her husband for clothing and other personal expenses.