Prepared
(The Train to Nowhere)
This drabble contains spoilers.
–
“Nikolai isn’t here,” Heidi says, and he turns to look at her. She’s dressed in her white wedding gown, looking breathtakingly beautiful. Harry smiles sadly, not knowing what to say.
“I’m not surprised – I didn’t expect him to come,” Heidi continues, walking forward. She took a deep breath, and leaned closer to the open window Harry had been looking out of. “I just. I don’t know what I wanted.”
“I think you do know,” Harry whispers, and she gives him a shaky, tearful smile.
“I used to love how beautiful I looked,” she says, and shakes her head. “I know people kept calling me arrogant because of it. They kept and still keep saying that beauty does not make me a better person – they keep saying that beauty does not define a person – and yet they think it makes me worse.”
Harry remained silent, not knowing what to tell her. It was true – Heidi was and still is one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen… and she had suffered for it. Worse yet – she was going to suffer for it even more.
“Don’t pity me,” Heidi tells him. “Really. I… I’ve been prepared for this. I… it’s not entirely unexpected.”
“Does not make it any easier to bear,” Harry says quietly, and the woman makes a sound he does not want to understand. It hurts him, regardless.
“I’m prepared for this,” Heidi insists with tear-filled eyes. “This wedding will not be the end of me.”
“If anything happens, though,” Harry starts, reaching to touch her shoulder gently. “Come to me. I… I can do something for you, Heidi. I know we’ve never been the best of friends, but I care about you.”
“That helps,” Heidi whispers, looking up at him tiredly. “Prepared as I am, it’s good to have… to know this. And I am prepared, Harry. I know what awaits me.”
“He’s a cruel man.”
“He’s the man I will marry.”
“He-”
“I have told you, Harry. I am prepared. For better or for worse.”
marlowfication 