Once upon a time...

Once upon a time…..

There was a young girl. She had been born to a rich family, and all her life, she had everything handed to her. All she had to do was snap her fingers and anything she wanted was brought to her on a silver platter. Her name was Lily, because she was as beautiful as one. Also, being from such a rich family, she was constantly courted by all the men of the village. Except one, his name was Dilan.

One young man ignored her and pretended like she was invisible. No matter what she said or did, he ignored her unless he was forced to. Whenever he did talk to her he did everything that was asked, not once questioning her or her motives. Even though sometimes she had him do trivial things like walk around their village or to wear different clothes.

Lily wouldn't give up though and every day she visited him. Once she realized that she wasn't going to get his attention by acting like a Queen, she just started to act normally around him again. Dilan treated her like he did every other person, but he always spent more time with her than anyone else. To everyone else it was obvious that they were smitten, but they refused to admit it to each other.

Soon though Lily was going to be 18, and sent off be married. Every eligible bachelor was trying for her hand but she had no interest in any of them. All she wanted was Dilan's attention and affection. Her father though said he hadn't come to him with any indication that he wanted to marry her. Every man that came by she would instantly reject, making her father more and more angry with every passing suitor. The day before Lily turned 18 she refused to come out of her room, causing her father to throw a fit. He barged into her room, yelling at her. Lily couldn't hold it in anymore, she started crying.

"Father I love him!" Lily gasped at her own words covering her mouth in shock. Her father glared at her.

"Then where is he Lily? Why hasn't he come once to ask for your hand in marriage?" His voice was eerily calm, making the words hurt even more for Lily.

Suddenly her thoughts went on a rampage. What if he doesn't love me? What if Father is right? Why hasn't he been here? Lily couldn't take it anymore, she pushed her father out of the way and ran out of the house, to the closest place nearby, the lake.

When she reached the shore of the lake she collapsed crying. She stayed there for hours, and when she couldn't cry anymore she just laid there too tired to move. At one point she looked towards the sky, the bright, cheerfulness of it and around her made her sick. Lily felt like it should be raining to fit her mood.

"Lily?" She didn't move though. She would recognize that voice anywhere, it was Dilan. She refused to look at him. She heard him sat down next to her.

"Lily, please look at me."  She knew she couldn't resist that voice. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked up at him. There was nothing but concern and sadness in his eyes.

"Dilan…Why haven't you asked my father for my hand in marriage?" The tears started to pour down her cheeks. Dilan didn't say anything.

"Lily, I want you to promise me that you will marry whoever your father wants you to marry, without question." He wouldn't look at her, and instead stared at the ground.

"But I don't want to marry anyone but you." She said, crying even more.  Dilan leaned down and hugged her.

"I know but I need you to do this, for me." Lily cried, but nodded nevertheless.

Once he got her silent reply, Dilan lifted her up and carried her home. Lily cried the entire way home, burying her face into his shoulder. Dilan murmured words of comfort and
took his time getting back to her house. Without even knocking he walked straight into her home and took her to her room. He kissed her forehead before leaving without a glance back. An hour later her father came and visited her.

"I'll marry whoever you want just please leave me alone." Lily said before her father could say anything. He sighed but nodded, leaving her to cry.

Right before he closed the door, he turned back. "The wedding will be tomorrow." Then he was gone.

That night Lily cried herself to sleep.

The next day was one of hustle and bustle. Lily spent the day in her room, getting ready for her wedding and letting the people her father hired to fuss over her. Her dress was beautiful; she had to admit that at least. It wasn't until=l an hour before the wedding that Lily realized that she had no idea who the groom was. She tried to ask one of the workers but all she got was a smile.

Ten minutes before she was supposed to walk down the aisle, her father came to talk to her. In his hands was a very thick veil and when she put it on she couldn't see anything out of it.

"It was your mothers." Her father said. Lily didn't protest anymore.
Finally the time came and her father walked her down the aisle. Lily felt so sad that she wasn't marrying the man that she loved that she couldn't lift her head. Instead she stared at her feet. When they reached the end she felt her father take her hand, and give it to someone else. Whoever her groom was had very soft hands, but she still couldn't see them because of her veil.

Lily couldn't listen to the pastor talk about her marriage and vows and loving each other until death. All she could think about was Dilan and what he was probably doing right now. Before she knew it, the pastor was talking to you.

"And do you Lily take this young man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Lily said her voice barely above a whisper.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Inside Lily cringed but she kept her face straight as her new husband turned her to face him. Lily felt him lift her veil, but she refused to look up.

"Lily. I think we're supposed to kiss." Lily gasped. Not believing what she was hearing. She looked up to see none other than Dilan standing before her, the smile that she loved on his face. Tears started pouring down her cheeks. Dilan gently brushed them away.

They kissed. The entire audience burst out into applause including the priest. Even Lily's father had a satisfied smile on his face.

"How?" Lily couldn't resist asking. Dilan laughed.

"I went to ask you father yesterday and he told me you had left. He was so worried about you and told me that if I could bring you back and get you to agree to marry anyone he wished then you would marry me. If you hadn't listened to me then none of this would have happened.

Lily started laughing, out of pure joy. Dilan laughed as well and picked her up and spun her around, before carrying her out of the church and to their new life together.

…And they lived happily ever after.