**I don't own any of the characters except Xerxes and Alexander***They all
belong to the*sighs* wonderful Margaret Mitchell.
Katie Scarlett O'Hara, of Tara in Clayton County, Georgia, so far had not had to make very many choices for herself in her life. Her doting mother and father, Ellen and Gerald O'Hara, had always made them for her. Mammy had also influenced many decisions. But now, she was faced with a very difficult choice. She was in love with Ashley Wilkes, her neighbor, but her family wanted her to marry and perhaps change Rhett Butler (*A/N: In either Scarlett or Gone with the Wind, it is mentioned that the Butlers and Robillards were hoping for Ellen and Rhett to marry. I think.o.o') and now she didn't know what to do. Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door, and hearing it, she ran over to her window, and leaned somewhat out to see who it was. However, the magnolia tree was in her way and she couldn't see anything except the outline of a fancy carriage. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door and Ellen's soft voice came to her ears.
"Scarlett, darling, may I come in?"
"Yes, Mother."
As Ellen opened the doors, Scarlett ran over to her bed and quickly sat down and arranged her face into pleasant lines. When Ellen entered, looking somewhat troubled but otherwise happy, she shut the door behind herself and went over to Scarlett and gently put a hand on Scarlett's cheek.
"Stand up, Scarlett, so I can get you ready."
"Get me ready, Mother?" Bewildered, Scarlett did as she was told, but an uneasy feeling that she was going to be forced to do something she didn't want to do was welling up in her heart.
"Yes, Scarlett, Mr. and Mrs. Butler are here with Rosemary, Ross and Rhett. They have requested your presence downstairs as soon as possible."
Inwardly, Scarlett groaned as she watched her mother go over to Scarlett's wardrobe and get out a rose organdie dress with a long pink sash, and then cross the room to lace Scarlett tighter. As Scarlett let her mother get her ready, she tied on her petticoats so that Ellen wouldn't see how reluctant she really was to go downstairs and face the Butlers. Suddenly, Mammy walked in and looked at the scene of mother and daughter as both hurried to get Scarlett ready for presentation, and joined in, brushing Scarlett's long, silky black hair.
As soon as Scarlett was ready, Mammy went and got Suellen and Careen and sent them both downstairs into the parlor, where the Butlers and Gerald were waiting for Scarlett and Ellen to come downstairs. When Ellen left the room, Scarlett looked in the mirror and felt as though her heart was going to break in two if she had to marry Rhett. For all the heartbreak she had had that afternoon with the news of Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton being married, she still believed that Ashley was in love with her, and that she only had to get his attention. She sighed as she blew out the candles in her room and left it, smiling at Pork who was waiting patiently in the hall with a candle, to escort her downstairs.
As she descended the stairs, she hastily pinched her cheeks to make them look pinker, and as she went into the parlor, eyes cast down and pink- cheeked, looking beautiful in her rose organdie, she heard a collective gasp all around the table and then, when she looked up, she saw Eleanor Butler rushing towards her and automatically smiled as Eleanor hugged her gently and then kissed her cheek. Scarlett kissed Eleanor's cheek in return and then turned her eyes towards the couch, where she knew Rhett would be sitting, with his brother and sister.
As soon as she met his eyes, she felt a little annoyed and very much challenged and, remembering her mother's presence, she smiled sweetly.
"Mr. Butler, how kind of you and your family to travel all the way from Charleston to see us here at Tara. I hope you will be staying, a few days at least."
Rhett smiled inwardly to himself. 'Scarlett is right where I need her.I don't want to marry, but for Mother.maybe I should.' "Miss O'Hara, it was no trouble at all. I hope, when I leave, that perhaps you will be with me, and it will be just us two."
Scarlett felt her heart sink, but she cast her eyes down. "I'm not quite sure what you mean, Mr. Butler."
Rhett rose from his seat on the couch, and went over to where Scarlett was standing and sank to one knee and held out a ring with an emerald surrounded by a few small blue diamonds. It was just barely small enough to be considered entirely proper. (A/N: Remember in GWTW, the ring Scarlett wanted was completely improper, and too extravagant for even her tastes? Lol had to change that a little bit, especially since Ellen and Eleanor were both sitting in the room!!)
"Katie Scarlett O'Hara, I have loved you since the first time I layed eyes on you and, even if you don't share my feelings, could you consider being my bride?"
Scarlett's eyes widened and suddenly, a plan formed in the back of her mind. 'Ashley is going to marry Melanie.and if I was going to marry Rhett, surely, Ashley would get crazy jealous, especially if I pretend to be in love with Rhett tomorrow at the barbecue.and then we could run away to Jonesboro and elope, and everything would be perfect.Melanie and Rhett, the wounded parties, would naturally be expected to marry each other in their heartbreak and then I would be rid of both of them for good.' Of course, it never occurred to Scarlett that Rhett would see straight through her plan, and was reading her thoughts as they played across her face.
" Of course.Rhett. I would be honored beyond belief to be your wife. You see, Rhett, I have loved you too, only.I simply couldn't bring myself to tell you, for I thought you might be in love with another, and I simply couldn't bear to have my love for you unrequited. You have no idea.oh Papa, can't we please have a Jonesboro priest come down tonight to Tara and be wed?"
Ellen looked shocked that Scarlett should even suggest such a thing, and, seeing his wife's dismay, Gerald shook his head grimly.
"Nay, Katie Scarlett, it wouldn't be entirely proper. But don't fret, Puss, you will have it announced tomorrow, and then we will make it a double wedding with Ashley and Miss Melanie, if you don't mind, of course."
Tears filled Scarlett's eyes, and then Ellen quickly cut in.
"Eleanor, perhaps Rhett would like to stay with Scarlett tonight? After all."
Scarlett looked up at her mother, shocked. Her mother, a great lady of Savannah, whose modesty was boundless suggesting that Rhett share her room before they were married?
"And Mr. O'Hara, I see no reason that they can't be married tonight by a priest tonight under this roof, and then remarried at a big wedding."
"Of course.I will send them to Jonesboro right away.I will be there with them and witness."
Katie Scarlett O'Hara, of Tara in Clayton County, Georgia, so far had not had to make very many choices for herself in her life. Her doting mother and father, Ellen and Gerald O'Hara, had always made them for her. Mammy had also influenced many decisions. But now, she was faced with a very difficult choice. She was in love with Ashley Wilkes, her neighbor, but her family wanted her to marry and perhaps change Rhett Butler (*A/N: In either Scarlett or Gone with the Wind, it is mentioned that the Butlers and Robillards were hoping for Ellen and Rhett to marry. I think.o.o') and now she didn't know what to do. Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door, and hearing it, she ran over to her window, and leaned somewhat out to see who it was. However, the magnolia tree was in her way and she couldn't see anything except the outline of a fancy carriage. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door and Ellen's soft voice came to her ears.
"Scarlett, darling, may I come in?"
"Yes, Mother."
As Ellen opened the doors, Scarlett ran over to her bed and quickly sat down and arranged her face into pleasant lines. When Ellen entered, looking somewhat troubled but otherwise happy, she shut the door behind herself and went over to Scarlett and gently put a hand on Scarlett's cheek.
"Stand up, Scarlett, so I can get you ready."
"Get me ready, Mother?" Bewildered, Scarlett did as she was told, but an uneasy feeling that she was going to be forced to do something she didn't want to do was welling up in her heart.
"Yes, Scarlett, Mr. and Mrs. Butler are here with Rosemary, Ross and Rhett. They have requested your presence downstairs as soon as possible."
Inwardly, Scarlett groaned as she watched her mother go over to Scarlett's wardrobe and get out a rose organdie dress with a long pink sash, and then cross the room to lace Scarlett tighter. As Scarlett let her mother get her ready, she tied on her petticoats so that Ellen wouldn't see how reluctant she really was to go downstairs and face the Butlers. Suddenly, Mammy walked in and looked at the scene of mother and daughter as both hurried to get Scarlett ready for presentation, and joined in, brushing Scarlett's long, silky black hair.
As soon as Scarlett was ready, Mammy went and got Suellen and Careen and sent them both downstairs into the parlor, where the Butlers and Gerald were waiting for Scarlett and Ellen to come downstairs. When Ellen left the room, Scarlett looked in the mirror and felt as though her heart was going to break in two if she had to marry Rhett. For all the heartbreak she had had that afternoon with the news of Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton being married, she still believed that Ashley was in love with her, and that she only had to get his attention. She sighed as she blew out the candles in her room and left it, smiling at Pork who was waiting patiently in the hall with a candle, to escort her downstairs.
As she descended the stairs, she hastily pinched her cheeks to make them look pinker, and as she went into the parlor, eyes cast down and pink- cheeked, looking beautiful in her rose organdie, she heard a collective gasp all around the table and then, when she looked up, she saw Eleanor Butler rushing towards her and automatically smiled as Eleanor hugged her gently and then kissed her cheek. Scarlett kissed Eleanor's cheek in return and then turned her eyes towards the couch, where she knew Rhett would be sitting, with his brother and sister.
As soon as she met his eyes, she felt a little annoyed and very much challenged and, remembering her mother's presence, she smiled sweetly.
"Mr. Butler, how kind of you and your family to travel all the way from Charleston to see us here at Tara. I hope you will be staying, a few days at least."
Rhett smiled inwardly to himself. 'Scarlett is right where I need her.I don't want to marry, but for Mother.maybe I should.' "Miss O'Hara, it was no trouble at all. I hope, when I leave, that perhaps you will be with me, and it will be just us two."
Scarlett felt her heart sink, but she cast her eyes down. "I'm not quite sure what you mean, Mr. Butler."
Rhett rose from his seat on the couch, and went over to where Scarlett was standing and sank to one knee and held out a ring with an emerald surrounded by a few small blue diamonds. It was just barely small enough to be considered entirely proper. (A/N: Remember in GWTW, the ring Scarlett wanted was completely improper, and too extravagant for even her tastes? Lol had to change that a little bit, especially since Ellen and Eleanor were both sitting in the room!!)
"Katie Scarlett O'Hara, I have loved you since the first time I layed eyes on you and, even if you don't share my feelings, could you consider being my bride?"
Scarlett's eyes widened and suddenly, a plan formed in the back of her mind. 'Ashley is going to marry Melanie.and if I was going to marry Rhett, surely, Ashley would get crazy jealous, especially if I pretend to be in love with Rhett tomorrow at the barbecue.and then we could run away to Jonesboro and elope, and everything would be perfect.Melanie and Rhett, the wounded parties, would naturally be expected to marry each other in their heartbreak and then I would be rid of both of them for good.' Of course, it never occurred to Scarlett that Rhett would see straight through her plan, and was reading her thoughts as they played across her face.
" Of course.Rhett. I would be honored beyond belief to be your wife. You see, Rhett, I have loved you too, only.I simply couldn't bring myself to tell you, for I thought you might be in love with another, and I simply couldn't bear to have my love for you unrequited. You have no idea.oh Papa, can't we please have a Jonesboro priest come down tonight to Tara and be wed?"
Ellen looked shocked that Scarlett should even suggest such a thing, and, seeing his wife's dismay, Gerald shook his head grimly.
"Nay, Katie Scarlett, it wouldn't be entirely proper. But don't fret, Puss, you will have it announced tomorrow, and then we will make it a double wedding with Ashley and Miss Melanie, if you don't mind, of course."
Tears filled Scarlett's eyes, and then Ellen quickly cut in.
"Eleanor, perhaps Rhett would like to stay with Scarlett tonight? After all."
Scarlett looked up at her mother, shocked. Her mother, a great lady of Savannah, whose modesty was boundless suggesting that Rhett share her room before they were married?
"And Mr. O'Hara, I see no reason that they can't be married tonight by a priest tonight under this roof, and then remarried at a big wedding."
"Of course.I will send them to Jonesboro right away.I will be there with them and witness."