The Morning Ride

The cobblestone path is uneven, patched over time with mismatched stone. On my way to you, the sound of my shoes hushed with my careful steps. You belong to another. As do I. Arranged marriages, which made sense at one time, now serve as stale and passionless pairings. Your shadow by the home you share with her makes my heart speed up. I step closer and your eyes shine in the street light, your smile is calm and reassuring. We hug and breathe each other in. Life is loaded into the carriage. Our chestnut horse grazing lazily in the early dawn fog. Your hand lifts my chin, your eyes meet mine. Eyes I can lose myself in, honey brown and warm, kind. No one has ever looked at me like you do. You motion with your chin, smiling... leading us to our carriage. Our new life awaits. A wooded lot with a warm wooden home stands furnished and ready for us. We ride away and neither of us look back.