Story: Women Saints

June 1, 257

Dear Diary:

Another day in this tower Dad's locked me in. It's been a whole 4 days since I've been able to see Zacharias. I have not even been able to send any messages along to him. I really can't believe that Dad reacted so outrageously!! I suppose I should blame myself for being so reckless; we have been successfully dating for months now and I just slipped up. Of course, the first time I invite Zacharias over is when Dad comes home early. Ugh.

I hope I'll be able to see him soon. I miss him. Every day that passes feels like a year. Seriously.

June 3rd, 267

Dear Diary:

So Dad apparently got inspired to construct a new bathhouse? He saw it in town, I guess, so now he just HAS to have one. Anyway the construction workers are here like all day. It's really distracting me from taking every waking minute to think about Zacharias.

EXCITING NEWS ON THAT FRONT!! Due to this construction mess, the workers had to come in and take measurements or whatever. ANYWAY Dad had to leave to doors unlocked and stuff so I was able to sneak out! I met with Zacharias earlier today and it was bliss. Dad didn't suspect a single thing. I felt like a genius. I don't know when I'll be able to see him next. Sigh.

June 4th, 267

Dear Diary:

Okaaay, so that day was today!! Zacharias snuck in here this time. We've decided that we're going to be married. No one will be able to stop us; we've made our decision. As he left, he promised to go make all of the arrangements for us.

All these plans make me reflect on the way Dad has raised me. I truly believe that he's tried his best, but he just is misguided. I mean, who's immediate reaction is to lock their daughter away in a tower for all of eternity.. It's going to nearly kill me to run away and leave him alone. Of course, I think he'll be mad in the immediate aftermath... but I think he'll come around once he sees how happy I'll be.

June 7th, 267

Dear Diary:

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! I'M GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW!!! TOMORROW!!!!! I'LL WRITE ALL ABOUT IT AFTERWARD!!!!!!!!!!!

June 9th, 267

Dear Diary:

Wow, nothing went according to plan. So much has happened over the past couple of days!!

It all started out well. I put on my nicest dress and snuck through the construction entrance (they're still building that damned bathhouse). We met at a gazebo and our ceremony went as well as I could have imagined. We were so in love in that moment. And then...

Dad STORMED up. With a RAGE in his eyes the likes of which I haven't ever seen!! Oh my.. He was so upset and he threatened to lock me back up. I don't know why, but I thought we could be married and then live in town, able to visit Dad all the time. Things went from bad to worse..

Zacharias stepped between me and my father as he reached out to grab me. Dad attacked him! He threatened to kill him right then and there. We had to escape. We had to go so far away. I just knew that I would not get my fantasy life... but we would be able to live, just the two of us. 

We ran for it, disappeared into the woods. Dad chased us up the mountain for a ways, but eventually gave up. Now to figure out how to live on our own...

April 2nd, 268

Dear Diary:

Uncovered this book a couple of days ago. Figured I'd write an update. We now live in a quaint home on the side of the mountain. Oh, and we're now a family of 3. We brought a little boy into the world just a couple of weeks ago. I miss Dad now and then, but I have so much to be thankful for and to be excited about. Our future is bright!

(Saint Barbara fleeing her father, web source: Wikipedia)

Author's Note:

I enjoyed Barbara's story the most from this collection of Women Saints. Some of the plot lines in her original story were a little dense and hard to get through. I knew I wanted to modernize her a little bit, but still wanted to keep her in the time period. I also thought the best way to show this story entirely from her perspective was through this personal medium of diary posts.

Bibliography:

Golden Legend: Saint Barbara, link.