So where was I? Oh yeah.
We were face to face with the armed butler. Luckily, there was only one of them. The others probably didn't come here, yet.
The butler took one step forward.
I took two steps back.
Which would have been great, if not for the locked gate behind us.
"Listen!", I said, raising both my hands slowly, probably a futile attempt to negotiate with a person having bear-like proportions, "There's been a misunderstanding."
The butler tilted his head, still aiming the gun.
"I don't know this girl," I continued quickly. "We literally met minutes ago. I don't even know her name. Or her family. Or her favorite color. Or the blood type. So if this is some family thing, then-"
"Charlie!" The girl hissed.
"Oh. You know my name!"
She stared at me, as if to say that was not the important part.
The butler sighed like a man disappointed by not getting his coffee on time. He was still a good distance away and slowly closing it in, and so he yelled- but politely, "Young Man, please step aside. You'll walk away unharmed."
That sounded... reasonable.
Extremely reasonable, in fact.
I looked behind at the bride, who was still holding my hand. Her grip tightened, and her fingers were shaking.
"That's not true," she whispered, " I'll be gone. You'll also be gone. Forever."
Cool!
Cool cool cool cool cool.
I swallowed. This was what was happening in my mind at that time, in no particular order...
RUN!
APOLOGISE!
FAINT!
"Uh..!" I decided to negotiate again.
Which, in hindsight, was a bold choice for someone with a strategy for Just running away so far.
"I mean...you know..." I cleared my throat to stall for some time, hands still raised, "You do seem like a reasonable guy. Well dressed. Clearly employed. So maybe we can just... take a breath?"
He smiled, still continuing walking towards us, pointing the gun, " I'm breathing, young man. You are the one who looks distressed."
"That's not what I meant." I hurriedly replied and Bang . The sound of the bullet leaving the gun.