After the first few years of marriage the bloom was off the rose, and Stephan became indifferent to me as the the childless years went by. This cut me deeply, for I still loved him. After many rebuffed attempts at reconciliation I, too, gave up the hope of a happy conjugality. But, it was not until this past year that Stephan became mean-spirited. I feel I am being doubly punished, first by god with my barrenness, and then by Stephan for his cold-heartedness. He even accused me of using spells and herbs to prevent a child. I was shocked. Not that I didn't know of such things, but I wanted a child as much as he did.
Then, suddenly, the marriage was over. Stephan could not get an annulment or divorce based on my barrenness, or due to consanguinity (we were only commoners, after all), but he could appeal to the church for an annulment due to my frigidity. That has never been my problem! How dare he? But the church would listen to him before me, and the annulment was granted. Now he could remarry, but I could not. Not that anyone would have me at this point. Even if the would, the church would not recognize the union. So, I will be neither maid (old or otherwise) nor widow, but some unpleasant reminder of something that is neither true, nor my fault.
On the other hand, perhaps this is a new beginning. I cannot yet say.
