Chapter 7 Chapter 5

“A sword, a knife, a blade for strife. One of these saw the end of a life”

Marina

True to my father’s belief, a knock was heard at our doorstep before the early rays of the sun had begun to filter its way into the sky.

Despite being in the peak of the winter wave from the north, some prickles of sweat had formed on my forehead, down my back and underneath the bodice I wore. The cream colored cloth was starting to display water marks around my chest and armpit.

I stood holding my little box in hand. I didn’t have much to pack as I don’t even have many things to term as my property. Asides a few undergarments, three of my best dresses (which was all the best clothes I had) and the dress I wore the last time I was in the castle, I had nothing else to take with me.

My father answered the door and after a brief exchange with whomever was at the other end, he gave me a look that clearly indicated it was time for me to go. 

Lanthernia stood so close, that it felt like her body heat was adding to the dense atmosphere that I already felt. 

“You can still go back on your decision now” she whispered. I had thought about it.

My sleep had betrayed me for most of the night and left me with my thoughts. I had thought about going back on my decision and weighed the option against what I had to lose.

I had a lot to lose, hence I decided to see it through.

After heaving a little breath, I braced myself up to walk out the door. Giving just a little glance towards my sister, a nod of readiness to my father and a lingering look to the room which held the rest of our family.

With my head held high, I marched out the door. 

The men were dressed in a similar uniform like they had been when they approached me at the fashionere. One of them stared down at the minute box I had in hand, perhaps considering if that was all I had. 

After sharing a glance with each other, they nudged me towards the carriage and began leading the way. One of the three men waited behind to make sure I was following. 

But before I left, I took one last stare at my father.

Many years ago, he could have been voted as the most handsome among locals. With his shadowy black hair and green colored eyes that all his children had inherited despite having other features taken from our mother. 

Now, those bright colored eyes were duller than grasses on a stormy day. A dark shade of black sat beneath his sunken eyeballs that mirrored the poor amount of sleep he had been getting over the years. Just like the rest of us, his skin tone was the darkest I had ever seen since I had come to know him as my father. Due to the excessive and unavoidable subconscious sun bathing we do while trying to make a living.

He had lost a lot of weight, that he now appeared lanky when compared with his height. Many people wondered why my father still chose to stay and suffer with our family when there was a chance that neither my mother nor brother would survive this trial of health.

Especially when you considered he was not so far aged. Three years into his fourth decade, he could as well decide to get married to a vibrant young woman and lead a happier life. Since loyalty was not necessarily something expected from men of commons.

Despite the fact that staying with us was the barest thing he could do, it does not eliminate the fact that we were so appreciative of his presence and support. 

The longer I stared at him, the more convinced I was that this was the best decision I could take for all of us. 

I was doing this for Jepheeth and mother’s health.

I was doing this because Lanthernia deserved better than to be a farm girl.

I was doing this because father deserved to be happy with the love of his life once again.

Huffing out a breath, I walked towards the carriage and didn’t dare look back at my family again, lest I shed a tear. 

I took a seat on the plush cushion and one of the soldiers sat right next to me. The other two directly opposite us. The door was then shut and bolted.

With the neigh of a horse, the carriage buckled and began to move. 

Despite all my fighting strength, I took one last look against my will. Lanthernia and father held each other in an embrace as they watched the carriage retreat.

And there was the tears that I had tried so hard to fight.

An hour later…

We had passed the market center barely some minutes ago. I tried to find Madam Mongolia when I caught a faint trace of her stall but I was only met with the leering gaze of Ludmilla towards the carriage. 

I’m sure she could not find my face within the carriage no matter how hard she tried, due to the position I was seated. But her disgust was eminent.

Certainly the citizens would be aware of why the Royal Carriage was in town so early. If the way the guards sought me out yesterday was not enough giveaway. The direction from which the carriage appeared should be.

Not many families lived up the Scelnia hill and only one person from a certain family had been foolish enough to have a reason to tie herself to the king by making a foolish request.

The gossip would keep the bellies of the township satisfied for months.

Even though I was barely exhausted because my anxiousness came with a certain burst of adrenaline, the ride to the castle was longer than I had expected. 

The last time I threaded this particular path was on foot in the middle of the night. It was a few kilometers shy of the market center and the only route I could find a carriage to pair with for a ride to the castle.

Its signature pine scent alongside extremely tall trees made it the most memorable part of my journey. 

That, and also how the passengers of the carriage looked at me in disbelief when they saw the height of my slit. 

I tried to inhale the frozen, crispy scent of nature, hoping it would dull out at least one of my senses and assist in killing the prey feeling that was building up within. The air was a bit to sharp that it could have caused slight injuries in my nostrils.

I’m certain my cheeks were the brightest flush of pink because of the weather.

No one bothered to say a word to me during the journey but deep down I felt, even if they wanted to indulge in a conversation, what could they possibly have said?

“Hey, that’s some abject poverty you’ve got back there”

I just tried my best to avoid the gazes of the two men who almost stared me down. 

The chair made an awkward sound that was akin to that of a fart when I tried re-adjusting my sitting position for better comfort and heat flared up my cheeks in embarrassment.

“I swear it is the chair” I blurted out defensively and tried recreating the sound to no avail.

The guard to my right barked out in laughter and I noticed the eyes of the men opposite squinting like they were trying to be respectful and not make me feel worse by laughing, but that also did not help.

Maybe if the carriage sustained an accident now, it would not be so bad. 

“If it eases your nerves, we’ll be at the castle in a few minutes” the guard by my side spoke. Making me fully aware that my nervousness was palpable.

“But it really was the chair” I still wanted to be sure they did not tag me with such behavior.

“I know” came his response and we all returned to our silence.

Which was now more dreadful. 

True to the soldier’s words, the carriage pulled out of the blanket shade provided by the overgrown pine trees and the scent of the air had normalized. 

A few more gallops forward and the carriage pulled to a halt. Someone, also clad in a similar uniform approached the window next to me. Observing everyone within.

He traded knowing glances with the three men with me and then yelled out an “OPEN!” command. Without the hesitation of a second, the rustling of chains and clanking of metal against metal flooded my ears and we jerked forward in continuation of our journey. 

Taking one quick look outside the window, the environment struck a loud bell within my senses.

I was really doing this.

I, Marina Revlasor, had asked the King to be his consort.

And he said yes.