Chapter 4
The next few days at the castle were quiet, uneventful and I’d been ordered by my father to stick to the castle grounds. He didn’t want to go out hunting for me again. I had a sneaky suspicion that he always knew where I was, even when I wandered off into the woods. He was the king after all, and he had people whose job it was to know where every member of his family was at all times. Even if I did like to pretend he had no idea.
My lessons with Hector were dull and boring as he continued going on about the history of my bloodline and the war between two houses. Two royal lines within our world: the Crystal Kingdom and the Obsidian Kingdom. Once my great, great, great grandmother was made to wed the son of the opposing side almost six hundred years ago, peace was instilled in the world.
There was no more fighting. No more wives, mothers, or families losing each other, and we continued to reign happily in a world where war wasn’t something that happened.
There had, of course, been threats and attempts of a few uprisings. King Theodore and Queen Helena of the Obsidian Clan, had at one point decided that they wanted more power, and tried desperately to remove my grandparents, King Lenway and Queen Lyla, from their thrones. And they had failed miserably.
My father refused to talk about those months. He became a prisoner of war when King Theodore captured him, and it took many, many men to save him and a lot of negotiations to have him returned safely.
As Hector drilled on, his monotone voice hurt my head, and I continued to fight to keep my eyes open as sleep tried to take me. I’d not dreamt of my shadow man in a while and wondered if I were to ever see him again.
“How did your—the king, get brought back safely, and no repercussions happened?” Hector asked, drawing me to look at him.
“Eh…I am not sure.”
“Come now princess, we have just learnt this.”
“I um…I believe it was a trade deal that eventually the King and Queen of the Obsidian Clan agreed to return my father in exchange.”
“Correct. And does that explain why the fighting began?”
“I think it was something to do with one of the Obsidian Clan’s ships being stuck in our ports and the ship’s crew taken to prison without a fair trial.”
“And what a stupid reason to start a war.”
Father appeared in the doorway of our study, and both Hector and I rushed to our feet in respect and to bow. He just waved his hand at the pleasantries before coming to my side and kissing me lightly on the cheek.
“How is my daughter doing in her lessons? Not falling behind, I hope.”
“Of course not, your majesty. She is a wonderful pupil.” Hector stuttered a little, my father always made him nervous.
Although my father was old in appearance, with greying hair and wrinkle lines at the corners of his eyes, he was still one of the greatest fighters to ever fight in battle. If there ever was a battle.
Mostly, he would show off his skills during the training days with the soldiers or during our festivals at jousting and sword play. My mother hated it, but I believed it made him feel young again.
“Please leave us for the moment. I will send for you once I am done speaking with my daughter.”
Without a word, Hector bowed low to the ground and rushed out of the room, almost sprinted even. A small chuckle came from my father’s lips as he settled down at the top of the table, which was littered with history books and maps.
“Your mother worries.”
“Mother always worries.”
“Yes, well, there is a reason for it this time.”
He gestured for me to return to my seat as he leaned back, relaxing and looking very much at ease. He may have been the ruler of our country, the all-powerful soldier with a hard shell on the outside, but he was a soft man at heart. He would often tell me stories of love—of how he and mother fell deeply and madly in love with each other and how much convincing he had to do in order for them to be wed.
“I am afraid I have some news, which may be upsetting,” he paused, clasping his hands together, and then leaned forward on the table. “Your betrothal to Lord Aston has been stopped due to the Lord’s sudden passing during a hunting trip.”
Strangely, as much as the news should have been devastating, it wasn’t. Lord Aston and I only met a handful of times, mostly at grand state balls and quite frankly, he was obnoxious and already way too clingy for my liking. I’d also heard talk via the other ladies of the court that he had been with many of them already. I wanted someone loyal and filled with love like my parents.
“Try not to act too upset, dear.”
I realised my face didn’t show any upset. If anything, it was very stoic and unbothered. I couldn’t help but laugh at my awkwardness, which in turn made my father laugh.
“I’m sorry, Father, to hear of his passing, but also glad I will not be married to him, as I barely knew him.”
He laughed a deeper laugh, and I couldn’t help but join in with him. We may have been father and daughter, but he was my most trusted friend, and I would have done anything for him.
“So, why does this make Mother worry?”
“She fears you will become an unwed spinster and never bless us with grandchildren.”
I laughed even harder then. A spinster, and I wasn’t even near the age to become one. I had at least five more years until that happened. My twenty-first birthday wasn’t due for another six months, and only then would I have been allowed to marry.
“Father, what will happen now? May I be granted the same freedom as Norok, where I may choose my husband? Just as you did with Mother.”
His face dropped, and his laughter stopped. And with that, I already knew his answer, which broke my heart a little. I wanted to marry for love, not because it was expected of me.
“I’m afraid, my dear, as a princess and heir to our throne, we must marry you to someone we can trust and to help guide you into the next stages of your life. I was very lucky with your mother.”
“And male. That’s why you were allowed.”
My eyes began to sting as I held back the tears and the lump in my throat. If I were a man, I would be able to do anything without question. And yet, because I was a female, I was looked at like a breeding mare and a wife to do as she was told. I was neither of those things.
“May I be excused, Father? This conversation has seemed to have gone sour.”
His eyes dropped as my voice changed to something more formal and no longer playful. The sun was nowhere near setting, and as much as he had ordered myself and my siblings to stay within the grounds, I was not going to do so. I needed to go find my peace away from this place.
“Yes, we will discuss more later.”
He waved his hand and nodded as if to give me permission and once I was out the door, Hector stood from his seat, looking at me confused. I just continued on my way.