3. The Wedding
Skylar sat at the vanity in her chamber while the maids fussed over her hair.
She didn't understand it. Her hair was always cut short to the chin, so there was nothing to do with it anyway.
She sighed while the servants tried to put on the veil again.
She let her eyes follow the thin line of dust collected on the top of the mirror.
The chair was too stiff, as if it was a newly made piece of furniture, even though it had been in her room for years.
She hadn't been using it much, never felt a need.
Two weeks had passed far too quickly, leaving Skylar anxious and irritable.
She left all her affairs in order – she gave her thanks and goodbyes to her soldiers and friends.
She also packed her things, which were not much.
The General allowed her to bring only one chest of personal belongings, insisting that everything else would be provided in her new home.
"New home." Skylar scoffed.
"What was that, my lady?" the maid asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
The serving girls finally finished securing the veil and were putting the finishing touches on her dress when Aurora entered the room. She stopped and looked at her sister up and down, her eyes shining.
"Look at you, Sky! You look amazing!"
"Oh? I can hardly walk in this thing."
"Don't be so dramatic!" Aurora laughed and shooed the maids away, taking their place and making the last adjustments to the dress. "Do you know what would make you look even better?"
"I don't really care."
"A smile."
"Not happening," Skylar huffed. "I have no reason to smile."
"But aren't you excited even a little bit?" Rori coaxed. "It's your wedding day! It's a once-in-a-lifetime event. And all new life awaits you in the capital. Imagine all the balls and important people you'll meet. You will be dining with the King and Queen themselves!"
"Rori, stop it."
"Stop what?" Aurora asked innocently, still fiddling with the dress.
"Pretending that everything is all right. That this is some happy celebration," Skylar growled. "We both know it's not."
Rori sighed and stepped back, finally looking at her sister. "What do you want me to do then, Sky? Apologise? I already said I am truly sorry."
"But you would do it again, wouldn't you?"
"I would."
"And so, here we are." Sky scoffed and turned her head away.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. But you are so anxious it breaks my heart to see you like this. Trust me, Gawyn Gryphonheart is a good man. I would never scheme all this if I thought he might hurt you."
"I know." Sky sighed. "It's just... he's so... arrogant and cold. And I'm pretty sure he hates me."
"Oh, sweetie!" Aurora closed the distance between them and hugged Sky tightly.
For a moment, they both felt like little girls again, looking for consolation in each other's warmth.
"It's because it was all so sudden. He was angry with me, not you. And you know, he is very handsome. I wouldn't mind spending my life at his side."
"Stop it!" Sky hissed, pushing her sister away for an arm's length. "The sole thought of this night is making my skin crawl."
"Darling, it will be all right. The General doesn't seem like a brute. I was collecting information on him, but I could hardly find anything. He hasn't been involved in one scandal, and though he was one of the most sought bachelors in the kingdom, he never courted any woman."
"Oh, gods, did you try to collect dirt on him?" Sky asked in disbelief.
"Of course. Information is power, dear sister. The more you know about your husband, the better leverage you're going to have on him. Remember that."
"I'm going to miss you, Rori," Sky whispered, feeling her eyes stinging with tears.
"I'll miss you too. I was hoping to visit you, but after this whole scandal, I was banned from attending the royal court."
"You're lucky they didn't want you executed," Sky scoffed.
"I'll write to you every week, I promise," Aurora said, squeezing her sister's hands. "Come now. It's time for your wedding."
The whole ceremony was a blur. Skylar felt as if she was only half-conscious with anxiety and dread.
As the wedding feast proceeded and all the revellers seemed ecstatic with the food, music, and entertainment, Sky found herself petrified.
She always thought of herself as a courageous person.
She did not fear heights or wild beasts.
She even faced a Dark Crawler from the Blighted Lands alone once and made it her most outstanding trophy, proving how skilled a warrior she was.
And here she was now, sitting at the table among merry people, terrified.
Her hands trembled, and her stomach was clenched, so she hadn't touched any food and only sipped her water.
The elaborate dress she was wearing was too tight and made it hard to breathe.
She hated this celebration, all the happy faces and congratulations she received.
She hated the envious looks the noble ladies shot her when they thought she wasn't looking.
As if there was anything to be jealous of.
Skylar hated all this, and yet she was hoping it would never end because she dreaded the thing that was inevitably coming after it.
The wedding night. Sky stole a glance at the man sitting right next to her.
Her husband. His face was cold and unreadable, a perfect mask.
He ran polite conversation with anyone who approached him, but his grey eyes remained icy.
They did not talk. Didn't exchange any words that weren't necessary.
He was stuck in this situation the same way she was. But it was even worse for him.
He agreed to marry a beautiful, noble lady, graceful and fluent in social graces and politics.
But thanks to Rori's plot, he was stuck with her instead.
And she was not beautiful, nor was she fluent in politics, or on that matter, anything that might be even remotely useful for him.
The only thing she was good at was swordsmanship.
But that was unbecoming for a lady, especially in the capital in the high society she was just married into.
Sky sighed and looked away. As much as she hated this whole situation, there was nothing she could do about it now. The family was always important to her; she would do everything to fulfil her duties as a general's wife, not to bring shame to their name, even if it made her life a living hell.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she was startled when the musicians stopped playing.
The loud cheers erupted from all around them, and Sky felt her heart sink.
That's it. The time for stalling was over.
The General stood up and offered his hand, not looking at her.
The perfect gesture of incapable manners.
She gritted her teeth and took his hand to get up at least half gracefully.
Without a word, he put her hand in the crook of his arm, and they were led out of the ballroom by Master Servant.
The roaring crowd saw them off with cheers and laughter.
Sky felt as if her legs were made of lead.
She could barely move them, crossing the familiar halls of her family residence.
It was the last night she would be spending here.
Tomorrow morning, she would be shipped with the rest of the royal entourage back to the capital to live with the General in his estate.
But even though she would miss her home, she couldn't focus on that.
The only thing on her mind right now was what would happen after the door to their bedroom closed.
She felt the shiver running down her spine at the sheer thought.
She stole a glance at her husband. His porcelain face was unreadable as always.
They reached their chambers at no time, and Master Servant opened the door, gesturing them inside.
Skylar took a deep calming breath and let herself be led into the bedroom.
When the door closed behind them, the General released her hand and walked toward the window overlooking the gardens, his hands clasped at his straight back.
Skylar waited, but he said nothing, just kept looking through the window with his back to her.
Well, he certainly won't make it easy for me, will he?
She gritted her teeth and raised her hands to the laces of her dress.
Her fingers trembled uncontrollably. The dress was elaborate and beautiful, but at the same time, it was effortless to take off.
Apparently, that was the whole point of wedding dresses, or so she heard.
When she unfastened the last lace, the dress fell off her shoulders with a quiet rustle of luxurious silk, leaving her bare and exposed.
Finally, upon hearing a whisper of the sound, the General turned around.
"Whatever are you doing?" he asked. His cold grey eyes wandered swiftly down Skylar's naked body and got back up to look her in the eyes.
Skylar felt her cheeks burning, but she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin.
"I'm aware this marriage is not what either of us wanted. But I am willing to uphold my family's honour and fulfil the conditions of our alliance," she said proudly, although she had never felt so vulnerable in her life.
She was standing before this handsome, imposing man, completely bare and surrendering herself without any resistance, even though all her instincts screamed at her to run.
"And I will uphold duties of your wife. All of the duties," she added, looking him defiantly in the eye, though she couldn't keep slight trembling out of her voice.
The General just stood next to the window, not making any attempt to move toward her.
"I see," he finally said, his voice cold and collected as ever.
He let his eyes wander down her body again, this time slower, taking in all the little details, all her curves and muscles. Skylar forced herself to keep her breathing steady, but she felt her heart hammering and her skin covering in goosebumps.
"So, the rumours are true then," he said, his lips curling up with something that barely reassembled a smile.
"What rumours?" Sky asked, not even trying to hide her annoyance.
He cocked his head slightly and raised his brow, looking back into her eyes. "That you are training physically like a man. I can see it in your muscles."
Skylar felt her face burning even more, right up to the tips of her ears.