Queen Magnolia gave a bright smile to the court at the end of her daring request: everyone at court was to be married within the next year. She hadn’t specified who or what they had to be married too, simply that they had to be married. If they wanted to marry the town whore maybe then she would care, but only a little and if the whore was pretty enough she might even consider it. Though the happy whims of marriage did not seem to please her court in the slightest.
Of course she had heard the whispers amongst them. Magnolia was not so ill minded to believe that her lovely lords and ladies would be happy with this decree—she could see the distain on most of their faces. To demand one to be married was to demand that one gave up all rights to self, or at least, that was how the Queen saw this. That was how she wanted it. If they were too busy quarreling with their other she wouldn’t have to worry about them quarreling with her. It was a full proof plan in her dark lovely eyes.
With a quickness that was very unlike the elven customs she dismissed them without another word. She would not allow any of them to stand against her. It was her kingdom, it was her right. She swiftly fell into a steady walk and headed towards her chambers. She dismissed the young half elf in white to go fetch her Princess Aneira.
She ran a hand through her beautiful dark hair as she faced the large mirror that framed her vanity. She smiled viciously at her intricate yellow dress and the way it fit snugly against her bosom. With all her heart she believed in her fashion taste firmly and how seductive she would appear to the young princess whom she impatiently waited for.
xx
Sir Ceath grumbled quietly as he brushed the brilliant black fell pony that was his Lady’s. He thought of his own horse in Tranlense and let out an irritated sigh. His dear stead was from the Urenfea’ Sea and of shark heritage—something the elven kingdoms thought barbaric. The breed was rare and known as Riturgeetia, sailors knew the beast as the death of the sea and of the shore, but Ceath had found it endearing, lively. He had only been fourteen when he was told of the great legends. Of how only the bravest of men could tame the wild beast and he aspired to be the bravest man there ever was. The ginger knight traveled many nights in order to reach the Urenfea’ Sea and that was when he saw him, Sharkhorse.
His thoughts were interrupted when the pony nipped at his orange locks and tugged on him lightly. It was the most affection he had seen in weeks and that deeply saddened the poor half elf. Ceath stroked its beautiful mane quietly and wondered when Karl would decide to show up to work.
xx
Princess Violete found the idea of meeting her wife to be more then irritating. The announcement the Queen had made was even more irritating still. Violete’s father would have never thought of forcing his people to marry—she frowned then, because he did. He had sent his sixth daughter, his supposed favorite daughter, to a kingdom in which he would rather not associate with but out of the fear of the horrid elven Queen Magnolia, he had. She fussed with the folds of her dress nervously as she waited quietly.
xx
Princess Amelia, well the woman once known as Princess Amelia sighed as she flipped through the journal casually. She had been going under the false name of Lady Badb, as she had when she ran off to become a Knight at the young age of thirteen. Her father, of course, had caught her but instead of punishing her he had been kind enough to allow her to continue her training. The only stipulation was that when a Knight, she did not use her real name in fear that a Princess would not get the same fairness in a fight as a Knight. Reluctantly, she had agreed. Now being a captive of the elven kingdom Impestieee she understood his concern.
Her fingers traced the words scratched across the page carefully. She had been given to the lord of Irisepensh as a gift. How anyone would have thought giving a person, as a gift was flattering was beyond the dark haired woman. She pushed herself from the bed casually and heard the door click open behind her. “Sept Enfers” she muttered in her native language as she pushed the journal into the drawer hurriedly and began to act as if she was cleaning, as was her job.
Lord Kindle strolled into the bedroom casually, a small smile on his face as he stared her down with yellow eyes. He glanced at the bedroom and then back at her with a raised eyebrow. “Do you often find yourself working in the bedroom?” Amelia stared at him with a stony expression and Kindle found himself more then pleased with the lack of response. “Do you think if I asked Julian, he’d give you to me for a reasonable price?”
“You’re thinking of buying me?” Amelia dared not let herself laugh at the thought. She had seen the Dragon Knight one to many times since he bought her to the kingdom. The only act of kindness Amelia ever witnessed by Queen Magnolia was the simple giving her away to anyone but Kindle.
Without warning he pulled her against him, a hand secured around her waist as he weaved his fingers in her hair gently. “Do you think if we make love on his bed he’d have your head?”
Amelia’s eyes snapped up to his fiercely, her cheeks burning bright red as she spoke in a low voice, “I think I’d have yours first, Lord Kindle.” The bitterness of her words bit at him but he refused to let go. Not yet.
He cupped her face softly, “Trust me, princess, I believe it.” The dragon knight brushed his lips against hers and then let go of her abruptly. “A little piece of advice, darling. You’re not royalty here—it’d be best for you to remember that.” He took her hand and kissed it. “Now, go fetch me some tea while I wait for the Wizard and his little companion.”
