CHAPTER THREE.

The distant sound of the bell woke Loretta up and that was when Rose entered the room, she had a new set of gown with her and Loretta sighed, she knew it was her wedding dress.

"Your mother asked me to get you ready, the Ashens arrived overnight" Rose announced as she set the clothes on the bed while Loretta groaned before sitting on the bed, she hated the fact that the morning had to come even before she could say her name.

"I want to run away" she said out of frustration and that was when her door flung open again and her mother entered all dressed up.

"You can't run away from Pictish my dear, you will be caught even before you reach the borders, that is how fast your father's army is" Queen Navina replied as she lowered herself on the bed beside her daughter, Rose understood that they needed a mother daughter space so she bowed and walked out of the room.

"Why are you joining hands with my father in his madness, mother?Those people will have me killed and you won't know anything about it. Ashen is like a day's journey from here"

Queen Navina sighed, "I can't possibly go against your father my dear. Aside from being my husband, he is also the king of Pictish and the safety of the people matters"

"But he has a duty to me before anyone, I have his blood running through my veins and he just wants to sell me off?Am I that useless?" Tears were already forming in her eyes as she spoke, the fact that her father was willfully selling her off to an unknown man made her stomach churn.

"You will get used to it my dear, I didn't love your father when I married him but we have been together for years my dear, you will enjoy this marriage I promise" she added before standing up.

"You are digging my grave mother"

"Keep shut" Queen Navina blurted, " never say such words again, get ready quickly. I will come get you soon" she added and walked out of the room amidst her daughter's pleas and rose also came back into the room as soon as the queen left.

Loretta was still on the bed sulking and she didn't even want to move or talk more about getting dressed.

"My princess"Rose began talking slowly, "I know this is hard but for now I think you should obey the king, you can always talk to him later. I overheard the people in the market taking that your father wants to join hands with the Ashens to defeat our enemies"

"So it comes at the price of my happiness" Loretta asked again, her face was already covered with tears, " I hate everything"

"Let's get you dressed okay?You can whine to the king later," Rose teased and she laughed unconsciously before slowly climbing out of bed. Loretta knew for a fact that she would not be able to escape the reality of the situation, she was going to be married and that would not change no matter how long she stayed in bed.

....................................

The whole hall was filled with people and the clinking of glass cups could be heard all over the room. The men were talking loudly while a certain someone was sitting near the king of Pictish and king of Ashen but he looked rather uninterested in what was happening in front of him.

That was Ace, it took a lot of effort to make him come to the city of Pictish but he was suddenly regretting coming here. The men drank wine and talked loudly like they had no manners and some ladies were dancing in the middle which made the whole atmosphere more suffocating.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Alexander asked as he turned to the man beside him and the latter sighed.

"Get your bride, let's go, my king. I feel suffocated In this place" he replied nonchalantly, his hand was supporting his head and he looked so uninterested in whatever was happening.

"There are so many beautiful women here, you can chose one and you won't be held to ransom for it"

"The day is far spent my king, we should leave early so we can reach Ashen by nightfall"

King Alexander nodded and turned to the man sitting at the other side of him, his eyes were glued to what was happening and he seemed to be enjoying it,

"We should complete the ceremony quickly,the road back to Ashen is not so good"

"Of course my king" king Pictish replied and gestured to his wife who nodded and walked out of the party hall.

After a few more minutes, the door flung open again and she entered in all her grace. All the men in the room couldn't take their eyes off the beauty that just walked into the room.

"Here comes your bride, my lord" King Abalom said to Alexander and the latter sat up straight to admire the beauty that was advancing towards him, truly she was like he heard. Natural red hair and very beautiful.

"She is indeed pretty"

King Abanom smiled in fulfillment, the fact that the king of Ashen acknowledged his daughter to be very pretty made his head swell In joy.

"I am sure she would make a good queen" he added after a while and Alexander nodded.

But the other man sitting beside him looked more uninterested than ever, he just wished to be back home in his dark castle sitting by his fireplace, he just hated people.

"What do you think of her, Ace?" Alex asked, turning to him.

"Your bride" he shrugged and closed his eyes.

...

With each step that Loretta took towards the men, her heart beat faster than usual. The fact that she was going to be called the wife of the king of Ashen in a matter of minutes made her whole body hurt. She wished that she could just turn around and run out of the room but her father's army will catch her in no time"

With that in mind, she heaved a sigh and began to walk with her head held high to the center of the room.

As she got to the front, she bowed in respect.

"Greetings king Alexander of Ashen"

"Greetings princess Loretta" Alex replied, his eyes still glued on her.

Finally the time has come, king Abalom stood up and cleared his throat,

"Men of Pictish, we are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, the great king of Ashen and the princess of Pictish" a loud applause went up from the crowd, "we shall now begin the marriage rites"

And this was it, Loretta was getting married. She did not understand anything that was happening because she had never attended a typical Pictish wedding in her life, always preferred to read books and tour her garden but as soon as the ceremonial chain was tied to her and Alex, she knew that was it.

"You are now man and wife"king Abalom finally said and the crowds cheered again? " this is the key to the chain my lord, you can open it on your nuptial night" he added and stretching his hand, Alex collected it and tossed it towards Ace who caught it even when his eyes were closed.

The door opened and a group of young women entered, some were carrying some trays and they came to set them up in front of the kings,

"These my lord,"king Abalom was pointing to the trays, " are your wedding gifts, these are the best you will find in Pictish" he added proudly and Alex nodded.

The fact that no one was saying anything about the fact that she just got married and was chained to a man she doesn't know made her even more angry. Seated in the midst of so many men, Loretta felt like throwing up.

She turned to her side to see the sleeping man beside her and frowning at him, she turned her face but she didn't actually see her facial expressions but it didn't bother him even in the slightest.

Finally, it was time for the going away ceremony, the part that Loretta has been dreading.

Her father stood up and for the first time, she saw love in his eyes for her, "Loretta my dear" he began slowly, "you are a queen now so you should behave as such, you should love and honor the king like you would honor your own father and do not deny him anything that he ever asks from you, am I understood?"

"Yes father" she bowed.

"Prepare the nuptial carriage" king abalom announced again and the whole hall erupted in applause again.

"Don't worry, you will be safe. '' Alex muttered to her and she had an inkling of slapping his pretty face so hard that his lips would bleed.

...…

Once outside the wedding hall, Loretta found her mother standing a few meters away from the carriage and she looked sad, she wasn't even allowed to attend her daughter's wedding as per traditions but seeing her daughter in the wedding attire and nuptial chain around her wrist, she knew that her Loretta was finally big enough.

"Mother" Loretta called and the tears that had been struggling to hide finally made their way out of her eyes. She wanted to move but that means dragging the great king Alexander with her and it would be termed an abomination.

It was like her mother noticed her predicament, so she took a few steps towards her,

"You are a married woman now my dear and you should behave as such, queens don't cry so you shouldn't cry. I believe the Ashen kingdom holds a lot more good for you,always work with your head held high" saying that she drew her daughter to an embrace and Loretta didn't want to let go.

"We have to leave now or we may have to spend the night in the woods" Ace spoke for the first time, he hated all these ceremonies and everything that came with it.

It was finally time to leave, the carriage door opened and slowly she and her husband began to match towards it. Turning back she could see the sadness in the eyes of her family but they were pretending to be strong and she understood it. For a moment she was no longer angry with her father but she pitied him and she was glad for another reason that at least, she had her personal maid with her.

With one last sigh, she stepped on the stairs of the carriage and that was when her husband held onto her waist to help her up and she froze, they were not in their chambers yet and he was already touching her.

"Don't be mistaken my queen, I am only helping you climb the stairs" he whispered to her and she nodded awkwardly before finally entering the carriage to begin on her new journey and in less than five minutes, the Ashen entourage Were already on their way back to their kingdom with a new queen.