Chapter 32: Fateful Disaster

~Arika's POV~

The sky was covered by dark grey clouds and occasionally, Arika could hear the low rumbling of thunder in the distance. It wasn't too bad waiting by the gate with Suni, who helped pass the time as she waited for Sin-Vira to pick her up.

Even though she delivered the letter the day after she last spoke to him, it was a surprise that it took him so long to reply. For a while, she worried he changed his mind and didn't have the spine to tell her directly.

"Today is the perfect day to go visit Prince Sin-Vira's kingdom!" Arika spoke sarcastically as she readjusted her floppy hat to cover her head. "I'm hoping it doesn't rain too bad, the last thing I want is my joints rusting…" she looked over at Suni who was holding an umbrella in her hand.

"Do you want to borrow my umbrella? I likely will take the day off and stay inside since soggy bread doesn't sell well." She handed the bright red umbrella out to her.

Arika couldn't see Suni due to her hat, so she cautiously raised it to see her. "No, it's fine! If it pours down, you'll end up sick with a cold! I'll just be a bit stiff."

Suni shivered slightly before huddling next to Arika. Who gladly held her close. "It's dark, likely it'll rain, and you're going to the mountains which are from home. I swear this is all brewing together to make this day disastrous."

Arika laughed. "I already agreed to see him and I'll be fine. I tightened my joints, my ankles are stable, and my skin is flawless! Besides Sin-Vira will be with me, so don't talk like I'm going straight into danger."

Suni gently pushed away and looked stern. "That's what it feels like! I'm telling you it's like a gut instinct! If anything happens to you, I swear I'll drag Sin-Vira by his spine and chuck him in the sea!"

"No no! He'll need that to walk Sibylla down the aisle! I promise I'll come back in one piece, just spare the poor boy's spine!" Arika giggled to herself while Suni remained quiet. "Well I thought that was funny…" she mumbled.

"It was funny, but the way you go about this makes me worry," Suni confessed while folding her hands on her lap. "Are you really okay with your sister marrying him? He'll practically be marrying a stranger he thought he knew."

Arika refused to appear phased as she shook her head with a small smile. "I doubt he would prefer marrying a dead girl. Sibylla's an awful, selfish, vain sister. But I'm sure Sin-Vira will tolerate her until he gets back what's his."

"Did you tell her the plan then?" Suni asked.

Arika sheepishly lowered her head, the curled brim of the hat hid Suni's gaze. "I never got the chance. All I managed to do was keep her interested in marrying him. I'll try again if I manage to impress the Snapdragons for her."

Suni scrunched her face slightly. "You need to put yourself first. You should enjoy this time with him rather than see it as a duty."

"I try sometimes. But hearing her name is always a reminder of what the world sees me as. Even if I acted nothing like her, everyone would see me as spiteful Sibylla." Arika leaned against Suni slightly. "You're the only one who knows about 'Arika'. That's enough for me." she sighed.

She heard the sound of a carriage approaching and saw Sin-Vira leaning out of it. Waving at Arika with a bright grin on his face and hair tousling in the wind. Arika couldn't stop smiling as she waved back to him.

Suni stood and pat Arika's shoulder. "I know it goes against your orders, but try to forget about your sis during this trip. Let him enjoy the real you. Have fun, dolly."

The lazy nickname only made Arika feel less anxious.

She stood and adjusted her hat once again, holding it up to see the carriage that was gradually approaching. "I'll do my best. Thanks for waiting with me, cake-fairy!" She turned her attention to Sin-Vira.

He hopped off the carriage and pulled out a bouquet of red and white snapdragons. Holding it out to her with a smug grin on his face.

"My darling Sibylla! I've longed for my peaceful days to end! Without your reckless tendencies, my days have been boring!" Sin-Vira spoke dramatically as he held the flowers out to her.

Arika held onto the flowers in one arm and used the other to hold her hat up. "Beloved Vira! Without a dense barbarian like you causing trouble, I realized how bland my days are!" She spoke just as dramatically.

He held his gloved hand out to her. "To meet you again on such a gloomy day such as now, it must be fate."

Arika held his hand and was pulled closer to him. "Suni thinks this day would be a disastrous one. I'm curious to know if she'll be right?"

Vira chuckled. "Only time will tell! For now, we can enjoy the ride to my humble kingdom! If you're brave enough that is?" He asked.

She glanced down at her hand. It didn't bother her in the slightest to have him hold her hand so casually. "You'll make a great meat shield, so I'm confident in going!"

Sin-Vira clenched his chest with a mocked pained expression. "My heart- to think such an ill-mannered princess would do something so cruel!"

"Okay, you two. Tone down the theatrical drama before you draw in an audience," Suni sighed. "You better keep her safe, princy. Sibylla is a treasure to this kingdom and my best friend."

Sin-Vira released Arika's hand and bowed to her. "I will keep her safe at all cost. You have my word."

"You better. Your spine's on the line!" Arika slapped his back before walking towards the carriage.

"My what?! I didn't agree to that!" Sin-Vira shouted before following her.

He opened the door for Arika who carefully went in and sat on the stiff seat. It was less comfortable looking than the one her father had. Sin-Vira sat across from her and closed the door. He hit the ceiling which caused the carriage to move.

"You can take the hat off in here ya know?" Sin-Vira suggested.

"Nope! It matches my outfit perfectly!" Arika pulled it down to make sure it was secure. She could only Sin-Vira's feet thanks to it. It was an inconvenience, but she refused to take it off.

"I can barely see your face with it on. Even if it matches it's ridiculously big," he pressed the issue.

Arika shook her head. "It's to protect me from seeing your face!" She laughed.

"Okay, now you're just being childish…" She saw his hand reach towards her and slapped his hand away without thinking.

Arika grimaces at her actions but looked away from him. "I-it's rude to touch a lady like that, beloved… I want it on, okay?"

She heard Sin-Vira sighed in defeat. "Keep it on then. Not seeing your face for a while might help."

Arika looked outside and saw the clouds were a heavy grey. It was going to rain quite a bit. "Had that messenger not taken so long to give you the letter, it would've been a nicer day to go."

"Um… it wasn't a messenger who delivered that letter…" Sin-Vira corrected her. He sounded uneasy about it.

Arika held up the hat's brim to see him. "Then who gave you the letter?"

Sin-Vira looked away from her before sheepishly shrugging. "I guess you could say it was my dear future father-in-law."