Dine and Dash
The dining room seems a lot less hostile, as my father's robust laughter echoes at something my mom or Ezra had said to him. The warmth of the room doesn't quite reach my soul.
"Finally. We've been waiting!" the kings big voice filled the room making the shadows cower.
"I am terribly sorry, father." My voice seemed like a tiny inconsequential candle following his.
Ezra occupied our parents attention with his usual future king greatness. Which sounds far more bitter than I intend. Ezra has the ability to draw the attention of a brick wall, the exact quality a king needs and a sister occasionally appreciates.
With everyone occupied I was left to my thoughts with Zion reading every single one of them from the other side of the room where her dinner of fresh salmon was being picked at. I look at my own plate, the fish flaked apart but not eaten. Under normal circumstances being mirrored by a bear would probably be the last thing you would want, however these are not normal circumstances. The thought brings a slight warmth to my heart and a whisper of a smile across my lips. My own comfort in my bear companion brings my train of thought to a screeching stop at Arrow's statement this afternoon. 'This isn't exactly what either of us had envisioned for our futures' he doesn't want this either and yet he's more than willing to marry me. I shift in my seat, taking a sip of water before trying to focus on the beautiful meal spread out on the table in front of me.
Mom looks so happy and soft in the light of the fire and her son's stories. My father looks proud, his usually stone face warm from the wine. Grandma Celeste is deep in conversation with Silas, her lady in waiting about the sugared plums grandma is enjoying. The love I feel for the people, and bears in this room cannot be measured by any means in the either kingdom.
I however cannot get the sadness in Arrows voice out of my head. He is such a kind man, he is going to be a great king. If only it were possible for him to be king without a wife. Nymph tradition values the woman significantly more than the gnomes do, which is why Arrow must be married in order to rule.
The worst part is that he knows neither of us wants this. He knows I don't love him. He knows I probably never will. Yet he is still willing to marry me. Does that say more about how much he loves his people or how much power Serephina still holds?
"That prince is truly lovely." My grandmother's words pull me out of the soup of thoughts muddling about in my head.
"Huh?" I mumble not sure if I heard all of what she had said.
"Prince Arrow, I ran into him, or rather he ran into me and I asked him on a walk about the rose garden. He is a very polite young man. He will make a fine, fine husband and a truly incredible king. You are a lucky girl, my dear. But then he is marrying you so I'm not entirely sure who is more lucky." She winks at me, her words making me feel even guiltier than my own thoughts did.
I would be trapping him in an unfair, loveless marriage and for what? For us to be friends for the first few years till we accidentally fall in love with someone else and then resent each other till we die? What if one of us already accidentally fell in love?
That thought seemed to wake me from a sort of slumber. Suddenly everything seemed clearer that it has since Arrow actually asked me to marry him.
"Excuse me please, I have had a rather long day and wish to retire early." I fake a yawn to punctuate my point, hoping my parents were still too caught up in Ezra's hunting story to pay me much attention.
"Goodnight dear." My mother softly smiles, Ezra simply nods and my father merely gives an approving grunt. I get up and kiss my grandmother on the cheek.
"You must tell me all about your conversation with Arrow in the morning, please." I hold her safe hands.
"Of course, my darling moonchild."