Enchantment of the Bow

Chapter One

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I lower my head, my hands clutching at my skirts, as if they are the only thing rooting me here. "What?" I heard him clearly the first time that he spoke, but something in my mind won't believe his words.

My father sighs, and scrubs a hand across his tired face, as if knowing that I would react this way. "The king of Whales is in search for a bride, and you are of age. Lyra, we need to keep our good bloodlines going, and he is not a bad man to deal with. Also, they have good trade, and good money flow. They could make us a rich Country again."

Of course, I've known since I was small that I would be set into an arranged marriage one day, but I cannot help but be baffled at the king's selection for my husband. I always thought that one day I would meet a handsome young prince that I was to marry, and that we would ride off into the sunset together. At least, that's what my mother told me when I was a child.

The King of Whales is well into his forties, and I've just turned eighteen a month ago. I've also heard many a rumor of what became of the King on Whales' five previous wives. No grown man should ask his daughter to do this, though I know it happens all the time, I never thought that I would have to be one of them. Not for that king. "But father, I-"

The king cuts me off with the slam of his palm on the polished mahogany of the dinner table. "No buts, Lyra. Our kingdom is..." He sighs. "We need help, or we are going to fail and our people will starve."

"Our people are starving. I am not sure if you have noticed. I am having trouble seeing how marrying an old man will change that." I grit out through my teeth, clenching my fists under the table. He ignores this, and cuts himself a piece of meat slowly, waiting for my answer, though I know well that he will give me no choice but to agree with him.

My mother looks up, silently pleading with me, her eyes shining with unshaped tears. She doesn't want me to fight with him, nor does she want me to have to do this. Her dark brown hair, the same as mine, frames her beautiful face when it falls near her sharp cheeks as she lowers her eyes, picking up her drink with shaky hands. I avoid her gaze and look down at the untouched lamb on the plate in front of me. "I... No. I won't." I say firmly, looking slowly up at my father, defiance settling deep in my bones. "I refuse to marry the king of Whales."

He picks up his silver cup and takes a long drink of his wine, as if preparing himself for something. He sets it back down and looks at me, smoothing his dark, graying mustache. He glances at my mother, who had started to silently cry. She is a quiet woman, and would never speak out against my father, as they were met in the same way. An arranged marriage. My father also doesn't like when his pets speak out of turn. I've always assumed that he found me to be distastful, for that very reason. I've always been too much for him to handle. A princess should be sweet, delicate and polite. A princess should never speak without permission, or challenge the authority of a man. I've been doing all of these things since I was a child. I act more like a young prince, than the dainty princess that I am. The king has always frowned upon me for that.

"Lyra, I do not want to do this, but if you do not heed my wishes, then I will be forced to..."

My mother looks at me as my father continues, and I can see in her eyes that she knew that I would rather face his punishment than be forced into the same thing that she was, though she had been arranged to the prince at the time, she hadn't loved him. I am still not sure if she does. I suspect that my father hasn't changed since he was young, he is still stubborn, hard, and unkind. It would be a miracle to love someone like that.

"I will be forced to disown you. You will be banished from this kingdom." He says, with nearly no remorse of doing so. I raise my chin to meet his dark eyes, showing no weakness. I've never let the king see my tears, so I will certainly not start now.