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Erienne, princess of the powerful Samaria, is faced with one of the most dreaded situations of all time: an arranged marriage. Bound by a blood oath, she marries her unwilling groom. As circumstances shift out of her favor, Erienn...
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ERIENNE WAS THE FIRST IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOM.
When she sat on the throne, she was almost embarrassed to admit the thrill that washed over her. Though the princess knew exactly how her life would pan out, it had been difficult not to to imagine herself as queen. Now sitting here, tapping the wood, Erienne couldn't ignore the power that radiated from the chair. It made her head swirl. "You won't have it for long you know," a voice whispered in her head. "It's likely they'll succeed in killing you. And why not? No ones ever really loved you, you've never lived for a true purpose that anyone cared to see to fruition." Erienne bit her lip, shaking the negativity. At that moment, a woman strolled through the large oak doors. Her hair was what caught Erienne's attention. Most of everyone at Royal Court sported golden or white blond tresses. She, on the other hand, had a waterfall of raven that fell to her back. Her eyes were a startling green and they dimmed once they saw Erienne in the room. Clearly, she didn't want to be here.
"Your Imperial Majesty," she said softly, dipping in a curtsy. She was very pretty, Erienne noted. She, the Empress decided, would be one of her picks for lady in waiting.
"Your name is?"
"Taryl, Your Imperial Majesty."
"You're of what, Taryl?"
"Lady Taryl of Ritz, Your Imperial Majesty."
Erienne watched Taryl very carefully. Though her eyes were lowered in deference, she seemed to be making a clear point not to look at her at all.
"How is it that you're a lady, but still part of the Royal Court?" Erienne asked. There was pause. Erienne watched Taryl stiffen.
"My blood isn't pure, Your Imperial Majesty."
"You're a bastard, you mean." Erienne watched a vein strain in Taryl's neck.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
Weiss was the only country she knew to embrace bastards in royalty. In most kingdoms, they might've been raised well, but shunned from public eye. Weiss, however, accepted bastards as children who could be raised publicly and even granted titles, while they weren't exactly legitimate. Despite her downward glance, Erienne saw the heat in Taryl's face. They both knew Erienne was aware of why Taryl didn't have the title before she asked the question.
"Your Imperial Majesty," came several voices. Erienne directed her attention toward the door. Several other royals had entered. After proper greetings, bows and curtsies, they filled in the wooden seats. Erienne stared placidly out at the Royal Court assembled before her. There was only one person missing, it seemed. Well—two actually. Erienne had yet to see the Duke of Argon enter. Or her husband.
Twenty minutes passed before the oak doors opened again. It was the Duke of Argon, looking rather disheveled, with a troubled look in his eye. He did a curt bow before shuffling into a seat. Minutes later, the door opened again. Adrian was dressed in the white tunic the late Emperor had worn when Erienne had just arrived. And, this unnerved Erienne, he was complete with a crown. The whole room rose as soon as he entered. Adrian strode slowly to the throne. Without acknowledging Erienne, he sat at the one beside her. The Court dipped in bows and curtsies. Erienne didn't miss that Royce's bow didn't last as long as the other's. "Your Imperial Majesty," they echoed.
"I'm sure you want to know why we're all gathered her today," Adrian said, in a clear loud voice. "It wasn't my doing, mind." Adrian gestured theatrically to Erienne in a way that could only be interpreted as demeaning. "Her Imperial Majesty decided to call the assembly for us." He turned to face Erienne now, eyes connecting meaningfully with hers. "Do tell us, darling, why we're here."
The nervous sweat that broke out upon Erienne was unexpected and embarrassing. She steeled her features before looking out into the Royal Court. "Under the normal circumstances of a foreign royal wedding, I should've already had my ladies in waiting. Per the custom, four royals from Samaria would've traveled with me here and been my companions. However, as you know, my arrival and marriage weren't born of normal circumstances. Arranged marriages forbid any foreign royal from the bride's country to reside permanently in her adopted country. Therefore, I've had no ladies in waiting." Erienne paused, surveying the court. They did well at hiding their true feelings, but some couldn't help it. Disgust and angst cloaked some people's faces, for they all knew what her next words would be. "I've decided to correct that mistake." Erienne deliberately went quiet again, letting the tension in the room increase. Her eyes landed on a girl dressed in pink silk with long blond hair, who appeared to be around Erienne's age. Erienne pointed to her. "You."
The girl rose without hesitation, her eyes glued to the floor.
"What is your name?" Erienne asked.
"Reythe, Your Imperial Majesty."
"Reythe, I offer you a position as my lady and companion. Do you accept?"
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." Erienne was surprised at her rapid reply.
"You may sit." Erienne looked around again. She noticed two girls—she wondered how she hadn't seen them before—in matching green velvet gowns. They were twins it looked like, identical. One was biting her lip with a painful intensity while the other seemed to be paying special mind to Adrian's shoes. Erienne pointed to the both of them. They saw her finger, registering what it meant. "Stand," Erienne ordered. They remained seated. Erienne allowed seconds to pass by as the court observed the defiance. Some did very well at hiding their satisfied smiles. Others did not. Erienne abruptly rose from her throne and the court unwillingly stood with her. "Do you disobey a direct command from Your Imperial Majesty? From your queen?" The twins remained motionless and silent. "Are you prepared to suffer the consequences associated with disobeying a direct order?" Erienne motioned to the guards. Clad in armor, two men approached the row in which the two women sat. The stretched their spears over the people seated in their row, till the weapons were inches from the twins' necks. Erienne made a cutting motion with her hand. She watched the guards puncture the necks of twins. Their bodies went limp. Their spurting blood landed on mortified strangers. Even Adrian gasped audibly beside her. "Take them away," Erienne commanded. The guards walked rudely between people, scooped up the bleeding bodies of the twin princesses, and carried them out of the assembly room. Several people were red-faced. The anger and surprise in the room was palpable. Erienne then pointed to a girl in a black gown and then to another in purple. "Stand," she called clearly. They both stood before Erienne had finished uttering her sentence. "Your names?"
"I am Vera, Your Imperial Majesty," said the girl in black.
"And I Rowen, Your Imperial Majesty," said the girl in purple.
"Vera, Rowen, I offer you positions as my ladies and companions. Do you accept?"
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty," they said unison.
"You may sit." Erienne looked around the room again, regarding the blood-stained chairs where the twin sisters sat, before locking eyes with Taryl. "Lady Taryl, please stand." The girl stood at a moderate speed. "Taryl, I offer you a position as my lady and companion. Do you accept?" Erienne was slightly taken aback by her deep curtsy.
