United

News Travels Fast

"Your majesty, it is time to awake child. The day is still early and there is much to do." My maid Helga woke me.

       I groaned, rolling up into my bed sheets again, not wanting to face the day. Why couldn't I have just one day of relaxing? A blinding light filled the room as Helga flung open the curtains. Slowly standing up, I stood still for a moment so that I would not become dizzy then I made my way towards the screen where I would dress. Everything was laid out for me, the only thing I needed help with was the corset, the one thing all women hated.

"Tell me why women wear these again!?" I asked as I struggled for air.

"It shows off your figure along with those birth bearing hips of yours. My, the man you marry will be delighted with that, he'll be wanting children right away!"

         This was only on of the many problems of being a princess. Although many people saw the upsides to being royal, they completely eliminated the negative effects. I was to be married off to a total stranger, I knew that, but the fact that I would only be used to have the next heir frustrated me. I wasn't going to be used, I didn't want to be used; however I loved my kingdom and if I had to give birth to twenty children in order to save my home then I would.

          As Helga styled my hair, I looked at the list of agenda for today. There was not much to do, it was a daily routine really. First off there were my classes in etiquette, then some training but oddly everything else I would normally do was cancelled. Instead, I was to attend a meeting with my father, the king, on some urgent business.

"Eat up child, you'll need your strength for today!" Helga rushed me.

        My classes went by very slowly though they always did. I kept thinking about the meeting with father, wondering what he could possibly want me for. Women were never usually called upon urgent business for we were to fragile and naive to hear such things. Once my lesson was over (which I was terribly thankful for), I had to call upon Helga to help me out of my dress and into my training uniform.

        Helga had been my maid since I was born. She had helped nurse mother back to health after she gave birth to me, looked after me when mother couldn't and all around was a good friend. Although she had a tough exterior to her, she was kindhearted. I decided to ask Helga if she knew anything about this meeting.

"Helga, do you have any idea as to why I am meeting father later today?" I asked. She glanced at me, then went back to folding my clothes, hurrying up her pace. I knew that she did this when she was nervous."Helga! Stop that and tell me."

"Do not breathe a word of this, do you understand?" She asked me, clutching my shoulders. I nodded my head."There has been rumour that you are to be married into another family so that our kingdoms may unite. I have no idea whom it is that you shall marry."

Had all my fears come true?

"Come now princess, you are not at all yourself today!" The head of the guards, Sir Fandrel, shouted at me.

       I had been knocked down once again as we both battled with our swords. It wasn't that I wasn't good at fighting with a sword, I just wasn't at all focused on the situation at hand.

"My deepest apologies, sir. But it is not that I am unwell, I've heard some terrible news." I explained as he helped me to my feet.

"And what is this terrible news?"

I hesitated, no knowing whether I should tell him."I don't know this for certain, by there are rumours that I am to be sent off to another kingdom to live out my days in a prison."

"...Your majesty, you have lost me."

"My parents have set an arranged marriage."

"Marriage? My, how the years have gone by."

"I don't feel like it's my wedding, I feel like I'm being sold." I lowered my head, ashamed that he might see me cry.

"Listen to me young one," he raised my chin so that I was looking at him,"what would your brother say to you right now?"

         My brother, Caspian, had been murdered when he was only eighteen. He was just beginning to learn the ways in which a king should act. I was twelve at the time, so I had known what was going on. He was assassinated whilst out hunting. No one ever caught the person who killed Caspian, but that didn't matter at the time, he was gone. However, in the days that he was alive, he would always comfort me when I was upset. Caspian was such a positive person, I just don't understand how he did it. That was one of the reasons my father insisted that I be trained in some form of combat so that I could defend myself that bit more.

"He would tell me to hold my chin up high and get on with it!" I exclaimed. Fandrel smiled, picking up my sword for me.

"Shall we start again?"

         My training seemed to go quicker after the talk with the Fandrel. Anyone could tell we had been working hard and were both in need of a bath. I assumed Helga was already making mine, so I headed towards my room. Once I was outside the door, I heard voices from inside, one was Helga's.

"I heard that she will be travelling to Camelot!" The unknown voice said.

      Camelot? Why were they on about Camelot?

"Surely she will not be marrying Prince Arthur? They have been close friends since they were small though have not seen each other in years." Helga said.

        Arthur Pendragon and I used to be close friends. That was before we both had to start to learning the ways of becoming a king and queen. We used to write to each other a lot but that stopped when his letters began to get shorter and less of them arrived. I only blamed it on his royal duties.

"The poor lamb, she doesn't know much of the world out there." The other maid sighed. I walked back a little and emphasised my footsteps so that they would hear me coming and cease with their gossiping. I just hoped they were wrong about Arthur.

                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*

Once I was presentable to meet with my father and the courtiers, I started the painful walk towards the throne room. If what Helga said was true, I don't know how I would react. I had been upset since Helga told me so finding out the truth would just crush me. And what if I was to marry Arthur? It would be an awkward situation to say the least. 'Hello old friend, I haven't talked to you in years, but we're getting married now!'

         As I entered the room, the chatter died down, resulting in silence. Everyone bowed as I walked by, I nodding my head in return. In front of my parents I curtsied before standing up straight, the way a princess should. My breathing was shaky and I could feel a few tears brimming in my eyes. Though I had to remain strong.

"My dear, you must be wondering why I have called you here so urgently." My father started.

"Indeed, sire." I replied.

"You know of our kingdom's strength, yes? Well we want to become stronger, so that others may fear the name Arendaul. Our neighbouring kingdom is Camelot, a kingdom in which we have had no quarrel with, so it only seems fit to unite these two kingdoms."

"And how do you propose we do that, sire?" I knew what was coming, it was all true.

"By performing a marriage between you and Arthur Pendragon."