Struvland (REWRITING)

Chapter Four: The Engagement

STRUVLAND
Chapter 4
The Engagement
Alessandra

Tonight is the engagement ball, all throughout the castle, the servants are setting up decorations and Queen Adelina is talking to the cooks about what food is to be prepared for this evening. According, to Prince Oliver, his mother loves planning parties, balls, and feasts as much as he loves books. However, unlike them, I am not ready for this evening, I'm sure that the food will be phenomenal and the music will be satisfactory, but I'm nervous about the royal family of Arcavia visiting. If it comes down to it, how can I be sure that they will protect me?

Although they seem harmless, I can't help but think they might throw me in harm's way the moment it is convenient for their survival. If I were to be killed it would be a minor inconvenience to them, sure they would lose my family's gold and support, but they still have countries that are still neutral like Heranon, Ylieria, and Rianuya. Prince Oliver could marry into any of those royal families and get the money his starving country needs. I'm just a piece on a board to them, easily replaceable, even my own family could replace me with my brother Alwin.

I look to the corner of the large ballroom and see my mother, leaning against the wall. The light from the window beside my mother makes her green eyes shine bright and her skin look as white as the snow on the ground outside. My mother's hair was beautifully done up with a few long white pieces out to frame her face.

She looks more beautiful than I ever could.

I notice my mother is holding a small red book, as her green eyes read the words on the pages, her red lips mumble the words softly. When I walk over to her, she looks up and closes the book, hiding it behind her back. I look at her questioningly and my mother softly smiles at me, something she rarely ever does.

"I was just reading, The Book of Ila, thought I should brush up on knowledge of our goddess of life. The Willens seem to be very religious people, wouldn't want them questioning our faith, would we?" She explains. I nod, toying with a piece of my long blonde-white hair that matches hers.

"I thought those books were all in white, why is yours red?" I ask. She smiles bigger.

"Special edition, specifically made for our family." My mother answers.

"Oh, I wasn't aware of that. Have you helped any with the planning for the ball?"

My mother licks her lips, sighs, and looks across the room at Queen Adelina, who is now talking to some decorators.

"No, Queen Adelina has insisted that she plans everything herself and for us to rest but I can't help but think that she only said that so I wouldn't mess up her plans, she's very specific about what she wants. Your father says that her sister was just the same." She replies, turning her gaze back to me.

"How does father know her sister?"

"Well, before she had disappeared, your father was meant to marry her, instead of me. A few months after she disappeared, when they finally decided she was nowhere to be found, the engagement was called off. The next week, we became engaged, fell in love, and then a few months later we were married." She smiles as she replays memories of her and my father when they were younger.

"So Struvland and Pentoya were almost in an alliance way before Prince Oliver and I were born?" I ask.

Now I know for sure that I am easily replaceable. My presence here holds no weight.

"Indeed." My mother responds.

Now that it is time for the ball, four servants have come to my room to get me ready. Three out of the four servants, I have never seen before, but one of the four is the elf from earlier. I didn't notice it before, but the elf has two dark red small streaks, in her black and loose coiled hair, that frame her face. I can't even remember her name now but the elf looks at me as if she's disgusted to even be in the same room as me. I roll my eyes and huff out a breath.