I sat beside my father- the king of the Shemesh tribe. It was still hard to wrap my head around. I had been sitting here all day as the princesses of other tribes came through with their fathers hoping to be the one I chose to be betrothed to. How could I choose who I would marry by looks? It was easy to pick up that none of them really wanted to be here... Some were curious about the Raksheesh prince, but most hated the thought of being chosen. I sighed bored and tired of the constant buzz of their thoughts through my head since I was still learning to control it- it was a gift (or a curse) that had recently emerged.
Finally there was a girl- the last one who came in with her father and seemed not to hate me right off and was curious about me, more than the others. I straightened up and followed her every graceful step to where she sat almost exactly in front of me. She was from the Melekeye tribe of the south- one of our strongest allies. My father saw me straighten.
"She is the last one,�� he whispered.
I nodded still not daring to look away from her. She was the most plainly dressed here and wore the clothes of a warrior- unlike the other girls. She had seen how she had caught my eye and was now timid and a bit shy instead of the boldness and curiosity I had picked up on when she had walked in. She didn't resent me though and for that I hoped perhaps it could work. With her warrior status, she would understand the nightmares I had- ones of days lost to me when I had taken the calling of Scortha .
"Well?" asked Ginfried quietly, encouraging me.
"The last one- the warrior from Melekeye," I whispered.
My father nodded. "Princess Callan of the Melekeye tribe, will you accept my offer to be my blood kin and my son's betrothed?"
She looked at her father and my breath caught. If he didn't approve, I would have to pick again. When he finally nodded, the other princesses left and all that was left were the royals of Melekeye.
"In exchange for her hand, my prince, what will you give me?"
This was the hardest part. I hadn't really thought of what to give in exchange.
"I will serve in your army if the need ever arises as well as craft your weapon of choice with my own hands as proof that I am the right choice for your daughter."
Her father offered me his hand and I shook it boldly.
"What is your specialty on the bellows?" he asked.
"Swords and axes."
He nodded. "Make me a sword with the hilt made to look like a griffon."
"As you wish," I said, looking him in the eye.
He smiled. "When shall the marriage be, Ginfried"
My father rubbed his chin. "As soon as he finishes the sword to your liking. Will that work for you?"
He nodded. I looked at Callan- her name meant fierce warrior and I could see it. The small white puckered scars all over her darkened skin were proof enough of that.
"Why don't you two take a walk, Jaspen?" offered the king of Melekeye.
I bowed and I followed Callan out the door. We stood there awkwardly looking at each other for several moments.
"You were a Scortha weren't you?" she asked.
I nodded. "Why don't we walk to the oasis?"
I asked for I felt the glances of anyone from the tribe on me.
"Sure," she said taking my hand.
That small act took me aback slightly- making heat rise to my cheeks as we walked. She was bold for a princess, but then again she was also a warrior. No one from the Melekeye tribe was known to be meek or weak.
We arrived at the oasis a few minutes later and we sat in the sand.
"What were you in your tribe's army?" I asked.
She dusted off her pants. "Swordsman."
I nodded, knowing she wasn't a Scortha as I was. Scortha's were seen as devils in other tribes' eyes and we were the only tribe known to use them.
"What was it like being a Scortha ? They always seem to be a loud and rowdy bunch," she asked curiously. "At least from what I have seen of your men."
From what I remembered, we were. Memories flooded back to me every night.
"It's hard to remember," I admitted. "We are in a different state of mind- possessed by a higher demon- and we aren't really ourselves, but from what I remember we are all close knit and very loud and rowdy after battle."
She looked at me, surprised. "How many years do you not remember?"
"Two."
We sat there for a few hours talking. I had chosen correctly for we seemed to already have a connection.
"Callan?" I asked finally.
"Aye?" she asked.
"How long do you wish me to take on your father's sword? I don't want to hurry your hand."
She smiled. "You are a curious one, Jaspen and a respectable prince."
I flushed still not used to praise. "How long?" I asked.
She laughed. "As long as you wish, Jaspen. Just do your best work."
I smiled. "As you wish."
"All I ask is, when you finish it, you deliver it yourself."
I nodded.
"Where do you wish the ceremony to be?"
She thought for a moment. "It is normal for the women to hold the ceremony on the lands of her husband."
I nodded. "Is this what you want? I mean... there is nothing traditional about our marriage.
She squeezed my hand in hers. "You didn't pick up on the fact I'm a Raksheesh as well?"
I looked at her, noticing her features were softer than a demon's. How had I missed this before? It was not surprising that she had no resentment towards me.
"No," I said qietly.
She laughed. "In our lands, Raksheesh, as you call them here are as accepted, as the lesser and greater demons."
No wonder she knew so much about me. Her father probably saw it as a wonderful choice for two Raksheesh, probably knowing, that with Neo's passing, she now may now stand a chance of marrying and knew I would be drawn to her because we were one and the same. She knew the words in our language that differed from hers. How long had she been trained for this? She smiled, and as if she read my mind said, "My father has been preparing me for the day I could possibly be betrothed to you since he heard of Neo's passing. No offense, but you were the only Raksheesh he ever liked."
Thinking back, she was right.
"None taken, Callan."
Soon I heard the voices of my two guards and she was swept away. As I watched her leave, I hoped I had made the right choice.