So the Lord must be on his way, he was to come and meet her today. Athena had heard. She must ruin this, prove to be the most undisciplined lady and make him back off. She picked up a razor and started to cut her hair. It hurt her to do this but she has no choice, making Tristan not want to marry her will be difficult and cutting her hair was only the beginning of her huge plan.
When she saw Duncan last night in the dead of the night, he came up with the plan. I shall always love you no matter what you look like, Athena. He promised.
"Athena, what have you done? Her mother," Lady Annabelle shouted making her jump.
"What do you mean, mother?" She faked innocence and shrugged.
"You cut your hair," she cried.
"Yes, it was getting too long." She said again like it was no big deal. Her mother was exaggerating, she only cut it to her nape, making it look like a cap.
"Your father will be furious.."
"Let him be," she snapped. "I will not marry Tristan." Her mother's hand landed harshly on her cheek, making her wince in pain.
"Athena, you will get dressed now." She ordered firmly. "You ruined your hair." Annabelle cried. "What am I going to do?"
"You will do nothing mother, why can't you understand?"
"Athena, not another word from you." She shouted. She turned to her huge trunks and picked out a high collared dress of beige colour and pearl jewelry.
"Mother, but..." Tears swam in her blue eyes, Annabelle quickly looked away not wanting to be moved by her tears.
"I know my dear," she whispered gently. "I saw you last night with Duncan without a chaperone." She emphasized the word chaperone. Athena gasped.
"Mother..." She started to say.
"Do not say a word." She warned. "I saw you with the baker's son. How low can you stoop? You are of noble birth Athena." She said, anger reeking off her. "If your father saw you, you would be punished for adultery, do you know what that means?"
"Mother," she said softly. She knew the punishment for adultery, many a times had she seen people punished for the crime.
"Keep quiet and let me speak," she continued, "you are unmarried to him for God's sake."
"Mother." She cried, her chest tightening up with emotions.
"Did he bed you?" Lady Annabelle suddenly asked, making Athena redden.
She shook her head no and the relief on her face was evident. "No, mother." She knew she had lost this fight. She started to get dressed in tears. Her mother helped her tighten the strings on her gown to show more bust. Very indecent but she was to get married to him no matter what.
There was nothing they could do about her hair, so she just brushed it and put some pins to keep the strands tickling her face away.
"You are to sit here until you are summoned." Her mother instructed.
"Aye, mother."
"I will call Jessica to keep you company and so you do not do anything stupid." She spat.
"Just promise you will not tell father." She begged, her head hanging in shame.
"I will not." She promised and left the room.
It was not very long until she was summoned. Her mother came to hold her hand and keep her rest assured.
"Sit with your back straight and rump rigid." She told her in hushed tones. Athena nodded in understanding. In the long hours of waiting Jessica finally came up with something to help Athena's hair which was a wig. It was quickly made from horse hair. They had no choice.
When she reached the table, she curtsied a little and Tristan bowed.
"Good afternoon, my good sire." She greeted, her voice tight.
"Why, thank you my lady." Tristan replied with matching sarcasm. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, so did the two other gentlemen with him did.
She did not say anything throughout the luncheon. When spoken too, she pretended not to hear. They spoke of their marriage and how eager the both parties were to make peace within the lands.
"If it is not too soon, may I get married to lady Athena in a week's time?" Tristan suddenly requested, making her jump in shock.
"No way," she shrieked before her father could answer.
"Athena," her mother said tightly, the warning in her voice was not to be mistaken.
"Lady Athena," Tristan said, "why would you say no?"
"Because, it is too soon." She stuttered.
"Too soon?" Aidan snorted.
"Do I have to wait until your hair grows back?" He suddenly asked, making her freeze in fear.
"How did you know?" She challenged, her voice trembling.
"The horsehair did not hide much." He laughed gently which made her turn red with embarrassment.
"If it is okay with you, will you marry her tomorrow?" Her father said.
"Why of course, I am eager to take my new bride home." Tristan smirked and Athena swallowed hard, her face going white.
"But.." She started to say but her mother held her hand tightly from across the table daring her to say a word. She bit her lip hard and continued eat food even though she felt like she was going to vomit and tears burned the back of her eyes.
She was escorted back to her room by Jessica. She slumped in defeat and cried.
"My lady, you have to be strong." Jessica started, earning a hard look from Athena.
"Tell me, what will I do?" She asked, helpless.
"Nothing, except prepare for your new life." Her mother interrupted. Two maids followed her with large trunks. She waved them away as soon as they dropped the trunks.
"I had the dressmaker make all the best dresses for you," she chatted, "it has all the latest designs. All you have to do is just pick your choices."
"Mother, I do not want to get married to him."
"Why?" Her mother asked, uninterested.
"Because he is rude and disrespectful and crude." She complained.
"And proper ladies do not complain about their potential husbands." Her mother said tightly silencing further complaints from her.
"Athena, you have to understand why we are doing this."
"I do not want to understand to be frank." She screamed.
Lady Annabelle groaned in exasperation. "Athena dear, what do you want me to do?"
"Help me run away." She blurted nervously making her mother laugh obnoxiously loud. Never had she seen her laugh like that. She was laughing so hard tears dripped down her eyes.
"Where do you get all these ideas from?" Her mother asked.
"That is not the point, mother." She whispered urgently.
"No Athena, there is no way I am helping you run away." She whispered back as she stopped laughing, sensing her daughter's seriousness. Now check this ivory gown on.
She collected the clothes, begrudgingly and went ahead to change out of her day clothes to the ivory gown. The gown was truly beautiful and fitted her well.
"I would like this." She told her with a smile.
"That is more like it. Now Athena, you must know some things." Her mother began.
"Can it wait?" She whined.
"No, no it cannot." Came the firm reply.
"I am all ears."
"You must know that the bedding is painful." That made her redden with embarrassment. She does not want to hear about all of this now. "You must also obey your husband." She nodded, she was not listening. "You cannot say no to him."
And the rules went on and on but Athena was not listening. When she noticed her mother stopped talking, she ended it with the ultimate, "aye mother, I heard all you have told me."
"That is good, my dear." Her mother softly said, now get some sleep tomorrow is a big day.
"Good night, mother."
"Good night my dear." And she was left alone. But she did not sleep as instructed, she had other plans.
"What made you decide to marry the lady on the morrow?" Eric asked.
"I do not know," he answered honestly. She seemed challenging, I don't like her. She is ill-mannered.
"You are one sick man." Jamie interrupted.
"You can say that again in the training yard." Tristan challenged. Jamie swallowed and he chuckled darkly.
"But you amaze me, Tristan." Eric persisted.
"What can I do? She was going to say no, I am a warrior, doing anything to protect my people is my sole duty." He explained. The earlier she gets used to the idea the better.
"You are a mysterious man, Tristan." Jamie called, shaking his head lightly.
"She is one bonny lass though." Eric said and they all hummed in agreement.
"Tomorrow is a big day for you, get enough rest. You will probably be up all night tomorrow night." Eric added after moments of silence.
Jamie snickered and Tristan ignored them both, lost in his own thoughts.
If he was making the right decision by agreeing to marry lady Athena or not, he was not sure but it was too late now. Backing out now means war, alliances are not to be breached by either of the parties involved. One thing was certain, the lady annoyed him.
He laid back in bed and put one arm above his eyes, blocking Eric and Jamie out. The night was far and asleep, the eerie singing of birds could be heard from the distance. When dawn breaks, another chapter of his life that was totally unplanned begins.
Someone once asked him how far he could go for his people, he did not have an answer ready at the time, because he thought having to fight bravely at battleground was the farthest he could go or laying down his life.
Beginning your life with a complete stranger was never part of his wildest dreams. If he was making the right decision, he had no idea.