"It's rare at how everywhere we go, everything we do, our younger brother don't want to get married" the elder sister of Valdemar, Lola said.
Valdemar and his two elder sisters laughed softly over what Lola just said.
"It's a surprise indeed. My two elder sisters are married. My younger sister is engaged, it is indeed a very good sight to witness. As for me... "
"We have heard it a million times brother. Our Dad is getting old and it will be an abomination if he stay on the throne for sixty five years, we all know that Valdemar. When? When will you leave the past of Stelleine and get a future with another lady much more better than Stellaine?" Jen Kun asked.
Valdemar boiled profusely inside. How dare she talk about Stellaine like that? He thought.
They talk about getting a wife like it's that easy. Or is it because some Kings of far away lands managed to get to them at tender ages, that's why they're talking?, He asked himself inside.
"Believe us, we know what you're going through... "
"No!... " Valdemar cut Lola short in the middle of her sentence.
"You think you do but you don't! Getting a wife isn't that easy you know. Especially when the person you thought you will marry died years ago!" Valdemar said, standing up from his throne and waving his hand in thin air as he tried to demonstrate his expression.
"Valdemar, there's no need to shout here" Lola said trying to calm him down.
"I am not shouting, you hear me?!" He yelled at Lola in anger
The two sisters stared at their brother in fear. It was like he became a monster for one minute and then came back to his right senses the next.
"I don't want to have a conversation anymore. Thank you for your time" he said and walked out on his sisters and out of the throne room.
As he left the throne room, massaging his nose in annoyance and tiredness, the neighs of horses caught his attention and quickly, he ran to the intersection in the Castle hall and stared at the soldiers that had just arrive with the girls that were gagged and lying on their belly on the horses.
"Lois!... " Valdemar called to a soldier and ran over to him and both of them stared at the ladies and the just arriving soldiers.
"How many ladies remaining?" He asked
"We got twenty two of them. Just one left" Lois said and Valdemar licked his lower lip in satisfaction.
"Get that one lady from Maneth. Make sure she have brown hair" Valdemar said, tapped Lois's shoulder and walked away.
His plan was to get his new friend into the Castle, so he could know more about her and likewise for him.
If he could just get the sketch of her face and send some soldiers to go look for her, it would have been more better than sending a soldier that don't even know who he's talking about to go look for her.
"Oh God let those idiots get the right girl" he whispered aloud as he walked to his room and then down the hallway.
He just wanted to get to know Lea and see if she could fill in the space he had left in his soul. The space that Stellaine had left some years ago empty.
That's all he wanted.
He looked up and into the mirror in his room.
And that's all he'll get.
Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt and grabbed a new shirt from his wardrobe. A buttonless shirt that looked like a garment was what he picked and wore it.
As soon as he pounced on his bed, a knock was heard on his door.
"Who is it?" He groaned.
The door opened and in came his mother and a lady that had her hair packed in a bun. She wore a magnificent gown and her makeup was upto date and her body matches the dress she wore.
But what had Valdemar not seen and not know about ladies?
"Mother?" He called and stood up from his bed.
He kept staring at the lady that got black hair in front of him and yes, her beauty was beyond words but that isn't what he is looking for at the moment.
"Honey, this is Cassandra. From Larinda... "
"Is that a country?" Valdemar asked, not caring of the unecessary introduction his mother want to bring up at the moment.
"A town, not far off Banneui" His mother replied.
Valdemar's gaze got fixed on the lady that followed his mother. Her face turned bright red and she bent her head to look at the ground.
Who is blushing with you?, Valdemar thought in disgust.
"I'll leave you to get a good introduction on. Take care" Sarah said and exited the room, leaving only Valdemar and Cassandra in the room.
Valdemar eyed her hysterically, packing her up from her head to her toe and then her head again.
"Umm... Hello Prince" Cassandra started and Valdemar stared at her, with the same expression.
"I'm Cassandra of Larinda and... "
"Oh God" Valdemar said, shaking his head in annoyance. Cassandra felt embarrassed and sulked up.
Valdemar felt like making the ground to open up and swallow him.
His so called family, won't just stop making him to feel stressed up and lazy. They won't just give up on this bride thing, right?!
"Tell me, you don't want to be here, right? You don't want to be here, you got a family in Larinda right?" Valdemar asked and Cassandra stayed quiet.
"You got a home! This is not your home... "
"Make it to feel like it" Cassandra said and Valdemar chuckled.
He shook his head and turned to face the window in the room.
"Let's get this thing going and outta here" he said and pulled back a chair for her to sit on while he passed by her to the dressing room.
Cassandra felt the tears gather in her eyes go hot, but she blinked it back in and sighed deeply. She sat casually on the chair and let out a breath of relief. Valdemar in the dressing room, knew that his actions were wrong but...
It's his decision. No one else.