(Azriel POV)
By the time Ashmeer and I arrived at the picnic, it was almost wrapped up. I couldn't understand how we had ended up spending so much time in the woods. I looked at Ashmeer curiously.
"We weren't in there for so long, were we?"
"Time has a different behaviour around magic. It flows differently, " he shrugged.
Mother and father were standing near Duke Ashdeer, anxious looks on their faces. The Duke looked very angry. There were set lines on his face, and his lips were pressed together, in a sneer.
"Welcome back, my doves. I hope we will not have premature celebrations before the actual wedding?"
I looked at him in confusion, but Ashmeer stood up straighter and held my hand.
"I am a man of the North, of Irismus, where we stand tall, no matter what! I am a man of honour, Your Grace," he said, staring right back at his brother.
The scene between the two brothers was very tense. Somehow no one spoke as they kept their eyes locked for a while. I wondered who would back down.
Finally the Duke flicked an imaginary piece of dust from his sleeve and said to my father, "I suggest the betrothal happens tonight itself. I don't think the lovebirds can wait too long and we would not want to present our debutante to Ishatar with a child in her womb would we?"
I looked indignantly at the Duke, what kind of woman did he take me for? The kind who threw her arms around Ashmeer and kissed him back. The kind who sat transfixed when the Duke caressed her cheek. I felt the blush of shame rising on my cheeks, till a loud feminine voice rang into the silence among us.
"Oh yes, Azriel, what a scandal it would be! Of all the people, you, a little thing with barely any breasts or hips would be the one to bring it upon us," Eva lurched drunkenly towards us, placing her hand on the Duke.
"Is love a crime, Your Grace?"
I watched the Duke stiffen and push her hand away.
"Vizriel, perhaps you have allowed your daughters more liberty than is permissible. The Duke of Ascan is my friend, Eva. He is a good man and will love you."
"How? Like a daughter?", she giggled, followed by a hiccup, and I watched in slow motion as mother walked up to Eva and slapped her across the face.
I shut my eyes. Life had become nightmarish since the Northerners had come. I had never realized that Eva was so unhappy.
The Duke behaved like nothing had happened and announced, "Tonight we will join the Houses of Andora and Irismus. Let us also have the blood tie then so we may attend to our mission at the earliest."
Why did I feel like he announced my death sentence?
Later that night, I stood in front of Ashmeer, wearing a simple white gown of lace. I had forsaken all the wealth of Andora for a floral tiara, strung with the wild roses, which Ashmeer and I had walked under. For me, they were to be a symbol of our love, our future and our understanding, if it was ever to be. I had insisted even as Mother and Eva had fussed around me. Maids had scurried around carrying our finest jewels, but I hated the idea. I wanted to go to this ceremony as myself, a simple maid, accepting a simple man. I wanted Ashmeer to see the significance of my actions. He would understand my sentiment.
I had asked everyone to leave then and held Eva back.
"Eva, I have to speak to you on a matter of great urgency. There is something I have to ask you."
Eva had giggled, "Oh, the bird and the bees is it?"
"No... it's not that. I know how...anyway listen unzip me."
"Now? We just dressed you."
"Please!", I begged.
A few minutes later Eva sat in stunned silence and said, "Why did you carry this burden all alone for so long?"
"I felt like I was a monster. I was terrified."
She hugged me and said, "You are not a monster sister. Never will you be one."
"So what do we do now? I mean after the wedding if Ashmeer comes to know, or if I transfigure suddenly."
"We will speak to someone else on this in a few days, Azriel. I know ways in which you can cover this up and your husband will never ever get to know. Now go and make Andora proud, " she said kissing me on the cheek.
I hugged her back, glad to have a sister who would have my back.