"Sarah, you heard what father said? He...disowned me, the worse of it is, he...sent the guards to have Oswald's head?!" Isadora moaned the last word as warm tears slid down her cheeks. Her maid's hand was tangled at her back, trying to soothe her pain but it appeared as if she was trying to smoothen her robe instead.
Isadora stunk the scent of her already drenched mattress as she kept on with her tears. Never could she believe this. That her father could disown her? If the previous rumours were right, for sure he later did what he had yearned to do for many years now. He felt hostility toward her mother. And obviously, he had transferred the hatred unto her and her brother.
King Griffin had a secret kept from everyone but he shared it with the family as he knew in one way or the other, they ought to know as the matter pertained to them.
He married two wives who bore him five princes. Before he began the rearing of children, he indeed had a war with the previously most famous kingdom, Dextia. It was recorded that the King of Dextia after King Griffin's father's death, had once decided to rage a huge war against Kingdom Maxwell, which due to King Griffin's few warriors and allies, almost won. But luck and fortune had it and King Griffin grew stronger than anyone could expect. No one knew that Kingdom Maxwell as small as it was would become vast and gain other territories now.
The secret of his success remained enclosed but told to his family. As long as the royal family couldn't imagine, King Griffin had enlightened them that it was due to his childhood friend's aid he overpowered Dextia. And he had requested for him a son or a daughter as a retaliation.
After King Griffin bore five princes, he sought for at least a princess and due to that, he took his cousin in, who bore him two children of the same age, Princess Isadora and Prince Isaac. Just two days after her labour, she died of royal syndrome.
But it turned out that his childhood friend craved his daughter instead contrary to his initial demand.
"Isadora, I overhead a discussion between His Majesty and King Edgar of Balington Kingdom, would you like to hear it, my princess?" Sarah mandated as she tried all her possible best to put away the princess' anguish.
"I would die should Oswald's head be put to sea for others and me. I indeed will commit suicide, as what is it the essence of my life when all I cherish has been taken away from me," Isadora tried to wipe her tears off with her robe, but a slight delay in it made all that she had decided to keep aside rush back to her.
Sarah looked darkly at her mistress, as if to tell her that she was disappointed, "And you indeed think you don't cherish me?"
Isadora's eyes jotted to hers, "That is never what I meant," she hesitated, trying to defend herself, "It's different from whatever I said."
"It's not, my princess. Should you commit suicide, it is solid proof that you do not care about how your dear maiden feels, even how Prince Isaac feels."
As if Sarah had revealed something she never should, she cursed, "Bloody tarnation! I would never leave, Issac. If I do, he would be left alone in this world and would endure great wrath from the Queens and Princes, even up to Father. Father never a bit liked him."
"And that is a reason I hope my princess lives longer. There are many things to rebel against before burying yourself under the poor dust."
Just as a knock chimed from the door, Sarah jotted up from the bedchamber and courtesied to Isadora as if she just entered some seconds ago, before the door opened, "Your Royal Highness, the groom's acquaintances are at the wait and His Majesty would love to have a word with you," a maiden announced as she walked in.
Sarah kept her head low as Isadora stood up staring at the hazel eyes of the maid that were peering into hers, "Is the groom over here?" Isadora's heart thumped in her ribcage, the only answer she was expecting was NO, and it did come.
"Your Royal Highness, I am afraid to say that only the groom's acquaintances are around."
"Take your leave," Isadora ordered and the maid glared over Sarah before she hastily left.
Another drop of tears asserted her cheeks, "Sarah, and here is the day. We have countless times dreamt of the day we shall be married off to our lovers but did we fail to think should they be strangers?"
"I guess not, Isadora. I will miss every bit of you," Sarah said as she hugged Isadora, "I... don't want you for heaven's sake leave this palace."
"Me too. Do not worry, I shall demand your acquaintance right before I set in the carriage!"
King Griffin's agitation grew more as he awaited the princess. The castle was filled with noises and rumours about how the groom's acquaintances had arrived before the wedding day demanding to take off the young princess.
"Father, here I come," the princess courtesied.
"You are not worthy to be my daughter, not worthy to be called the princess of Maxwell Kingdom," he cued her with a stern face that Isadora could barely see what was going on anymore due to the tears that were streaming down her eyes.
Isadora looked around as she felt the two guards that were sent to bring Oswald's head walk to the hall. They were both doused. Did it rain?
"Your Majesty," a feist-looking guard called. He had dark short hair which gave him a too-serious look. "We guess he has hidden before we were assigned to kill him, or he might as well as escaped earlier."
The king glared at the princess who somehow looked a bit calmed, he took a look at the guards, "And you both have the brashness to come alone without his head?"
The other guard lowered his head before bringing out a small piece of cloth from his previous tight fist, "And this is proof that he might as well have been attacked by others before we got to him. We saw a pool of blood in his home when we got there, it only appears that he might have escaped or been tortured before being taken away."
The dark-haired guard added, "It seems to be that the robin had multiple enemies to start with."
After a long pause, the king decided, "For me to be sure, I need to see his dead body. If you possibly need more of you for the quick search, do so now. If he is likely to be out of the kingdom, trace him and bring his head. I do not want him but his head," he warned them. "Dismiss."
The two guards walked away leaving the King and the two ladies.
"Father, please it's not necessary. I will do anything you want please, please do not make your men kill him. He is too young for troubles, he..." her eyes were already sweaty. She looked like she just woke up from a nightmare as she kept shuddering, "He is too young to deserve such a death."
"Lady," her father cursed. His eyes holding daggers at her, "The groom's acquaintances are here, you can now take your leave. This should be your last time setting your talon in this kingdom. Kingdom Maxwell hopes to forget that it once had a princess who indeed became a slut at a very young age. As a father to worthy men, I would advise you to conform to whatever your husband says. He is the head and only his words shall you heed. Your main duty is to bear him children, take care of his household and support him as his family."
"But father...please forgive me. I know not what overcame me."
Not hearing what she had to say, the king nodded to the guard beside him and as if he had been told already, he walked to Isadora and ushered her out of the hall.
Oswald was supposed to have fled the kingdom, many hours ago, Isadora thought. She knew that the King might want to act rashly and she had told him to run away. She had wanted to elope with him but he had made it known to her that, when the right time comes, they would be together and nothing would be able to stop them any longer.
She was seriously apprehensive now. The fact that there had been a pool of blood in his house and he hadn't sent a missive, meant something was wrong.
"Princess, the carriage awaits you outside," a man who looked like he was in his thirties stopped Isadora. "It would be such a long journey and for that, we hope you do not tarry any longer."
Isadora nodded. She took a look at Sarah and she felt her heart shatter into pieces. The thought of leaving her loved ones, and going a long way to an unknown was too strong for her to withhold. There was something that needed to be done before things go awry.
"Sarah, take care of Prince Isaac. I do not have the amenity to stay any longer to inform him of my departure."
"Yes, princess," Sarah bowed. She was finding it hard to stop the tears that were already flowering on her cheeks, "Be safe, dear princess. Do not go against your husband's orders, I do wish to see you live long."
Isadora dried the tears on her maiden's cheeks. A few people were staring at them so she retracted from giving her a peck to avoid the evening wheezes that were going to be gathered up if they noticed anything strange. Isadora cupped her maiden's face to her cheek so she was able to whisper some stuff to her ears which made Sarah smile. When she was done, she leaned farther. "Do remember what I just said. Should I be favoured to write, I shall write to you earlier than a month to this time."
Sarah nodded, as if the man who was standing still had grown tired of the emotional scene, he urged her, "My princess, this way."
Isadora walked to the carriage and for the last time, looked back at the kingdom before entering the carriage. The carriage looked abnormal as it was more exotic than the ones she have seen in the Castles.
'Let me be given days and you all shall not expect it," she said inwardly as she lowered her back to sit on the seat.
She had never fancied carriages, she had never thought that the day she would be married, she would be the only one sitting in the carriage with no Oswald.
Though she wasn't the only one, she felt lonely. She felt she knew something worse was coming ahead and she was squarely prepared for it either.
Assassinating a newly weeded groom or husband should stir up a huge thing a month later.