Chapter 6: duties we have
Joan Raven stood near the window and looked over his kingdom. It was his throne room and he was dressed in his royal regalia with his crown and scepter.
He only turned around when his sister walked inside in a blue dress that made him fix his gaze on her. Strangely, day by day, she was becoming a young woman and would likely debut into society and suitors would ask for her hand in marriage in the coming month.
It was his worst nightmare.
It seems like yesterday that their father died in war and they were both orphaned as their mother had died in childbirth.
He became the youngest king to rule a realm at fifteen and Fye was barely eight years old.
He would move mountains for her except this one that made her look like she saw a ghost.
"You look beautiful" he told her instead. It wasn't a lie.
"Thank you, your majesty. I see your talk with Sir Del'matal was smoother than the one I had with the young Queen who all but shed tears at her misfortune"
Joan was mute.
Joan and Fye turned to a footstep walking inside the throne room. It was Sir Keenan Del'matal.
"Actually, I haven't told him yet"
Fye blinked. It didn't make a lot of sense. The wedding was supposed to be in a few hours. Her brother had all night to tell his knight.
"Wait what?" Fye turned in surprise to look at the king but Joan wasn't in the mood to think about her feelings. What matters was that he was going to tell Keenan now.
"Your majesty...my princess"
Keenan bowed to both royalties. He was in his knightly uniform with his sword. For a man who thinks he was about to be sentence to death in a few hours, he looked well adjusted and fine.
"Sir Del'matal, you will be marrying the Queen of the Midlands in a few hours, congratulations on your nuptials. You are dismissed"
Fye blinked. It was the height of insensitivity she had ever seen. She watched the surprise on the young Knight's face and she turned back to stare at her brother, hoping he would say more to the man he just destroyed his world but he didn't. Fye was mortified.
She took a deep breath and spoke to the knight "I am sorry sir Del'matal but it's the only way to save your life"
Judd blinked "Well, I choose death. At least, I will die with honor. I don't want to be someone's consort and have children that won't take my name. And moreover, the lead knight responsibility is for life and you know that, king Joan"
"Fine. You shall remain my lead knight and you don't have to live in the Midland if you don't want to. It's not a love match, just political...to gain an ally. If the Queen of Midlands allows it, then you may return to Maverick and be my lead knight after consummation"
Keenan blinked again "So, that is my life now... doing whatsoever my to be wife allows me to? if this is not an order, I will choose..."
"It's an order, Sir Del'matal. You shall wed the Queen in a few hours. Congratulations" Joan Raven interrupted him by saying.
"Yes, your Majesty" Keenan turned and walked out.
Fye faced Joan, her face filled with unspoken angry words. He was an insensitive ass and she was done with it.
"You are really the devil" She whispered to him before walking out.
****
Tia stood in front of the mirror. Her heart was pounding so fast that she had to physically hold her chest to stop it from jumping out of her chest.
There was a knock and she turned around.
"Come inside"
The door opened and the Raven siblings entered.
"Your majesty" Tia looked at the king and his sister "Are you here to make sure I don't run from this Ludacris arrangement?"
"I am here to make sure both your kingdom and mine don't go to war" Joan told her.
"War?"
"Yes, your knights may be under the impression that we are forcing their queen to marry a mere knight. As we speak, I hear of more troupe coming to your rescue from the Midlands" Joan told her quietly. "If this is not your wish then we shall cancel the marriage and execute Del'matal. No single man is worth the lives of innocents if there was a war. And this won't even matter because I will take it as an act of war if your armies cross into my land with permission"
Fye looked at her brother and she flashed an angry look at him. He wasn't helping matters.
"I think what my brother is trying to say is that you should call off your armies, Tia"
Tia looked at them cluelessly.
"But I didn't ask my army to come to my rescue. You've been king longer than i have, King Joan, don't they need my permission to attack?" Tia asked him.
Joan backed down and relaxed just a little bit.
"I will send a word to my armies to retreat and I will marry Del'matal" Tia told him firmly.
"I apologize for jumping into conclusion, your majesty. This union may be impromptu and I will not fail to acknowledge the sacrifice you are making and I give you my word that you will gain highland, Maverick as an ally for life Queen Tiamat. Your enemy will be my enemy and your friends mine too"
Tia nodded with a little smile. It's one of the things she had wished to hear from her forced future husband.
"Thank you, King Joan. May I ask how Del'matal is taking the news?"
Joan stared at her blankly while Fye smiled nervously.
"He was excited" Fye quickly said.
"More like enraged" Joan added but his sister nudged him to be quiet.
"I shall take my leave" Joan nodded and walked out with his sister.
Fye tried to catch up.
"Are you thinking what I am thinking, brother?" Fye asked him.
Joan stopped walking and faced his sister. He should have known by now that Fye was well versed in politics like him.
He had an apprehensive look on his face.
"Someone is making a move on the young Queen's throne and she is clueless about it"
"...and we just sentenced Del'matal to whatever fate awaits the young Queen" Fye finished for him.