Raskreia stared at her reflection in the mirror before quickly looking away. She focused on her folded hands, sighing. Her thoughts were in a turmoil as she reflected on what could happen in a matter of a few minutes. She glanced once more at the mirror to see her handmaiden brushing her hair. She wished it had been her mother with her in this moment, but her mother was with her father, greeting the guests for the wedding.
Her wedding.
Raskreia glanced down at the pristine white skirts of her wedding dress. Closing her eyes, she reflected on what was to happen in the next hour. Though she had only seen her betrothed from a distance, she only knew him by name and affiliation, nothing more. But this marriage was at her father's insistence, and she knew that such a union of marriage was needed. But she did not like this feeling of helplessness that was welling up inside of her.
Her handmaiden was just getting ready to leave, her hand on the doorknob, and Raskreia felt a moment of panic well up inside of her. She didn't want to be alone. Not now, not when she had so many worries that she wished to voice. So, before her handmaiden stepped out of the doorway, and before Raskreia could stop the words from flowing out, she spoke.
"What if we do not like each other?"
She waited, nearly breathless. She could tell that her handmaiden was already out of the room, and she felt foolish for even asking such a question. But, she could still here the handmaiden's grumbling reply.
"As if that has anything to do with marriage."
Raskreia swallowed, her heart sinking from the reply that she was not meant to hear. However, she stared at her reflection, her face taking on a determined look. She stood up, her white wedding dress swirling around her. While this may be her wedding to a man she did not know, it was from the Lord's request.
She lifted her veil, placing it on her head before covering her face with the lace. This was what the Lord, her father, wanted, and she would not fail him. "I hear and obey."
The rest became a blur. Raskreia could not recall how she had left her chambers, or who had given her the bouquet of roses to hold. She could not even identify the music that was being played for her own wedding. She knew that the entire room was filled: not a seat was left empty. No one would miss the wedding of the Lord's only daughter, especially a marriage that arranged for the benefit of the Noble clans.
Raskreia let out another shaky breath. Her eyes lifted upward slightly and peered through the veil. She could not deny that she was nervous even as she received her cue to walk down the aisle. Clutching the red bouquet of red roses in her hands, she began her walk down the aisle. She could feel the admiration in the room as everyone took in her appearance. Her white dress seemed to shine with a pure color, making her the complete focus in the room. Her white sleeves were laced up and stopped just below her elbows. Her long train dragged along the floor as she seemed to float towards the altar. The back of her veil brushed her shoulders, the front covering her face.
Even as she turned towards the alter, her anxiety did not diminish. She could not bring herself to focus on the man that she was facing. Instead, she focused her attention on the roses in her hands. The words that were said from the priest went unheard to her, and she was only snapped out of her trance when her groom carefully lifted the veil to reveal her face. Raskreia felt her cheeks grow warm, and she wished once more for the protection of the veil to hide her expression.
But she was the Lord's daughter. She would not look down. So, with a firm gaze, she looked up and focused her attention on the man before her.
Blue eyes met hers, and a warm smile came across his features. Raskreia found herself blushing at that smile, and she glanced downward slyly. But he merely lifted her chin up, pulling her closer to him.
"May I kiss the bride?" Frankenstein asked softly.
An ear splitting shriek shattered the night. All within the palace was instantly on the alert, alarm filling every single living being. The Lord jolted from his bed, shrieking and clawing at the sheets in desperation as he awoke from the disturbing dream. Panting heavily, he observed his dark rooms.
His daughter, was marrying Frankenstein!
Such a thought caused the Lord to let out another horrified, and unmanly, shriek. Beside him in bed was his wife who was instantly alarmed at her husband's shrieking.
"Dear," she started, concern laced in her tone, but the Lord barely registered the presence of his wife. "What is-?"
"Raskreia," the Lord panted, throwing the covers back and leaping from the bed. "Where is she? Where is our daughter!?" But his anxiety drove him to run out of his rooms, not even bothering to wait for his wife to come up with the most obvious reply.
"The Clan Leaders!" the Lord shouted as he ran down the halls. Servants and guards stopped, staring at the sight of their Lord stumbling down the halls. His long blonde hair was a mess, his night robe a disarray. His red eyes were filled with dread as he tore down the hall. "Summon the Clan Leaders!" he bellowed. "This is an emergency!" Breathless, the Lord stumbled to a halt before bursting the chamber doors down. Running in, his eyes focused on a sleeping figure curled up in the bed.
Raskreia opened her eyes, staring up with confusion as her father hastily rushed towards her. "My precious darling!" he exclaimed fretfully, reaching out to examine her. "You...you're here!" With a frown, he yanked the bed covers back and off the bed. The Lord nodded with satisfaction when no suspicious blonde human was found in the bed with his daughter. Dropping down to the ground, he looked under the bed.
Raskreia blinked and propped herself up in her bed. "Father?"
The Lord leaped up from his search, running his hands through Raskreia's hair worriedly. His expression of joy and relief was quickly replaced with one of outright anger. "That human! How dare he!" The Lord hastily pulled away with a firm nod. "Right, on to business!" With that, he scurried away and left his daughter's room.
Gejutel blinked. "I...I am sorry Lord...but you say that you had a vision?"
"A nightmarish vision at that!" the Lord proclaimed. Sprawled on his throne, the Lord looked less than dignified in his robe and sleepwear. Several tired Clan Leaders were gathered, all trying to wake themselves up after being summoned so late at night.
Gejutel traded a helpless look with Roctis who merely shrugged. With a sigh, Gejutel looked back up at the throne. "Pray tell, what was this vision?"
The Lord shuddered, and for the first time, Gejutel felt wary. Just what had the Lord experienced that caused him such fear?
"It...was about my daughter." The Lord sagged, as if the fight had gone out of his body. His hair framed his face, hiding his expression. "She was...getting married."
Several Nobles decided to withhold their congratulations. Normally, such a union would bring joy and happiness to the Nobles. There were many things amongst the Nobles that were rare; weddings were one of those. None of them knew that Raskreia was courting anyone, and some doubted that she ever would considering her father's overprotecting behavior.
Gejutel cleared his throat. "If she was getting married, then who was her betrothed?" Gejutel instantly regretted his question as the Lord's expression turned dark.
"She was getting married...to that peacock!" the Lord suddenly shrieked.
"She was marrying a bird?" Zarga demanded, alarmed.
The Lord sputtered. "No! She was marrying Frankenstein!"
Urokai blanched. "H-how could you let your daughter marry him!?" He narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you didn't dream of Sir Raizel marrying your daughter?"
"You honestly think the Lord would mistake Frankenstein for Sir Raizel?" Edian scoffed.
The Lord sniffed. "Precisely. I know what I saw, because in the vision, I had witnessed it all through my daughter's eyes." He shuddered once more. "I knew her thoughts, felt her feelings. She was...happy!" He rubbed his face tiredly. "Oh, it was truly a nightmare."
After a moment of silence, Rayga stepped forward with a polite bow. "M'Lord, I think I may have a simple solution."
The Lord cocked his head. "A solution?"
Rayga nodded. "Dreams can often occur when one is thinking about something deeply. When someone thinks about something often, especially before going to bed, than it is not unusual to dream of such things."
More silence, only to be broken by Largus. "So...the Lord dreamed about Frankenstein because he thinks about him? Just how often do you think about him to dream about Frankenstein?"
Before the Lord could answer, Zarga intervened. "Of course not! He must be considering marrying off his daughter to Frankenstein!"
"Lord!" Urokai exclaimed, turning to stare at the blonde Noble in shock. "Why would you consider such a thing? Are there not eligible young Noblemen out there? If you are desperate, we can find one!"
"You can have her marry my son!" Krasis bellowed. "Or, if my son is unfit to marry into your bloodline, she can marry Rayga's son!"
"If the Lord had a vision of Frankenstein marrying his daughter," Edian mused. "Than would it be wrong to go against the fates who have decreed it as such?"
Largus nodded in agreement. "If such a vision, as the Lord had stated, did occur, then what travisty could happen if we are to go against it?"
Silence descended on them all as the Clan Leaders focused their attention on the dejected Lord. Largus cleared his throat. "I do apologize, sir, but I do not think we are offering much help."
The Lord sighed brokenly. "No, your insight is very much helpful." With a tired wave of his hand, the Lord spoke. "Largus, Roctis," he said. At their names, the Nobles stepped forward expectantly. "You should understand my predicament," he started. "As fathers to beautiful young women, would it not be heartbreaking to send her off to another man?"
At that, Roctis and Largus nodded solemnly.
"I always knew, somewhere in my heart, that the day would come when I would have to give my daughter to another man," the Lord said. "I just...never thought that day would come. I thought that I could keep her as my child for a bit longer." He narrowed his eyes. "But, if I have received such a vision, then it must mean that I am stifling my daughter a bit too much."
The Lord arose from his throne. "Nevertheless, I shall not go against the fates because of this vision. If I am to give my daughter away, than at least she will be in the household of Sir Raizel. But, I am asking all of you, as Clan Leaders, to lend me your support as I make the perilous journey tonight to seek out the man who is destined to marry my daughter, and present him with the most precious gift I have." He lowered his head. "My precious child."
Krasis fell to his knees in awe. "LORD! I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!"
"The Lord is wise," Rayga breathed in wonder.
Roctis looked away, wiping away a tear while Largus placed a hand over his heart, bowing in acknowledgment.
Urokai stood there, dumbfounded, while Edian thanked her lucky stars that the Lord had not dreamed of Sir Raizel marrying anyone.
Gradeus was jolted awake by Zarga who looked bored. "What did I miss?" Gradeus whispered.
Zarga sighed. "The Lord is marrying off his daughter to some human, and we are to go fetch him."
"Who could be awake at this hour?" Frankenstein grumbled, stomping towards the grand entrance. While his Master did not need as much sleep as he did, Frankenstein knew that the Noblesse did not receive late time visitors. If it was Muzaka coming over for another late night tea time, he would boot at that werewolf Lord himself!
Upon opening the door, Frankenstein blinked as he came face to face with not only the Lord, but the Thirteen Clan Leaders. All appeared to be in their sleepwear, and they wore mixed expressions of disapproval, anger, sleepiness, and acknowledgement.
Frankenstein was already moving to close the door, disinterested. "Master is not accepting any visitors this late-"
"Good!" the Lord boomed, shoving the door open. "Because we are here to talk to you, Frankenstein of the Noblesse's Household!"
Frankenstein blinked. "Of the what?" he demanded. "What's with the title?"
"You don't appear to have a surname, so we had to give you a title," the Lord said. "How else are you to represent your wife?"
Frankenstein blinked owlishly. "My wife? I'm not married!"
"Good! That makes things less complicated. I would not approve of my daughter being in a polygamist relationship."
"Lord," Gejutel pleaded. "Please keep your voice down. You'll wake the Noblesse."
"Too late," Frankenstein grumbled. He quickly straightened up, turning to address his Master as Raizel came down the halls. The Noblesse took in all of the Nobles that were standing in his front lawn. Turning his questioning gaze to Frankenstein, he asked, "What did you do?"
Frankenstein smiled. "Nothing, Master." He counted on his fingers. "I did not break my seal, I was polite to the leaders, and I haven't spoken out of terms to the Lord." Yet. Folding his hands behind his back, Frankenstein nodded. "See? None of this could be my fault."
"Ah! Raizel!" the Lord said. "Good, we were just here to tell Frankenstein the great news." The Lord clapped his hands. "Now, Frankenstein, I demand that you freshen yourself and come with me to the palace."
Frankenstein raised an eyebrow. The only thing he intended to do was go back to bed. "For what?"
"To make this right and have you marry my daughter!" He raised a hand to the sky. "The fates have decreed it in a vision! You, Frankenstein of the Noblesse Household, shall come together in a union to-"
"Goodnight," Frankenstein grumbled, slamming the door in the Lord's face. With a tired sigh, he turned and leaned against the wall, his eyes glancing over at his Master.
Silence reigned between the two of them. Raizel cocked his head and watched as the Lord's words slowly registered in Frankenstein's mind, and horror shot through the bond. Frankenstein leaped from his position, eyes wide with fright. "Wait, what?!"