"Take me home." Isaboe soothed softly.
"Yes, my queen," he mumbled orange and peach sky faded to a ink black sky, and the new king and queen rested.
Finnikin clamped his eyes, as beams of light blinded him. He was slightly surprised when a figure ruffled next to him. He was not yet used to living with Isaboe, although he had lived with her for a week now. Isaboe, how could I not of known? Her resemblance to the queen was undeniable, her face shape, her eyes, even her nose was such a resemblance. He lay watching her, thinking. They would be wed at sunset.
She shifted, and woke,"Morning, my king," Isaboe yawned. They dressed and ate. Finnikin walked down to the courtyard, Trevanion and Beatrice were already there.
Trevanion sat with Beatrice, it had been ten years, yet he felt no different around Beatrice, he still felt the peace he felt when he was around her, but her expressions told a different story. She stared at him in silence,
"why are we silenced? We have known each other for so long. He questioned, anger in his voice.
"I see your temper is as short as before," She glared at him.
"We do not need this nonsense Beatrice, I Know you well enough to sa-" She cut in.
"Know me well enough? It has been ten years, is ten years not enough for us to call each other strangers!" she stood, "We have a past, yes, but I do not see a future!" He thought rapidly of a reply, but her was already gone. What'd I say?'
Finnikin wore a ink black, wool shirt, it was his best one. He took a moment to think, Are you ready for this? He was confused, but he passed that thought. Her blood will be shed for you to be king, his heart dropped,he placed a dagger on his belt. Just in case. His father tugged at his hair, muttering 'You haven't been living in the mines yet you still are so grubby!' Finnikin was slightly annoyed, was this not his day, one day that he only got to live once? "Ow, ow, OW! Please, I will not have hair left when you are done, do not yank my hair!"
" Then you should comb your hair more often!" He retaliated. What's his problem?, he pondered.
After combing, dressing, and revising vows, it was time.
He cleared his throat. The priestess, Qiria, beckoned him over, he obliged hesitantly. Must I stand there? ...In front of everyone? He stepped up to a raised platform. He was In a beautiful room, it had stained glass windows, encryption of the ancient on the walls,wood pillars every two-three meters, but most of all, an astounding gate. The metal gate stood taller than any man, it had a gold handle and lock, beside it, to guards stood in shining metal armour. Qiria smiled warmly, it didn't the room, sat Trevanion and the royal guard, Beatrice, (Oddly far away from Trevanion, he thought.) Froi, Sir Tropher, and many other people he did not know. A man exited, after arranging decorations, for a split second Finnikin saw the crowd outside. His heart stopped, everyone in the kingdom had appeared.
"Just a few minutes, soon-to-be-king," Qiria said in her usual calm voice. Finnikin ruffled his hair and chuckled.
Finnikin sighed, just getting used to the crowd.
"Finnikin flatten your hair, the wedding is about to begin!" His father fussed.
"Alright!" He hissed, obeying his father.
A few minutes had past, When is this going to start? he questioned. The crowd silenced, music began, this was it. The one moment he had been dreading all day. Her blood will be shed for you to be king. He felt the dagger at his side. His breathing shallow, he walked to the middle of the platform, facing Quira. He heard the gate swing open, he turned, there stood Isaboe, in a marvelous, white dress, her hair tied in a bun. Her crown matched well with her clothes and jewelry. She reached the platform.
"Y-you look-" he was lost for words. She smiled.
"Let us begin," Qiria announced. Isaboe nodded, Finnikin followed. "We are gathered here today to join two people: Lady Isaboe of the royals, and Sir Finnikin of the rock," She continued. "So do you, Isaboe, take Finnikin to be your King and husband?"
"I do," she answered without hesitating. She was so sure, but was he? Her blood will be shed for you to be king. He felt the dagger. Sweat ran down his forehead.
Qiria turned to him, "And, do you, Finnikin of the rock, take Isaboe to be your queen?"
He hesitated, but saw the smile on Isaboe fade with every fraction of a second. He thought, 'Her blood will be shed for you to be king' , he took a breathe. He had to answer, or she would marry another man, "I-" The gate opened, a man, dressed in a leather jacket and blue pants, stepped in, "Sorry to bother, my highness, but there is an urgent visitor at the door."
Qiria raised her hand, "Do you not see we are in the middle of an important ritual?"
"I have no time to deal with them, leave us," Isaboe ordered. The man bowed and exited.
"Anyway, where were we? Oh, do you Finnikin take Isaboe to be your Queen and Wife?" Qiria remembered. He drew a silent breathe, making sure no one heard. His hand grazed the dagger. Just. In. Case.
Suddenly, the gate flung open, six men on horses entered. Each equipped with a sword of gold, a shield with a word engraved on it, and clothes of purple and white. A seventh horse rode in, on it sat a young man who was clearly the leader. He wore silk, whilst the other wore merely wool, over that he wore armour; it made of pure steel. But most of all, he wore a marvelous gold crown on top of his head. He was a royal. Purple and white? He thought rapidly, Osteria! He read the shield markings, 'Osteria' The Osterian king? No, this this man is in his twenties, the Osterian king is at least forty.
"I apologize for the entry, but I was denied access," he loud, deep voice, "Let me introduce myself, I am Jasper, prince of Osteria. I was sent here to unite our two kingdoms, and to marry queen Isaboe." Trevanion rose, fists clenched, wearing his same expressionless face.
"I don't understand, I sent you notice that I was to be wed," she puzzled.
"I did not get a message with such description," he claimed, anger rising in his voice.
"Carter," Isaboe spoke to the man who had entered before, he was hid behind the gate, he stepped out, "Did I not instruct you to send Osteria that I did not need a husband?"
"Er…. I'm afraid not, my queen. But you did tell me to request the prince as your groom," Carter trembled. He immediately hid behind the gate, fearing the wrath of the queen. He was confused to when this message was sent.
"Isaboe, I-I don't understand," he pleaded, she ignored him. Then it hit him, 'If you will not marry me, then I shall marry the Osterian prince instead,' he thought she was joking, but she was a lot more serious than he thought. Jasper looked mortified.
Isaboe strode to the prince, "I am sorry for the inconvenience, but your assistance will no longer be needed. I will have a guard escort you to the gate of Lumatere and give you supplies. You can be on your way."
"We have traveled for a week, three of my guard died on this journey, I did not travel for nothing!" The six guards raised their swords and shields. The royal guard rose.
"There is nothing I can give you, I am to be wed when my groom says the two words," She turned to walk away, Jasper grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. People gasped, the royal guard drew their swords.
"Unhand the queen,"Trevanion demanded. Jasper softened his grip for a second.
"You need to be careful who you touch, it might give you a black eye," Finikin threatened.
"Is this Lumatere king?" Jasper laughed, his guard followed his lead. Isaboe turned and slapped Jasper. She saw the consequences immediately, he raised his hand. Everyone in the room knew what was coming, and was thinking the same thing; He wouldn't! His hand came down, Isaboe fell to the floor. Immediately, Finnikin, Trevanion, and the royal guard, they started fighting. Finnikin fought Jasper. Jasper had the upper hand, he had a sword. Jasper swung the sword, Finnikin barely dodged the blade. He swung twice more, both missing him by centimeters. I need to get rid of that sword. Think , Finnikin , think! He attempted a punch at Jasper, bad idea, Jasper dodged the punch and took a swing at him jumped to the side. Slice! The sword caught the side of him, but he had no time to cry like a child or to tend to the wound, because Jasper was about to take a swing at him once more. I got it! He dodged the swings, edging the fight towards the wood pillars. His back hit the wood pillar, Jasper swung back the sword, he had to prepare he didn't have much space to dodge this hit. The sword came swinging round, he jumped, it became lodged into the wood. Jasper tried to yank it, it didn't budge. finnikin kicked his hand, the sword unjammed and slid across the room. This was his chance! He threw a punch, it hit, he stammered back. He threw another, but he dodged it and threw one back. Finnikin knelt down and swiped the dagger, it slashed Jasper's cheek. He kicked him in the gut. Jasper kneeled on the floor. This whole time, he had forgotten about his father and the royal guard, they had tied the six guards up. They closed in on Jasper, swords raised.
"I do," Finnikin seethed through gritted teeth.
"I now pronounce you king and queen,"Qiria quivered, a tremble running through her voice.
Jasper wiped the blood from the face, "You'll regret this, Lumatere, you may have rose again, but that doesn't mean you can't fall. You will pay!" He laughed maniacally, and climbed on to his horse. "I declare war! Lumatere will fall!"