"You want me to marry?" Horror swept through her, a horrible cold filling her veins.
"You sound so dour, dear niece," Arundel smiled cooly at her. "Do not forget that this is a day of celebration."
"What about our plans, unifying Fodlan?" Her voice was weak and she cursed herself for it.
Arundel laughed dryly. "Do you think you are the only one who can unify Fodlan? To wed you to the Faerghus princeling saves us the trouble of a tiresome siege."
Edelgard's hands clenched into fists and she choked down a furious scream. Arundel scowled, his eyes frigid. "Do remember to smile niece, recall that you are our weapon and nothing more. If disobedience is the route you choose then we may find it necessary to replace you."
He put a firm hand on her shoulder and his smile widened as she flinched. "You know, of course, what that replacement will entail don't you?"
Edelgard forced a stiff nod. She would not let what happened to her happen ever again.
Arundel's grip tightened on her shoulder as he leaned in close. "Now play your role and remember your place." She winced at the feeling of his breath on her ear.
"I understand uncle." She choked out.
She would've given anything to wipe the triumph off his face, instead, she remained still. "Excellent." He snapped his fingers and a pretty blonde maid appeared.
"Prepare her." He ordered with a dismissive flick of his hand.
Edelgard seethed as the blonde gripped her tight by the arm. "Come along, princess. We don't want to be late!" She chirped.
Reluctantly she allowed herself to be led away, cursing the bastard who replaced her uncle, Von Aegir, and the rest of the treacherous monsters who allowed it to happen.
The maid kept up a steady stream of cheerful asides as they walked though her grip remained painfully tight.
The maid slowed outside the washroom. "Remember to behave yourself, princess, we'll be watching." The maid said with a wink. She grinned and gave the door a sharp rap before Edelgard could respond.
A minute later she found herself pulled into a steamy washroom and deprived of her clothes. She barely had time to breathe before being pushed into the large marble pool in the center of the room.
Edelgard wanted to scream and claw like she had in the dungeons but Arundel's words still echoed in her ears. Instead, she remained still in the hot water and tried to avoid the sight of the scars which marred nearly every inch of her skin.
Faceless maids pulled and combed at her hair rinsing it with saccharine scented perfumes and scoured her of nonexistent dirt. She was pulled out as the water-cooled and patted dry with floral-scented towels.
The maids chattered to each other but the words were gibberish to Edelgard. Anxiety rose tide like within her and she wished dearly for an ax, a sword, anything to defend herself with.
As soon as she was dry she was set in front of a silver full-length mirror. She averted her eyes, staring down at the marble tile instead of her own, monstrous form.
One of the maids, a wispy brunette asked in a whisper how she'd become so scarred.
"Cursed." An older maid had responded. Edelgard laughed bitterly. That's what all the staff said, a curse had stricken the Hresvelg children, had stolen their lives one after another. Those ones avoided her, looked at her with equal parts fear and curiosity. But some of the staff knew better, the ones who had prepared meals for eleven shackled children, the ones who heard the rattling in the basement. Those looked at her with sympathy and something like horror.
Hurriedly but precisely her hair was brushed, bound, and twisted into pale upswept buns.
Then came roses woven into her hair like a garland of thorns. She remained still even as her scalp was pricked and her hair yanked. The pain was nothing compared to what had come before.
Finally, she was forced into a heavy crimson gown. It was a hideous thing, folds of satin and damask that pooled limply on the floor and rose to her throat with a lace collar. The maids were careful with the row of buttons which went up her back and the cloak, pinned to her shoulders. By the time they were done, she felt suffocated in fabric.
I'm helpless in this thing. Too heavy to dodge, too tight to swing. That must've been intentional. At least this wretched thing covers all of me. She took small solace in that.
"Well?"
"What do you think?" One of them asked her. Slowly she raised her eyes to the mirror. They'd generously applied makeup, her cheeks blushed shyly and her lips were painted the same crimson as her gown; yet her face was vacant, her eyes dull.
"I look like a doll." She said flatly. Dressed up and ready to be used.
"Thank you Princess!" One of them responded.
The other brushed a stray lock of her hair back into place. "The prince will love you."
She nodded stiffly, her scalp tingled and she felt uncomfortably hot.
"Will one of you fetch my retainer? I have...last-minute preparations to make." She lied.
One of them nodded. "L..Lord Hubert you mean?" She asked timidly.
Edelgard nodded again, forcefully this time. No matter the machinations of Those that Slithered she was still a princess.
The maid scurried out as Edelgard was led back to her own room. She dismissed the other two over their protestations. As they unwillingly left the room she slumped onto her bed. At last alone.
Her mind whirred with all that had happened, they'd been utterly blindsided. She'd been told that it was Ferdinand Von Aegir who would be wed. That was how they got away with making the preparations. Those bastards kept this secret well.
Hubert's father had tipped him off that she would be sent to the officer's academy and Hubert had confirmed the tale with several other lords, he had given them false information of course.
The door opened and Edelgard rose before seeing it was Hubert. She sat back down. There was no need for pretension around Hubert. "My lady," he said, his voice stricken. He looked paler than he normally did, distress clear in his eyes.
"Hubert." She said, unable to keep the desperation from her voice.
"I am...I am so sorry. I should've foreseen this, I should've…"
Edelgard shook her head. "Stop. We were both fooled by them. Von Aegir and Arundel must've…" She sighed. "They keep their secrets well."
Hubert's face was desolate. "It is my job to know their secrets Lady Edelgard. I went through my father's study, found a letter confirming your admission to the officer's academy."
"They wanted to keep us from the truth," Edelgard said ruefully.
He'll blame himself for this forever, as he did with the experiments.
"Hubert. It isn't your fault, please, don't blame yourself for this. The fault is Arundel's and Von Aegir's, primarily."
Hubert's mouth was a straight line, she knew that was his "I'm going to languish in guilt regardless look." She would deal with that later.
"Hubert. Have you been able to find out any information about…" She paused, the word bitter in her mouth. "About the wedding?"
He nodded and bowed. "Of course. Arundel approached Rufus Blaiddyd at least a month ago with the offer...the offer of your hand in marriage to Prince Dimitri Blaiddyd. It seems the regent has agreed." He said darkly.
Edelgard put a hand to her hair, her head low, careful not to disturb the arrangement. "Goddess." She said exhausted.
"Lady Edelgard." Hubert sounded as lost as she felt.
"We must go through with this. You know what they'll do if we don't."
Hubert nodded shallowly. "I am aware."
"But." She raised her head. "Do not think I am going to accept this. I will not let this be my end, I will fulfill my dream no matter the cost"
Hubert gave her a grim smile. "I hoped you would say that Lady Edelgard."
Edelgard... He had known her once. A long time ago, a lifetime ago it felt like. He wondered what she would be like. If life had warped her as it had him.
"Your highness?" Dedue's voice broke him from his thoughts.
"Yes?" He turned to face his retainer.
"You seem...troubled." He noted solemnly.
Dimitri sighed deeply. "It's that noticeable?"
"You can always confide in me, Your Highness."
His fists clenched and unclenched. His uncle Rufus had insisted in putting him in an extravagant suit, silk cravats and all. Sylvan had laughed for nearly an hour straight. He tugged impotently at the collar, already beginning to sweat. Adrestia was warmer than the Kingdom even in the early spring.
"I am troubled of course. I knew I would be expected to marry of course. I just never thought it would be so soon or...to her."
Surprise flickered in Dedue's eyes. "You know her, your highness?"
Dimitri nodded. "Only for a brief while, when we were both very young." He shifted uncomfortably. He felt naked without armor or blade.
"I wonder what she thinks about all this. I suppose she must've agreed yet…" He thought of El, stern and bossy and surprisingly sweet. Even with all his nervousness, he felt a twinge of excitement at their reunion.
He could almost hear Glenn in his mind, the echo of his laughter. "Your highness, you look like you're marching to battle, not to your wedding." He'd say.
"I wonder what my father would say about all this?" He said mournfully. The phantoms which stalked him had been silent, only staring at him balefully. Their eyes piercing him like javelins.
Dedue opened his mouth to respond when the door opened. His uncle greeted him with a clap on the shoulder. Dimitri repressed a scowl. Rufus was utterly unlike his father had been. He was paunchy where Lambert was muscled, his long blonde hair bald on the top where Lambert's had been mane-like, he was boisterous where Lambert had been dignified.
"Are you ready, Dimitri, my boy?" He asked loudly.
Dimitri nodded gravely as his uncle chucked. "Don't look so dour my boy, she's only a woman, not a demon."
"Of course uncle." He said stonily.
His uncle blathered on about nothing as they walked through the palace of Enbarr, Dedue trailing silently behind.
The palace was lavish with great marble pillars and latticed arches, the walls ornamented with jeweled mosaics and vibrant tapestries. He knew Faerghus was more austere than Adrestia but the palace vividly illustrated their relative poverty.
"Are you listening to me, boy?" His uncle asked.
"Yes uncle." He lied.
"I was just saying your bride has a certain reputation, the Hresvelg curse and all that."
Dimitri nearly scoffed. He knew of the demise of the Hresvelg children, of course. But whatever tragedy had befallen them was more likely to have come from men than gods.
"I know uncle. I'll be sensitive about it."
Rufus chuckled mockingly. "Sensitive, eh? You're so much like Lambert, chivalrous to a fault."
Dimitri's head began to ache. Even a bride can't stop me from seeking revenge for him, Uncle. I can't rest until father can.
At last they came to a pair of gilded double doors, guarded by two heavily armored soldiers.
Slowly they pulled open one of the massive doors and Rufus gave him a slight push forward. "Just head to the altar, she'll meet you there."
He took a deep breath and spared a nervous glance at Dedue before venturing into the throne room.
The room was as large as any he had ever been in, and it was packed wall to wall with nobles and priests all of them staring at him. He walked up the crimson carpet to the elevated throne at the back of the room aware of every eye on him.
At the throne, an elderly priest in rich robes gave him a gentle smile.
Stomach writhing with nerves he tried not to quail under the gaze of the empire he waited for Edelgard to appear.
At last, she did. She was beautiful as he remembered, pretty violet eyes and a delicate face that masked her fiery temperament.
Yet something was wrong with the picture. It took him a minute to notice as she walked up the aisle her arm locked with her father's. Her hair... He swore that it had been brown when they had first met.
It was puzzling but he supposed he would have time to ask later. They would have nothing but time later.
Slowly she ascended to stand beside him. She wore a small smile but her eyes were hooded.
The priest gestured at the two of them. "Oh, Goddess above, Sothis of the sea star, Mother of us all, please bless the union of this man and women, let it be fruitful, gentle, and true, allow them to be constant as the seasons…"
The priest's voice faded out as his head throbbed. Edelgard's eyes were fixed on the floor, her hands clasped around the ceremonial ring.
"Dimitri," "my lord" "My son." "My friend." The voices called out to him in grim whispers. "Kill them all." "rip their eyes from their skulls" "Drain their blood" The voices urged. Edelgard raised her gaze to him, her eyes foreign and familiar all at once.
"Love is the Goddess' most precious gift to her children, and it is time now for you to bestow it upon each other." The priest finished.
Dimitri knew what he was supposed to do. He took her gloved hand gently and placed a golden ring (his mother's ring) onto her finger. She accepted it expressionlessly and put a slender silver ring onto his.
"Now, by the will of the Goddess thou art bonded unto death." the priest finished.
The voices left him, leaving him alone looking into the eyes of a stranger.