Chapter 4
Izana Wistaria.
Althea committed his name into memory. Her heart and soul apparently chose a King to be her husband and yet her entire being, the logical part, think that that choice was absolutely, completely, definitely a mistake. He is a King of another kingdom for goodness' sake! Well, she did need a King… but a King who will be titled by her right as the Queen, not a King by birthright like Izana Wistaria.
That's why it must be a mistake.
But she went and stayed in his palace.
As a guest.
For four days and counting!
When she said it's only going to be three…
It started when she expressed her interest with the books in his Study room. He said she's free to read the books and use the room. And then he offered the Royal Library because it looks like she wanted to read more.
Then, she started asking questions. She asked about his Kingdom, about his governance and about his people. In turn, he asked her questions too. The next thing she knew they were discussing things she thought she could never talk about, every single night since.
And now she's going with him to the nearby Kingdom to observe.
Because she asked! She let her mouth talked before she could think. It did not help that King Izana is very accommodating of her. It was his business, and he have every right to say no, but he didn't!
Just remembering how it happened made her face burn. She covered her face with both hands and couldn't help but squeal from embarrassment.
This is absolutely, completely, definitely, without a doubt, a mistake!
What is she even doing? What is wrong with her?!
"Ever since you got here, you've been acting really strange." Gareth, who has his back on her, said. Percy and Gavin was helping him stretch his now recovered body. They were pushing his back as Gareth sat on the floor with his legs stretched wide open. The wound inflicted on him, although not life-threatening, was still deep and would have healed for a lot longer for a normal person. But since Gareth is not normal, it only took him two days. Or maybe, the healers, who they call pharmacists, of Clarines are just that good.
It surprised her when she found out that the Chief Pharmacist of the Kingdom of Clarines is a female. If it happens in Florin, everyone would gone mad.
"I hope you are not getting stressed out with this husband-hunting of yours." He continued. "Although, time is really running out. But if worst comes to worst, I don't think that the existence of the future king will be our only option."
"Gareth, I found him." She half-whispered. She has to tell them because she is really at a lost. She doesn't know what to do anymore.
"What? What did you find?" Gareth asked confused.
"It's King Izana."
"King Izana? What are you talking about?"
She exhaled before throwing the bomb at them. Althea has to tell them and maybe they could deny it, because if they did then maybe it would solve everything. Every bit of her being wanted to stay to know him better and the whole world knows she has no time to spare.
"I found my husband and its King Izana!" She said it as clearly as she could.
Percy and Gavin must have pushed Gareth's back a little bit forcefully because Althea heard a crack and Gareth's grunt at the same time.
The three are now looking at her with indescribable expression.
"What?!" Gavin and Percy both said, standing in front of her.
"I'm sorry, can you repeat that again?" Gareth asked, mouth quivering.
Althea obliged. "I found my husband and its King Izana."
There was silence.
An extremely uncomfortable silence.
Gareth finally stood up and rubbing a hand on his face.
"Your Majesty, are you positively and absolutely sure that its King Izana?"
"I don't know… but when I'm with him my heart feels like exploding!" Althea expressed it with her hands. "Sometimes, its pitter patter. Calm and secure. When I look at him, I think he is amazing. When I look in the eyes, I only think of wonder and happiness. I wanted to talk to him and know about him. I just wanted…" Althea paused. Even she couldn't believe what she is saying. "… to be with him."
The three men gawked at her with mouths wide open.
"Holy…" Gavin started.
"Crap." Percy finished.
"With King Izana? The King of this Kingdom?" Gareth asked again, not really needing an answer.
Althea nodded anyway.
"That's… you know…" Gareth was at a loss of words.
"Can that happen?" Percy asked skeptically.
"Tell me it isn't possible." Althea almost pleaded.
"I mean, Emrys didn't tell us who not to choose…" Gavin was trying to be optimistic.
"We have to go home in two months whether or not I'm with a King." Althea said. Her duty is her priority. It must be.
"And there are many reasons why he can't come with us." Gareth said.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask." Gavin suggested.
"Gavin, you are not helping!" Percy reprimanded.
They all sighed in resignation.
In akimbo, Gareth look at her worriedly. "My queen, this trip to Kingdom of Tanbarun will be your last chance. It will be the last kingdom that we will visit, then we must go home. If you found your King there, then its good. But if it's really King Izana…"
"It wouldn't hurt to ask." She smiled weakly.
They all know it's going to be the later.
…
"You are in a good mood."
Marquis Haruka said, eyeing King Izana. They were having a last minute preparation as the King will depart for a short visit in the Kingdom of Tanbarun. His entourage was supposedly to consists only of the Royal Guards, but the King ordered that his three guests will come with him.
"I am."
"And may I ask why?"
"You already have an idea why."
"It's my principle to work on facts rather than assumption."
"I'm afraid you have to work on assumptions, then."
Izana smiled. And for the life of him it was an honest smile. For the past few days, he's not bored. The lady from the Land of the Faeries proved to be an entertaining companion. She was curious with everything especially on how to govern a kingdom and how to deal with people.
To his surprise, he obligingly answered all her questions. And he himself asked her about her land and people and her adventures in different Kingdoms around the continent of Fortissia.
Today, they are set for a brief visit to the Kingdom of Tanbarun. Since he was just the newly crowned King, it was imperative to pay courtesy to the Royalty of Clarines' closest friend.
He couldn't believe himself for looking forward to it.
…
"Will you marry me?"
Althea asked Gareth for the nth time. She guessed she did not ask that question sincerely enough because Gareth was looking at her funny.
"Are you really going to ask the King of this Kingdom that question?" He asked affronted.
She sighed. "I don't even know if I should ask him this question."
Althea was finishing to braid her hair. She had just finished changing into her riding clothes. The clothes was from the Kingdom of Wanate, which they visited a month ago. They called the clothes "jodhpurs". Women wore jodhpurs primarily for horse riding and Althea must say that it's one of the best invention for women yet. Compared to a skirt, the jodhpurs are tight-fitting trousers that reach to the ankle, where they end in a snug cuff, paired with a riding boots of course. It was most comfortable and freeing.
"You are going to ask that question in that clothes?" Percy asked.
"Maybe Your Majesty, you should change to the normal riding habit." Gavin said.
"This is the normal riding habit."
"Not in this Kingdom." Gareth said.
"I'll change when we get to Kingdom of Tanbarun, okay? It's a one-day trip, and wearing the skirts is extremely uncomfortable." She said placatingly.
…
Maybe she should have changed into the riding habit. The royal entourage gaped at her like an exotic creature. King Izana is trying hard not to laugh at her.
"For the record, this is the riding clothes of women in the Kingdom of Wanate, and I find it very convenient and comfortable." Althea whispered at him as she mounted the horse prepared for her beside the King. Gareth, Percy and Gavin went in line with the Captain of the Royal Guards. Her three knights are now well acquainted with the Captain and the soldiers because they've been sparring countless bouts of battles for the past days. Gareth was particularly ecstatic because the Captain proved to be a formidable opponent.
Everyone knows she's a special guest of the King. He told them she is a scholar, learning of ways of the people of the world. A scholar is, as he describes it, a person who devotes themselves to research and academic pursuits. In a way, she was. She's been travelling to study about the most effective system of governance so she could apply it in the Kingdom of Florin.
"Thank you for that information. This is the first time we saw a lady to wear that kind of riding clothes. Forgive our ignorance." King Izana bowed his head for a mock apology.
She grinned. "You are forgiven."
The travel time took much longer than Althea wanted. The entourage considered her comfort far too much even though she insisted they shouldn't. King Izana ordered that they camp in the middle of the forest, by the river side, before the sun sets.
"I much prefer to arrive at the Kingdom of Tanbarun by nightfall." She told King Izana as he helped her down her horse. As they touch, it sent tingles down through Althea's bones. It was like an electric ground that sent euphoria to her body. It took all her might to act like nothing has happened.
"And really, Your Majesty, you need not bother with a tent" She added.
The soldiers just finished setting up a tent for the King, and now in the task of setting up another tent beside it.
"That, my Lady, would be very dangerous. Bandits flocks even in this part of the Kingdom. As for the tent, what kind of host would I be if I couldn't provide comfort to my guest."
You could comfort me by marrying me. Althea thought. It wasn't a good thought. In fact, its a very complicated thought.
"Who would dare attack this entourage?"
"We can never be careful."
"Isn't it much dangerous to camp in the middle of this forest? The Black Bear resides in this forest."
"Ah, you've read about the Black Bear. Such a diligent scholar." He teased.
"It was depicted rather frightfully."
The Black Bear was considered a deity of the forest that separates the Kingdom of Clarines and Kingdom of Tanbarun. It guards the living creatures residing in the forest. It is said to be so large that it causes destruction in its path. No humans who have encountered the Black Bear came back alive.
"The guards are capable of defeating it if it comes down to it. Besides, we are safe as long as we do not enter his territory." King Izana assured her.
…
She was a light sleeper.
The Tower wasn't exactly the safest place in the Kingdom of Florin especially when the guards are men of her Uncle Moria. They creep into the night like rats and try to trespass her sanctuary with intentions that would harm her. Years of dangers lurking behind her quarters required her to develop an ability to sense everything even when asleep, that's why she prefers to sleep on the ground.
Tonight, out of habit, she slept on the ground with only a rag between her and the soil.
It was a light step at first. It could be a deer, a rabbit or something light footed. Fortunately, it definitely wasn't the Black Bear. Then, the sound was followed by many others, light and fast, jumping steps, and with purpose – all coming toward them.
Althea opened her eyes with a sense of urgency. She scrambled out of her tent to find Gareth who was just a few meters away. He was sitting as guard for the night together with three royal soldiers. The bonfire they kept at the heart of the camp was burning low enough to generate the heat they needed for night. Percy and Gavin are sleeping soundly, lying beside him.
When he saw her, he was immediately on guard. The three royal soldiers followed him by instinct.
"Gareth, humans, 10 minutes!" She said. Her voice rasp and hoarse from just waking up.
"How many?" He asked, nudging Percy and Gavin to wake up with his sword.
"I don't know." Althea said worriedly. "They are very … unusual."
Gareth nodded and ordered the soldiers to wake the others. He then woke up the Captain.
…
The commotion woke Izana up. He wasn't completely asleep, just in between, so that he could rest and have the energy to entertain King Shenazard the next day and at the same time be alert on his surroundings. He first heard Lady Althea's voice and then Gareth. Their conversation wasn't clear but he sensed the urgency. He immediately put on his boots and took his sword.
When he stepped out his tent, the first thing he saw was a bare-footed Lady Althea in her flimsy night gown. Her hair was long enough to protect her from prying eyes, but still it annoyed him on how she could be careless on propriety, even if there was an emergency. She was helping Percy and Gavin to stand up.
He immediately took her by the shoulders and led her back to her tent.
"Your Majesty!" She breathed. He looked down at her worried face. Even with little illumination, she looked breathtaking. He frowned.
"Dress up first." He ordered.
"But, there are bandits, I think." She said.
"Dress up." He repeated sternly.
She shrugged as she went inside her tent. Izana couldn't believe that someone shrugged at him. Even his brother Zen couldn't do it, but this Lady Scholar did right in his face. And shrugging wasn't exactly a lady-like thing to do.
Shaking his head, he sprinted toward Gareth to know the situation.
"Bandits?" He asked.
"I'm not sure Your Majesty. But there are a number of people coming at us." Gareth said. He was already prepped up.
"A number?"
"I don't know how many of them are." Gareth confessed.
"Are you certain?" Izana asked, strapping the scabbard of his sword to his waist.
"It was Lady Althea who told us." One of the guards said.
He looked at Gareth for confirmation.
"Your Majesty, please trust us on this. Her Ma… Althea, I mean, said, they will be here in ten minutes."
What is wrong with him?
He should be worried with their safety, but Gareth calling her with her name bothered him more. Lady Althea went out of her tent wearing the riding clothes she had before. He now appreciates it knowing she could easily run in those pants. Percy and Gavin took their place beside her. Feeling his gaze, she turned to look at him, still with a worried expression on her face.
Right then and there, he felt something ignited within him. It was like the dawning of a knowledge that could change not just his life, but his entire world. He just couldn't name what it is.
Izana focused on the situation at hand. He could think about his revelation later when all of them came out of this alive. He called the Captain and ordered him to set an ambush for the incoming threat, reminding him to not underestimate them. The night is a disadvantage but it will be to both parties.
Izana doused the fired with the soup cauldron they used earlier.
