({[ Rianna On The Run - Two ]})
dedicated to Molly, my illustrator, book designer, and editor.
Ria didn't allow herself to think about the crazy escape they had devised. She was afraid that if she did, she would realize how impossible, ridiculous, and unbelievable it was. If she did that, then she would lose her nerve, which would lead to not going through with it, and she'd have to be married off. So she didn't let herself think about it.
Instead, she kept herself busy with tasks that occupied her and didn't let her mind wander. She practiced archery in the yards, stretching, and making sure she would be capable enough to defend herself. Not for the first time, Ria was glad Ella had insisted that she learn archery.
"But, Ella," Char protested. "A princess has never learned to shoot! The whole court will talk about it." 7-year old Ria looked on wide-eyed. This was the closest her parents had ever come to arguing.
"Char," Ella protested. "She needs to learn how to defend herself."
"Why?" Char asked. "She'll always be protected."
"That's what I thought too," Ella said with a quick grin. "But a bow and arrow would have been very useful when I ran into SEEf and those orcs. What if you hadn't come?"
Char winced, and Ella smiled winningly. She knew she had won.
"Alright, alright," Char conceded.
Now that she had been taking archery for six years, Ria had picked it up, and was highly skilled. She could shoot a rat from 10 feet away, and believed she could shoot someone in the dark. Not that they had let her try, anyway. She just closed her eyes and tried shooting at the bulls-eye. And she usually hit the center.
Meanwhile, Ella and Mandy were making preparations of their own. Amid the bustle of the kitchen, Mandy stored away thin wafers of 'tackbread', as she called it. She claimed it would keep for months, and to Ria it tasted delicious. She suspected fairy magic at work. Mandy also put away flasks of water, and some other foods. Ria was to escape on a horse- there were so many in the stables that it would go unnoticed by Ober, even though the hostlers might worry over it. She decided to take a filly she had found in one of the snaller stables, a gorgeous horse with a dark gray coat and a white mane and tail. Ria had named her Stormsong, and rode her every week. She was fast, nimble, and sure-footed.
Ella was packing all of the spare breeches and tunics Ria had in her wardrobe into saddlebags. Ria wouldn't disguise herself as a boy, but they planned to cut her hair, so she could be mistaken for a boy at a distance. Breeches and tunics were much more practical, anyway.
While doing all of this covertly, all of them had to maintain appearances on the outside. Ria had to act the part of a dutiful princess, although not too thrilled. If she acted too happy about it, Ober would sense something wrong. He knew Ria well enough to know that. Ella had to direct preparations for the "wedding", which was to take place at the old palace. The Halonian royalty were arriving in about a month, along with the prince, Carrian. Ria had a field day with that.
"Carrian?" she ranted to Mandy. "What idiotic mother names her son Carrian? It's pronounced like carrion, the left over dead animals vultures eat! Was the queen delirious or something? Carrian! Rotting animal flesh!"
"Shush, child," Mandy said. She glanced significantly at all the servants bustling in the kitchen. Ria understood, but it didn't lessen her annoyance.
"Carrian-carrion. It will be Princess Ria and Prince Carrian-carrion, the feast for vultures," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
The wedding was extremely extravagant, or so Ria thought, for Kyrria's second year in drought. But Ober ordered a feast for five hundred, and Ria's wedding dress was a pearlized nuisance. Every inch of it was embroidered with pearls, the cuffs with rare gray ones. As custom dictated, there was a Kyrrian crest on cuff of a sleeve- a silver and blue four-pointed star on a silver background. The crest was made of real silver, and a few choice sapphires.
"If Ober's trying to get me on his good side, this is not the way," Ria grumbled, as the dressmakers fitted the dress. "I can barely walk in it!"
"It looks gorgeous," Ella said.
"Gorgeous, indeed," Ria snorted. "Gorgeous enough so that I will trip on it on the way to the canopy, break all the precious pearls, send them rolling everywhere, with all the guests lunging to snatch a few. Just gorgeous."
Ella grinned. Her daughter had inherited her wry sense of humor and wit, it appeared.
And then there were the jewels. Custom was the overriding choice here, as Ober kindly requested(ordered, more like it) that they choose silver jewelry with sapphires, so that "the princess could show her patriotism." Ria's sharp tongue lashed again.
"Patriotism," she said derisively. "With all the silver and blue I'm going to be wearing, I'll be a walking crest. Why not just encase me in silver and stamp a star on my forehead? That would be so much more patriotic, as Ober says. And of course, Ober is so patriotic himself, wanting the best for Kyrria."
Ella laughed and Mandy hid a grin. "You better watch that tongue, Ria," she warned. "What's witty in now may become impudence elsewhere."
But Ober's 'kind requests' were what they went by. Ober himself appointed servants to pick out the necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry Ria would wear. Of course, Ria wasn't consulted about it. So it was another fiasco when she discovered the case of her wedding jewels in her chambers. Opening it, she discovered a silver necklace dripping with sapphires, as well as about three other necklaces.
"How am I supposed to hold my poor head up with all the jewelry weighting down my neck?" she muttered.
And then there were anklets with silver bells on them, about 15 sapphire bracelets, and some sapphires and diamonds to put in Ria's hair.
"How does he get the money for all this?" Ria asked. "For what these cost, I'm sure he could have fed half of Frell. And they'd be much happier than I am."
Halona, it appeared, was excited about the match. Carrian sent Ria syrupy letters, as well as a portrait of himself and some betrothal gifts. Carrian seemed to be a handsome boy, with baby blue eyes and wavy blonde hair. But his smile seemed to be absent and dull, and there was a glint in his eyes that Ria didn't like. Maybe it was just the portrait.
Despite how handsome he looked, Ria was overjoyed she was to escape the wedding. She strongly believed that the painter had made him look good on purpose, or if he hadn't, the prince certainly didn't have the brains to match the looks. Ria had a good laugh over his letters. The first one made her positively howl.
My Dearest Princess Rianna,
I was informed of my betrothal to your wonderful personage last night, and immediately set out to write you a letter this morn. I am sure that we shall enjoy each other's company beautifully.
Currently, I am living at the palace in Halona, where you shall soon live, my sweet bride-to-be. The palace is beautiful, although I am afraid the gardens are limited. I have a strong reaction to some flowers, and fearing my health, my father the King ordered most of them destroyed.
I am sure you will love Halona. We have wonderfully exciting jousts which are a great amusement to watch. Although…I am afraid the tolerance and fragile health of your womanly characteristics restrict you from viewing them. No matter. I shall describe them to you afterwards, so you can relive the excitement at a more sedate setting.
I am sure you are learning quite a many womanly achievements. How are you at needlepoint? I am sure your sewing is coming along quite beautifully. As well as your modest manners.
I have heard you are quite the beautiful woman. I have heard that your wavy hair is the most glorious chestnut-fire, put in mind of a golden autumn day. And your lips are pink, round, and full. Your eyes a most beautiful shade of purple-gray. I have heard they turn more purple when you are displeased. However I believe they will never be purple as long as I am your husband. And your slim, tall figure! Who can extol your grace? Although I am sure that I, as well as you, hope that my nose passes on to our children.
Write soon. I eagerly await your letter.
Your husband-to-be,
Prince Carrian Duane,
Heir to the throne of Halona.
Ria laughed hard and long at that one. Sewing? Not since she was ten, and had broken her needle and thrown down her needlepoint in a rage. Ella had decided that she had learned enough sewing, and Ria never touched a needle or thread after that.
Modest? Mmmhmm. Anyone who knew her would not say that. At least, not in the way he expected her to be. She was more comfortable in breeches than dresses, if that was what he was thinking of. And jousts? Ria snorted. "Tolerance and fragile health of your womanly characteristics…" indeed. If he knew that she could beat him thoroughly in archery, he would sing a different tune.
And her features! Glorious hair? Her "chestnut-fire" hair? How about describing it as a wavy, thick, reddish brown? That would be a better, more frank way of saying it. Instead of a "golden autumn day."
And her eyes! It was true that they were a purple-gray, and turned a disconcerting shade purple when she was mad. But she was very sure of the fact that if she was wed to Carrian, her eyes would permanently change to purple.
"Long, slim figure." Hmph. It was enough praise, and it made her feel sick. He took the truth and turned into sick poetic prose. As for her nose! What a diplomatic way to disguise an insult. Ria fingered the bridge of her nose. It bordered between aristocratic and perky, but a slight upturn at the end decided it all. He hoped that their children had his nose! Ria didn't know whether to tear the letter or just laugh until she was sick. What an idiot. If he hadn't been Prince, he could have been the pigboy.
But she had to write back to him; custom dictated it. Wishing that all customs would go hang themselves, Ria drew out a piece of paper. After thinking, she finally wrote a short letter.
Dear Prince Carrian,
You have an interesting name. Who named you? I am sure that jousts are too much for my health, even though archery isn't. I'm sure you're an expert on things like that, having so much experience.
I have seen your portrait. You have wavy blonde hair, and very blue eyes. And I'm sure your nose looks better than mine does.
I would like to name our children Olive, Hattie, and Ursula. Of course, if I bear you boys, I think the names Zarn, Bobbert, and Narkert are perfectly gorgeous names. Don't you think?
Sincerely,
Princess Rianna
Of course, she would never name anyone the names in the letter. She shuddered- Narkert indeed! Horrid name. Although it seemed gorgeous in comparison to Carrian-carrion. Nothing would make her stay in that "beautiful", flowerless distant Halona castle.
Thinking of the life she would lead if she married Carrian-carrion, she shuddered, and vowed that she would make her escape work. It must; if it didn't she would run away from.
-Alqualyne
