I heard nothing else after this, leaving the room silently, unable to stand another minute of it. My mind raced as I made my way to my chamber. I wanted so badly to just escape, but I knew that with the storm outside there was no chance of that. I had only been in my chamber a few minutes when I heard a knock at the door. I remained sitting on my bed and said nothing, and my father opened the door.
"Katrina, may I speak with you for a moment?" I nodded my head, and he entered the room, closing the door behind him.
"I know that it is a bit late for conversation, but there is something I must speak with you about." I continued to look at him, and after a moment he continued.
"I know what your thoughts on this matter will likely be, so I will get straight to the point. I have arranged for you to marry one of the Knights of the Holy Order, a man who I trust with my life, and most importantly with you."
There was a silence, and then I could stand it no more. Tears began to stream down my face and I covered my eyes with my hands. I rarely cried, and I did not want my father to see me being so weak. I felt him sit down on the bed beside me, saying things to comfort me.
"Listen to me Katrina…" he said softly. I lifted my head, trying to control my tears.
"I know that this is not what you want and that it is hard for you to understand, but this…arrangement really is for the best." I turned to look at him, my anger starting to return.
"How could you do this to me father?" I asked furiously. "Couldn't you at least have asked me what I thought about it?"
Sadness showed in his eyes and he was silent for a moment. "There will never be a more perfect match for you than this, Katrina. This man is from one of the most respected and ancient families in the Order. He is also a good man…he saved my life once during a battle, and for that I can never repay him."
"And so you hope to begin to repay him by giving him me?" I asked, my anger flaring.
My father shook his head. "No, no, Katrina…it has nothing to do with that. But there is something else that I must tell you about all of this--something that will comfort you no doubt."
I simply stared at the wall, willing to bet anything that what he was about to tell me wouldn't comfort me much. "You won't be marrying him now--it will at least be several years before he returns for you."
I looked at my father again, a bit confused. "What, doesn't he want his prize now?" He smiled. "I asked him to wait until you are a few years older, since you have not yet reached the age of womanhood. He agreed, of course." This was a relief to me--at least I would have a few years to get used to the idea of marriage.
"So I must simply sit here day after day and wait for his return," I said quietly, realizing at last that I had no way out of this.
"He is leaving on a mission for the Order in a few days, and it will perhaps be three or four years before he returns for you," my father said. I nodded, but said nothing else.
He gave me a smile. "It will not be as bad as you think. I will introduce the two of you tomorrow, though from what I have heard you have already met." I remained silent, and my father gave me a kiss on my forehead before standing to leave. "Do not worry my child, I promise you will grow to love him. And take comfort in knowing that I would never marry you to a man who did not deserve you."
After my father had left and closed the door, I collapsed on my bed, but I did not cry again. It was so much to take in at once…all of it had happened so quickly.
I thought about what my father had said last, and I knew that it was true. He would never allow me to marry a man who was not kind and trusted by him. Still thinking about all of this I fell asleep, wondering what the next day would bring.
I awoke late the next morning and dressed slowly. I was in no hurry to go down to breakfast, or to the man I had been promised to. Just as I was finished dressing I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, and my father stood smiling.
"There you are my dear. I was beginning to wonder if you had slipped off in the night…but I don't think that you would have gotten very far in this weather. Come, there is someone waiting for you that I would like for you to meet."
Reluctantly I followed him down through the castle to the dining hall where a few men were still eating their morning meal. Most however had already finished and left the hall. As we entered the great room I saw the lord to whom I had been promised.
He was dressed neatly in black as he had been the night before, and was seated at the large dining table. His face lighted up with a smile when he saw us approaching, and he stood to greet us.
"Count, may I introduce you to my dear daughter, Katrina Vorkovus," my father said as I came to stand before the man.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia," he said, taking my hand and gently kissing it.
So I was to marry a count. No wonder my father had been so eager for this arrangement; my marriage to a count would be considered an excellent match in the opinions of the nobles.
"Allow me," the count said, pulling out a chair for me to be seated in.
"Thank you, count," I said giving him a kind smile. "Please, call me Vladislaus," he answered, staring into my eyes.
I felt myself blush as I sat down. My father and the count took their seats, and our breakfast was served. It was silent for a few moments and then my father began a conversation with the count, including me in it as often as he could.
The count on the other hand seemed far less interested in what my father was saying, and more interested in speaking with me. My father of course was happy for this. Finishing his meal rather quickly, he excused himself, saying he had business to attend to.
It was then just the count and I alone, and I realized that the dining hall was empty but for us. We continued talking until we had finished our meal, the count being very good at making conversation.
"I do not know if your father has told you, but I leave in a few days on a mission for the Order," he said, looking at me intently. "I'm afraid it will be several years before we see each other again."
"Yes, my father mentioned that you would be leaving soon," I replied.
He smiled. "Which is why I had hoped that perhaps over the next few days we could get to know each other better, if you would like."
This surprised me somewhat, although I'm not sure why. I had thought that the count would have had better things to do than spend time getting to know me. My surprise and uncertainty must have shown on my face, because the count then laughed.
"What's so funny?" I asked, a little irritated.
"It's just that you seem to have expected me to be less interested in you than I am," he replied.
I smiled, a little embarrassed. "Well, to tell the truth I did."
The count simply smiled, continuing to look at me contently. Feeling that I was being a bit rude, I offered to show him around the castle, and he gladly accepted.
I began on the bottom floor with the armory that held our newest weapons and armor, since I thought that this would interest the count most. However, he seemed more interested in learning about me than about the weapons or the castle. For several hours we wandered around the castle, talking about many things. I was amazed at how easy the count was to talk to, and slowly I became less nervous.
"Katrina, may I speak with you for a moment?" I nodded my head, and he entered the room, closing the door behind him.
"I know that it is a bit late for conversation, but there is something I must speak with you about." I continued to look at him, and after a moment he continued.
"I know what your thoughts on this matter will likely be, so I will get straight to the point. I have arranged for you to marry one of the Knights of the Holy Order, a man who I trust with my life, and most importantly with you."
There was a silence, and then I could stand it no more. Tears began to stream down my face and I covered my eyes with my hands. I rarely cried, and I did not want my father to see me being so weak. I felt him sit down on the bed beside me, saying things to comfort me.
"Listen to me Katrina…" he said softly. I lifted my head, trying to control my tears.
"I know that this is not what you want and that it is hard for you to understand, but this…arrangement really is for the best." I turned to look at him, my anger starting to return.
"How could you do this to me father?" I asked furiously. "Couldn't you at least have asked me what I thought about it?"
Sadness showed in his eyes and he was silent for a moment. "There will never be a more perfect match for you than this, Katrina. This man is from one of the most respected and ancient families in the Order. He is also a good man…he saved my life once during a battle, and for that I can never repay him."
"And so you hope to begin to repay him by giving him me?" I asked, my anger flaring.
My father shook his head. "No, no, Katrina…it has nothing to do with that. But there is something else that I must tell you about all of this--something that will comfort you no doubt."
I simply stared at the wall, willing to bet anything that what he was about to tell me wouldn't comfort me much. "You won't be marrying him now--it will at least be several years before he returns for you."
I looked at my father again, a bit confused. "What, doesn't he want his prize now?" He smiled. "I asked him to wait until you are a few years older, since you have not yet reached the age of womanhood. He agreed, of course." This was a relief to me--at least I would have a few years to get used to the idea of marriage.
"So I must simply sit here day after day and wait for his return," I said quietly, realizing at last that I had no way out of this.
"He is leaving on a mission for the Order in a few days, and it will perhaps be three or four years before he returns for you," my father said. I nodded, but said nothing else.
He gave me a smile. "It will not be as bad as you think. I will introduce the two of you tomorrow, though from what I have heard you have already met." I remained silent, and my father gave me a kiss on my forehead before standing to leave. "Do not worry my child, I promise you will grow to love him. And take comfort in knowing that I would never marry you to a man who did not deserve you."
After my father had left and closed the door, I collapsed on my bed, but I did not cry again. It was so much to take in at once…all of it had happened so quickly.
I thought about what my father had said last, and I knew that it was true. He would never allow me to marry a man who was not kind and trusted by him. Still thinking about all of this I fell asleep, wondering what the next day would bring.
I awoke late the next morning and dressed slowly. I was in no hurry to go down to breakfast, or to the man I had been promised to. Just as I was finished dressing I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, and my father stood smiling.
"There you are my dear. I was beginning to wonder if you had slipped off in the night…but I don't think that you would have gotten very far in this weather. Come, there is someone waiting for you that I would like for you to meet."
Reluctantly I followed him down through the castle to the dining hall where a few men were still eating their morning meal. Most however had already finished and left the hall. As we entered the great room I saw the lord to whom I had been promised.
He was dressed neatly in black as he had been the night before, and was seated at the large dining table. His face lighted up with a smile when he saw us approaching, and he stood to greet us.
"Count, may I introduce you to my dear daughter, Katrina Vorkovus," my father said as I came to stand before the man.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia," he said, taking my hand and gently kissing it.
So I was to marry a count. No wonder my father had been so eager for this arrangement; my marriage to a count would be considered an excellent match in the opinions of the nobles.
"Allow me," the count said, pulling out a chair for me to be seated in.
"Thank you, count," I said giving him a kind smile. "Please, call me Vladislaus," he answered, staring into my eyes.
I felt myself blush as I sat down. My father and the count took their seats, and our breakfast was served. It was silent for a few moments and then my father began a conversation with the count, including me in it as often as he could.
The count on the other hand seemed far less interested in what my father was saying, and more interested in speaking with me. My father of course was happy for this. Finishing his meal rather quickly, he excused himself, saying he had business to attend to.
It was then just the count and I alone, and I realized that the dining hall was empty but for us. We continued talking until we had finished our meal, the count being very good at making conversation.
"I do not know if your father has told you, but I leave in a few days on a mission for the Order," he said, looking at me intently. "I'm afraid it will be several years before we see each other again."
"Yes, my father mentioned that you would be leaving soon," I replied.
He smiled. "Which is why I had hoped that perhaps over the next few days we could get to know each other better, if you would like."
This surprised me somewhat, although I'm not sure why. I had thought that the count would have had better things to do than spend time getting to know me. My surprise and uncertainty must have shown on my face, because the count then laughed.
"What's so funny?" I asked, a little irritated.
"It's just that you seem to have expected me to be less interested in you than I am," he replied.
I smiled, a little embarrassed. "Well, to tell the truth I did."
The count simply smiled, continuing to look at me contently. Feeling that I was being a bit rude, I offered to show him around the castle, and he gladly accepted.
I began on the bottom floor with the armory that held our newest weapons and armor, since I thought that this would interest the count most. However, he seemed more interested in learning about me than about the weapons or the castle. For several hours we wandered around the castle, talking about many things. I was amazed at how easy the count was to talk to, and slowly I became less nervous.
