Queen of Hearts (Finale Part 1)
"Ready, milady?" the bridesmaid asked me in hushed tones.
The double doors opened before me as the orchestra started to play. Brilliant sunlight flooded the church, illuminating the happy faces of the many celebrated and prominent people who had come to watch the marriage.
Clutching the bouquet of red roses carefully in my hands, I made my way slowly down the red carpet to the altar. Amidst the thunderous applause from all corners of the church, I concentrated hard on being graceful for once in my life and not tripping over the lacy frills of my long white gown.
The tiara balanced on my head was giving me a headache, and the dainty little crystal slippers that the bridesmaids had insisted I wear were threatening to trip me with every step I took. It was not as though I had actually cared about how I would look, if Kai had not intervened at that point in time those chambermaids would be nothing but freshly-dead corpses but this time.
At least those giggling chambermaids did not realize that I had silently tucked two of my daggers into my stockings in case of need.
Mentally, I prayed that I would be able to walk to altar with no mishaps. The last thing I wanted was to lose my dignity in front of all these distinguished people.
Perhaps a deity had heard my prayers, or maybe it was because she took pity on my pitiful predicament; I made it safely to the altar with my gown in one piece, train white and pristine, not a strand of hair out of place, tiara still perfectly in the center, roses still in hands and crystal slippers still intact.
Now I had to stand straight for the next hour without moving, twitching or breaking anything. The first two parts were relatively easy. The third one was near impossible.
Did I just hear a crack coming from the right slipper?
Kai smiled warmly at me. "You look lovely," he whispered.
"Mmhm." I refrained from curtsying lest I topple over the altar and land right on the poor priest Moulder, who had kindly agreed to perform our marriage ceremony.
Speaking of Moulder, I bit back a chuckle when I saw that the priest was tiptoeing on 6 tomes just so as to make his head visible over the altar.
Clearing his throat three times, Moulder shuffled the stack of papers before him and launched into an eight-page lecture about the sanctity of marriage and fidelity, chastity and virtue, men and women. From the corners of my eye, I could see King Innes of Frelia holding up his baby son while his wife, Vanessa, rubbed her swollen belly contentedly. Lord Ephraim of Renais was whispering into the ear of his wife, my friend Tana, who had apparently got her life-long wish of being married to her prince charming. A large number of guests were either dozing off or, in the case of L'Arachel, the princess of Rausten was painting her fingernails pink while chattering to a sulking Rennac.
Trying to prevent myself from falling asleep as well, I took to studying my soon-to-be husband.
Kai was, in many's eyes, a gorgeous specimen of a man who epitomized the word 'handsome'. Or in L'Arachel's words, he was a 'hot, rich and valuable commodity'. With the blond windswept hair, dark blue eyes and chiseled profile, he had no doubt caused heartaches for many women. It did not help that he was one of the most prominent lords in the Republic of Carcino who was speculated to be the leading choice to succeed senator Pablo. I had little doubt that his marriage would likely cause much jealousy and heartbreak for women all over Magvel.
"Are you hurt?" The stranger pulled back his hood and sheathed his sword. His voice was surprisingly gentle. "Here, let me help you. I'll help you treat your injuries back in my keep, alright?"
I was reluctant to be in a stranger's arms, on a stranger's horse, and much more that I was headed for a stranger's house. I was too weak to protest. Having been blasted repeated by lightning and Elfire, I would most likely have perished in these woods in the hands of the bandits if not for his timely intervention. I had no right to question any further decision that he made.
In fact, by all laws of swordsmanship, if he wished to kill me right now, it would be deemed perfectly fine.
I had entrusted my life into his hands.
He noticed me staring and gracefully arched an eyebrow.
I knocked on the door, waited for his response and entered the study. "You called, Lord Kai?" My face bore no expression and my voice revealed nothing.
He lifted his head from where he had been busy reading through trading and mercantile documents. "I was hoping that you would do me a favour. You said you wanted to thank me for taking care of you right? What would you say if I wanted you to stay here and train the soldiers?"
I was stunned. I had not expected to be offered employment. "Are you sure…about this?" The idea of interaction with a crowd of people everyday did not appeal to me the least.
He laughed. "My dear Marisa, if the Crimson Flash cannot train my soldiers, do I have to ask your father instead to undertake the task?"
I shrugged. Personally, I thought it was a good idea. If my father took up that position, I could then find him, at long last, and challenge him to a duel. I would finally have the chance to prove to my father that I possess the same mettle as him and mother. If only he would stop wandering from Renais to Grado all the time and settle down for once. I was already dizzy from tracking his last footsteps, which was reported to be somewhere in the mountains of Grado.
"I understand that your wish is not to be tied down to one place but to traverse the world," he nodded. "But perhaps we could try this arrangement out, for perhaps a small amount of time? Maybe…who knows, you may even like it."
My silence signified my consent.
He smiled at me encouragingly.
"You found my father?" I stared at him, pale. "How?"
He shrugged. "Bait, espionage and a bit of gold. Your father couldn't resist a challenge. I told my men to tell him that I found a master swordsman for him to test his skills against, and he came wholeheartedly. He's waiting in the garden."
I grabbed my shamshir. Finally, after so many years, I could show my father how much I had improved.
"Good luck," he called behind me.
"Come on, smile a little," he whispered. "I know you can smile, and I know you look dazzling when you smile."
"You won, didn't you?" he smiled.
I nodded. "Finally, he admitted that I was better than him." I could still see the toothy smile my father gave me when my blade rested against his neck. He had only said one word 'good', but I knew that it was his way of expressing his pride, his joy and his acknowledgement of my skills.
I was…finally…at peace.
"Thank you."
He was startled, so startled that he dropped the parchment that he was reading. "Pardon?" He stared at me, eyes wide. In his memory, he had probably never heard me put so much emotion into my speech.
"I said, thank you," I smiled. For the first time in a long time, I said 'thank you' not out of obligation, but out of sincere heartfelt gratitude.
I left him in his study, still stunned. The parchment lay forgotten on the carpeted floor.
Moulder was winding up his speech by thanking all the nobles of the various regions starting with Renais.
"I hope you would agree to this," he frowned. "I understand that it is difficult for you since I know you don't have feelings for me, but I need to marry soon and I feel that you will be the most suitable wife I can find. You are quiet, graceful, self-disciplined, neutral in your expression and speech…In short, you possess many of the qualities a noblewoman needs to have. Being a skilled swordswoman is, of course, an added bonus."
He sounded as though he was writing a recommendation letter.
"Of course, even though this is a marriage of convenience and duty I am still very fond of you, and I am sure I am tolerable to you, and we will still need to fulfill all duties as husband and wife to each other…"
"I accept," I said crisply. He had saved my life, given me free lodging, helped me obtain employment, found my father, fulfilled my life-long wish. I was forever in his debt.
Besides, the idea of a marriage of convenience sounded soothing at this point in my life. Maybe it could heal that scar on my heart? Love no longer mattered. Joshua was, very possibly, already enjoying married life with Natasha, my name long forgotten.
I envisioned a way out of the prison of misery that had trapped me for the past five years. Perhaps life as a noblewoman of Carcino would even turn out surprisingly interesting.
"Pardon?" He was shocked. I presumed that he had not expected me to respond so readily.
"I accept your proposal," I repeated. "On one condition, I am allowed to refuse some of your guests to come."
"Do you, Kai of Carcino, agree to take this woman as your wife?" Moulder peered at Kai, straining on the tips of his toes.
"I do." Kai's voice resounded in the church, loud and clear. I could hear a few women sitting amongst the crowd swoon. L'Arachel was teetering at the edge of her seat, straining to have a better look.
"And do you, Marisa of Jehanna, agree to take this man as your husband?" Moulder turned to peer at me.
"I…do." Once Moulder pronounced us husband and wife, there would be no regrets, no turning back, only the future lying ahead of us. Once Kai slipped the ring onto my finger, there could be no more heartbreak, no more misery over love, no more pining over another man. Joshua's presence would have to disappear from my mind, and be replaced by Kai.
"Are there any objections to this marriage?" Moulder tiptoed even further. I feared that soon, he was going to topple over onto the altar at the angle he was leaning. "No? Then I hereby pronounce the two of you –"
"Stop!" The doors were flung open roughly.
Moulder nearly crashed headfirst into his notes. Many gasped at the sudden intrusion. Kai grasped my hand in his. Everyone turned at the entry of the unexpected guest.
He was tall, blocking out nearly all of the sunlight from filtering through the doorway. He was carrying a heavy-looking sword, had wild cropped hair and a scar running across the face.
Gerik?
Author's Note:
Haha. Finally, it's my turn to be evil and end off with a cliffhanger (Is it even a cliffhanger)? Oh well, so Gerik crashes the wedding in part 1. So sorry there wasn't anything of Joshua in this chapter, I'll feature him A LOT in the next two chapters.
Kai...he's a character that I thought up of that seemed like a perfect gentleman. His outward appearance is inspired by Percival of FE 6, although he's character is tends more towards Roy than Percival. I know that it's quite surprising to bring in a sudden new character, but I hope that he'll be pretty well-developed by the end of the story.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Cheerios ~