Keeva stood behind a closed door listening to the people beyond. She felt like crying. Not only was she marrying the most evil man in the providence of Allagasia, but she had no idea where God was leading her.
"Abba are you sure?" Keeva asked hoping against hope itself He would say no, but deep down in her heart she knew His answer was yes. Keeva took a deep breath.
The music began to play as the doors were slowly opened. It seemed like everyone in the country had come.
Keeva slowly began to walk forward, her white dress gracefully gliding across the wooden floor, its train following close behind.
Movement behind the alter caught Keeva's gaze. Her mother stood facing the now silent standing crowd, a knife pressing dangerously close against her throat. Keeva's pace slowed as fear gripped her heart. Thoughts of her mother being killed bombarded the stronghold of her mind, threatening to break the hold Keeva had on her emotions.
She wanted to scream but the only thing that would come was a prayer. "Oh God, please help!" Keeva said through a tightly clenched throat. She wanted to scream, but anything other than her plea for help seemed impossible.
"Hurry up!" Galbatorix said mincingly. His words freed Keeva from the stupor of her terror clouding her mind.
When she reached the front of the room, she could clearly see her mothers pain filled gaze as well as the tears streaming down her face.
"If you do not cooperate, your mother will be executed." Galbatorix said under his breath as he took Keeva's hands in his.
"If I do cooperate, will you swear to leave my family alone?" Keeva asked while silently praying he would say yes.
"I will leave your family alone… if you continue to cooperate." Galbatorix said. The evil look in his eyes was almost unnoticeable.
The ceremony lasted about twenty agonizing minutes.
She had always dreamed of marrying a tall, handsome, loving, Godly man but now all that was changed. Oddly she was at peace about the wedding. Soon the guests would go home and Keeva could go back to her chambers and go to bed. Or so she hoped.
"My lady, your mother is waiting for you on the balcony in your chambers." Mona whispered into Keeva's ear.
"Thank you, Mona." Keeva whispered back to the girl. "Please excuse me, Your Majesty. I will return shortly." Keeva said to her husband. Galbatorix waved her off like a small child, but Keeva didn't care, it was a small victory in her mind.
She followed Mona upstairs to her chambers. "Thank you Mona, why don't you take the rest of the day off. Enjoy the party." Keeva said to her maid servant. Mona curtsied and left the room.
Keeva bolted the door and went to the balcony. "Mama!" Keeva said running into her mothers open arms.
"Keeva, darling! Are you alright?" Kyna asked her daughter hugging her tightly.
"Im fine mama, are you alright?" Keeva asked seeing a trickle of dry blood on her mother's throat.
"Yes dear, its just a scratch. Nothing to worry about." Kyna said
"Its there any particular reason you wanted to see me mother?" Keeva asked
"Yes, there was." Kyna said her expression grave. " The king wanted me to talk to you…" She began, then stopped.
"what ever it is mother, I can handle it." Keeva reassured her mother.
"He said that if you didn't do what he wanted he would beat you, and if that didn't work he would kill you, and then…" Her mother stopped there.
"What else did he say mother?" Keeva asked fearing the answer.
"He said he would force Searsha to marry him." She finished in a rush.
"Don't worry mother, he will never touch Searsha, Never!" Keeva said strongly. "I will do what he asks of me." Keeva said silently praying that she would have the strength to carry out her promise.
Keeva sat by King Galbatorix and tried to eat, but she was too nervous.
Her mother had left about an hour earlier to care for Aislinn and Searsha. She tried to think about what her mother had said, but it filled her heart with fear.
Within minutes of Keeva's return the wedding guests had left. Galbatorix left the room and Keeva was whisked away in her own thoughts.
"Milady?" Cara said gently touching her new mistress's arm.
Keeva jumped. "Yes?" she asked after seeing that it was Cara, not Galbatorix who held her arm.
"The King wishes to see you." Cara said.
"Alright, where is he?" Keeva asked looking around the now empty room, a feeling of dread rising in her chest at not seeing him standing somewhere close.
"In his chambers, milady." Cara said.
Keeva's head spun, she felt like she was going to be sick! Slowly she followed Cara to Galbatorix's door not sure whether she would come out dead or alive.