Two days time passed quicker than Charlie would've hoped for, not particularly thrilled with the journey weighing heavily on her mind. She tried to focus on her lessons, but even Nora could tell that she was worried, though she'd never admit it.
She hadn't been away from the castle ever, and to add to that anxiety, she was being placed under the watchful eye of a man she had never met, only to be married off to his son…whom she had also never met. That sort of marriage arrangement wasn't out of the ordinarily, but she never expected it to include her. As the King's daughter she assumed she would have a little more say in the matter, and because she's Charlie.
Nevertheless when doomsday arrived, she opened her eyes only to see that atrocious dress had mysteriously made its way back into her room, mocking her.
"Good, you're awake, I feared I was going to have to employ drastic measures to awaken you from your slumber. I know how you enjoy your sleep," she heard Nora's teasing voice from the doorway as her mother stood awkwardly at her side.
Stretching her arms over her head, Charlie let out a yawn, covering her mouth and tossing aside the blankets.
"I just wanted to see for myself you were up, Priscilla will be in to assist you in getting ready. Your father expects you to leave before noon in order to arrive by nightfall," her mother's terse voice broke through the silence as she curtly nodded towards Nora and took her leave.
Nora paid her no attention as she came further into the room, as upset as Charlie was about this; Nora looked even more grief stricken. Charlie was her constant companion and her only confidant within the castle. The other knights were less inviting because she was a woman, and mostly because they knew she was better than them.
Charlie gave her a warm smile and punched her arm, jarring her from her dreary thoughts, "cheer up, you should be ecstatic, you'll get to pawn me off on some other poor fool for awhile. I promise I'll give them just as much hell as I do you."
When Nora's mouth only twitched up slightly at the corners in a smile Charlie impulsively threw her arms around her, "I would ask you to come, but I know your place is here. I could never ask you to trade sides and start at a lower rank when you've earned your spot here."
Nora sighed and conceded to the hug, "don't worry about me princess," she pulled back and her mouth broke out in a full grin, "you know how good I am at making friends."
Laughter erupted from Charlie's lips, "all the more reason I worry about you."
After a few more moments of laughter passing between the two of them, Nora took her leave, pausing once more at the door to smile.
Charlie had no time to be sad because as soon as she left Priscilla entered with a less than cheerful smile on her face, "good morning your highness, I apologize, but I was told to bring the gown back. I know how much you detested the color."
Charlie grimaced, "I assumed mother wanted a trial run yesterday to see how I looked in it, after all I couldn't go looking unpresentable, how would that look on her?"
Rolling her eyes, Charlie smiled when she saw Priscilla muffle laughter until she took in Charlie's appearance, "oh heavens, you're covered in dirt, how ever did that happen?"
Realization flashed across Charlie's face as she reflected on her mother's words. She was supposed to refrain from engaging in any sort of physical activity, which included her training with Nora. In Charlie's defense though she had been on the same routine for years, it was hard enough to get that down pat only for her mother to just change it.
Priscilla came closer to her, examining her appearance, "well you should be alright, I'll get a cloth to clean the visible parts and make sure you're presentable."
With a sigh of relief Charlie relaxed, at least she could count on Priscilla, "thank you Priscilla, I apologize, it must've slipped my mind."
Nodding, she smiled, "I understand your highness, you've had quite a lot on your mind, just wait right here."
Priscilla left and appeared with a cloth and a pan full of water, "I'm sorry your highness but we mustn't waste time waiting for the water to get hot."
Charlie was about to ask what she meant when she felt the sting of icy cold water on her skin as she quietly yelped, that's what she got for not listening.
After the fourth 'I'm sorry' she heard Priscilla mutter it was all over and she looked as good as new.
Pulling at the insufferable fabric, she parted from Priscilla, giving her a smile of reassurance as she made her way to the Great Hall where she knew everyone was waiting on her.
Her father's face looked grim, just as her brother's did. She could see that they were both visibly upset at her departure. Her mother was always more difficult to read, not because she lacked feelings, but because she never let them show.
Slowly dragging her feet she stood face to face with her mother, "please do your best to behave as a Princess and not as you do here."
That was as close to a goodbye as she was going to get from her mother.
She moved on to her brother next and welcomed him into her arms as he wrapped his arms around her tight, "I'll miss you dear sister. With you gone there will be no one for mother to focus her attention on, I'll be her next project," Danny's chuckle caused Charlie to smile and laugh lightly as she pulled away, ruffling his hair.
With great reluctance, she moved on to Miles, her father. She stood there for a few moments, not sure what to say or do, he wasn't much of a hugger, but suddenly he pulled her into his arms, dropping a kiss to the crown of her head as he ran his hand over her head.
She wasn't sure he was going to speak until she heard him so softly, "Bass will take care of you, I would trust him with my life. Despite all we have been through, we've been brothers our whole lives."
Pulling her back so he could look in her eyes he continued with more volume, "he has a nasty temper at times, and things are ran differently there. I'd say do as you're told, but it would just go in one ear and out the other," he smiled, "don't push him Charlie. I trust him, but I also know what he is capable of and I would hate to have to kill him. We will be there shortly after you're settled to see how you're getting on, and do send us a letter once you have time. I'll miss you, kid."
The air left her lungs as she listened, but as soon as she heard that her vision clouded with unshed tears. She nodded and didn't let one drop as she hugged him once more and turned, not looking back as she exited.
Charlie opted for riding on horseback because the unstable conditions of the worn down roads made riding in a carriage a more difficult journey, but her mother instantly refuted her request. There was absolutely no way that Charlie could make a positive impression traveling on horseback, even though Rachel despised Sebastian, she knew that Charlie represented their family.
As she hit every bump and rock in the rock, jarring her and numbing her butt, Charlie wished she would've thrown a fit and she very well would have had she known just how grueling this would be. It was no wonder most people chose to ride in a saddle, that had to be more comfortable than a stiff, wooden bench, although they did stop in cities along the way, whom her father had allies in, to rest and sleep overnight.
Though people had mixed feelings about the King and his family, she was always welcomed with open arms and treated with the utmost respect at every turn.
The walls of Malgrave shot defiantly upwards to stand 207 feet, just a mere six feet shorter than Longstead, but where it lacked height, it made up for in defense. Surrounding the castle from the outside world was a barbican made of sturdy wood.
The moat, recently added as per King Sebastian's request, could be found in the space between the barbican and the outer bailey. Excavated around the castle when the war broke out and stretching 13 feet in width and over 30 feet in depth, the moat was added in order to thwart the enemy in his attempt to siege towers and battering rams.
Built of the same stone that made up the rest of the castle, the key feature of the outer bailey was the massive drawbridge, releasing, at a painstakingly slow pace, to allow Charlie's passage. She had never seen a drawbridge before because her father didn't believe in closing them in or closing off the people. Whereas things seemed to flow at Longstead, here she could already tell there was more structure, order.
Standing slightly taller than the outer bailey was the second layer of defense, the inner bailey, home to the castle cistern, chapel, kitchen, gatehouse and the living quarters of the lord and his family.
Once more a fixed bridge appeared below the wheels of the wagon, opening the castle right before her eyes. Having never ridden up on a castle, she ducked down in order to get a better view.
Impressively as Longstead stood, Malgrave castle was nothing but marvelous as well, the only difference lied in where Longstead looked inviting, Malgrave resembled a fortress. It kind of reminded her of the forest around her home; dark, edgy, mysterious, but unlike the forest, she had no idea what kind of power it housed within its walls.
Caught up in marveling the exterior of the place, Charlie jumped when the door was opened and an arm extended to accompany her towards the castle.
She promised herself she would not look back, but curiosity always got the better of her. Turning her head to glance over her shoulder, she watched as the carriage faded away, returning to her home, the home she wasn't sure she would ever see again.
Sniffling back any tears that threatened to escape, she held her head high as she allowed one of King Sebastian's guards escort her, trying not to compare how stiff and rigid he was compared to the many guards Charlie had encountered at her own castle.
Everything about this castle was different, except the draft, both were just as cold, she thought as she shuddered. Noticing her chill upon entering the Great Hall, the guard next to her motioned to someone and within minutes a warm, fur lined cape was draped over her shoulders as she meekly mumbled a 'thank you,' still refusing to make eye contact.
It wasn't as though she were acting in a childish manner, but if she could feel the rigidity rolling off his body beside her; she couldn't imagine how fierce his eyes would look.
As soon as he stepped aside, she let her arm drop awkwardly to her side as she brought her hands to rub up and down her arms. She was used to the cold, but there was an unusual chill in the air that sent a wave of goosebumps across her skin, no doubt having to do with the King who entered nosily from behind her.
Connor stood at his side, eyes widening as he took in her beauty, though mostly covered up, "she's beautiful," he whispered to his father.
Bass didn't say anything, but his agreement was evident by the look in his eyes. He hadn't seen Charlotte as a baby, but he couldn't imagine coming from that family that she would be anything but pretty. He was however, unprepared for the amount of beauty she possessed, more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen and beautiful enough to dethrone Helen of Troy herself.
When she turned amount, Bass' breath left his body, Charlotte wasn't as innocent and young looking as he expected her to be. She held herself with a dignity, very much like Miles, but with a stone cold, deadly look, courtesy of Rachel.
For a minute he forgot all about his son, the one she was promised to, as his stride grew wider until he was close enough to her to hear her erratic heartbeat.
"Hello Charlotte," taking her hand in his, he placed a light feather kiss upon the backside, "it's nice to finally meet you."