The Merger

Here Comes the Bride

It was an early start.
Caroline got you up before dawn. You probably slept less an hour, the talk you had with Steve the night before stayed with you. Your smile was short lived as Caroline's foot wedged into your back as she tightened the corset.

"Gods! Caroline!"

"My apologies your majesty but we are already behind schedule due to the new security restrictions and you are to meet with the council before the ceremony, Lord Rogers has requested a meeting."

"Oh," you responded boredly, thinking nothing of it. Your future father in law was probably going to give a welcoming speech and send some more condolences your way.

"What about my request? Did council approve?"

Caroline sighed as she tied the end of the bodice, "It was denied. Barnes will stay in the dungeons until further notice."

It took quite some time to put on the wedding dress now with only two people. The hoop spread out wide and Caroline was bending over and backwards trying not to step on the golden gown.

Large, detailed, and iron engraved. It represented everything you loved about your father. A runaway tear was caught by Caroline as you saw yourself in a passing mirror on your way to meet your future father in law.

"He would be proud that you are fulfilling your duty." Caroline kissed your forehead before you entered your fathers office.

You found the elder Rogers flipping through a red notebook on the desk, he had helped himself to the whisky sitting on the side table.

"Joseph." You announced yourself, finding his ignorance to be disrespectful.

"Princess!" He approached you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "you look beautiful! Absolutely wonderful, please sit."

The instruction didn't sit well with you but you let it go, "you requested my company, I assume this is important."

"Yes, my dear, " he took one hand, "You see I have known you since you were but a little...tyke. Pulling out my son's hair when you played together; sitting in on meetings between your father and I and many other officials..." was he attempting to make you late to your own wedding? "Running around that very fountain, swimming buck naked whenever you could," he laughed and tapped your hand, releasing you to grab two glasses of the amber liquid, "I know you. I feel very much like a father to you already, which means I know when you are unhappy."

Your posture was straight, face emotionless, "my parents were assassinated just a week ago, would you like me to be dancing around the castle wishing everybody a pleasant day while I plan their funeral and perform my royal duties?" Your snarky answer was met with a smirk.

"Forgive me, Princess. I realise I can longer address you so casually anymore. Now that you are to be Queen of both the west and east side, I feel that I should...warn you of your future reign."

"Warn me?"

"Yes, dear." His hand came to your knee and your teeth began grinding against each other, "my kingdom is full of passionate patriots...they will not take kindly to a westerner much like yourself. I believe the best thing for you to do is...break my son's heart."

"Pardon?"

"You have to. For the reign. I know I agreed to this merger a long time ago but I truly believe what is best for both of our kingdoms is to stay separate. Your father could not agree; all he wanted was power. He wished not to save us, but to own us. I know that you more than anyone knows how suffocating this life can be, so I ask you to show me mercy, sweet Princess, and grant us freedom."