Without love no man is a king

13.

The prince anxiously waited in the church for his bride, his very late to appear bride, feeling a wave of guilt washing over him, looking up at the cross on the wall, feeling like God was glaring directly down at him in disappointment. He'd daren't look at his father, knowing the heat he felt in the back of head was the angrily glare of the king.

"She is not coming is she" the prince whispered out
"I do not have any words for you right now. None that would not end in a brawl in a church." The king snapped "Beric... go see if you can persuade her. Close the castle gates so she can not leave."
"Imprisoning her will only escalate the problem your majesty. She is a wild spirit, not used to confined walls of a castle. If he finds out you for all intense and purposes imprisoned his daughter, on top of the princes unfaithfulness he will show no mercy."
"Ready the army for battle. Gather every man and boy you can" the king sighed "I hope you are happy with yourself" the king snuffed angrily
"No. I am not. I am disappointed in myself"

"As you should be. What were you thinking! You did not even have the curtsey of discretion. I told you if you must then not to get caught and what do you go and do! Have your way with your harlot on your damn wedding day! I am telling you now, if god is smiling down on us and this wedding goes ahead you will not stray from your wife again. Ever! Screw not getting caught, that boat has sailed, so now you have to live this life stuck in an unhappy marriage, you ruined any chance you had of winning her over before it even started and you only have yourself to blame!" The king angrily ranted in a hushed voice.
"Aye father. I mean yes father, yes your majesty. I will not let you down."
"You already have. Your mother will be turning in her grave."

The kings words struck deep in the prince's heart, he'd wished she was here, the one face he wanted to see in the crowd, welcoming his bride, helping her settle in to castle life and she wasn't here. A tear fell down his cheek as he fought back the tears.
"I know" he nodded sadly. "What have I done father. How can I mend this?"
"I have no time for your tears today boy." The king stomped out of the church, the congregation mumbling.

The prince scanned the room to see lady Stephanie sat there, it felt wrong she was here. Why did he give in to temptation. He did not hold back telling her king Cedmond's words of warning, she looked petrified as she should be. The king shuffled back in quickly, standing next to his son "dry your eyes, stand up straight and do not balls this up any further!"
"She is here? She is going through with it?"
"She is here. I don't know." The king sighed "I have no clue what she was saying, she wept in my arms" the king tried to remain composed "you have wounded her heart beyond words Roland. She may not love you but you are all she has here bar her horse. Seeing what she did. She is angry and upset and has no way of communicating it. You just think about that. In her culture loyalty is expected. Demanded. Especially for someone of her status in the clan. She told you before we left Dreconton that you had her loyalty. Merely looking at another is forbidden in her culture. You'd loose a damn eye! Literally!"
"I know, she warned me of this" Roland nodded, turning his head to see Inara tearfully making her way reluctantly into the church on Digory's arm who was doing his best to keep her calm and encourage her along.

"She is....she is dressed as a Drecontonian, she has undone the preening of her hair that she protested to so much."
"Your own fault. The kingdom will know you are marrying an untamed savage who clearly is unhappy." The king grumbled "it is better than her not showing up so I will allow it and no before you ask she is not wearing shoes. She threw them at Beric's head.....you realise you have spent days wooing her! No weeks! I have seen you with my own eyes, going out of your way to make her smile. Spending time and bonding with her. Both here and in Dreconton. Then you turn around and do this. I never thought you could be so heartless and cruel to play at a young girls feeling like this."
"I did not mean to! I want to make this work!"
The king and prince turned when they heard angry Drecontonian ranting, Inara had stopped half way down the aisle and was tying to tell Digby something.

"I will try father" the prince hurried over "I am here. It's alright. It's just a church. I know it is intimidating." The prince stumbled at the second slap across the face he'd received that day so far. Gasps rippled around the church, the guards drawing their swords. "No!" The prince held up his hand "no one harms her!" He demanded "she is my bride and you will not lay a finger on her!"
"Stand down." The king ordered "darling girl, calm yourself, I know you are upset and confused. You are safe here. No one will hurt you."
"No happy!" She declared loudly
"I know you are not. But let us do this then we can work through our problems one at a time. Beric I do not know how to communicate with her. How do we reassure her everything is alright?" The king asked
"No happy!" Inara yelled, stomping her foot angrily, pointing directly at lady Stephanie, the congregation all staring at her.
"Remove her. Now!" The king demanded, the guards ushering her and her family out of the church.

"No happy. Knife. Cut!" She ran her finger across her neck
"Oh dear" Beric looked worriedly at the prince and king "I think....I think she is demanding....." he moved closer to whisper "I think she is asking him to prove his loyalty. As in right now, for all to see and witness."
"Quimby" Irana ran her finger across her neck, pointing at lady Stephanie before grabbing the prince's dagger from his belt offering it to him
"There will be no blood shed in the house of god!" The priest hurried forward "put your weapons away! Now!"
Irana pointed it at the priest growling something in Drecontonian, turning to walk towards lady Stephanie, determinedly.

"No" the prince grabbed hold of her, wresting the dagger from her hand, as she kicked and protested against him. "Stop! Understand? Stop!"
"No happy!" She screeched at him, thrashing around in his arms "go home! Death! No peace! Witch! Witch! Witch!"
"Forgive us everyone. We need a few moments. The princess is confused she has never seen a church before let alone been in one." The king declared walking out, waving his advisors to join him, the prince scooping up the protesting princess, carrying her out.