The black tulip bow

A beautiful disaster ~ Aldwin

I got up on the horse and looked at Rua, she was holding Zarek with one hand and the rein with the other. "Let's go" I said and we galloped down the streets past houses, people and shops. We eventually came to the city borders to Aresbert the guard stopped us "I'm sorry I'll have to see some ID" he said "Can't you recognise your future queen?" Rua said sounding quite mad. The guard looked so incredibly confused. I jumped down from the horse and explained to him that we had been out of town for just a few hours "we'll hurry then it's 2:30 o'clock you should be leaving at 3, right?" "Don't you think we know that now let us through!" And he opened the big white gate for us.

We rode up to the royal stables and I jumped down from my horse. I walked over to Rua and Zarek and tried giving her a hand so she could get down "no time for that just take Zarek" she said still sounding mildly irritated and I did as she asked.

The king had called Rua, Zarek and me into the throne room. We were walking down the big halls when Danika came walking towards us "he's not happy" she just said and kept walking the way she was going. I knocked on the big wooden door with all kinds of crazy animals and plants carved into it. We stepped inside and the king and queen were waiting for us sitting on the big thrones made out of marble, the king's out of white marble and the queen's out of black. "You called for us father." Rua said as we walked towards them.

"You won't be making anymore unexpected trips anytime soon." He just said. We stopped at the end of the small staircase "it was my idea" I tried saying. He just waved me off saying I should just shut my mouth without a single word leaving his mouth. I looked down at the floor "now get out of here and get ready to leave we'll be visiting Bleim first" did he just say Bleim? "I'm sorry you're highness but Bleim? As far as I'm aware there aren't any high houses there" I said sounding confused "yes. As far as you're aware" he said with a weird smirk on his face.

I was carrying one of Rua's backs as well as mine and laid them on top of the carriage. "Okay I think we're ready to go" I said speaking to the other guards and the king. I got into the carriage where Danika, Rua and Zarek were waiting for me and sat beside Rua.

The carriage started moving making me almost fall forwards into Danika sitting on the other side of the carriage. It was a closed carriage with white wooden doors in both sides. "Where are we going first?" Danika asked looking at Rua "House Osborn" Osborn that's the house of swift's. Hastos. Delvin. "But that's where Hastos and Delvin are from?" i said my voice trembling as I saw Hastos's face before my eyes. "I know." Rua just said, her voice sounding distant.

"They don't have a son your age?" I said knowing Delvin was the only one close to her age of the house. "Yes, it's Delvin they want me to marry" Delvin? "But that's crazy, he just lost his only brother! They can't make him do that" I said frustrated with how idiotic that was. "Don't worry. Father won't let me marry an Osborn. They're too weak" she said with the same tone her father uses on the staff, the maids, the guards, The people.

The next thing I know we stop and I get out holding my hand out so that Rua could take it when getting out, but she didn't take it. Her face looked cold, bitter, angry, she was a wreck of emotions. I helped Zarek out and tried helping Danika, she didn't take my hand either. Did I do something wrong? I turn around and see a big house made of stone. With flags hanging, Black and Purple markings, representing the house of Osborn. The house of the Swifts. The house of Hastos and Delvin.

Delvin's grandpa came out smiling holding his wife's arm in his. "Welcome to our little cottage" he said as if it wasn't twice as big as the rest of the houses in Bleim. We got inside or they did, the king, queen, Rua, Siya, Saha and Ira. Us guards and maids had to unload the luggage.

It was a big house but it was hard to fit all of us in there. The princesses had to share a room and trust me the maids had a hard time getting them ready in the same room. Imagine 12 girls crammed into one room only meant for 2 people while one of them is a small girl only 9 years old so of course she wanted to run around the whole house. That's what it was like. Rua, Siya and Saha actually knew how to stand still while getting ready and even helped the maids a bit with the dresses and the makeup. I'll say it, they looked great, mostly Rua.

Rua was wearing a long blue dress with long white sleeves and the usual bracelets jingling when she moved her arms. The dress was beautiful, the blue silk sewn to perfectly fit her body at the top and going out when it came to her hips with a V-cut in the back and in the front, shoulders bare. She was even wearing her Diadem, made of silver with blue gemstones.

Siya was wearing a dress looking almost the same but a forest green colour and instead of a V-cut in the back and front it was this see through fabric. Saha was wearing the same but in the same blue colour as Rua was wearing. Ira was wearing something totally different. A scarlet red dress matching her hair, it was only just covering her knees. It had these puffed sleeves and it almost looked like flames we're eating the bottom of her dress because of how the fabric was made. 'Were they also marrying her away?' I thought to my self, but I guess the Osborns did have a son her age. Not that it made it okay to set a 9 year old up for marriage.

When the girls were done getting ready Ira, Siya and Saha left first while I stood for a while alone with Rua "you look amazing." I said looking at her "it's just a facade I put up" those words cut me deep. "you do look amazing" I muttered. She tightened her jaw looking in the mirror at her self. I took her hand and looked her in the eyes "Rua. My dear. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known and ever will. With or without makeup and fancy dresses" She looked so sad and confused as if those words had made her forget everything. "I.." she said trembling over her words "I can't do this right now, Aldwin" she just said as she walked out the room. I could feel her hand slip away from mine, all my dreams of ever even kissing her slipping away.

When I came into the ballroom Rua was sitting with her father on the left side and Delvin on the right. She looked so happy. It's just a facade I put up. I looked forward to getting away from here, so close to my family and still so far away. I hated it. She was acting, it was as a theatre play but not on a stage. After everyone had eaten it was time for Rua to dance with Delvin, the king with his queen, the head of the house and his wife. His. That's what they were, Vayzen was the king's and the wife the husband's. I watched Rua walk out on the dance floor looking beautiful as ever. I followed her every move with my eyes from a distance.

Her left hand took his right, his left hand on her lower back, her right hand on his shoulder. They danced for what seemed as hours for me. She lowered her head as they danced, and he took his hand and put up to her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes. He said something but I didn't know what and it pained me. It must be hard for him to dance a slower dance since he's a swift, they just do everything faster. Even make people fall in love with them apparently. I knew I had to push the thought away but I was just a guard I could never get Rua's heart. As the dance was over everyone were allowed to ask everyone to dance.

I walked past the tables were they had eaten, the whole house still grieving over Hastos but forced to but up an act. "May I take this dance?" I asked looking at Rua but some girl from the Osborn house was standing in front of me. She turned to look at me. She studied me with her eyes making her mind up if I was worth her time. My eyes searched for Rua's and found them looking right at me. What was I doing?