A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 33

Ferdrar 22nd, 3329 A.G

"Finally-" Avelyn almost cried with relief. "I love you, father- but I don't know how much longer I could stand being in this damned carriage."

On their journey, one thing after another had gone wrong- causing it to take far longer than it should have. For an almost eighteen year old who'd never traveled before, this was the most inconvenient thing to have ever happened to her. It pushed back the day she would be married if it were to happen, but it also made her entire body sore.

  Somewhere in the flatlands, two of the wheels on their carriage had broke. No one was hurt, but Avelyn's father certainly had a few unkind words for the servants who'd been in charge of maintenance.

"You must learn to watch your language-" Lord Raaf rubbed his forehead. "The Posani people are traditional. You will want to make a good impression on your future family, and the commanding lord especially would not appreciate a woman cursing."

"The commanding lord can-" Avelyn would have continued, but the look her father gave said she shouldn't. She closed her lips as they approached the main gate of House Whittaker.

After the accident, they had to change their travel plans and head for Traveler's Keep on horseback- where they knew for sure there was someone who could repair carriage wheels. They'd stayed there until the repairs were done- and by then it'd taken so long Lord Raaf was glad they weren't expected by the Whittakers.

Avelyn would be meeting her future husband and the commanding lord with the scent of travel still on her, but there wasn't much they could do about it. In Posan, a lord greeted his guests unless he was on his death bed. Avelyn could only hope Lord Whittaker's brother despised some of their other traditions- with the rumors she'd heard of him.

Still, Avelyn tucked her braid behind one ear as her father stepped out to speak to the gate guards. Her heart beat too loudly to hear what he said, but moments later the gates were let up and he climbed back in their carriage. Avelyn's eyes stayed in front of her window, the fabric pushed aside.

The buildings were not much different from House Emeric's- only the layout. Merchants set up their carts alongside the paths, wherever they wanted. Avelyn assumed the farmlands were on the opposite side of the main gates, and that was why they hadn't seen any. The main home was larger than House Emeric, backed up against the north wall. The paths themselves were hardly big enough for their carriage, but it was the carriage's fault for being so large.

There were many people settled in House Whittaker with Murense and Alenian blood- the same as some of the Whittaker's ancestors and their dead parents.

There was no square, only stables to one side of the Main home's entrance- with fixed shops down both sides of the rest of that path. There was already a man and a few servant girls waiting at the entrance- Avelyn guessed he must have been just a few rooms away when someone immediately ran to tell him of their arrival.

As Avelyn and her father exited the carriage, a few of their servants went with the Whittaker's to help tend their horses. Avelyn looked up.

The main home was a sad place, free of any joy. Back home, there were plants and flowers and paintings everywhere- here there appeared to be none of those things, and she could almost feel that there would be none inside either. She couldn't say she was surprised.

Houses with strong armies and little coin did not spend what they had on happiness, as she'd come to learn. She could never be happy living here, and she hoped Lord Segar would feel the same.

Avelyn took a deep breath and smiled before looking into Torcull Whittaker's eyes.

Not too long- The voice in her head was her father's. Otherwise he'll think you're putting yourself forward as a candidate for his second wife.