Daughter of Ice and Fire

Twenty-Eight

Averit sat on the bench, his thoughts a million leagues away. He had drifted into them shortly after escorting Lady Ancrete into the garden. It wasn't that he found her boring. Quite the opposite. Lady Ancrete was not only extremely attractive but she was also learned as well. He had engaged in many spirited conversations with her in the past and normally enjoyed her company. But he had never had anything other than platonic feelings for her and he suddenly found it extremely uncomfortable to be in her presence. He had absolutely no idea how to talk to her now that their relationship had changed and eventually fell silent, turning to the problem of the girl.

Lady Ancrete had fallen silent as well. It was obvious to her the Prince was just as upset about the marriage as she was. She wasn't sure if she should be relieved or insulted. There had never been any tension between them before and she had no idea how to overcome the distance that now separated them. Or how to broach the subject of marriage. On top of that, she wasn't sure she should tell him how much she wished it wouldn't happen.

She wasn't stupid. She had grown up spending quite a bit of time at the castle. She was well aware there was more going on here than just a union between the Royal house and her father's. The King rarely interceded in the marriage arrangements between his Lords unless he stood to gain something from his meddling. The benefits of having her marry his son were far outweighed by the animosity it would generate. From everyone, including the King's own son, it appeared. She turned the problem over in her mind, examining it from all sides, but was unable to determine what was so important that it was worth having the two greatest Houses in Crusseria angry at the King.

Then there was the problem of the marriage itself. It wasn't that she found the Prince unattractive or that she despised him. He was everything a young girl could want in a suitor. Handsome, charming, and wealthy beyond belief. And he would somebody be the most powerful man in Crussiera, making his wife the second most powerful person. She should be ecstatic that she had been chosen to become a member of the Royal family and would bear the next heir to the throne.

But she was deeply in love with her betrothed, Ethrial of the House of Danrys. And he was deeply in love with her. Their betrothal and upcoming marriage, while arranged, had resulted in something that few unions did. A couple that loved each other and looked forward to spending the rest of their days side-by-side. Marrying the Prince wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen, but she highly doubted she would ever love him. She knew she would never love him as deeply as she loved Ethrial, which led to not only heartbreak over her being forced to no longer have contact with Ethrial but fear over how Averit would feel when it became obvious she would never feel more than friendship for him.

She also wondered how he felt about her. They had always enjoyed each other's company but as friends, nothing more. Would he resent her? Not because he disliked her but because he had been forced into a marriage not of his choosing as well. Or would he do his duty by getting an heir on her as quickly as possible, then lock her away while he enjoyed the attentions of other women? Would he find a mistress, someone he loved, while leaving her alone to pine for the man she had lost? For even if she never loved him as deeply as she loved Ethrial, the idea of being nothing more than a broodmare appalled her. Worse, it left her feeling deeply depressed.

Averit was oblivious to the despair of the woman beside him. He knew she was still there but had no idea how to talk to her. To tell her he had not had a hand in this and wished it wasn't happening. How would that make her feel? He knew she loved her betrothed. But he also knew any other girl would leap at the chance to become Princess and eventually Queen. Did Lady Ancrete feel the same? Or would she forever hate him, seeing him as the object that had come between herself and her true love?

He also had no idea how to go about wooing a woman who was deeply in love with another man. He was still looking for a way out but if he was forced to marry her, he hoped the marriage would be, at the very least, amicable. He had always planned on marrying for love. He knew that was almost unheard of, but he felt deeply that a Royal couple that cared about each other was much better for the Kingdom than a pair that were at each other's throats constantly. Besides, a wife he loved would mean he could trust her and seek her advice without wondering if she was looking to assassinate him. Or undermine his authority.