Between the Veil and Crown

Arvek 30

There was no possible way he slept that night. He was certain that all that happened was him closing his eyes, and the time just slipped away. Before sleep could bless him, the sunlight was already laying across his eyes. Then there was absolutely no chance.

He sat up, waiting until the last possible minute for him to actually accept that he was awake and he needed to start getting ready.

But just as it was a lie that he would get sleep, it was a lie that he actually had time. There was a swift knock at the door, indicating that the servants were there to help him get ready. Sighing, he pushed back the bed covers to go and let them in.

He knew they talked to him at some point in the process, and he assumed he answered. But he could not remember a single word of it. All he could process was his reflection in the mirror. It was, of course, a prince in wedding attire, but he felt rather disconnected from the image. As though it was someone else.

One part of his brain launched into the checklist of all the things he needed to do during the ceremony, urging him to not screw it up. The other part of his brain, the side that saw a stranger in the mirror, pulled back up the idea that he should ditch the wedding and instead accompany Cor to the Veil.

Both sides were interrupted by someone informing him that the carriage was ready for him.

That was way too soon. Surely there would be more time than that?

Shaking his head, he stepped out of his room and into the hallway. He was halfway to the stairs when he was by his father. Masitof glanced him up and down, inspecting his appearance, before giving an approving nod.

"Now, remember what I said to you earlier," Masitof reminded him, walking alongside him to the stairs.

"Do not trust Rovyna?" Arvek said.

"Precisely. She will be queen in name only, and you must remember that," Masitof said.

Arvek said nothing. He still wasn't in favor of his father's decided distrust of Rovyna, particularly since he had already been cautioned.

At the bottom of the stairs waited the rest of his family. Niara sighed when she saw him, her expression on the verge of tears. Cor's face plainly said he had some remarks to say at Arvek's expense, and was only holding back because of the presence of their parents. Veran stood a little ways away from the two, not looking particularly happy about the whole affair.

When Arvek stepped off the final step, Niara stepped forward and gripped him by the hands, doing her best to smile at him.

Bemused Arvek told her, "Mother I do not know why you are so upset. It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'll be back here after a week at the lake house."

"But it won't be the same," she said. She swallowed hard. "Things will be different from here on out."

Arvek doubted that. But he just gave her a gentle smile.

She gave his hands a final squeeze before letting go and stepping aside so he could continue on. Cor gestured for him to leave the castle first, and followed after, accompanying him to the carriage. The king and queen, along with Veran, headed to the one ahead. Cor watched to make sure they were at of earshot before turning to Arvek.

"You are all set to leave today?" Arvek asked as a servant opened the carriage door for him and waited for him to enter.

"Of course," Cor said with a snort. "I'll be arriving at the cathedral on horseback, which will make it easier for me to leave. My plan is to leave while everyone is headed to the great hall to feast the day away in your honor. All of the guard I'm taking with me will be at the cathedral as well, so I won't be stopping here on the way down. I'll be going straight to the Veil."