slow burn

one

     Delia was to marry the Samos boy. There was nothing anyone, including Delia herself, could do to stop it from happening. She had been trying for months since the news broke to her, news she only found out when she had overheard Red servants while passing by the kitchens late one night. When she had pressed them to find out how they had figured this news out, they were hesitant to tell her, never having seen the young woman so angry before. She wasn't known for speaking harshly to the help despite most of the other Silver's doing so. When they finally broke and spilled that it had come straight from the mouth of her uncle, Lord of the House Osanos, she had been speechless. She knew she had to stop it from happening.

"House Samos is full of brutes and maniacs," she had tried to reason. This only made her parents and uncle angry, all of them becoming even angrier when Volo and his own family had walked in only seconds later, obviously having overheard her comment. He had sneered at her before walking past her, nearly knocking her down in his movements. Ptolemus and Evangeline, his children, seemed not to care too much about her thoughts. The eldest of Volo's children had only smirked over to her, eyes shining like a cat chasing its prey, while Evangeline looked rather bored. It was Lucas, their cousin and the man she was supposed to marry, who seemed to be the odd one out, looking equally as annoyed as the nymph girl.

Delia ignored them all and turned to leave the room, knowing whatever they were to speak about she had no say in anyways. It was when she reached for the door, hand resting on the door knob to pull it open, when she nearly had a heart attack.

"The wedding has to be moved up." Volo announced to the room. This was unexpected. Everything had been planned to happen within a set number of days. There would be a welcome party for guests two days before, a ladies' tea and gentlemen's social hour the day before, then the beautiful wedding. Lucas was to go with the royal family back to Archeon and his wife was to follow. Delia was supposed to have at least a few more weeks to get used to the idea that she would have to spend the rest of her life tied to someone she didn't even know.

"What?" She turned to the rest of the room. It didn't look like Lucas was surprised by this, something that made her scowl. He obviously was given more information and say about his life than she was. He was slightly older than her, and it helped that he was a male in one of the High Houses. Everyone, sometimes including the younger Silvers, looked down on her or at the very least underestimated her. She wasn't the best in training, having struggled to control her ability until an older age than most. She had excelled in Protocol, but the only person who was proud of that was Lady Blonos herself.

Volo, as usual, ignored Delia. "It seems the King would prefer to keep the months following Queen's Trial to be about the Prince and his betrothed. A wedding between two of the High Houses would be... 'distracting'." He finished his sentence with a look on his face that said he agreed. He probably did, seeing how everyone believed that his daughter would be the next queen of Norta. Lord Osanos huffed, seeing this change in plans as an inconvenience to his day.

"Fine." He replied flatly, looking at his brother and sister-in-law. They looked slightly annoyed with the change in plans but knew no one could go above the King. They nodded, looked at each other, and her father spoke.

"Next week."

-----

     It was late. Delia knew that. It had to be at least 1 AM, and everyone was asleep. Everyone except her and a few Red servants. She should be sleeping herself, but her mind was racing. She couldn't help but think that this marriage was going to be the worst thing that could ever happen to her. Tossing and turning, somehow never finding a comfortable spot or position to sleep in, she was so frustrated that she could cry. But it was when she thought about running away for the fifth time that night that she decided some warm milk may help her sleep. She threw on her robe, tying it tight in an attempt to help soothe her in case she might run into someone on her way to the kitchens. Mindlessly walking through the halls, she kept her steps light and quiet. She passed guards, some she recognized and some she didn't. Regardless of that, she nodded and smiled kindly to them all, even when most didn't even acknowledge her.