Betrothal's Price

Chapter 1: Done

Alas! It had been done. Hope for change had arrived.

The mysterious and mystical lands of Silvestria would finally be at peace with the 5 lasting human kingdoms. They were finally letting centuries of hatred go.

This was their stepping stone.

King Ewan and Queen Zara, the Griffin king and queen of Silvestria had received an invitation to the Kingdom of Petra. The only living kingdom closest to Silvestria. The invitation spoke of peace, a chance to make things right between Humans and Silvestrians. Ewan and Zara were both suspicious of this sudden “desire” to change, but in discussion they came to an agreement. They would need to speak with their Eius Custos. Their guard of the peak they lived inside.

They spoke with their most loyal soldiers, two Elves, A Moon Elf and a Night Elf by the names, Finlay and Erin. They served as their representatives. They would go to Petra to speak with the king and queen for them and discuss intentions. If by any chance they were truthful in their endeavors, Erin and Finlay were to bring them to Silvestria. If not,.. they wished not to dabble in those matters.

The Elves were honored to be chosen for this, and had eagerly accepted the responsibility without hesitation. They did exactly as they were requested to do.

When they returned, they returned with King Henry and Queen Kalani, the rulers of Petra. The royals were honest in their intentions, so matters were carefully discussed.

King Henry and Queen Kalani had already discussed their request and suggested a tradition Petra had had for centuries when negotiating peace or uniting kingdoms to the Ewan and Zara. In human tradition it was custom for the crown prince or princess of both negotiating parties to marry the royal members to one another.

King Henry and Queen Kalani had only one son, and while he was only a prince by royal marriage he would do nicely. Zara and Ewan knew they couldn't marry this young prince to their child. Little Xantus was only an egg and a Griffin.

It wasn't until Erin and Finlay offered their daughter's hand in the marriage that agreements and arrangements were made for it. Their daughter was around the young boy's age and could very well be royalty material.

Queen Kalani spoke with concern, should their daughter have a say or an inkling of what they were offering. After all, it was her hand in marriage they were giving. But Henry assured her this was normally decided before the birth of the bride. Things would be fine.

And the agreement was settled.

The Elves' young daughter would wed the King's adopted and only son, the prince of Petra in hopes to establish peace between the lands. The girl would visit Petra every summer with one of her uncles and spend time with Prince Liam. Once of age they would have fallen in love and would marry, creating peace within their lands.

Both Parties eagerly agreed to this, and the deal was made.

In thanks to the elves for their service in this decision, King Ewan and Queen Zara gave them a higher honor.  There was a breach to Silvestria through an old kingdom that needed to be guarded. Until peace was reassured, no human would cross into Silvestria without consent from the King and Queen of Silvestria first. It was to be the same for Silvestrians entering the Human Territories just under less strict restraint. Erin and Finlay’s job would be to guard that Breach.

They would work harder, but the status and honor this promised, would be worth it.

That night Erin and Finlay came home to their little girl who ran to them in excitement. They sat her down and explained. They had newfound responsibilities and duties to attend to that they wouldn't be coming back home every night. They didn't know when they'd return, but they would return.

Meanwhile she was going to be left in the care of her Uncles Levi and Everett and every summer she would visit a human kingdom with her Uncle Levi to meet someone.

They'd assumed she'd understand. For being so young, she was very responsible. They knew she'd be more than willing to help by doing as they’d promised she would.

But she wasn't. Neither a phrase nor word said did she agree to. In her eyes this wasn't responsibility, this was an unnecessary obligation she didn't oblige to. A choice they made for her, and worse they weren't going to be with her. They were leaving her, abandoning her. That's what was going on, they were just trying to make it sound different. They were making her go to a place she didn't know, to meet someone they didn't even know, with no one to help her, but her uncle that she barely knew til now.

She argued with them till she gave up. They weren't going to change their minds. She had no choice now, but to go through with their stupid promise.

Queen Kalani spoke with her son about this proposal. She'd already been speaking of it with him before she and Henry had left. At the time it had only been a possibility, but Kalani would talk to 4 year old Prince Liam about it to inform him of the possibility. Liam knew it wasn't something he'd want to do, but he accepted it before they left, hoping that it wasn't gonna happen. Unfortunately it was, so Liam relented and agreed.

“I know, this isn’t an enjoyable topic, but I hope you understand why we’re doing this. One day, you might not mind the idea. You know I wouldn’t do this, if I didn’t know for sure. I got confirmation just last night. Good will come from this, Trust me.” She'd said as she moved his dark thick bangs from his face.

The boy had hung his head. He highly doubted that one day he would appreciate this. But he trusted his mother. He slightly lifted his head to look his mother in her rich maple eyes. “Yes, Mama.”

The woman kissed her son’s forehead and stood from kneeling. Her long, black hair falling from her zanzi as she leaned forward, “I’ll be back soon. I love you, my Sweet boy.”

“I love you, too, Mommy.”

All eyes and ears of Petra and Silvestria awaited that very fateful day, when the two children would meet and the day they would fall in love.
              
Everyone wondered how it would start and how lovely the future King and Queen of Petra would be.

However, while most celebrated, few didn’t quite yet. This was merely the start of what could benefit from this, and it all began with the death of someone dear to the Queen of Petra. The Baron’s wife and the Queen’s best friend, the Baroness of Petra, Baroness Vanessa.

Found dead in an open courtyard of the Petran Castle, Baroness Vanessa was discovered by her husband, Baron Julius and King Henry. Their two toddler children, Brooklynn and Leo, would grow up without a mother. Baron Julius wept with his children and swore to them he would discover what had happened.

His worries were well placed in the title “It Happened Mysteriously.”

Surely he would get to the bottom of his wife’s death.

Because of such a tragedy, the first Summer when the betrothed children were to meet was postponed.