Ordained

Chapter One Hundred and One

Emmeline opened her eyes, the painted scene above her worthy of a museum. Her four-poster was a work of art in itself. The posts carved to appear like they were covered in oak leaves and acorns. The dark green hangings were thick, deadening the sound outside and keeping inside toasty warm. She snuggled herself down into her blankets thinking over the night before. The excitement of arriving, the anxiety around visiting the palace, the relief after meeting the king, the tension when Cassius had kissed her goodnight.

He had lingered at her door and she knew that if she had said the word he would have gladly spent the night with her. She wasn't going to. It was tricky because they were unmarried, they hadn't exchanged rings or vows, but they were paired. For many across the kingdom a recognised pairing was the same as a marriage. Legally they held the same status, the same rights, but Emmeline didn't want to think about things technically, or legally. She wanted a wedding, and wanted the commitment. If their pairing had begun on the best of terms, she might not mind so much, but it hadn't and she wanted the reassurance of knowing no one could take Cassius from her. Most of all, she wanted Cassius to show that he meant it when he said he wanted no one else.

Perhaps it was superficial to need such a gesture, she thought, but then again why shouldn't she have what she wanted just once? She didn't want to compromise on something important.

She should speak to him about this, but the day of his father's funeral definitely wasn't it. Today was a big enough day, with emotions sure to be running high, without her adding her selfish insecurities into the mix.

The doors to her chambers opened and shut quickly, voices drifted into the room before being abruptly silenced as the door slammed closed. "Clem?" She called, pulled open the curtains to see a rather harassed looking Clementine. Her brown hair was slightly untidy as she heaved a garment box onto the table. "Good morning, your grace." She sighed, out of breath.

Emmeline gestured for her to sit to catch her breath, handing her a glass of water in a weird role reversal. Clementine was grateful, sitting for only a few sips before leaping up. "We have so much to do. I'm glad you are awake early." She explained, tightening the band that held her hair back. Her bath was quick, the perfumed oils Clem rubbed into her skin more strongly scented than usual. Her hair had been tied up in lengths of ribbon last night to make it fall into perfect ringlets today. Clementine dutifully untied each and every one, the pile of ribbons growing larger and larger.

"Shall I call for coffee?" Emmeline asked after an hour. Clementine made an unsure face but she waved her away. Emmeline had two cups and a cafetiere of coffee brought. Clementine, who admitted she hadn't had coffee before experimented with much sugar she liked. Emmeline smiled as she sipped when she watched Clementine's mood greatly improve after a cup or two.

"There's been so much happening this morning." She explained when Emmeline noted that her maid looked a little more frazzled than normal.

Raising an eyebrow, Clem carried on talking. "Her Grace went to visit the king this morning for tea, but when she returned she was in a terrible temper. His Grace was in a meeting with the stewards and she stormed in and interrupted. His Grace was-" Clementine shuddered. "He was not impressed."

Emmeline sighed, so the king's invitation hadn't had the effect that had hoped for. Frowning she rubbed the space between her eyebrows, pinching the bridge of her nose to ward off the stress headache she felt coming on. "Wonderful" She replied bitterly.

Today Emmeline was going to be not only very visible, but of great interest to the crowd. Clementine had been summoned by Cassius in the early hours to impress upon her how important Emmeline's role was and to help her prepare as much as possible. Emmeline rolled her eyes when Clem told her this, dutifully eating the bowl of nuts in front of her as her hair was carefully pinned. Half of her curls were to be left loose, the gold locks falling down her back, but the other half would be elaborately braided. A fine gold chain was pinned to her braids, joining the numerous jewelled pins. "My head is heavy." She moaned, tilting it gently side to side as Clementine began preparing her skin for makeup. Her maid tutted. "Wait till you feel the dress."