Savage Flame

Chapter 2

~Nine Months Later~

Whispers seeped into the divots of every stone and stick of the Fjord village. It wasn't unusual to expect foreigners, as the King's Contest had invited royals from all over the world, but beholding the display of royal siblings from the seemingly mystical Middle Asia was a curious sight.

The townsfolk devoured the image of the Asian royals, four siblings descending from their ship in the harbor, two of them distinctly female. They weren't elegantly dressed, like the rest of the royals arriving in pearl-and-finely-crafted attire, but instead layered in furs and animal skins. The Asian females' hair was the only indication of their royal lineage: long, dark hair braided intricately and looped behind their ears. There was something unsettling about the siblings, a feeling that sent shivers down the townsfolk's spines. The Einarsson people would be glad to see these royals leave; they'd hardly draw the eye of their beloved King, who was looking for his future Queen.

Leoric pulled back the curtain of his office window, heart fluttering nervously at the array of diverse women conversing outside the castle, settled in tents that their servants had upraised. Although he was insistent on marrying for love, he'd removed himself from the company of women due to their complex behavior and personalities. He was also, secretly known only among his knights, a virgin, and he refused to give that sacred part of himself away until he found "the one" that he would devote himself to love forever until death. Older women, similar to that of his mother, sister, and castle attendants, were the only female company he enjoyed. They were all wise, determined, and reserved; Leoric wished for a woman of that personality to be his wife. He understood the mannerisms of a first born, for he himself was a prime example. His sister was younger than him by a few years, but even then, he knew her to be his equal. The other half of the coin.

Leoric sighed sadly. He hadn't seen her since his father's passing twelve years ago. The bastard king of England had her locked in a noose; the English Christians would burn him at the stake the second he stepped foot in that blasted country. One day he would rescue her and bring her home. 

"Your Majesty." 

He jumped, pulled from his thoughts, the sounds of the festivities outside the window coming to his attention again. Aelfraed stood confidently in the doorway, dressed in his royal ice- and sapphire-blue robes. "It is time to begin the competition." 

Leoric inhaled sharply and readied himself by pinning his royal cloak at his shoulders, the exotic fur soft against the skin of his bearded throat. His advisor gave him a prompt nod of approval and the two exited the office to foresee the future of his kingdom.

Archery. Hand-to-hand combat. Needle Work. Baking. Survival. Horseback Riding. Sword Fighting. Knife Throwing. Dancing- Leoric put his head in his hands. His knights had clearly taken part in the selective tournaments and categories. Despite Aelfraed's attempt to give the king space to mingle, Vidar and Baard were the only knights out of The Four that stayed stationed at His Majesty's side. Njal and Amund enthusiastically set off into the crowds of royals to enjoy the taste of foreign women.

"It seems these tournaments are merely to entertain and test our guests, rather than competing for your hand, Leoric." For an ex-mercenary, Vidar was extremely observant and had an exceptional intuition, picking up on even the slightest of tells from a person's bluff.

"It is a distraction for everyone, so that Leoric can select a woman of his choosing," Baard stated, the three strolling through the castle grounds to observe each tournament. Leoric waved an exasperated hand, a pained expression creasing his brow. 

"The counsel arranged what they saw fit. My opinion as King was dismissed as irrelevant."

"Now, it's the most important." Vidar's wide, brooding figure stuck out like a sore thumb, but as he was over a head taller than everyone, his keen eyesight kept his king and knight safe from any harm.

"But, is archery really that..." The king halted as his eyes fell upon a particular woman, clad in a crimson, one-piece long jacket that was clasped on the left side of her chest, and trousers tucked into curl-toed, laced boots. A wide, leather band with intricately woven strands of colorful thread was belted at her waist, and her hair was bound out of sight under a head-cloth. The elbow-length sleeves were tied tightly around her upper arms, while leather guards were strapped to her forearms. Her quiver of arrows had her flag embroidered into the material, the king recognizing it as Middle Asia. The longbow looked hand-crafted from slender tree bone and sheep's wool thread, and it arched beautifully as her slender fingers pulled the arrow taunt against her cheek. At that moment, a sun beam pierced through the cover of clouds and shone down onto her figure, just as she released the arrow. Time slowed as the arrow flew through the air and split her competitor's arrow down the center, and then lodged itself into the center of the target's mast beneath.

The masters of the tournament suddenly noticed the king and announced his presence, everyone observing and participating falling into a respectful bow. As Leoric stepped upward onto the archery platform, the woman turned towards him and the sunlight emphasized her hazel eyes, the king's heart wrenching in his chest.

"Your Majesty, may I present Altantsetseg, eldest royal of the Northern-Middle Asian hemisphere." The counsel had been hesitant to send an invitation out into Middle Asia, aware of the King's enemy regions. The only known royal family that was determined to be harmless was this woman and her siblings.

While the rest of her siblings were introduced, the king was so enraptured by her that he heard none of the announcer's introduction.

The following months were a blur. The wedding festivities came and went, and the king was stunned to bid farewell to the ladies after two months of his Contest. From the moment Leoric met Altantsetseg, none of the other royals mattered, and although Aelfraed and his other advisors tried to introduce him to the more prestigious and reputable guests, the king had settled for the eldest Middle Asian woman with her world-centering aura and hazel eyes.