The Emery Chronicles: The Red King's Romance (THIRD BOOK)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two- The Reed Family

She picked up a fallen leaf, brown and trampled upon and looked at it glumly. "You'll be alright," she whispered to it, clasping it between both of her hands. She closed her eyes and focused. When she opened both her eyes and her hands, the once brown and crunchy leaf was now stiff and red, not all new and green like those in the Spring kingdom, but that's not how Autumn folk liked their leaves anyway. She let the leaf go, and it floated up all the way to a tree branch and stuck itself back onto the branch as if it had never fallen. The girl smiled, satisfied.

"Carmine!" A voice called out; it was her older sister, Loral. "Carmine, come along! Father has news!"

Carmine Reed stood from her perch on the ground and followed her sister's voice back to their home. She had long, graceful legs, a thin waist, and small perky breasts that were barely hidden under her loose and flowing dress. Her pale red hair, almost orange, hung straight down her back as it always did, cascading on either side of her face and making her hazy auburn eyes, the color of an autumn sky, pop out. At eighteen years of age, she was serenely beautiful, and she knew it.

Carmine finally reached her community home and waited in line to get in. Not only did her family, her parents and sister and all her aunts and uncles, live with her, but so did all of the other autumn nymphs. Their homes were set up in a gated community, with small huts propped up for every immediate family. But everyone considered everyone else family, and they all did everything together. As they all made their way in through the gates, nymphs standing guard closed them. Carmine spotted her family standing at the podium in the center of the community, and pushed her way through the crowd so as to reach them.

Her father saw her in the bustle and reached a hand out to her. She grabbed on and let her father pull her up next to him, laughing as he did so. She was his little girl, and everything she did amused him. Not only was Ormond Reed her father, he was also the Chief of the autumn nymphs, elected and tested to represent and lead them all. Normally, a Chief would pass his duties on to a male heir, but as Ormond only had his two legitimate daughters, he would have to lead the competitions for the next Selection. In fact, the competition for the next Chief was happening now, where all eligible young men of the community competed in different tests to see who was worthy of being Chief. It was high time he retire, Ormond proclaimed, and happily conducted the tests.

Now Ormond raised his arms to quiet the crowds, and everyone did so as they all settled in. "Greetings everyone!" Ormond announced. "I hope harvest is going well."

The crowd muttered different answers all at once as Carmine took her place by her sister. Loral was two years older than Carmine, rounder in the cheeks and hips, but still beautiful with long spicy red hair and dazzling hazel eyes. The two sisters were very close, and Carmine considered Loral her closest confidante.

"Glad to hear it," her father announced to no one in particular, simply quieting the crowd again. "And now for some news. As you all know, the White Spring kingdom and the Black Summer kingdom have strengthened. This is because their kings have taken wives and birthed heirs, leaving our beloved kingdom to rot." The crowd grunted and growled at this, showing their pride for their Autumn kingdom. Even Carmine felt peeved at her father's words; Autumn was her home, and no other kingdom should be allowed to change that. "Our king has decided to do the same: he wants to marry and have his own heir. And I have offered him a chance to do so here." Everyone stopped all mutterings and movements, trying to hear the Chief. Carmine nudged her sister and raised her eyebrows in question, but Loral only shook her head and looked away. "I have invited our great king to spend a month in our community. This is so he can learn about what nymph's can do," he placed an arm around Loral. "And what my daughter can do. I've not just offered him board here for a month, but I've offered him Loral's hand in marriage. And he's accepted!" The crowds cheered and clapped, ecstatic at the news. A king was coming to stay with them!

Carmine gasped at the news and turned to stare with Loral in shock, but to her surprise, she found Loral unfazed.

And that's when Carmine figured out: Loral already knew.

***

As the crowds dispersed and everyone went to their huts to collect the materials for that night's feast, Carmine pulled Loral to their bedroom in their family's hut. "You knew?" She exclaimed at her older sister.

"I've known since father made the offer to the king a few weeks ago," Loral went to their vanity mirror and began fixing her hair. "He asked me before he sent the offer if I'd be alright with it."

"You've known for weeks and didn't tell me?" Carmine sat dejectedly down onto her cot, feeling betrayed.

"Well, we had to see what the king said. There would be no point in telling everyone we'd sent the request if he ended up saying no."

"But he's said yes. You're going to marry the king!"

"Not for certain. That's why he's spending a month, so he could see if he likes me."

"With these things, it is certain. The king wouldn't waste a month just to say no in a time like this when he needs heirs right away."

"I asked for a month. It was my condition for father when he told me his plan." Loral sighed and looked into the mirror, not really seeing anything.

"So, you don't really want this?" Carmine asked her sister. Loral sighed again and looked away.

"I told father I don't want to marry. I told him I want to compete for Chief." Carmine sat stock still at her sister's words, letting her mind absorb them.

"Chief? But only a male can be Chief," Carmine stated the obvious, still surprised at her sister's confession.

"But I'm just as good as any of the males competing! Better, even! I have strong powers, I'm a great nymph!" Loral turned on her sister defensively.

"You are," Carmine assured. "But the rules--"

"I know," Loral interrupted. "That's what father said." Carmine walked over to her sister and hugged her tightly.

"You'll be alright," she whispered encouragingly. "I'm sure the king is a great man. You'll be happy."

Loral just sighed and nodded, trying to believe her sister. They both prayed to the gods Carmine's words were true.