Of Monsters and Flowers [Sihtric Kjartansson]

Act II: Chapter Six

.𖥔 ݁ ˖☾𖤓.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Winchester
Kingdom of Wessex

Her Lord Father had returned from Wiltshire. Rowena stood in the room, before him, the silence was ever deafening as if she could hear faint echoing reverberate through her ear drums. The tension in the room was a thick weight pressing down upon her as she fidgeted with her dress. Rowena had seldom spoken with her father, he did not wish to engage in conversation and the girl herself did not mind it. He stood before her, his fingers turned pages of a book as his lips read them to himself in a muted mutter. Rowena bit her lip in anxious await, the rhythmic clatter of the winds pushed against the window and that is when Lord Aethelhelm of Wiltshire put down his book and glanced up at his youngest daughter.

"The king wishes for his son to find a wife." His voice cut through the stillness and Rowena blinked her eyelids, slow and fretful, her hand did not stop with its pulling at her dress, "To be wed."

She breathed out, "Of course father, he is the Atheling, he is sure to be in need of a bride."

Lord Aethelhelm nodded his head but before he could respond a knock came at the door and he turned to it. "Yes." His voice, even with such a small word, sounded demanding, strict as she had always known him to be, without fail, all her life.

With a creak, the hinges old and worn, the door opened and her sister entered inside upon seeing her Rowena felt her heart calm itself, the ever frantic beating slowed down to a pace of comfort and her hand eased by her side. Her blonde hair like sunshine illuminating a once darkened cave, somehow cracking its way through sealed fractures, Aelflaed walked the expanse of the room and took her place beside her sister.

"The king has asked for Aelflaed's hand in marriage to his son."

There was no reaction from her sister. Rowena looked to her confused and bewildered yet there was nothing -no shout of defiance, no faltering of her stance instead she remained composed, collected as if she already knew the fact and that Rowena had just been told now. How long had Aelflaed known? Why am I only being told now, is this why I had been dragged along to Winchester? The questions were unceasing and Rowena despised it.

"Well then I think a congratulations is in order..." Rowena turned to her sister with a smile, grabbed her hand and squeezed it then she leaned in for a hug and so, with it, she took the chance to whisper into her ear, "You cannot be serious." Before she pulled back, the same large smile plastered upon her lips.

"Yes yes certainly, a congratulations is in order." Aethelhelm spoke, this being the only time Rowena had ever heard him so pleased, his cadence filled with satisfaction, his eyes gleamed with delight and his posture, one which would perpetually be in a state of resolve, was now content as he walked toward them.