Choose Your Bride

Chapter 2

I stop walking and Autumn runs into my back. This is going to be an interesting day, night, and tomorrow. I hear fluttering of a bird. I look up and it's mom's favorite pigeon. She only uses the carrier pigeon if she forgot to tell me something. It flutters to the ground. I bend down and take the note, and it flies off.
I open the note and it says, Don't forget that you must kiss the girls at least once before the big day. I love you son! Thanks Mother! Can I please call this off now? Probably the only girl I'll kiss out of the three is probably Autumn. This is so weird now.
"Hey slow down!" Autumn yells.
"I'm sorry," I say and slow down.
I guess my brain decided to take over. I didn't realize that I was walking. She catches up and grabs my hand. My cheeks flush. This has never happened ever. I don't think anything of it, but why am I now? This is so weird.
"Why are you blushing so much?" she asks.
"Er... no reason at all," I say trying to be chill in this situation.
"Sure..." she smiles.
"It's really nothing."
"Is it because I'm holding your hand?"
"Maybe. I don't know anymore," I say and look down at the ground.
"What's wrong? And don't tell me nothing, I want the truth."
"I... I don't know how I feel anymore. I'm so used to feeling anger, frustration, and annoyance."
"What do you mean?"
"When I saw you, I started feeling happy, butterflies, nervous. What does this even mean?"
"Aww... I didn't think that that would've ever happen."
"Why?"
"I started to... never mind. It can wait."
"No go ahead,"
"It can wait till morning."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
I couldn't help but stare at her. Was she about to tell her feelings for me? I wish Father was still alive. He could help me about what these feelings mean. Maybe he wrote it down somewhere. Maybe he kept a journal somewhere. Wait... I know he told me something before he left. Oh! What is it? Did he tell me to check the... West Wind? No... that's off limits. Or maybe it's not. I don't know. I'll remember someday. Hold on! I should remember because he told me two years ago.
I think back to that time. I was only fifteen when he told me though.
"When can I go to the West Wind, Father?"
"If I ever die in war, I want you to visit there when you're having trouble."
"Why?"
"You'll understand someday."
"When will that someday be?"
"You'll know when it comes. It's different for everyone."
"What do you mean?"
"That someday could be when you're as old as me or younger. Believe me son, you'll know when that day comes."
"Yes Father."
"Now go get cleaned up for dinner."
I never understood what he meant by "someday." When will that "someday" ever get here? Maybe it's now? I don't understand what I feel anymore. I must go to the West Wind, but Mother cannot find out but how? Maybe I can get Genny to cover for me.
"What are you thinking about?" she asks.
"Oh... er... nothing now."
"Ok," she sighs."What what about now?"
"Food," I chuckle.
"Food?" she giggles. "Why food?"
"I don't know. It just popped in my head."
"Well, you're making me hungry now."
"My bad," I chuckle. "I'm making my own self hungry as well."
"Why?"
"Well, I kinda just woke up, and I have absolutely no breakfast."
She looks at me with curiosity in her eyes.
"Why didn't you eat?"
"When your mother tells you to hurry up and get dressed. You can't be lazy."
"Oh, your mother is one of those."
"Yep. When she says hurry up, she means it. If you take your sweet time, be prepared for a lecture."
"Wait... your mother gives lecture?"
"On everything,"
"Huh?"
"She gives them to me, the butlers, the maids, the cooks, the farmer, my sister, and even Master Genny."
"Who's Master Genny?"
"He's my guard. He's awesome once you get to know him."
"Ok, I'll keep that in mind," she giggles.
Her laugh is so cute! Her eyes light up when she laughs or smiles. It's the most adorable thing ever. I remember when my sister was little, her eyes did the same thing. Now those eyes just look at me with anger.
"Hey sis," I say as we walk by her.
"Shut up Alec," she huffs.
"I was just saying hi," I say trying to stay cool.
"Ugh! Just leave me alone!"
"Sisters,"
"Brothers!"
"Teenage sisters,"
"Teenage brothers!"
"Younger sisters,"
"Older brothers!"
"I'm done,"
"What you're not going to say it?"
"No because you'll go running to Mother."
"Go ahead, say I'm ungrateful."
"Really?"
"Yeah,"
I shake my head and keep walking. I pull Autumn along.
"What was that about?" she asks.
"Brother, sister thing. All I do is say hi and I get lip for saying it as if I invaded her space."
"Has your mother given her a lecture on that?"
"Yes, several times and she doesn't listen. She takes everything for granted. She doesn't know when enough is enough."
"When did she start acting like this?"
"It was after Father died. When we found out, our family started to fall apart."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't..."
"It's fine. I'm not going to hide it."
I probably won't be this open to the others. I don't want this to be a hard decision. I want this to be quick, easy, and painless. Heck! What am I talking about? This will probably be painful. There will be two girls whose hearts are broken. I don't know if they will be, but it's the best guess I got at the moment. As Shakespeare has written, Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break. He is one of my favorite writers of the 16th century. He was one of the greatest.
We make it to the end of the hall. Crap! I missed a turn! Wait a minute. This... this is the West Wind! I must, no... I can't risk this. I can't risk taking her there.
"Is this the West Wind?" she asks letting go of my hand and walking towards the door.
"Er... yeah it is."
"Can we go in?"
"If you promise not to breathe a word to my mother about this."
"You have my word."
"Ok," I push open the door and we walk in.
"This is so cool!"
"I'm glad you like it."
"Why are we in here when we aren't allowed?"
"My father told me before he died to come here for answers. I really need answers."
"Isn't that what mothers are for?"
"Yeah, ok. Sure... "
"Just asking."
This room is so dark as if it was night. Barely any light shines through. What is this? I look around and spot a chest. I walk over to it and kneel in front of it. It look like it has old writing on it. This chest is so old that it looks to be rotten in a way, or is it just the coloring? I can't tell at this moment. Dang it! It's freakin locked. I should've seen that one coming.
The key lays next to the box. It shines in the sunlight like the moon. It's amazing what keys can unlock. I put the key in the lock and turn it.
Click... click... click...
It finally opens. Inside there are a bunch of letter, notes, notebooks, and... scrolls? What the heck is all of this? None of this makes... hold up. What's this one? All it has on it is... feelings. What's this one? I pull it out and open it. Father wrote this. I know that writing anywhere.
It says...
"Dear son, I knew one day you'd come and find answers here. This letter is dedicated to you because I knew you'd want answers. Your mother and I made an agreement that if I died you'd be married off by age of seventeen. I twisted her arm to let you choose.
I have a feeling you're here because you don't understand the feeling you have for one of the girls. You're feeling nervous, happy, excitement, and your heart is pounding. Simple explanation is that you've got love at first sight. It happened to me with your mother. That is how I knew she was the right one. I know you don't understand. You will some day.
If you need anymore help with anything, these letters, notes, notebooks, journals, and scrolls have it all. I'll admit that I knew one day I wouldn't be here anymore. My job cost me. I made a mistake and it killed me. That is why I wasn't myself these past couple of days. I love you son, and I always will. Love, Dad."
I start to tear up, and Autumn comes over and hugs me. What is love? I don't understand. Father, why did you have to leave. Why? I don't understand any of this. Why is this so hard to understand? Shouldn't I know about this stuff? Should I know how to handle this? All I know how to handle is a sword and the bow. What is love? Was this always meant to happen? Someday I'd feel... love?
"What's wrong?" Autumn asks still hugging me.
"What is love?" I ask.
"What?" she looks up at me, confused.
"What is love?" I repeat.
"Oh. Love is... like romance, romantic dinners, slow dancing to slow music, flirting, and more," she answers smiling.
"What's more?"
"The feelings of love like butterflies when you're nervous, happy, and you light up when you see that person," she smiles.
"So... pretty much what I'm feeling right now," I whisper to myself out loud.
"If you feel these feelings when you first meet someone, then it's called love at first sight."
I look at her and smile. Why is there such thing as love at first sight? I've never understood the meaning of all of this.
"One of the hardest things to say and mean it is I love you," she says.
"Why is that one of the hardest things to say and mean?" I wonder.
"If you mean it, then it's hard to say. If you don't mean it, then it's really easy to say," She explains. "In other words, if you hesitate to say it, then you mean it. If you don't hesitate, then you really don't mean it."
"I'm so confused."
"I can tell."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yep,"
"Is it that obvious that I like you?"
"Yes it is. Your eyes give it away."
"Oh,"
"You don't hide feelings very well do you?"
"I guess not."
I pull her closer to me. I shrink down to my knees, and my ear is near her stomach. Wait... something's moving. What's that? She tenses up as I lean back to look up at her. I stand up and look into her blue sky eyes. What's moving? What was that?
"Er..." she starts.
"I'm curious," I state. "What was that?"
"Oh... er... what was moving was a... baby..."
She's being really hesitant about this. Why?
"Why are you hesitating?" I ask curiously.
"Oh... I... didn't realize. I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to..."
"Shrink to my knees?" I ask.
"Yes,"
"It's ok,"
"I didn't want anyone to find out."
"I understand. We need to get out of here and find some stairs."
"Huh?"
"Just because I live here, doesn't mean I know every stinkin' detail."
I look to the door. It's too risky. I look to my right, it's a dead end. I look to my left and there's just chests up on chests. Where do I go? Wait... Father told me that every room has a secret door. He also stated that the West Wind was special because it's the only room with two. One leads to the hall and the other leads to... my room! I start walking towards the chests and move one stack. There's the beauty! I open the hatch and look back to Autumn.
"Found it! Hurry up, let's go."
She dashes across the room and crawls through the door. I go behind her and close the door. It's dark like the night sky. This is too eerie. I grab hold of Autumn and pull her behind me and try to hurry. It that light? I hit a door face first. Yep. I'm an idiot! I open the door and walk into the room. Um... Sis is in my room? What is she doing here?
"Bro! I need you to do my hair."
"Why?"
"Because! It's a fancy dinner this evening and I want to be ready for it."
"Ugh! Fine, turn around."
I hate doing her hair! It's like vines being tangled together. Where's the brush? Ugh! I hate this. I hate this! Why me? Why can't she get one of the girls to do it? Why must it be me? Am I skilled to do this? Can I go shoot the bow now? Oh wait! No I can't! Because of this stupid arrangement stuff I have to stay with the pretty princesses and hate my life.