Galledros Queen

Off for marriage

Evlier, Capital of Elverion Kingdom, A Year after the Great War

There is a saying in ancient land of Elverion that goes, with a rain comes the storm.

In Taehyun's mind, these words could not have been more ominous. He was pondering these words as he watched the first rays of the morning sun. It casted a hue of orange that gave the entire capital a wonderful color. Taehyun has never seen this side of the city. He was never one of those people who woke up early in the morning unlike the few people which were now moving along the roads and pavements of the capital going about their business trying to make a living. No, indeed he has never been awake at such an early hour. He never had to anyway. This was because Taehyun was actually a noble. A Prince to be exact. The Prince of the Ancient Kingdom of Elverion. He was the second in line to the throne by right. However, that is not to be realized.

He shifted his weight on his other foot and continued watching the city slowly awaken. He watched the city below with trying to take it all in. It would probably be the last time he would ever see Evlier and its citizens. Though his face did not give away the sadness he felt, his figure standing in one of the highest windows of the Castle nonetheless formed a melancholic picture.

He was pulled out from his contemplation when he heard a familiar voice. He didn't turn to look around knowing whose voice it came from. Instead, his eyes concentrated on a child that was sleeping on one of the pavements outside a building not far away from the castle. This has become a common sight ever since the Great War. Many children have been orphaned, abandoned and even sold due to poverty. Although the Great war has ended, it's effect has ravaged the Kingdom depleting the resources of the whole Kingdom. Even the morale of the people was not spared. The Great war was stopped just in time. albeit at the expense of their Kingdom's glory and pride. Indeed the Kingdom has made a lot of sacrifices and apparently Taehyun was one of those sacrifices.

'Good Morning your Highness' came the voice just a few feet from where he stood. He made no gesture to acknowledge the presence of his personal attendant who has taken care of him for the past seventeen years. She was like a mother, a sister and an aunt to him. She was his fortress at times and a family throughout his life. AAnd now he was about to leave her behind. She couldn't possibly want to join him into a strange land, away from home and her family would she? And he would certainly not ask that of her. He was enough of a sacrifice for their Kingdom.

"We have prepared everything for your journey." She said. There was no hint of sadness in her voice. This made Teahyun sadder. She probably would not miss him. Did she consider him a family all this time just like Tahyun considered her to be or was it just out of duty all this time? All thses doubts plagued his mind but he did not dare voice it out.
Tehyun kept his eyes trained on the child who was now sitting up, raising the something in its hand. The child waved its hand at the passersby probably begging for coins or even food.

"You are bound for Glidean two hours from now. It would take nearly a month's time to reach Galledon's Capital. The carriages are all being prepared now." She continued.

He took a deep breath and let out s long sigh as he tore my eyes away from the child who was now walking away from where it was sitting moments ago. He moved to the bathroom adjoining chambers but deigning to look at his personal attendant. Before she could utter another word, he raise his left hand. A sign that he heard and understood what she said and signaled her dismissal.

After a few moments of silence, he heard the shuffling of feet followed by the closing of his chamber's door. His personal attendant probably wanted to say more to him and he can vividly see her face in his mind with hesitation. But he just wanted to be alone for now. He didn't think it would be easier for him to part with this Kingdom, his home and the people in it if he kept being with them.

His personal attendant usually disregards decorum when talking with him not caring for the difference in status. Indeed, she had a habit of saying what was on her mind and took the liberties to do so. Taehyun has never minded this since she was the only person in the Kingdom who knew him well and hopefully had loved and cared for him too. Her, not insisting on voicing out her mind was quiet unprecedented. For once, she had taken into account the mood he was in and he was deeply thankful for that.

He entered the bathroom and disrobed out of his sleeping attire which was a light and soft undershirt with an equally soft pants. He took a deep breath and stepped into the marble tub that only the noble families were entitled to have. He basked in the warmth of the water and took his time cleaning himself knowing that there might not be much opportunity for a nice bath during his journey. That was just the excuse he made up. In actuality, he just wanted to prolong his stay in this castle and its comforts.

Who knows what the Galledon Kingdom has. They were barbarians. They probably did not have elegance to have such luxuries. He thought to himself.

The sun has fully risen up when Taehyun decided to leave the confines of his chambers. He took great care to use comfortable clothing for the impending journey as suggested by his personal attendant. He looked himself in the copper mirror admiring his figure. He stood tall looking comfortable but elegant all the same. His silver hair fell straight down to his upper back. It was nicely restrained in a braid that extended from both sides of his hairline, just in front of his ears. His ears were a bit pointy than the normal citizen in the Kingdom, a sign of their Elven ancestry. He took a deep breath feeling he couldn't have made himself more presentable than he already is. He opened the double doors and left his chambers. He saw his personal attendant waiting outside his door. She was dressed up in a comfortable attire. She looked like she had somewhere to be.

He looked over her and asked "Are going somewhere?'
"'You did not expect to go to different Kingdom without your personal attendant did you?"
Taehyun's look of surprise made his personal attendant smile gently.

"You should know better that family don't leave each other behind. You are my family whether you consider me one or not! You can't get rid of me that easily!" She said putting her hand on both her hips.

Taehyun was overwhelmed upon hearing those words. Tears were pooling around his narrow eyes. "Reefa!" he said before engulfing his plump personal attendant in a fierce hug.
"There, There," Reefa said, stroking his back. He took Taehyun's shoulder softly push him away effectively freeing her from the embrace. She looked at him and removed the tears that had spilled on his cheeks.

"It is not proper for a Prince of Elverion to cry over such trivial matter. Let us make haste. The carriages have already been prepared. Let us go."

And so they passed the long corridors of the castle with Taehyun trying to memorize the details of the halls they passed, and attempt to keep this castle, his home for seventeen years in his memories. After several minutes, they arrived at the front garden of the castle where several carriages were waiting for them. Some of the carriages were filled with chest that contained many of Taehyun's belongings while others were filled with provisions needed for their long journey ahead.
Taehyun did not miss his brother, the current King's absence. Which Taehyun didn't come as a surprise but disappointed Taehyun all the same. It was an open secret that his brother was not very fond of the Second Prince. He was considered s as a threat by his own brother since he was the second in line to the throne.

Taehyun strode over to the carriage where he was supposed to ride. He put his right foot on the open door but before he stepped into the lift, he turned his head around to take a last look at the castle where he grew up, his home, his safe haven. He took one last sigh of resignation and finally stepped inside the carriage. Reefa followed inside and sat opposite him with a look of pity on her plump face.

Personally, he would've preferred riding a horse. But Reefa would probably start scolding him on the inappropriateness for an Elverian bride to ride a horse to her future husband and all that nonsense I could've argued with her.

Firstly, he is clearly not a her. Secondly, so what if he was a bride to be, it is just a synonym of 'hostage' in his opinion. Thirdly, he didn't think observing Elverian customs in the land of barbarians would matter anyway. He doubted they would even care. But he didn't have much energy to argue with her. Hence, he sat there obediently, and with as much elegance and courage he could muster feeling he would need to practice it more before he face a new Kingdom, a kingdom he was forced to now call his new home.

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