Shadow and Snow

Chapter Two | Meeting the King

After several hours of jostling down the road, the carriage finally stopped in front of the largest doors Isla had ever seen. Surrounded by lanterns, the scenery was breathtaking. Gardens on each side brought the sweet scent of roses. Before Isla could admire anything else, the door of the carriage opened and a man in a sharp black suit offered his arm.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the carriage, hoping that she would soon wake up from her strange dream. The sound of trumpets filled the air and startled her, one of the flowers falling out of her hair. Smoothing down her dress as much as possible to try to regain her dignity, she accepted the man's arm and walked into the castle. As they began walking down a hallway, Isla tried to recall everything Jade has said about the king.  A few moments later, they reached an archway which led to a ballroom filled with people. A large group danced in the middle while an orchestra lively played. As I stepped into the room, the activity in the ballroom stopped, everyone, turned to face the archway. One by one they all began to bow, leaving only one man standing.

He was breathtaking, chocolate curls and eyes that pierced her from across the room. Isla realized that she had been holding her breath. As the orchestra began to play, someone behind her pushed her towards the stairs. As the crowd parted, a path began to appear. Leading me straight to the man I had seen. Trying not to noticeably shake, she slowly coaxed her feet to guide her to him. The closer she became the more details she noticed about him. Dressed in a military suit, his chest was covered in badges and awards. He smiled and gently pressed his lips to her hand.

Isla's heart began to pound as the man began twirling her into a dance. The music changed to a slow melody and the other couples began to slowly dance. Only when she heard a throat being cleared did she realize she had yet to acknowledge her partner. Slowly she lifted her eyes to see his piercing blue eyes search her face. "Thank you for joining me." he said, his voice smooth and deep. "I've waited a lifetime for this moment." Isla mentally rolled her eyes. This guy was desperate. "I have to say that this is all still a shock to me." Isla said, worrying her lip. "It feels like I just got here and now I'm at a castle dancing in a ballroom." "I know, " he said, his hand at the small of her back, "It doesn't seem real." Tell me about it, she thought, as the dance came to an end. The man kept his hand on her back and began walking to a platform at the back of the room. "May I present to you, the prince and his bride!" Isla quizzically scanned the room to find the prince, but everyone in the room stood facing her, clapping wildly. Only when she felt a hand gently squeezing her hip did she realize that she had found the prince. She was standing next to him.

The Prince bowed and guided her out into a corridor. Isla was furious. "What was that all about?" she demanded, her temper flaring, "I show up here, get dressed up, and get paraded in front of hundreds of people and I don't even know what's going on? It would be common courtesy to at least prepare someone before they get displayed like a china doll." The confusion in the Prince's eyes made her even more infuriated. "And what did that guy mean, saying I was your bride. I don't even know you!" The Prince held up his hands in defeat. "I know, and I'm sorry. They should have prepared you before this. You looked terrified, and it made me sick to see you so upset. Let's sit down and talk."

We walked down the hall until the Prince opened the door to a library. Two chairs sat in front of a large fireplace. Leading me to a chair, he asked, "Would you like something to drink? We have coffee, or tea, or..." "Do you have hot chocolate?" Isla asked hopefully. The Prince's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Of course." turning to the side he asked a servant to bring two cups of hot chocolate and some pastries. Isla sat staring at the hundreds of books on the shelves surrounding her until she was handed her cup. "Thank you." she said demurely, turning towards the Prince. He thanked the servant for the refreshments and watched him leave. Once the door had closed, he turned to Isla.