Wren of the East *Complete*

Chapter 1: Wren of the East

The sun offered no warmth in the grey morning. The clouds hung low, and a light mist filled the air. The only sounds on the road were the horses' hooves against the stone. The trees were even desolate and offered no cover for birds or humans alike.

The Southern Kingdom was as miserable as the whispers said. The Iron Empire, the nickname made me wonder if the people and Emperor were as hard as the name itself. I had been lucky enough to visit the Western and Northern kingdoms before this. The deserts of the west and mountains of the north were not as cold as the south.

The carriage slowed and came to a halt. The door opened, and one of the soldiers escorting me offered his hand. I took a deep breath and steadied my resolve. I clasped his hand, and he helped me from the carriage.

The sun's cold light blinded me momentarily, and I shielded my eyes from it. I let them adjust before I moved my hand. I was taken aback by the view before me. The Iron Palace towered above every building surrounding it. Its grey exterior matched the world, and it left me with a sense of foreboding and dismay.

I pulled my veil over my face and fell into a group of soldiers so they could shield me if necessary. We moved forward through the courtyard, and I could feel the eyes of the southerners on me. From what the lords had said from previous visits, the people were not pleased with my impending arrival. Blaming them wasn't something that had ever come to mind. These people didn't understand why their Emperor would choose a bride from another country.

The people country were not pleased that I had decided to marry the Emperor of the south either. I did it for one reason, protection. My people didn't realize how much danger they were in from the other kingdoms. I was choosing to align myself with the strongest of them. The way my lords spoke of him, the Iron Emperor was as cold and unyielding as the metal itself.

We ascended the stairs, and I could hear the whispering. The lords of the south wanted to see this foreign princess. They questioned my sovereignty, my intelligence, and my beauty. I had given them no reason to doubt my attributes. My sovereignty had come at the end of my father's life, and as he had no sons, I was the first woman to rule over the Western Kingdom. Ruling was not a woman's place but under my intelligence, an intelligence that my father was sure I had; my kingdom blossomed. I put its people before everything else, and for that notion, they thrived and devoted themselves to me. As for my beauty, I didn't proclaim I was beautiful. I was a woman, and men always decided if we were beautiful. I had no time for their quibbles in that regard.

My procession came to a halt, and I took another deep, steadying breath. The soldiers around me parted, and I could see him, Emperor Farrow. The lords I kept close to me had said he was a large man, gruff and undeterred. They had failed to mention that he was young, closer to my age than I had been expecting. As I approached him, I was able to see his features more clearly. Farrow's eyes were sharp and probing; I couldn't make out the color, but they seemed to reflect the darkness around him. His dark hair had highlights of blue and silver and hung loosely around his shoulders. His nose was strong and bulbed but not prominent and distasteful. Farrow's lips were tight, but so was the skin around his eyes. He appeared stiff and agitated, causing his shoulders to set back like stone.

Farrow stood, and his height made the men behind me seem small. "Princess Akira."

He made my name feel like he was not happy with my arrival.

I bowed, bending low. "Emperor Farrow, it is an honor to meet my husband."

He didn't speak, and I waited for him to release me from my bow. I went over my words in my head and knew they were correct. We had chosen to finalize our marriage before we had even met. I wanted to be sure that he could not change his mind before I arrived.

"You may quit your silly groveling. You are my wife, not a common lady." His voice matched the gruffness that the lords had described.

I stood and fought the frustration and tears that were building inside me. "Forgive me, my lord."

He held his hand out to me. "Come. Some things must be done before you can become Empress."

I swallowed my emotions and ascended the steps to him. He continued to hold his hand out to me, and I realized he wanted me to take it. I slid my hand into his, and he grasped it gently. I had not expected him to be so delicate. He helped me up the remaining steps and released my hand once I was beside him.

He placed his hand in the small of my back. He looked down at me, and I could finally see the color of his eyes. Blue as a raging sea rife with storms. "My bride and I have many things to discuss. But, first, settle her men and deliver her belongings to my annex. Do not disturb us."

Farrow's voice carried through the hall, and I knew all outside would have heard him as well. He tucked me close to his side and led me out of the main entrance. He took us through heavy doors behind his throne, and they thudded closed behind us.

Farrow released my waist and turned to stand before me. He lifted my veil from my head and cast the fabric aside. Farrow ran his finger along my jaw and pulled it away from my chin.

"I want to say I was prepared for your beauty, but I am not. The lords of your country said your skin was like fresh snow and your lips redder than a rose. While I disagree with their description, I am not disappointed by what lies beneath the veil. You truly are the Wren of the East."

Wren of the East. If I was a wren, how could I stand against the Iron Emperor?