The King of Saminu

Chapter 18

Life grew hectic. An entire week flew by without me being able to catch my breath. Dinners were cut short, Brann always ushered off by what he called his "council", a word that was still foreign to me and I didn't quite understand. We saw each other in quick passing, smiles to each other as we passed in the halls, a brush of fingers against each other's. The wedding was now in four days time, and I was starting to grow angry with Brann for planning the damned thing so soon. Had we more time, we wouldn't be this stressed. But, after all, I didn't have the chance to scold my fiance.

    "How's this looking, Renny?" Mams asked, pulling part of the elegant red dress away from my hip, then allowing it to flow back to where it was supposed to lay. I shrugged my shoulders, the thick fabric bouncing around me as I did so.
"It looks like a wedding dress," I muttered, and the two other tailors bounced back.
"It's not just any wedding dress, dearie. It's a dress fit for a queen. Which you will become shortly," Neuklæ, one of the royal tailors, spoke. I didn't particularly care. I was much too exhausted and drained to even begin to argue with the women surrounding me.

"I think we're done with the adjustments now," Thank the gods. I was tired of being accidentally stabbed with needles, dragged around the room, and forced to walk in death trap heels. Still, I was respectful.
"Thank you for your hard work," I smiled, though everyone present knew it was forced. Neuklæ and Ðirskera left the room, chattering about whatever older women liked to talk about to pass their time. I could barely understand them through whatever thick accent they had. It differed from the one Sæoa and even Gozst had. Spenn was gigantic, after all, slightly larger than Slifni. We each had three time zones, and a decent amount of space to go north and south as well.

"Let's get you out of your wedding dress now," My mother spoke up, but she started undoing the clasps on the back at a slower rate than what would be considered normal.
"How do you feel about the color?" I questioned. Mams knew the underlying question.
"From the moments I've shared with Brann, I much rather the red than blue. If that's what you mean. Though, it is strange to see my eldest in a dress, that's for sure. You've never looked this feminine in your life," It wasn't a compliment, nor was it a dig at me. Mams was just stating fact. I nodded.

"You were strong in instilling this fear in me. A year ago, the thought of me in a dress would make me vomit. Dresses were always tied with Xeoys and Xeoys was tied with torture. Now... now I'm weirdly happy. It's like freedom, this wedding. And our wedding may signify the end of the war," I smiled, and Mams rolled her eyes at me, visible in the large mirror that we both were staring into now.
"You sound just like Brann. But, when I first started hangin' around your Pappy, I mimicked him entirely. If I looked like him, people wouldn't have been able to tell us apart," Mams spoke, her cheeks reddening and eyes returning to memories of years before I was born. That love in her eyes. I wanted it. And luckily for me, I could sense it within me. In my fingertips, the very beat of my heart, the pulse of my soul. Love was coming, making its way towards my life as quickly as it could.

"Renny, I don't want to leave. This may be the last time I see you before you're on the aisle," Mams broke the silence, the dress pooling around my legs. I carefully stepped out of it and changed back into the more casual white one that was lying on my bed.
"Maybe I can come back with you? As far as I know, the only thing on today's schedule was to finish my dress. That leaves the majority of the day for me to spend with the rest of the family as well!" I couldn't help but to grow excited at the prospect of seeing my family. It had felt so long since I had seen Pappy and Gamm. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around them.

Mams smiled at me, showing off teeth that were whiter than snow. I followed after her, telling her about my days and the way I hoped the wedding would go.
"Where are you going?" A guard asked, his voice tired. It was nearing the end of this shift, and new guards would surely be on their way soon. I smiled as sweetly as I could.
"I was hoping I could head to Skylia with my mother," My voice was confident, yet still soft. Commanding, yet respectful. Everything I wished to be. I was not a Slifnian woman - I was Spenn's definition instead.
"You'll need an escort to head with you. Skylia is past Horegi's borders," The guard chattered off as he must have been used to, then looked around. He chuckled a few times, pleased with whatever thought he had conjured, then turned around and knocked on the door.