Mara

5

Jordan had sent a messenger to wait for our return in the stables. He’s arranged for all of Weston’s belongings to be moved to my rooms which were now our rooms. My heart sunk as I realized I would not be able to sneak away to Jameston any longer.

“Isn’t this great?” Weston cheered as we walked hand in hand up stairs to our rooms. “I must say your brother is very considerate towards us.”

“He just doesn’t know how set our bond is,” I smiled up at him wrapping myself around his arm. “Last night I would have killed him if he’d even mentioned an arranged marriage after all.” I wanted to vomit my words were so sweet.

“It’s amazing how things change in just one day.” Weston’s smile was bigger and brighter than I’d ever seen it as we walked into our rooms.

“Amazing,” I echoed going straight to my bed without even changing out of the horrible dress.

Weston wandered around the rooms locating all his things, and just overall exploring. I watched him for a short time before I became too tired, and fell asleep.

That night I had a dream about my wedding. Sona and I helped each other prepare as maids and seamstresses bustled all around us. Sona looked beautiful, the rise in her belly just beginning to show. Pearls embedded in her hair like little snow flakes and her dress a brilliant white to match.

Side by side we walked down the isle her to Jordan and me to Jameston. They faced the priest as we came up beside them, but when he turned it wasn’t Jameston who faced me, Weston took my hands on the priest began to speak. I could hear my heart beat in my ears. I couldn’t marry Weston. What had happed?

Palmyra sat near the wall I was facing, a smile on her face. Not a smile full of mischief like Jamestons, or full of happiness, love and passion like Weston’s. Her smile was wicked. Her smile told me that she’s seen through our act, she’s always known I wasn’t in love with Weston, and now I’d pay for trying to deceive her. She held up my father’s prized hunting dagger and threw it across the hall. Before I’d seen where it would land I already knew. It spun effortlessly through the air as if left Palmyra’s finger tips. I sank to my knees and screamed, but I couldn’t look away from the dagger, not even as it embedded it’s self in the side of Jameston’s head. Its target was reached.

I woke in a panic, and breathed heavily realizing it was a dream. I collapsed back onto my pillow covering my eyes. Palmyra was unpleasant, but she would never stoop so low as murder.

 I could hear Weston breathing next to me, and the steady patter of the rain that had developed from the snow on the window. Weston grumbled something in his sleep and rolled toward me. He looked even more beautiful in his sleep, if that was even possible.

“Poor thing,” I sighed. Starring at my ceiling I tried not to think too much about anything. Eventually my eyes got tired of starring and I fell slowly back to sleep.

Faint sounds of the bustling castle carried through the walls of my room, slowly waking me. When I opened my eyes, the icy blue eyes that belonged to Weston. He propped himself up on his elbowed and smiled down at me,