Looking for You

Chapter 2

I regret leaving the confines of my room immediately. I can hear all sorts of people running around the hallways frantically preparing for the so-called biggest wedding of all the lands. Even though every inch of my body yearns to go back to my room and be absorbed by my bed again I force myself to head towards the cacophony below.

They work gleefully, gossiping carelessly like little annoying chirping birds and I feel like a wolf in the shadows. I walk down the halls until I reach the landing where all the commotion is happening.

"The Lord Tristan is said to look like a god among men!"

"I heard that they call him the Prince of Hearthrobs"

"No man has bested him in combat"

"Perhaps that is because no woman has tried" 

All their heads turn. I slide through the room silently. Already outrageous decorations are being hung up as if to torment me. Although most people don't understand it, everyone in the city knows my thoughts about this marriage. Not that I had been shouting it from the rooftops; it only happened once and in my defense I was not in a right state of mind to be held responsible for my actions. I have always seemed to be a troublemaker, whining about what I have and craving everything else. Lord Tristian de Nizet a legend already and...my betrothed. I've never even seen him but we get a lot of rumors about his bravery and blah blah blah.

When I get to the door I turn around and lazily sweep my eyes over the hall a last time.

"Is something the matter?"

"N-n-No of course not Lady Saorsa we-"

"Good" and with that I roll my eyes, my trademark, and turn back to the looming door and push through to the smell of breakfast. 

Eggs in all shapes and forms, bacon, sausages and all sorts of devastatingly delicious delicacies are laid out and my stomach seems to growl in anticipation. My appetite, however,  is quickly killed by the person sitting at the head of the table with her back to me. All I can see is her small silhouette in a beautiful patterned dress of red and gold. Her hair is swept up in a fashion I wouldn't even know how to describe and nestled among her auburn locks is a band of gold encrusted with rubies. The formidable Queen Shona. 

"Ah Saorsa I was wondering when you would get up or if you had perished during the night."

"Thank you mother dearest for always being concerned about me but you don't have to worry about me I know how to take care of myself." I say. Yes, I basically created sarcasm. 

"Where did you go? You know there's a curfew for you young lady! It is dangerous for a princess to walk around at night!" She finally deigns to turn around and look at me, taking me in with those piercing green eyes. She is said to have been the most beautiful woman in her youth, and she still is, having not aged much. She barely has a wrinkle, but her eyes give her away, as if they had seen a lot. She sighs "Saorsa what are you wearing, you cannot go out like that, you are a princess of the realm and you should behave accordingly." I know I look like a commoner next to her; I had only thrown on a pair of pants and an oversized white shirt, clothing that I had found in the guards locker as my mother is intent on making me wear only dresses. 

"Ah but you see I saw that dress you sent me but I couldn't wear it because it seems you sent it with a little rip, well actually it was rather large, I don't know how you didn't see it! But no worries Tami is fixing it as we speak" I say in the sincerest way. She just frowns.

Turning back to her breakfast she starts, "The Duke and his son arrive in three days, we shall be greeting them at the port"

"Shall we indeed" I say skeptically and I finally pull my body to the chair set next to hers on her right side. On her left normally sits Evin my younger brother, but unfortunately he seems to have already come and gone. I start heaping food on my plate, my appetite fully returned.

"Saorsa you cannot mess this up for your realm, we need this marriage, he will bring strength which we need"

"I think I can do that just fine on my own"

"No, you cannot. You've always been unruly and when you turn eighteen in a couple months you know you are being crowned Queen, I can no longer be a regent to your father's people. Tristan has built a respectable name for himself and bringing that here will reassure the people."

"Of course and locking me down to him isn't in your interest at all."

"Saorsa you know that's not true! You were supposed to marry much younger but I have given you freedom to enjoy your celibacy and try and find love but now desperate times call for desperate measures!" She honestly sounds pained by all this. I don't even look at her as I pile on more food on my plate until I can barely add anymore. 

"Saorsa please do not do anything irrational."

I raise my eyebrows skeptically without saying a word as I start shoveling my food into my mouth. I can feel those emerald eyes staring at me waiting for me to say something but I don't have anything to say to her that she doesn't already know.

"I did not love your father when I married him." With that I look up. "I-we-he was so good to me, and I learnt to love him after we were married." I can tell she wanted to say something else, but communication has never been something that came naturally in our family. "Tristan is a good man," says a woman who's never met him, "he will bring stability to this kingdom and to you. And I know you do not see it right now but I'm sure you will be happy and learn to love him, it is your duty."

"I'm gonna take this to go." I say simply taking my plate and striding for the door.

"Saorsa come back here right now I'm not done talking!" She slams her hands on the table, but I just straighten my back and hold my head a little higher and continue to walk out.