-Daughter Of The Iron Rose-

-Wedding Bells-

The king's eyes were as dark as coal as he looked at me, taking in my silver and sapphire appearance while the prince ignored me. My earlier mood plummeted at the hostile like feel to the air. Then the king was walking towards me. He circled me, examined me.

"Yes. Yes, she is quite a beauty do you not think so my son?"

The prince looked up and gave me a once over as lust glazed over his eyes. He did not smile as he approached me. All of a sudden his hand snaked out and bit my cheek.

"She may be pretty but a princess should never leave her husband-to-be waiting."

I covered my cheek and bit my lip as tears threatened to spill.

"Well Aragorn, take her to her room and have her fit for a dress. First thing tomorrow we shall hold the wedding."

Aragorn bowed before he grabbed my arm and all but dragged me from the throne room. I followed him blindly as we hurried down dimly lit corridors. Soon we stopped in front of a small chamber door. My heart fell as he opened it.

The room itself was small and cold with little to no color anywhere. There was a bed, a closet, and a spindle, nothing else. Everything in the room was in shades of morbid grey and I had never felt so sad. A man with wealth beyond his dreams had no color in his life. Suddenly Aragorn turned and looked at me, cupping my face in his warm hands.

"Never let him have your heart m'lady. He may be able to take your body, he may even be able to burn his impression on your soul; but he may never take your heart from you. That is something you, and you alone, can give away." With that he turned, shut the door and left.

I felt the tears threaten to spill over onto my cheeks so I bit my lip to hold them back. What irony? To help my people escape a life of bleakness I myself must endure such a life. I walked to the balcony and looked out over the town. The sin had set beyond the hills casting the town in ominous shadowy darkness that made me shiver. Is this really what my life was meant for? A wife of a cruel prince with no say in my own heart? A small knock came at the door then. Rubbing away my tears I told them to enter.

"Pardon me m'lady but I have been sent to fit you for a wedding gown," said a young maid.

"No need. I brought my mother's. It just needs to be hemmed."

The girl nodded her head, asked me to put it on and began fixing it to fit my body.

My mother had a bustier chest where mine was flat, almost none existent while I had more curves. It took her maybe two hours to hem and take in the places that needed it. All the while she stayed silent, refusing to even look at me directly. I didn't bother trying to learn things about her. I doubted she'd tell me much anyway. She acted like she was afraid that I may be like my soon to be husband; hard and cold. When she turned to leave she didn't even say a farewell.

She left a candlelit beside my bed and I blew it out. Tonight was my last night free and there would be no celebration of me coming to the womanhood of the married life. I was alone here and alone I'd stay.

-----------------------------------------------

I woke up the next morning just as the sun began to cast a warm glow over the room. It made me feel like maybe this day wouldn't be as terrible as I thought it might be. My mood shifted when a maid rushed into my room followed by Aragorn.

The maid curtsied before she spoke. "Pardon princess but the prince ordered the wedding earlier than we first were told and now we are running behind. We have but an hour to prepare you for the wedding."

With a sigh, I nodded and let her begin dressing me while Aragorn versed me on my "vows". They pretty much stated that I give myself to him to be his property and it left bile in my throat. It didn't take long to throw my hair into a wavy braided crown on my head, leaving a small tendril to fall over my shoulder. With a small, scared smile the maid took me over to a full-length mirror.

My mother's dress now fits my body like a second skin falling off my shoulders in an elegant and lively look. The light blue hue mixed with the deeper blue colors left my pale skin glowing. I was beautiful and it made my heartache.

"I wish my mother was here," I whispered to the air.

I jumped when Aragorn placed his hand on my bare shoulder. "She is here princess," he placed his other hand above my heart. "She lives in your heart Lilly and I know she'd be proud of you."

A small tear fell down my cheek and he wiped it away as he drew me into a forbidden hug. "Thank you, Aragorn."

With a smile, we left the room and began to make our way to the wedding hall. We stopped just at the door so that the maid could alert the musician to begin to play. Wedding bells rang as the door opened and sad music began to play.

Aragorn looped our arms together as he walked me down the gray isle. People stayed silent as they watched me. Some even looked sad as if they knew what I was to face here. Just as I got to the alter a carrier came running in.

He stopped before me breathing fast just before he went down to one knee. "Princess Liliana forgive me but I have a letter for your eyes only. I was told to deliver it or have my head severed."

There was a deep foreboding feeling in the air like everything was holding its breath as I opened the letter.

My hands began to tremble as I read and re-read the letter over and over again.

My dearest daughter,
          I write to you this letter with my last breath. Our camp was overthrown and everyone was either slaughtered or captured by the enemy. My son is amongst the ones taken. Please, use our new allies to save him; I beg of you.
                                                      With parting sadness,
                                                            Father

Tears fell in waves down my cheeks as I fell to the ground clutching the letter to my heart.

Father, no...

It couldn't be so...

"What does it say, woman," snarled the Prince as he snatched the letter from my hands.

His laughter bellowed through the chamber as he read it himself. "So the king is dead? Ha, then I owe nothing to the alliance since there is no longer a kingdom to ally myself with!"

"You must keep your word! There will be a king."

He looked at me with A glare. "You mean your captured brother? He is as good as dead princess."

"Please," I begged, "help me save him. He is all I have left."

"No."

Standing I grabbed the letter back glaring at him. "As the Princess of the southern kingdom, I demand you uphold your promise to aid my people."

"I have not married you, women, there is no alliance yet and there will be none ever," he screamed as he hit me.

With icy calmness, I turned and walked to the door.

"Where are you going woman?"

Turning I said, "I'm going to save my brother you coward."

Opening the door I ran to Margaret's house and pounded on her door. I rushed in as soon as it opened.

"Princess Liliana, is that you? What on earth are you doing here! It is your wedding day."

"The coward called it off due to the death of my father," I cried against her shoulder. 

She held me close as I cried; rubbing my back gently as I told her what the letter said. "I have to save him. He's all I have left."

"Lilly, that is too dangerous for a princess. Defiantly if you're going alone."

"But she won't be alone," came a voice from the door.

Through blurry eyes, I could see Lord Aragorn standing in the doorway. "You have my sword and shield princess. The prince is wrong to turn you away."

Running to him I wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you, Aragorn. Thank you," I whispered.