The Unforeseen [EDITING]

Chapter Fifteen

"You're going to have to tell me sooner or later, so you really should just tell me now." Emandalyn continued to badger her.
     "I choose later, much later," Timena said as they made their way outside.
     As they approached the other girls, Timena's steps slowed as she saw Delacroix sitting at the table. She hesitantly turned around in her seat— a look of surprise written on her face when she saw her sister's attire. 
     "She lost again, nothing new." Emandalyn huffed as she plopped down onto her seat.
     At that moment, the servants came over with more food and wine for the ladies and Timena eventually took the empty chair that was next to Delacroix.
     "You look very nice," She said quietly.
     Timena didn't look at her directly but nodded as thanks.
     It was something, Delacroix thought to herself, a renewed sense of hope swelled in her chest.
     "So, is your father going to let you marry Prince Tanlen then?" Hanleigh asked as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.
     A pleased smile came to her full lips, "Now that King Silas is no longer an option for my father, yes." She clapped excitedly. "Everything is set to take place as soon as we get back to Canarev."
     "Have you already met him?" Timena asked.
     Delfina offered her a cheeky grin. "We've known each other since we were sixteen, we planned it. When father heard of how King Silas was looking for a bride, it put a damper on our plans, but thankfully that's all behind us now."
     "Love or convenience?"
     "Love, can you imagine that." She beamed with pleasure.
     Timena's lips curled into a crooked smile. She took in Delfina's polished appearance, her dark locs swayed to the side as she tilted her head. She was the vision of serenity as she continued to speak about Prince Tanlen, her eyes filled with joy and her cheeks grew rounded as she smiled from ear to ear. Timena could feel the happiness radiating from Delfina, it was infectious. She was content with knowing that their impending marriage was mutually desired because certainly, her's was not.
     "How are you feeling about your wedding? When will it take place?" Delfina's voice was slow and gentle, almost as if she was hesitant to ask.
     "I'm not certain when it will happen," She answered tentatively.
     "Neither of you have chosen a date?"
     "Well, he says that he'll give me time, so that we'll become more acquainted." She tried to forget the feel of Silas' lips on her cheek, her chin, her neck... 
     Vera's eyes grew wide, "He wants you to fall in love with him." Her quiet voice was filled with hope.
     For a moment, Timena burst into laughter, but she didn't deny it.
     "It's better than most men though, isn't it?" Hanleigh asked rhetorically. "I would have never expected that from him, you must really be the one for him, sadly." She added snidely.    
     Emandalyn rolled her eyes, ignoring her snarky remark. "How do you feel about it?" She asked, aware that Timena was evading the question.
     "I suppose I just wish things could go back to how they were." She replied, simply.
     "It couldn't have been easy to have had this chosen for you, you never seemed like the type to marry," Naima said, her tone understanding. "You never want to marry at all, while I'll never be able to marry who I want." She said sadly before picking up her wine glass and downing the rest of its contents.
     "Maybe your feelings for him will grow," Delacroix's voice came out, almost as a whisper.
     Timena remained silent as she kept her features impassive, but her sister's words made her hands curl into a fist under the table.
     "I highly doubt that, but stranger things have happened, right?" She spoke softly, still never looking her way. 
     Sensing the obvious tension, Emandalyn turned everyone's attention back to Delfina's upcoming wedding.
     Delacroix's shoulders sagged, she felt like she couldn't stop talking out of her butt. She hadn't meant any harm by her choice of words, but it was her guilt. She was hopeful that in time, if Timena fell in love with Silas, that the part she played in this mess wouldn't matter anymore. 
     With a tight-lipped smile, she excused herself from the table before going inside. It was only a few moments later that Hanleigh went in after her.
     "What is going on between the two of you?" Naima asked suddenly, as she leaned in.
     Timena feigned innocence, wondering if they knew any of the details. "Nothing, why?"
     "Well, she's been all out of sorts ever since Silas brought you back," She rubbed her chin, absentmindedly. "She shuts herself off when we even try to bring it up."
     Of course they didn't know what she had done, she thought to herself. Delacroix had never dealt well with guilt—so it had been festering inside of her. Timena didn't want to give them a reason to blame her as well, so she stayed aloof.
     "Could it still be because of the engagement between you and Silas?" Delfina wondered. "She did say that she wasn't bothered by it anymore, it didn't seem like she was lying to us."
     "Maybe Hanleigh can help her, because she never wants to talk to us," Vera said, sadly.
     "It hasn't been so tortuous, right," Emandalyn teasingly jostled her, subtly changing the topic of conversation.
     Timena chuckled, shaking her head. "It wasn't so horrible."
     "You've been so busy avoiding us all this time, you must feel pretty foolish having missed out on all of this greatness." Naima flipped her hair over her shoulder in an exaggerated manner.
     Timena jokingly scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You should be thanking me for my company, as a matter of fact, you're welcome."
     The girls burst into laughter almost immediately for a few moments.
     "Why don't we play a game of dominoes," Delfina suggested. "We could each wager something."
     "Oh no, no, no." Timena waved her hands at the suggestion, "Betting is how I got myself into this mess in the first place." She pointed at the dress she was currently wearing.