“We’ve never had anything to do with the kingdom of Fren,” Allyssa carefully said.
Darmik sat down next to his daughter on the sofa. “Fren is a powerful kingdom with a strong army,” he said. “I think it’s time we establish relations with them.”
Were things really so dire that her parents would seek out someone they barely knew for their daughter? “Have you discussed the possibility of marriage with him?” Allyssa asked.
Her parents exchanged worried glances. “Not specifically,” Rema answered. “However, our letter to Fren inviting the prince to come here to meet you certainly implied a union is possible.”
Emperion invited Fren here—not the other way around.
“But we’re not talking about marriage right now,” Darmik assured her. “All we want is for you to meet the prince and keep an open mind.”
“Be kind and cordial,” Rema added.
It suddenly became difficult to breathe. Allyssa had to go outside for some fresh air before she started arguing with her parents and became even more frustrated. “Fine,” she answered as she stood and left the Royal Chambers, her mother calling out for her to come back and discuss the matter in greater detail with them.
Allyssa made her way to one of the castle’s inner courtyards. She tried to walk slowly and elegantly around the gardens, like a princess should. When she passed courtiers, she smiled as they bowed to her. She needed to maintain the appearance of grace when all she really wanted to do was tear something apart and break free from this cage.
After a few minutes, her ladies-in-waiting arrived, falling in step beside her. “Where have you been?” Allyssa asked.
Madelin’s face turned pink, and Allyssa knew her friend must have been off with Marek somewhere. Mayra, on the other hand, said she had been speaking with her father.
“Do either of you know anything about Prince Odar of Fren?” Allyssa asked. They stopped near a red rosebush and she surreptitiously glanced around, making sure no one could overhear them.
Madelin shook her head. “I haven’t heard a thing. I even asked my parents, and they said they knew nothing about him.”
Allyssa looked to Mayra, but her friend wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Marek,” Allyssa called over her shoulder. He’d brought her ladies-in-waiting to the courtyard and was now standing with the rest of her guards. He obediently came over.
“What do you know of Prince Odar?” she demanded.
Marek bit his lip and started fidgeting with the hilt of his sword.
“It wasn’t a request,” she said. She hated to pull rank, but she needed information.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he said, purposely using her title, “but we’ve been instructed to keep our mouths shut on the matter. Your parents don’t want rumors or gossip floating around.”
Both her ladies-in-waiting nodded, affirming what Marek had said. “Very well,” Allyssa snapped, turning and heading back into the castle. She would not cry; they were simply following orders.
Mayra hurried to catch up. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But we were given strict instructions.”
“It’s fine,” Allyssa lied. This was why she hadn’t told her ladies-in-waiting about sneaking out of the castle at night. Because when all was said and done, her parents outranked her and could make her ladies tell them anything they wanted to know. The staff’s loyalty was to the crown, not her. She was a symbol and a bargaining chip.
As if in response to her agitation, the crown atop her head shifted, suddenly feeling heavy. Blasted. If only she could practice on her hitting dummy right now. She laughed. Dressed in the finest gown she’d ever worn and all she could think about was punching. How very unprincess-like.
***
Allyssa hurried to the antechamber of the Throne Room, where she found her parents talking with Neco and Ellie. She stood in the doorway, not saying a word. She silently observed them, no one noticing she’d arrived.
“This is a real opportunity for Emperion,” Darmik said. “If only Allyssa would cooperate.”
“The princess is strong-willed, that’s for sure,” Neco said. “But she always does her duty. She has Emperion’s best interest at heart.”
“I agree,” Rema said. “But Allyssa doesn’t understand the precarious position we’re in. We need this alliance.”
“She’s just so young,” Darmik muttered.
“No, she’s not,” Ellie said, speaking for the first time. “Think of what you accomplished at her age. She’s old enough, and more than capable.”
Neco came up behind Ellie, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I agree with my wife,” he said, kissing her cheek.
Darmik sighed. “Who knew having a daughter would be so … difficult.” He turned to face Rema. “It’s up to you,” he said.
“Let me meet Prince Odar. Then I will decide how to proceed.”
A steward came up next to the princess. “The convoy is here,” he announced to the people in the antechamber.
Rema noticed her daughter standing there, so she came over and hugged Allyssa. “I don’t know how much you heard,” she whispered, “but we will talk later. Please, just keep an open mind and don’t jump to conclusions.” She released her, took Darmik’s arm, and entered the Throne Room.
Neco and Ellie remained in the antechamber. “From all my spies’ accounts,” Neco said, “Prince Odar is a shrewd military leader, much like your father. We just need time to assess the situation and to speak with him.”
“Why is he officially here?” Allyssa asked.
“To discuss Fren’s situation with Russek.”
She knew there was a lot more going on than she was privy to. She gave a curt nod to Neco and Ellie. After all, the least she could do was keep an open mind. Taking a few deep breaths, she put a smile on her face and entered the Throne Room.
Both sides of the aisle were filled with people eager to greet the mysterious prince from Fren. Out of all the kingdoms on the mainland, Fren was the one she knew the least about. The kingdom kept to itself, choosing to remain isolated. She couldn’t imagine a marriage contract would be enough to lure the prince here. No, she thought, there is definitely more going on.
Allyssa glided down the aisle, head high, while everyone bowed. Her parents were already sitting on the dais, her mother in the center, Darmik to her right. Allyssa took her place on her mother’s left. Light poured in through the windows, lining the right side of the room. Everyone present wore their finest clothes, and perfume wafted in the warm air.
The horns sounded and all heads turned toward the doors at the end of the aisle, eagerly awaiting the prince’s entrance. Allyssa was mildly curious to meet him. How old was he? Twenty? Forty? Was he boring like the prince from Fia? Arrogant like most of the lords and nobles of her own kingdom? Was he ugly? Did he have a beard? Was he here to establish a relationship with Emperion? Did he seek Allyssa’s hand in marriage? Perhaps he simply wanted to implement a trade agreement between their kingdoms.
The doors flew open, and four Fren soldiers clad in shiny armor entered. Behind them came two men dressed in solid black, carrying the flag of Fren as they marched down the aisle to the dais where they stopped and faced inward, clicking their heels together. Half a dozen men dressed in finery now entered the Throne Room. These must be the prince’s lords-in-waiting. Allyssa squeezed her hands together to prevent her eyes from rolling at the pompous arrogance being displayed. This show of wealth was a bit excessive. Granted, Fren was one of the larger kingdoms and rumored to be well off. Apparently, the prince wanted to make sure everyone here knew it. Four more men entered, wearing fine tunics, indicating they were stewards or pages. If this display was any indication of the type of person the prince was, then he was just like every other bloke who’d come vying for her hand, and she was not impressed.
A collective murmur arose as the prince finally entered. He stood in the doorway a moment and flashed a smile before sauntering down the aisle. Blimey. He had dark h
air, blue eyes, and a cocky smile that made him utterly handsome. The worst part was that he knew it and was flaunting it at her court. If she had to guess, she’d say he was about her age. The prince was dressed in a flamboyant white shirt and a dark embroidered tunic that was well suited for a ballroom and not traveling. He had to have changed after he arrived. No one could possibly be that vain. Strapped to his waist was a fine-looking sword. She was sure he’d never used it in battle. He’d probably never even seen a day of fighting in his life. She desperately tried not to laugh as his attention landed on her, his eyebrows lifting in what she could only assume was approval. This prince was even more arrogant than all the previous suitors combined. He was going to drive her utterly mad.
He stopped before the dais.
“Prince Odar of Fren,” one of his squires announced. The prince regally bowed, showing his respect. The empress and emperor stood and went to officially greet the pretty prince. Yes, that was going to be Allyssa’s name for Prince Odar. She supposed she should greet him too. She stood and moved forward. His hand took hers and he gently pressed his warm lips to the top of her fingers, his eyes locked on hers the entire time, making every effort to be seductive.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed his squire, the one who’d announced him, watching her intently. Maybe he also served as an advisor.
After pleasantries were exchanged, Darmik announced, “People of Emperion, in honor of Prince Odar, a great feast will be thrown tonight. Everyone is invited. Afterwards, there will be lively music and dancing.”
The people clapped, and the prince nodded his head in approval.
“Prince Odar,” Rema said in a soft voice so only those closest to the dais could hear. “Please join the emperor and myself for drinks. We have much to discuss.”
Darmik gave orders for Neco to show the visitors from Fren to their rooms. Then Rema and Darmik left, the prince with only his squire right behind them.
Allyssa went to follow, but Marek gently took her arm. “I have instructions to escort you back to your rooms.”
She was relieved she didn’t have to sit in a private room with the prince and attempt to carry on a conversation with him. As she walked along the corridors, she tried to keep an open mind about the prince, but she couldn’t. He was an absolute joke. Allyssa had no interest in a man who cared more about his appearance than the people of his kingdom.
She froze in the middle of the corridor, Marek almost slamming into her.
“Are you okay, Your Highness?” he asked.
She was going to have to sacrifice herself for her kingdom. And that was something she wasn’t prepared to do just yet. What value did her parents see with aligning Emperion with Fren? Her life flashed before her eyes—married to the prince while he flirted all day with women and threw parties. Her life would be lonely and unbearable. Squaring her shoulders, she continued walking down the corridor, her hands shaking.
Allyssa despised sparring in a dress. However, that was the way her father had taught her to fight. He said if someone attacked her, she would be in a gown, so she had to be able to maneuver in heavy fabric.
“Faster,” Marek instructed. “You’re not focusing.”
She wanted to growl because he was right, she was too distracted. Putting all thoughts of the pretty prince out of her mind, she gave Marek her full attention. He swung his sword, hitting hers near the hilt, making her drop it. Not intending to lose their match so easily, she twisted and came in close to him. When he went to grab her, she rammed her elbow into his stomach. He hunched over and she yanked him down, slamming her knee into his face.
He dropped his sword.
“I win,” she declared.
Catching his breath, he wiped his forehead. “You seem to have gained a few new moves.” Not a question.
“Perhaps,” was all she said in reply. The training room was lined with her personal guards. She knew her father didn’t want her practicing—he’d rather she prepare for the ball. But in order to make it through dinner and dancing, she had to release her anger and frustration.
Marek took their wooden swords and put them back on the rack.
“I’m not ready to return to my rooms.” She still felt off balance and unsettled.
He glanced to the door where Mayra and Madelin were waiting for her. “I need to go over some security details with my father,” Marek stated.
“Then go.” She waved him away. “I’ll only be a few more minutes.”
He briefly spoke with the guards before he said, “Your Highness,” and left.
As soon as he was gone, she put leather gloves on and went to the hay figure secured to the wall. Taking a deep breath, she started punching it, imagining the dummy was the prince. Smiling, she started hitting it harder and faster, allowing all of her aggression to evaporate.
Someone started clapping, and she spun around about to yell at whoever had interrupted her.
Prince Odar stood there with a smirk.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her arm. He was accompanied by two of his soldiers and the squire she noticed earlier in the Throne Room.
He clicked his tongue. “A testy remark from someone so delicate and lovely.”
Her eyes narrowed. She was dirty, smelly, and certainly not the picture of a princess at the moment. The squire clasped his hands behind his back, staring daggers at her. He must not approve of a woman who could take care of herself, knew how to fight, and who dared to sweat. She hated him almost as much as she hated the prince.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” she said, trying to keep the detest from her voice. “Please excuse me, I must prepare for this evening.”
Mayra rushed forward and placed a cloak upon Allyssa’s shoulders. The princess yanked the hood up, concealing herself so no one from the court would see her all sweaty. She swept out of the room, not looking back. She could have sworn she heard the prince chuckling as she hurried down the corridor.
“Why didn’t you use the opportunity to speak with the prince?” Mayra asked, trying to keep up. “He obviously sought you out.”
Allyssa’s eyes sliced over to her lady-in-waiting. “Because,” she snapped, “I don’t want to talk to someone who flatters with pointless words.”
Mayra laughed. “He is rather charming.”
“He appears to be exactly as a prince should,” Allyssa said. “And I have no interest in princes.”
“Aiming a bit higher?”
“No,” Allyssa replied. “I’m aiming for someone a bit more real.”
***
Entering the Royal Chambers, Allyssa walked straight through the sitting room without stopping. She knew what was there—flowers, jewelry, letters, and gifts from every available suitor who deemed themselves an acceptable match. Nobles from all over the kingdom, all desiring the wealth and notoriety of her position. All they saw when they looked at her was a crown and the power that came with it. She despised the tradition that dictated suitors send gifts before a ball or party to make their intentions known.
Just as she was about to turn down the hallway leading to her bedchamber, a small, wooden box caught her attention. It was made from simple oak, and it was the size of her hand. She stood staring at it. Everywhere else in the room, on every single surface, were gaudy flowers and ornate boxes. This one was completely out of place. Grabbing it, she took it with her.
The royal guards remained outside Princess Allyssa’s rooms and only Mayra and Madelin went in with her. Both girls hurried to the dressing closet to start preparing Allyssa’s gown. She plopped onto her bed, staring at the simple box. Oak was found in the Bizantek Forest that stretched from the northernmost section of Emperion, to Fia, through Telmena, and into Fren. There were no carvings or markings to suggest where the box had been made. The smoothness of the wood indicated someone had skillfully carved it.
She lifted the lid. Inside was a simple, hand-carved wooden ring. Upon closer inspection, there were several wor
ds engraved in a language she didn’t recognize. Allyssa traced her finger over the foreign words. Perhaps Mayra would know what it said, but Allyssa didn’t want to show the gift to anyone.
It was beautiful, and on a whim, she slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. There wasn’t a note or letter accompanying it. Where did the ring come from? Who had given it to her? She opened her bedchamber door, and her soldiers snapped to attention.
“Find out who was on duty this afternoon. I want to know who delivered this box.” Her guards nodded, and she closed the door. Removing the ring, she gently placed it back in the box and set it on the table near her bed.
***
“Well?” Madelin asked, smiling proudly as she stood next to Mayra, both observing Allyssa. “What do you think?”
Allyssa just stared at herself in the mirror. The gown was the most elaborate dress she’d ever worn—even more so than the one she’d had on in the Throne Room to greet the prince.
“It’s heavy,” was all she said. She feared if she bent her knees, she’d actually collapse from the weight of the fabric. “Will I even fit through a doorway?”
Mayra shook her head. “You look exquisite, so stop being sullen and moody.”
Allyssa laughed. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you for making me look beautiful.” Turning away from the mirror, she faced her friends. “Are you two coming?” she asked. Since her father had opened the invitation up to the entire court, her ladies-in-waiting were officially allowed to attend.
“We are.” Madelin beamed.
“Then you better hurry and change. Stop fussing over me.” After Mayra and Madelin left to dress for the ball, Allyssa went over to the table where the box sat and opened it. She couldn’t help but stare at the simple ring. Wearing it on her finger would be completely inappropriate; however, perhaps she could string it on a chain and use it as a necklace. Then she could tuck it under her dress where no one would see. She slammed the lid closed, wondering why she was indulging herself with thoughts of a simple, wooden ring.
Allyssa joined her parents in the sitting room.
Cage of Deceit (Reign of Secrets Book 1) Page 5
