Chapter 1: Revelations.
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"Princess?" A gruff voice calls from the front of the carriage, soon followed by a knock.
"Yes Roland?" replies Princess Adelina, "Are we there yet?"
"Aye," he answers, "William has come back, he says it's in sight."
She waits for more information, but gives up once she hears him turn forward again.
Valerie simply chuckles at Roland's curt mannerism.
The princess just sighs as she sinks back into her seat. "Valerie…" she raises an arm, trying to reach for the ceiling quite lazily, "How long have we been traveling?"
"One hundred and twenty-two days, milady," came the answer almost instantly.
Princess Adelina groans in response, "And apparently we've only just arrived at Argent's borders?" She inhales deeply, soon after muttering, "Goddess kill me…"
"How lo-" She tries asking but is quickly cut off by her lady-in-waiting, "Another month, give or take a week depending on the snow."
Again, Adelina is unsure of how she felt when hearing how much longer she had until she ceased to be a princess.
On one hand, becoming a queen doesn't sound all that bad.
On the other, part of the package included an unwanted king.
King…
'The current king of Argent is giving up his throne on the same night his son is wed…' she thinks to herself worriedly.
Why?
Sounds of chaos are heard from outside.
"Princess!" Roland's voice shouts in panic. It instantly sends a surge of alarm down her spine as she'd never heard the man raise his voice.
"What is it?" She responds, trying to control the worry in her voice.
"Horsemen!" He shouts back.
"Could it be an imperial patrol?" Valerie calls out.
Adelina can hear him shuffling from the driver's seat, and then the telltale sound of a blade being unsheathed.
"Unlikely, this be kingdom, not imperial."
Was that why the patrols had become less and less numerous?
Adelina turns to face Valerie, and she can see the fear in her eyes. It was the push she needed.
'Think Adelina, think!'
She looks around the carriage, looking for clues, something to help her think.
Father. Emperor. Wedding. Argent. Lymark. War. Bandits. Pacified.
Horsemen.
'Horsemen…' It hits her.
"Roland, sheathe your blade." She rises from her seat, and moves to open the door to only be blocked by Valerie.
"No!" Valerie pleads with her, "You absolutely mustn't!"
The princess smiles at her friend reassuringly, "There's nothing to worry over," she answers confidently, "my father simply sent an escort to take us to the kingdom's capital."
"Wha…?" Valerie can only mutter in response.
Adelina taps on her temple with her right index finger, "Think about it… would my father truly let me arrive at my wedding in a single carriage?"
Valerie's shoulders lose their tension as she comes to the same conclusion as Adelina. She nods in agreement, "No, he wouldn't." Turning around from the princess, Valerie opens the carriage door and steps outside.
She holds an arm for the princess to hold as she comes down, "He wouldn't, but for now I still want you standing behind me."
The princess rolls her eyes, but silently thanks her friend for her loyalty and courage. She finds both William and Thyra staring down the horsemen coming down the dirt road. She lifts a hand to her mouth, shocked to find their eyes glowing.
"Blessed…?" She asks aloud.
Roland jumps down from the driver's seat to take position in front of the pair.
"You didn't actually think the emperor sent you off with only three nobody bodyguards, did you?" He asks gently, eyes noticeably not glowing like the other two.
"Wait," Adelina breaks the silence as the trio wait, "Do you also have…"
Roland rises a hand, shaking his head, "Nah. Ain't a lick of Blessed in me. I'm only here because those two don't know how to fix a wheel."
He turns back to the incoming horsemen, his expression grave. But soon, it changes.
For the first time, in all her time with him, Adelina sees Roland laugh.
"They're imperial!" He shouts with relief.
Adelina and Valerie both turn to see the hundreds of horsemen drawing nearer, and soon they could feel the shaking of the ground.
Exhilarating as it was to feel the very ground shake, what made Adelina's grin wide is the man riding at the head of the formation. She had to restrain her impulse to run forward, to not hug and kiss that damn fool for fear of making a fool of herself.
Now, she could release the tension in her body that had been building up during those slow days. She could share her thoughts, her worries, and her plans with him. She had an ally with her, someone who would protect her.
She was safe now, for her older brother Daerin had arrived.
Adelina watches in apprehension as she observes his facial features. Suspicion as he looks around the carriage, then anger as he shakes his head in dissatisfaction or disbelief. Finally, pity.
Pity once he sees his little sister looking at him.
Adelina's guards sheath their weapons and kneel as the prince dismounts.
Valerie curtsies.
But he doesn't care, he ignores them as he steps closer to Adelina.
"So it's true…" he speaks quietly, "the old man really sent you across the continent, for almost half a year…" He lifts his arms as if pleading to the heavens, "…with only a party of four?"
Adelina doesn't care, she rushes her brother while he still has his arms raised to embrace him.
It seems to surprise him at first, but he quickly recovers as he pulls her in tightly.
"I'm sorry Lina…" he whispers in her ear.
"Why didn't you write?" She asks, finally hoping to get her answer.
The prince pulls away, "We'll talk in the carriage." He glances at Valerie.
"Alone."
He turns to his soldiers, and Adelina instantly feels his aura of command as he barks out his order.
"Men! We ride for Zalderick as Princess Adelina's escort! Get in formation, and," he turns to someone in the group, "Sir Galan holds command!"
Adelina turns to see the mounted man, Sir Galan she presumes, as he accepts.
"Understood! Surround the carriage and remain in formation until we reach the gates!"
The soldiers quickly listen to their orders, and as they move about, Adelina's party rise from their feet.
Roland whispers to Valerie, "Well milady, you heard the prince. You can sit with me in front of the carriage." She smiles in thanks, following the man to the their seats.
"Well then," Prince Daerin clasps Adelina's shoulders, "We've much to discuss."
As they walk to the carriage door, the prince begins explaining.
"I couldn't receive or send you letters because I was in Kayzack," he shares as if it were a small thing.
Adelina quickly stops her brother with a hand to his shoulder, turning him around to face her. "What?" She shouts in a whisper.
This however, Adelina realizes, is the reaction he had been aiming for.
Now grinning, he answers smoothly, "Inside, Adelina. We will talk inside."
He opens the carriage door, "I have good and bad news. Lots of 'em."
Adelina steps inside, "Bad first."
Daerin follows in after her, "Well, you're getting married in two weeks on the same night you meet your betrothed."
Her eyes widen as she takes this in, "What? How? How will we make in to the capital in time?"
The prince wags his finger at her, "Ahhh, but you won't be getting married in Argent's capital." Adelina shakes her head in disbelief, and as she's about to as why, her brother fills her in.
"King Remiel and the old man apparently had to compromise to have it in this duchy's capital instead. It's close to the border and just a week's ride from Zalderick. Lowers the risk of Argentian betrayal and all that, especially with their track record."
Adelina nods as she takes it in, but something bothers her.
"Wait, 'apparently'?" She shakes her head, "You didn't even explain why you were off so far north!" The princess sighs as she tries organizing her thoughts. Maybe some good news will help her.
"And the good news?"
The prince flashes a mischievous smile at his little sister.
"The good news is, we're both getting married on the same day!"
