Of Winds And Quakes

37. The Wine

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Dining Room
Altsas

Alysia

KYAN STEERS ME OUT OF THE STABLES. We walk towards the Palace together with him a few paces in front of me.I want to go back to my room and lie down for a bit, spending a few hours in the Prince's company is exhausting.

"So, at the end of the day I succeed to learn a couple facts about you," he says.

"That's all you will be learning," I reply to him.

He chuckles but it is so low that I might be mistaken. "Are you really that heartless,  Alysia?"

"What do you mean," I ask suspiciously.

"You would break an old man's heart?"

I know where he is heading to and I don't want to discuss it. The only reply I can come up with is, "The King is not old!"

Kyan stops and turns to look at me. "Well, he is old enough for grandchildren."

"What? What do you people take me for? A baby making machine? I'm not livestock you could rear for reproduction!" I scream at him so loud that I have attracted the eyes and ears of some nearby servants.

Kyan looks sheepish, he sighs and looks away. "You are not livestock, Alysia. My father just hopes we can-"

"You have the wrong girl!" I interrupt him before he can say anything else that gets on my nerves.

"I have delayed this for too long," he mutters more to himself than to me.

"What are you talking about?"

He leans on the stone wall and stares at me blankly, "I should have been married over a year ago. I kept delaying it and my father has been patient. I believe he has been patient enough with me."

"And how do I come in?" I ask trying my very best to be rude.

He shakes his head, "I didn't ask for this either. If you are so against it we can figure something out."

"Something like what?" I don't let myself to be too hopeful.

"I don't know," he admits calmly. "You could run away."

I freeze, I look over my shoulders to make sure no one is earshot. "You can help me?"

Footfalls gradually grows closer and I'm forced to drop the conversation for now.

"Your Majesty," a middle-aged man in scruffy clothes bows lowly to Kyan completely ignoring me. "Your father is asking for you. He is at the dining room with Her Majesty." And he walks off.

"He didn't even look at me," I say.

"It would have been inappropriate if he did," Kyan replies, "you see, here in Altsas it is unlawful to gaze upon a person's spouse... Or betrothed."

"Oh." We didn't have such laws in Kintil.

"We are going to dine with my father,"  Kyan tells me and his voice grows very serious, "he might be too... Forward but you will have to bear with him."

Meet with the King? I want to run off to the orchard and hide. I glance to the horizon and wonder what is after it. Soft orange and pink hues dominate the sky. Sunset.

"How much time?" I ask staring off into the sunset.

"What did you say?"

"How much time do I have before I'm married to you?" Something I don't want him to hear leaks into my words. Fear. I'm afraid of never going back home, I'm afraid of having the rest of my life laid out for me, I'm afraid of being married to Kyan in two weeks. Even if I was court him, two weeks is too short.

"Are you okay?" It scared me that he is concerned. Does my fear show that much?

"You will help me, won't you?" I turn to face him. He stares back, his eyes on waivering.

"I don't know, Alysia." There is pity in his tone. He looks away.

I swallow and shut my eyes trying to suppress the tears that are building up. Why me? If I had never used my powers I would not have been in this situation. But I had to; if I had suppressed my powers I wouldn't have escaped and I would not have seen Mavli even if it was just a glimpse of her back.

"Alysia." He steps forward. "I'm so sorry." But his face is blank and holds on evidence of him being sorry or feeling anything at all.

"You don't have to say anything to make me feel better," I reply. The beauty of the sunset is wearing off and twilight is fast approaching.

"I mean what I say," he says calmly.

"Well, I don't need your sympathy!" I snap. He doesn't seem daunted by my anger. I flinch when his fingers curl around my left wrist. I narrow my eyes suspiciously at but I reserve my comments.

His hands slips into pocket and comes out with a gold bracelet dangling from his finger. The bracelet has tiny jewels the colour of his eyes clasped to the gold links like charms. I begin to shake my head in protest before he even fastens it around my wrist.

"No." It's a plead. Its bad enough we are betrothed, I don't need any physical symbol or bond.

"It's not our choice to make, Alysia." The cold metal sends a shiver to my heart. He doesn't leave me any time to scrutinise the bracelet before dragging me off.

"More wine!" The King bellows with too much enthusiasm. I think he is getting tipsy. I don't think even a man at his age can subdue the cups of wine he has been gulping down.

The Queen is on her second cup, she eats in little bits and doesn't add much to our conversation except smiles and nods.

Kyan has barely touched his wine or his food. His replies are in monotones to whatever question the King asks him.

I haven't touched my wine either but I find it hard to avoid the mouth-watering food.

The King takes a sip from his recently refilled cup and sighs in satisfaction. "God has been faithful! We had very little faith that Kyan would ever be married but here we are just weeks away from the ceremony. I must say I'm excited," he chortles happily and looks at me with a proud look a father gives his child. "Tell me, Alysia," he slurs my name," were you royal in Kintil?"

I shake my head.

He nods, "it doesn't matter! You are perfect for our son. Can you believe he asked for someone like you and we found you just like that?!" He laughs loudly again and the laughter soon changes into a sputtering, gasping cough. The Queen and Prince run to his side and a maid appears from nowhere with a jug of water.

"Take it easy, my King," the Queen scolds lovingly, "remember your fever!" She presses her hand to his forehead with a very worried expression.

"Here, father."  Kyan presses the rim of the cup to the King's lips and he drinks from it.

"The doctor said you would have to take it easy on the alcohol," the Queen says while rubbing his back like he is a baby.

Doctor? The King is sick. I find it very hard to believe. He seems very heathy and boisterous to me. But watching closely, I can notice his pasty complexion, shaky grip and dilated pupils, I had attributed all these to the wine he is consuming.

"He'll be fine mother," Kyan says to his mother offering her a small smile.

"I pray so." The Queen says through stiff lips.

I just sit frozen in my seat feeling very uncomfortable and out of place.

Hi. I decided to cut down on the author notes. Anyway, we have gotten a total of 51964+ words! Hurray!

Lol... Carry on and don't forget to vote and comment!