Of Winds And Quakes

38. The Proposal

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Orchard
Altsas

Kyan

WHAT IS A MAN SUPPOSED TO DO to please his betrothed? One he barely knows in fact. I pace impatiently as the maid cuts at the yellow and red aromatic flowers  to form a huge bouquet. I don't know why but I have this urge to impress her somehow. This betrothal is neither her or my choice. I am a victim as much as she is but I want to make it up to her. I was really nervous about giving her the bracelet, I hope she likes it.

The maid rises the fat bouquet. "Is this big enough, your Majesty?"

"I don't know," I admit pathetically. I don't know a thing about flowers or bouquets and I have never given a woman a bouquet in my life. "You should know how women like it."

The maid nods and goes ahead to add a few more flowers.

"Make it very beautiful, okay?" I say.

"Yes, your Majesty." She bows her head and focuses on the flowers.

"Kyan." Rakar's footsteps become louder. I twirl so I face him. He gives me a grin and alternates between glancing at the bouquet the maid is holding and me. "What's going on here?"

"None of your business," I bark. Immediately, his grin disappears and his face grows serious.

"You owe me a report, Rakar," I say to him.

He glances nervously at the maid. "We can't talk here." He begins to walk away.

"Make sure you take it to Alysia's bedroom and tell her to meet me at the stables in an hour, ok?" I tell the maid as I walk off after Rakar. I don't hear her reply as I'm out of earshot immediately I order her.

Rakar leans against the bark of a tree lazily with a sly expression playing on his smug face. "She has grown into you already hasn't she?"

"That's not why I summoned you." I want him to tell me if he succeed in what I asked him to do. I don't need him to evaluate how interested I am in Alysia.

"She is quite a beauty I must admit," he continues and dares to smirk.

"You should not be staring at her, Rakar. Keep your lustful eyes and thoughts to yourself. Alysia isn't one of your cheap conquests." I lose my temper easily, I can already feel my heart pounding in my chest like the beat of drums.

"I know what she is and what she is not." He takes a step closer. "Tell me has your frozen heart been thawed by Alysia already?"

"Are you trying to make me angry?" My fists clench at my sides, I feel a vein throbs in my temple.

"Not at all," he shakes his head.                 "I just thought you would like to know something."

"Something like what, Rakar?" I take a quick step and grab him by the collar of his shirt. "It better be something important or I'll slam my fist into your face."

Rakar clicks his tongue disapprovingly. He keeps his calm even under the circumstances. "Well, I thought you would be interested to know that your sister is not the only harlot in this Palace." He darts his tongue over his lips as he talks. Something inside me snaps, I bite my tongue to keep myself together. "Your fiancée too. She kissed me!"

And I lose it. I raise my fist in the air and plummet it right into his jaw. He shrieks and writhes in my grasps falling backwards and striking his head against the bark of the tree. And he lands on the ground wide eyed.

"Bastard," the curse taste delicious rolling out from my mouth. "Don't you dare call my sister a harlot! You are the one who sleeps with harlots only God knows the diseases you are carrying."