As A Stranger Or A Friend?

Mariel - 12 Sun's Dawn, 1245 A.D.

"Simply stunning, my lady!" The attendant called Hana gushed, "His Highness will be so pleased that you have grown into such a gentle beauty. Though I suppose his taste is discerning. He undoubtedly saw such potential in you even when you were still a girl."

"Yes. I was very honored when His Highness selected me." I replied in little more than a whisper.

She smiled at me and then frowned as she made a few final adjustments to my hair, adding and removing pins as she saw fit. It was strange being waited upon. I wished she would stop fussing and just leave things as they were.

"There, finished! The carriage ride to the palace will be short, as will the time spent in the palace itself, but worry not, my lady. Once the two of you set out on The Tour of Territories, you will have many months of bliss in one another's company, and at the end, the long-awaited wedding!" She swooned.

I did my best to hide how upset the prospect made me. "Just how many months will it be, Hana? I am so dizzy with excitement that I seem to have forgotten."

"One could hardly blame you, my lady! It will be four happy months. I hear His Highness has many activities planned for the two of you to partake in, the first of which will be a grand hunt!"

"A hunt?" I asked as she helped me into a capelet and pair of gloves.

"Yes, my lady. In the fertile staglands of Astor." She replied cheerfully.

"I see." I paused for a moment as she handed me a small pochette, "I don't enjoy bloodsport."

"Oh, my lady, you will not be hunting, of course. That would be rather barbaric. Nothing at all like what His Highness has planned for you. Worry not! You shall simply be presented with the spoils." She said with a reassuring smile.

"I see. Thank you, Hana." I responded quietly.

"Cheer up, my lady. Surely His Highness will be so happy to see you." She said with a deep curtsy and another warm smile.

I nodded and did my best to smile back at her. She and the other maids all seemed to be under the same spell everyone else suffered from, that is, believing that this marriage was rooted in true love. It was touted as romance, the union between a member of The Pale Kings and a Priestess of Shanta, simply because of the previously fabled love stories between the two groups.

After all, who wouldn't swoon at the tale of Axeses The Second, who braved the mighty dragon Cirit to rescue his gentle lizard priestess Mother Mazvah? Once freed, she became a style icon and became known for being a giver of elegant parties and a master financier. Somehow the Kingdom made money when she threw parties. Because of that, she became a very generous benefactor of many orphanages throughout the territories under their rule. She was so well-loved by the people of The Pale Kingdom that they instituted a week-long celebration of Solas, her favorite holiday, to be filled with only festivals and merriment.

And the story of Harals The First was unforgettable. He was so blinded by his love for the dwarven beauty, Mother Bala, that he conquered all of the Bala Sea in her name and presented her with the head of a kraken as a gift of betrothal. With their shared love of adventure, the two of them went on to tame the Caper Sea together. It was established from then on as the seat of power for the naval forces of The Pale Kingdom. Together they ensured it remained kraken-free to enable trade and commerce, causing a boom in population unlike any The Pale Kingdom had ever seen.

And who could neglect the dedication of Ethos The Castaway?! He was said to wander the Isle of Wraiths blindfolded for a decade simply to meet the elven Mother Onaliel. She was known to be incredibly shy and meek and rejected nearly every suitor that came her way and so recused herself in that forsaken place. Once he finally came upon her, the two courted one another for just a few hours before she accepted him as her husband. And her heart so bloomed with love for him that she gave him twenty children by the time she laid her head to rest. Many of her descendants continued to serve The Pale Kingdom in honor of her memory.