As A Stranger Or A Friend?

Mariel - 17 First Seed, 1245 A.D.

"Can I get you anything else, Mother Frère?" My attendant Thea asked.

"No, that will be all... But I would like to bathe in private today." I requested, hoping she might grant what I hoped would be a simple thing.

"Of course, my lady. I will be right outside should you require anything."

I nodded but couldn't lie that I was disappointed by her response. She curtsied and left the tent quietly then exchanged words with the guards about how she would remain there until I was finished. I sighed. I suppose this will do...

Since we'd started on this tour, I didn't have a moment to myself. There were guards stationed all around my tent or wherever I found myself, so I couldn't leave or do anything that might make them react negatively. And it went without saying that even if I wanted to be alone, the Third Prince could appear whenever he wanted. So, I always kept my guard up, even when I was by myself. At the very least, I could find solace in the moments that I slept. Luckily, he didn't terrify me so much that he invaded my dreams, though that might be because he didn't spend a lot of time with me.

His concubines provided what entertainment he sought, so we rarely saw one another unless there was a need for it. And when the need arose, my duties were to play the blushing bride and not just for his inner circle, but for many, many more. We attended elaborate dinners, supposed charity events, met with dignitaries of The Pale Kingdom, and of course, paraded about for our subjects so they could get a good look at our faces and fawn over our union. At those times, he was conscientious about hiding his concubines and displaying me as his sole companion. It was sickening how meticulously crafted everything was to make it look like I was truly enjoying myself and that we were truly in love. And 'love'...that was another matter entirely.

As I had come to find out, the Second Prince's words were true. Yet another drawback to constantly being near the guards or any other sort of attendant. I knew firsthand how boring a job like that could be, so naturally, gossip was a much-favored pastime and I was sure they didn't meant for me to hear any of it, but I had. Their words somehow managed to twist this unique form of punishment further into the most acute and keen torture of any kind.

Apparently, the Third Prince was presented with a list of newly bled priestesses to choose from, so he assigned each of us a number and rolled a die. I was number five, same as his roll, and so my fate was bound to his and I became his bride at the tender age of eleven. He was a man of twenty-four. I met him a year later so that he could look at my face and I, his, before our wedding in six months' time. Obviously, those nuptials never came to pass.

Even so, he still had to follow the custom of marrying a virgin, so we had separate sleeping quarters and had not been intimate past sharing a few kisses, which were awful. I didn't make a habit of kissing men often, so perhaps I was not the most skilled or in any position to pass judgment, but still, I didn't enjoy them. His lips were rather thin and flat and puckered on one side, making his already forceful nature that much more unpleasant. Though I didn't dare admit that to anyone for my own security.

I sank into the warm bath water up to my eyes, then sighed to create a few bubbles. I didn't want the guards to hear me making too many sounds they might deem suspicious. They were wildly loyal to the Third Prince, and although he had not laid a violent hand on me, they would certainly have no issue beating me on his behalf. They did so with his concubines, even the pregnant one, though they only caned her with reeds instead of a leather crop like the others. A kindness, I was sure they thought. Luckily I had done nothing to warrant such treatment, but I was sure it was only a matter of time before I did.

I sat up and reached over to the small end table beside the tub to retrieve my soap when I saw a strange black smoke creeping in from outside my tent. A panic entered my stomach. Was this the Third Prince's magic? I choked back the scream in my throat and watched it closely to see what might happen next. It began to grow thicker and started to crawl up the air, coalescing into the form of something. Though what I expected to be the Third Prince's form was not at all what was taking shape before me. What was coming together seemed far larger than the Third Prince and far more lethal. I hugged myself and pressed my back against the furthest edge of the tub, doing my best to temper my trembling, but it was no use. What if this thing was here to kill me? Maybe it would be a mercy in my case. Finally, the figure ceased to be foreign, and my breath caught in my chest.