Two Hundred Years in Slavery is all the people of Xathania have known. Toiling and dying for a kingdom that has only snarled at them. Not until hope surfaces as a story in the wind and the flames of a spirit long forgotten resurfaces to face the g...
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Callahan had straightened his jacket twice in the last minute.
The Xathanian girl, Cora, had stopped by to steal chocolate before disappearing with her guard. She had barely spent anytime with him and Samael of Xir was more than comfortable with her it seemed.
'Great Majesty,' a voice said, getting his attention. 'Eleonor of Foxam requests your audience,' his guard announced.
'Let her in,' he ordered.
Her red hair was the first thing he noticed. Her round eyes were brown, ordinary. Her skin was a lot more golden than her father's. Proof of her Xathanian heritage. She wore a simple blue dress. She was a lot shorter than him but he was not exactly short.
'My Lady,' he said, closing the distance between them. The marble floors were lot more unstable under his shoes the closer he got.
'Great Majesty,' she curtsied just as he got to her.
She stood at her full height, seconds later. Her back straight. Her eyes met his with a fierceness that he knew he needed.
'My name is Callahan,' he took her hand. 'You are a beautiful.'
'I know. I have a mirror,' Eleonor said and Callahan nearly laughed but held it back for a while.
'Do you like horses?' His betrothed inquired as he led her to a sofa.
'I can ride them,' the King said and she clicked her tongue in disappointment. 'Do you like horses?'
'I have ten Xathanian horses,' she reached for the grapes while she spoke. 'They are spoilt creatures but at least they run fast.'
'Will they be brought to Goxa?'
'They are in Goxa. But Fera's attachment to my brother will be an issue,' she said while examining the food before them. His mother had hounded the cook to make as much Foxam dishes as possible. The woman didn't hold back.
'Are you hungry?' Eleonor met his stare.
'Are you?'
'Hardly.'
'I ate my brother's breakfast. Apparently, my father decided to marry all his unmarried children off on this trip and my poor brother was to meet his betrothed today,' she plucked another grape and gave it to him. 'How do you find being King?'
Callahan ate the grape out of her hand before he told her about the old men and millet. By the time he was finished, she laughing hysterically.
'Leave it to the Lords of Welkamia to grumble about grains while they force Xathanians to work like dogs,' Eleonor frowned at grape in her hand before setting it aside. 'Why do you wish to marry me?'
'Your father didn't parade you in court and despite my mother's silence, I could tell that she was feeling the pressure of the Lords breathing down my neck,' Callahan tried his best to keep his eyes on hers.
