Betrothed

002: Edward

Edward Royal sat impatiently, drumming his fingers on the armrest of his throne.

He was in the throne room with his parents, King and Queen of Vardura. They were all sitting on their thrones, waiting for his betrothed to arrive. Standing at the edges of the room were royal guards, advisors, the royal court, powerful lords and ladies, and the king's private council.

Only three of the four thrones were filled, however. The empty one typically held his sister Charmion. A few days ago, she'd been shipped off to marry some warrior king in Zekayag per instruction of their father. She'd bawled like a baby when she found out. Edward couldn't say he blamed her; the Zekayag people lived in large tribes and solely relied on horses for transportation and had no technology of any kind.

They're even more uncivilized than the Astorens.

Word had gotten around to them that Edward's betrothed had safely left Astoren. That had been at dawn; now it was currently an hour or two away from sunset. Edward had never been one for patience, so the whole process was testing what little he had.

Yes, he'd been aware since age six that he would marry Empire Lacastor, Princess of Astoren. However, it had always seemed so far away, something he could push to the side and deal with later. The whole thing hadn't seemed real to Edward until a few days ago when his mother told him over breakfast Empire was coming.

He was deeply disturbed at the fact he had to marry a girl from Astoren. Varduran and Atreides girls at least knew basic human manners, whereas the Astoren girl he was betrothed to was probably more animal than human.

"Why don't you just marry me to a goat instead?" he'd muttered dryly at breakfast when his parents told him that Empire would be coming that day. Edward's mother had slapped him for that comment. His cheek started to sting lightly at the memory, but he ignored it.

His father, King Althalos, had strictly prepared him for what was going to happen today. Edward played his father's words back in his head as he waited. "Don't mess this up, Edward. We're half a country in debt, and Astoren is basically shitting gold. We can barely buy food for our people, much less enter a war with Ordos and this Blood Bitch we've heard so much about. That girl is our country's salvation, Edward. If you mess this up, you can go to Ordos and hand their queen our country, because we won't be able to hold it long without Empire and Astoren.."

Edward grit his teeth at the memory; he hated when his father treated him like he didn't know anything. He knew how much was at stake and he had his parents and royal advisors reminding him every two minutes in case he forgot.

Edward's mother, Queen Rose, pulled him out of his thoughts by reminding him, for the hundredth time it seemed, "Remember, don't mention our debt."

Vardura was about to go into hunger and poverty, but if he married Empire and combined his poor country with her rich one, then Vardura would end up with more land and riches than he had ever hoped to see.

It all rested on him.

The minutes felt like hours, but eventually he heard the Astorens coming. The throne room went silent as heavy footsteps approached the door. Edward felt his heart stop as the doors opened.

Soldiers dressed in leather, wool, and silk came marching in first, carrying an assortment of weapons. He saw something new every time he turned his head. They really are savages, he realized, seeing their dark skin covered in dirt and sweat.

"They don't have shoes!" Queen Rose whispered to Edward and the king.

The guards moved automatically to the sides, parting for a woman behind them. His eyes were firmly locked on who he assumed to be his betrothed. She walked to the throne with long and confident strides, radiating power.