Heart of A Lion

Broken Arrangements

The sun was to bright in Amara's room when she woke up in the morning. She jumped from her bed and raced to the window to close the curtains and jumped back into her bed pulling the curtains around it closed as well. The dark enveloped her and she slipped back to sleep.

"My Lady, it's time for dinner. Her Ladyship  wishes you to join the family at dinner." The maid pulled back the curtains with a swift swish and the window curtains had already been opened because light streamed in hitting her in the eyes. There was barking down stairs along with screaming and singing. Her maid threw open the closet and helped her into the red dress trimmed with silk  that she chose, then fixed her hair in a simple braid that twisted her golden locks  to the side and left the bottom of the braid loose for her wild curls to roll over her shoulder. She chose no jewelry and brushed rose petal powder on her cheeks for a pink flush.

The house was full of drunken slobs dancing around. The women's dresses were hiked up in their hands as they spun around, the shoulders of their heavy embellished  dresses sliding down exposing the top of their breast .The dogs ran around her feet barking in happiness as she tossed them a slab of meat she plucked off the table. She could barely believe her father insisted on entertaining all of these people if they had no money. She filled her mouth with a pie and another piece of meat, before she even reached the head table. Her father did not look at her but, that was nearly normal only now he was clearly ignoring her.

" Why are you so late? You have slept the day away and the king plans a visit tonight. Your maid was instructed to make you presentable. Sit down and don't figit with your hands tonight. Don't embarrass me tonight or I swear- "  Amara snatched a napkin from the table and snapped it in the air cutting her father off before laying it in her lap and  shifted a trencher in front of her. The trencher was filled with a sweet meat that savory juices dribbled from when she cut the meat open and she dipped her vegetables that had been slow roasted into it. She slowly ate becoming more and more thirsty with every bite.

By the time she finished her meat half the night seemed to have slipped away. Her vegetables loomed before her and she reached for the ale a server had poured for her.

" Do not touch that drink. Wipe your mouth and hold your thirst, you musn't behave like a peasants daughter."  Amaranthea dabbed her mouth and felt  her anger boil like a pot of stew over a fire, and had to place her hands under her butt to keep from moving them nervously. How could he expect to tell her what to do or how to behave after last night, like nothing had occurred ?

Amaranthea calmed her self by looking around the room, her father must have ordered the servants to dress the hall especially for the kings visit. There was more food in this one room than she had ever seen in her life and a large bear wearing a large chain and a silly wimple sat on the floor in the corner. Minstrels were spread about the massive hall along with there cousins, the jugglers and dancers. All seemed tired and the night had barely began. The lords and ladies that littered the hall seemed the more  foolish of then any jester,  like large peacocks that had found their leader, her father. He sat in the largest chair in the room watching over everyone else with his regal cloak and gem covered clothes. It was ridiculous how dressed he was, and Lady Elenta was no better. Amara could only ponder how they could afford these clothes and festivities and settled on the fact that they surely couldn't, as she was not marrying any foolish prince.

" His majesty the king of the Civilized Kingdoms and his son the heir to the throne!" The voice announced the royal families arrival and the horns tooted before they even appeared in the room through the crowd.

" Stand up on your feet, his highness will not appreciate you sitting down." Lady Elenta grabbed her arm and pulled Amara to her feet, her claws digging into her skin. His royal Highness was a mirror image of her vain father except he wore a crown that could crack a skull, and the skinny boy that followed behind him disappeared in his fur cloak.

" The house of Ehani, looks stronger than ever before you know. What a beautiful family you do make." The king embraced her fathers hand and shook it before pushing his son forward to do the same. He had a weaselly face, pimples ,red hair to match her dress and stick arms that seemed too thin to shake, but her father did and his whole body followed the motion.

" Why you're Lady Amaranthea, tis a pleasure to meet you." He captured her hand and placed a kiss on it, she was sorry she had forgotten her gloves to block his lips from her skin. Her name felt like poison on her ears to hear cross the threshold of his yellow teeth. He managed to  pronounce all the "a's" wrong.

" Tis a pleasure to meet you as well, sir." She curtsied in front of him and his father before sitting back down. She knew she wasn't suppose to when Lady Elenta pinched her on the arm, pulling her back to her feet as she smacked her hand away.

" Come sit your Highness there is no better privilege than to have you at our table." Lady Elenta or the "witch" as she was coming to think of her as, waved her hand toward the chair at the head of the table. The young prince was forced to sit on the other side of her, conveniently. All he could talk about were the clothes he planned to buy for the upcoming summer.

" What do you think of those, my dear flower?" He traced a pattern on the back of her hand and she pulled it away.

" I think they sound lovely, just fitting." She looked at the goblet sitting in front of her and wished she could down the whole thing this very moment.

" Not as lovely as you, my father says we are to marry right before the summer begins, then you shall have my child after winter." He moved his body closer to her and she could feel his hot breath sneaking down her neck... like his fingers on her dress beneath the table.

" Well your father is mistaken, I can not marry a child and have his children. You're an odious spoiled boy, and you smell like rotten onions and pig slop. I will not have any of your children and you can keep you fingers off of me!" Her voice had risen at the end of sentence and she shoved his hands from her thigh, throwing her goblet on him before storming away, how dare he think to plunder his fingers beneath her dress and speak of marriage and children!

" Amaranthea!" She could hear the foot steps running after her and people gasping, shouting, and she could only run faster.

A hand clutched on her arm and pulled her to a stop she turned to find a knight of the kings guard and knew that she had certainly crossed the wrong line now.