The Blue Desert

The Prologue

Eada walked with slow steps. The week had passed in a numb blur. Every move she made had been watched, and every time the king looked at her she saw a determined fire that created fear within her. She believed that the king could see it, and that's why he allowed her to wait so long in suspense. Because he knew she was afraid of him.

He couldn't let much time pass, though; their marriage was to take place immediately. Her first feeling was relief that he was not so angry that he would punish her more severely. Her second was dread that she still had to marry the king.

Even as she walked to the throne room where the marriage was to take place, two soldiers dogged her steps. She idly wondered how long the king would have them follow her. Ever since his return, they had reported everything she did back to the king. The only place she was safe from them was in her chambers. But even that had changed when the king returned; her belongings had been moved to the rooms directly beside the king's. They were more comfortable than her previous chambers, but she disliked the close proximity between her and the king.

Eada had seen very little of King Spyre in the week that he had waited to have their marriage. Most of the time had been spent in her rooms alone, contemplating. She disliked being followed by the soldiers, and so preferred the time alone. Gersha had visited her once, but not again after the soldiers monitored their conversation.

The king wished to punish her, but knew that he could not physically hurt her. Eada suspected that he knew very little of how to punish someone in any other way, but he was trying his best. He also knew how prideful she was and how she enjoyed her freedom. Taking it away was indeed a punishment, and of course, there was still the marriage.

The doors swung open, and Eada walked inside. To her surprise, the doors shut again behind her, leaving the guards on the other side. The king stood in front of his throne, a stand on the steps in front of him. The Vasdin stood erect at the king's left. The sound of her heart was loud as she took what she assumed was her place at his right.

Eada had never seen a Vasdan wedding and didn't have any idea what to expect. With as much discretion as she could, she surveyed the things before the king. There was simply a goblet of wine and a strand of twine sitting on the table.

The king gave her one disdainful glance before picking up the cord. He grabbed her left wrist and deftly tied it to his own. The knot was tight. He looked at her with a certain satisfaction as he spoke the first word, "Bound," before he paused and picked up the goblet, "in unity . . ."

He took a sip of the wine and then pressed the cup into her own hand. She stared at it for a moment, somewhat repulsed by the idea of drinking out of his same cup, but seeing the sneer that was growing on his face, she drank from it.

". . . and marriage," he finished.

Eada set the goblet down as King Spyre pulled her to face Jressik. "Vasdin, as witness," he said, holding out their tied arms.

Jressik bowed his head as he reached forward and slid the tied cord off their joined wrists. The king took it from him, studied it a moment, and then dismissed him. Eada stood, waiting for something else to happen. She could not believe a marriage to be such a simple thing.

The king waited until he heard the great doors shut the Vasdin out. He did not look at her; at first he picked the goblet from the table and poured the rest of the contents down his throat. He then began to play with the knotted cord in his hands. At last he looked up and revealed his gold tooth in a smile.