Arranged Marriages

Briac, Prince of Bryni

I walked from my parents' chambers down the long corridor that led to my own, my mind reeling. 

I knew that as Crown prince I was expected to marry for the good of Bryni, I had been raised for this and had accepted it long ago - that's not what bothered me. I sighed and pushed my door open and wandered in, looking about my room critically. 

It room was spacious, with furs on the cold flagstones to ward off the chill. A fireplace stood at one side with chairs nearby strewn with thick cushions. My large four poster bed stood at the far side of the room, near that, a door that led to a small balcony overlooking the gardens. 

Standing in the middle of the room, I tried to imagine what it would be like when I had to share this room with a stranger...with my wife.

In Bryni even couples of arranged marriages were expected to share chambers from the start, to share a bed and to consummate the marriage quickly. I was no innocent but I had a strong aversion to simply taking a maiden because it was expected. 

What if she was much younger then me? My stomach turned - I couldn't do that to such a young maiden. There was no way. Custom or no I wouldn't do it. 

Running my fingers through his long tousled hair, I paced, boots making a dulled thudding on the floor. My mind was reeling. I had been prepared for this but now that is was happening, now that my parents would be picking a bride for me in just a few short weeks, everything seemed to be happening so fast. 

“God almighty....” I breathed, leaning my head against the glass of the window. I was resigned to marrying the woman my parents picked and that was the end of it, but a tiny corner of my mind wondered: what she would be like, if she were pretty... I snorted. “I pity her, whoever she is... Having to marry me.” I glanced across the room at the looking glass that stood next to my clothes chest. 

Scrutinizing my reflection I sighed, “I hope she's not expecting a prince charming, I'm not even a frog prince.”

I laughed my deep reverberating chuckle- almost like a giant cat purr, “ I'm more of the bear from East of the Sun and West of the moon, but unfortunately I don't shift at night to become a handsome prince. I'm just always a bear.”