Arranged Marriages

Jackson, Prince of Harrow

"Lissy? Lissy, where is my tunic? The one with the silver emblem of Harrow on the front?" I asked, running about the room in only my under clothes in search for it.

"Well how should I know?" She asked, not taking her attention from the window.

"Oh, bother. Now where is Rosemary? She'll make us late!" Just as I said that, the girl slipped into the room. 

"Rosie, where in Gods name have you been, what did you do to yourself!?" I said nervously, taking in her muddy skirt and grass stained skin.

Her silver eyes sparkled and her face wore a bright grin as she handed me a yellow flower she had held, "I was just exploring, brother. Have you seen the horses? They're absolutely brilliant. I'm not sure where my shoes went off to, though."

"Never mind the shoes!" I said, my nerves about the ball getting to me, "Go take a bath and get dressed! Quickly now!" I turned to Lissy, who now held my tunic with a sly grin. I took the black and silver tunic from her a pulled it over my head.

"Lissy, get out Rosie's dress for her, will you? The black one with the silver lace I got her for her birthday? The one that matches my tunic - she likes to match." 

After I finished dressing and my sword was fastened around my waist, I paced back and forth about the room. I'm never this nervous, why would I be this nervous? Well....I do get to talk to Aris for the first time. Approaching the looking glass above the dresser, I swooped my hair back in a ponytail. I did that about ten times, but each time pieces in the front fell out. Frustrated, I left it in the ponytail.

"Jackson?" Rosemary said, standing near her bed dressed in her under garments, "do you remember when we all used to play outside in nothing but our under clothes? Our skin would get so burnt up Lissy would have to put that green stuff on us."

"I remember," I said with a smirk as she pulled her dress on - she never did have to bother with corsets, being so petite. But I knew what she was doing. She could tell I was nervous.

She brushed her hair, saying, "We couldn't even sit comfortably for a week! But we'd still go out the next week when the burn was gone and start all over again. That used to make mother and father so mad."

She burst out laughing, tying a black ribbon in her hair as I had, small pieces hanging in her face, "Do you remember the time you and Tristan were so burnt you decided to take off all your clothes, only to find out that mother and father were throwing a party? Oh, how the people screamed at the sight of you to in just your under garments! Father kept you in your rooms for a week after that!"

I laughed at the memory, just as mother pushed open our door. A smile graced her face, shining in her brown eyes. "Look at my beautiful children!"

Father came in behind her, a sad smile on his own face as his silver eyes watched Rosemary. My own smile disappeared when I remembered why he looked at her like that. 

Clearing his throat, his switched his gaze to me and said, "Well, children, come. Let's meet your betrothed! Even your mother and I haven't gotten a chance to speak with them."

I saw Rosemary look down to the floor, and sent her a questioning look. She gazed up at me, but only smiled and followed our parents. I followed close behind, and as we approached the ballroom I could already hear the music playing, smell the sweetness of the wine and bitterness of the beer, and hear the chatter of the countless people.