Arranged Marriages

August, Prince of Yililia

"Aris, what are you doing?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes, still half asleep as it was the noises that had startled me to open my eyes.

She froze, and I muttered, "What is it Aris?"

When she made neither a movement nor noise, I shifted over to on side of the bed and threw back the blanket. 

"Did you come to lay with me?" I asked, as she often did. She seemed taken aback, and moving to go, where I'm not sure, but hit her foot against something and yelped. 

"Aris? Please, I'm sorry I got cross with you earlier. I'm not angry anymore, I promise."

She fumbled around, heading for the door, so I stepped out of bed, "Aris? What's wrong?"

I caught her by her arm, squinting through the dark to see her face. 

"Wh...Saja?" I whispered, "Is that you?"

Her large eyes stated back at me, frightened, as I asked, "What are you doing here??"

Realizing my own stupidity, I released her arm and moved to light one of the lanterns on the desk. When the flame illuminated the room, Saja moved to leave, but I spotted a letter on the desk. 

Holding up my hand, I motioned for her to sit and said, "Please stay. Did you leave this for me?"

She looked about the room for a seat, she nodded and settled for my trunk at the foot of the bed. I took the letter in my hands and broke the seal, opening the paper to read it. Scanning my eyes over her message, I could see her shifting uncomfortably. 

My eyebrows knitting together, I looked up from her letter and informed her, "I had no idea my father said this."

She blinked at me, her cheeks flushed with red. Moving to the bed, I slid her letter under my pillow and approached her, taking her face in my two hands. 

"I'll fix this, okay Saja?" I whispered, smiling at her with affection, "I'll fix this for you."

Taking my clothes from the hamper, I stole behind the partition and changed in to my trousers and tunic from the day we first arrived. Emerging from behind it I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled on my boots, looking over at Saja as she motioned for my attention.

I stood, taking my sword and putting it in its sheath, as she motioned for something to write on. 

Shaking my head, clasped the sword to my side and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I've never been one for writing, I don't have any paper or ink."

She frantically began using her hands to write in the air, and I squinted to make it out, "What am I going to do?"

She nodded furiously, and I responded plainly, "I'm going to have a conference with the Kings and Princes. Go back to bed Saja, if you get caught in my room with me your father will never let me see you again."

I pulled open the heavy wooden door and made my way across the hall to my mother and father's room, pushing open the door and marching in. 

"August!" My mother exclaimed, shocked at my unannounced entrance.

"Gather the other Kings, Queens, and Princes in the library in ten minutes. We need to talk. Now."