Beyond the Known: The Outcasts

Evelenda

"Yes, well," Evelenda turned and started down the hallway. "We don't always get what we want, now, do we?"

Endara's argument was interrupted by a page suddenly approaching the sisters. Evelenda bowed to him while Endara nodded and asked, "what is it?"

"King Laeran has requested the presence of Princess Evelenda in his royal court immediately," the elf replied, nodding towards the girl in question. Evelenda swallowed.

"I'll explain to Master Ollis where you are," Endara promised as Evelenda followed to page down the hall. She came upon the heavy oak doors to the court room and forced herself to remember that it was her own father she was about to see. It felt no less intimidating as she walked through the doors, held open by servants, and saw the king sitting on his mighty throne. His hair was as light as gold and his eyes were piercing blue. His skin, pale as ivory, stood out somehow against the brilliant white marble walls. Oak pillars decorated the room and an array of multicoloured beams of light lit up the massive room as the sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, depicting scenes of victories in battle, banquets of celebration, and gatherings of the entire Towerfeln clan. The Towerfeln were the people that the elves belonged to. They were aligned with the humans, the centaurs, the fairies, and the sparnen, who were about to become affiliated with their royal family, as the man who Endara was about to marry was one of them. The Sparnen lived in and around Sparne Sea, and they were gifted with the ability to breathe underwater as well as on land.

"My child," the king said, his voice rich and deep. Evelenda curtsied low, unsure of what this could be about. "I wish to speak with you about a recent... development." He extended his hand to Evelenda, revealing the glass ring he wore. She bent down to kiss it lightly.

"As you know, we have always had a strong alliance with the humans," the king went on as she straightened up. "They provide us with gold and silver, diamonds from the deep mines of Garthbrall, and fireproof materials that they manage to create. In return, we use the magic we know to protect them from storms, famine, and drought, and provide them with the precious jewels of the mountains of Arbar." He toyed with the light blue silk of his flowing robes. "However, recently, the human king and queen have expressed an interest in having their youngest son, Marcus, marry."

Inexplicably, Evelenda's throat tightened. 

"He is twenty, your age, and completely untouched by love." He smiled, as if this were a good thing. "I feel that you two will be very happy together."

Evelenda felt her heart plummeting. This wasn't fair. Endara has been able to choose her own destiny, choose who she loved. But now she was being told that she had to marry this man, who she didn't know? She'd only ever seen the human royals on two occasions, and both times she had been very young. She couldn't think of what Marcus looked like, if he was decent, or if he would even love her at all. Evelenda wished for the same courage Endara had. She found none of it and stayed silent.

"We shall meet with them tomorrow," her father was saying cheerfully, "in Garthbrall. You two will have a week to get to know each other before your wedding, and then you can unite our kingdoms with a bond so powerful, nothing will ever break it!"

Evelenda forced a smile to her lips. "Thank you, father," she said, fighting to hold back tears. I'm going to marry a stranger, was all she could think about. 

She somehow left the courtroom and walked up the winding staircase that led to her tower. There, she locked herself in her room and collapsed onto her end, sobbing her heart out. How could she have let herself be forced into this? How was she expected to spend the rest of her life— married to some man she didn't love, bearing his children and minding his house? She'd heard horror stories of the contraptions the humans forced on their women— torture devices that were designed to crush your ribs and make you look slimmer, metal bars that curved outwards, stuffed under your skirt, making you look like your bottom was three times it's actual size. She shuddered as he imagined forcing those things on herself every morning. Waking up beside a man she barely knew, allowing him to touch her and talk to her in ways that she wanted only the man she loved to. She had never been in love, not yet, but now it looked as though she was never going to get the chance.