Ladies Solar. Castle Black, Ahigarth
Leah
Showing Nathan around Castle Black was very boring. The castle was large, had plenty to offer its residents, but Nathan himself was boring and boorish. He definitely thought that he was charming. He was very wrong. He was telling me some story about him and his brother, but I couldn't tell you a word he said as we entered the ladies' solar.
I interrupted him, "So this is the Ladies Solar. This is mostly where we do anything like sewing or art. Or reading, but I mostly do that in the library itself."
Nathan stepped into the room, my interruption not phasing him one bit as he looked around. The room was a fairly good size, with rounded walls that had a lot of large windows to allow plenty of natural light. There were several large plush chairs and two tables. One that had everything you might need for sewing or embroidery and another with some paints, though that table hadn't been used in many years. Amy was the artist of the family.
"This is a very nice room, lots of light. This is the type of room I would like to read in. Maybe once we are married, we can share this space. Not many ladies around here, I'm sure you would like the company." He turned and winked at me.
I frowned, "I'd rather you not. Though I do not have many ladies here at the castle, that does not mean I am quick to give up the space. Husband or not." I was losing my patience with his greedy comments. I think in his mind he already figured we were married.
He laughed, obviously not taking my words to heart. Nathan sauntered over to me, reaching out to graze the back of his fingers down my arm. "You have to admit, I am fantastic company, Leah. I can call you Leah, right?" Before I could deny him, he continued, "You don't have to be coy with me. I am very much looking forward to our wedding...and our wedding night. You are a very beautiful woman, I knew from the moment I saw you years ago that you would be the woman for me." His hand was traveling up and down my arm, his rough hand on my skin made my stomach twist.
I stepped away, slowly enough to be polite but far enough to make a point. "That's funny, I didn't notice you much when we first met. Why did you push for this wedding to happen so quickly?" I asked, wanting to know what his reasoning was.
Nathan ran a hand through his hair, frowning at the new space between us. "After I heard about what that bastard tried to do to you, I thought it best if we married quickly. I am here, you are here, why should we wait when it's going to happen regardless. King Bastion seemed to agree."
I moved across the room, looking out of the large window. I could feel the rage building, but I had nowhere to let it go. I looked around the large expanse of multicolored landscape, which had begun to change colors for winter weeks ago. There was starting to be more yellows and reds than green by this point. Then a tall figure caught my attention down below, coming from the west end of the castle. I couldn't stop the gentle smile from spreading across my face at the sight of her. She looked so strong and sure of herself, at home in her body as she walked with long purposeful strides.
"What are you smiling at?" Nathan's voice was right behind me, almost close enough to feel the air from his breath. I couldn't help flinching, having been caught off guard. I didn't hear him move.
I turned around, only to have him directly in my face. "Nature. Now could you please step back."
Nathan reached out, attempting to move a loose strand of my hair but I attempted to move away but then I was trapped between him and the table behind me. His hands were rough on my skin, his green eyes dark with something I couldn't name, his exhale of breath rushed over my face. My stomach turned, roiling with disgust and fear. He leaned even closer to me, his right hand circling around the back of my neck, and whispered, "You are going to be mine Leah, like it or not. I will have you. You can attempt to fight me, but you will not win." He leaned in and kissed my cheek, his facial hair scratching my skin, "You will be my wife in three days' time and I will have my way with you as a husband should. Remember your place, woman."
"What is going on here?" Suddenly there was a voice behind us, a voice I knew well. Peyton was here.
Nathan stood up and moved away from me at a leisurely pace. He had a smile on his face, all traces of the vile man he was removed for the moment. "I was just speaking to Leah, getting to know her better." He had the fucking audacity to wink at Peyton before turning back to me, "Thank you, Leah. Today has been a pleasure. I am looking forward to spending more time with you. Enjoy your evening. Nomad." He nodded at us before taking his leave, casually strolling away while he whistled some tune.
Peyton closed the door behind him, "Are you okay?" She whispered, her tone gentle but her eyes were showing me her rage.
I wanted to rush over to her, to have her strong arms around me but it wasn't safe. Nathan could turn around at any moment and walk back in. I took a few deep breaths and nodded, "I am okay. He didn't hurt me physically."
She moved closer. Close enough to touch if I wanted to. "What was going on?" I looked deep into her blue eyes and saw more than just the rage...I saw the hurt. She knew I didn't want him, but I doubt that was pleasant to walk in on. It probably looked like Nathan and me were having a 'lovers' moment.
I did reach out now, running a hand down her arm to tangle our fingers, squeezing softly. "It wasn't what it looked like. He...he was trying to put me in my place. He told me that he would have his way with me, whether I liked it or not once we were married." Each word hurt more than the last as I explained.
"Are you fucking kidding me? I should go out there right now and put my dagger in him!" Peyton let go of my hand, beginning to pace around the room. Her steps were heavy, her boots loud on the stone floor, her breathing coming out ragged as her anger seemed to take over.
"Nomad...please, calm down. If you harmed him right now, they would surely kill you. They wouldn't believe you over him, or probably me. It seems my father really likes the man." It hurt me to see her like this. Even if it was understandable.
Peyton stopped moving, her chest rising and falling with each breath as she stared at me. Her eyes, usually a shade of blue just before a storm, were almost black with fury. "I...I need to think. I need to figure something out. I can't let you marry that man. I just...can't."
A few quiet hours later, I was in my room for the night, getting ready to bed. Peyton didn't say a single word after we left the solar, but anyone could see that she was angry if they watched her closely. Her face was devoid of emotion but her body was telling its own story. It wasn't until it was time for us to go to our separate rooms, that she finally spoke to bid me "goodnight" in a soft whisper. I knew that between the two of us, I was in a more difficult situation, having to marry a strange vile man, but my heart hurt for the woman I loved. Hers would still be a hard one, having to watch it all from the sidelines.
I sighed loudly in the quiet room, running my brush through my hair as my reflection stared back at me. The stress of the last few days seemed to have taken over my face; dark bags under my eyes, a sadness in my expression, the corners of my mouth downturned. I slowly set the brush down and just stared back at my reflection. Why couldn't this be easy? I mean, love was love, there shouldn't be all this hatred and deception. Peyton and I should be able to live our lives as we please. Peyton not only makes the perfect partner, I think she would make the perfect "King" for Blackrock. She was strong and fierce, but kind with patience. She didn't want riches or land, she just wanted to live a good life filled with love.
"Why does it all have to be so hard?" I asked in a whisper, but the quiet room refused to answer me. I couldn't look at myself anymore, getting up from the mirror and crawling into bed. I pulled the blankets high over my body, up to my chin, and just tried to sink into the warmth. I curled up on my side and just stared at the door, picturing Peyton on the other side doing the same. I closed my eyes and just let sleep overtake me, the stress of the last few days pulling me into a restless dreamscape. It was a long night.
The next morning I was woken up bright and early by my mother, who was buzzing with excitement. It was the day before I was to wed Nathan and the day my life would get significantly more complicated. I groaned when I opened my eyes to see Alice looking delighted while hovering at the foot of my bed. I pushed myself up onto one of my elbows while rubbing my eyes with my other hand.
"Mother, what are you doing here so early?" I glanced to my window to see dawn breaking. "The sun is barely up!" I complained.
She clapped her hands together, "It's the day before your wedding my daughter! There is much to prepare for!"
I flopped onto my back, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. I didn't want to snap at my mother. I couldn't exactly be mad at her for her excitement; she had no idea about the turmoil this wedding was causing, she was just excited for her daughter, the alive one, to get married. If Amy was still alive, this day would probably be much different...Amy could have actually been in love with the man she was to marry. I heard my mother shuffling around my room, doing who knows what. I opened one eye to peek at her, only to see her moving things around on the side table. I sat up when I noticed her grabbing my small carved crow from Peyton. She was examining it, turning it this way and that. "Where in the world did you get this? I mean, it's an exceptionally well-made carving, but why a crow?" By now she had to have seen the little initials on the bottom.
I bit my lip and debated on telling the truth, or well half-truth, "Uh, Nomad made it actually." I mumbled.
Alice turned around and looked at me, her eyebrow raised but a smile forming, "Well, isn't that cute. I told you that man looks out for you. Better not let your new husband know though. No man likes when another man gives his wife gifts unless they were involved." She didn't mention the "P.B." initials on the bottom, just placed it carefully back on my table before moving away.
There was no way I would be getting any more sleep, that much was clear. I sighed softly and pushed off the blankets, the cold air hitting my body making me shiver from the loss of warmth. Yesterday's events came rushing back and I glanced at my room bed room's door again, wondering if Peyton was still sleeping or at training already. Probably the latter. She didn't seem like the type to sleep in.
With my mother's help, I was quickly dressed and hair fixed into place atop my head, ready for the day. While I was getting ready, she told me that Janic would be coming by the castle later today to have my wedding gown fitted. I was thrilled to see Janic; a friendly face was much needed right now. My mother was friendly, but only because she had no idea of the truth.
Mother was putting the final touches on my hair when there was a soft knock on my door. We both yelled enter and the moment I saw Peyton, my heart started racing. She looked like she was in a slightly better mood than yesterday, but her eyes were sad. She glanced around the room before entering fully and closing the door behind her. Peyton gave my mother a small bow before giving me a tender smile.
"Good Morning ladies. I thought that today would start early. May I ask what the Princess will be doing today?" Her voice was rough and deep today. It made my toes curl.
Alice answered, "Janic from town will be coming by the castle today to have Leah fitted into her wedding gown for tomorrow. Other than that, myself and the servants will be preparing everything else. Leah should enjoy her last day of freedom after all." I caught her winking at Peyton, being playful. She didn't know the effect of those words on Peyton and me.
Peyton just nodded, standing to the side with her arms behind her back, feet wide. I hated seeing her so restrained, especially with my mother here, she couldn't say anything she felt. I would have to get her alone later, maybe we could go back to the forest pools...yes, that is what we should do. We could pretend to race the horses again and have a moment together before tomorrow's hellfire.
The morning moved along quickly after that, all three of us heading down to the main floor to eat breakfast while we waited for Janic to arrive. Peyton stood in the background of the dining hall while servants brought out different foods to break our fast. For the first few minutes, it was just Mother and me, speaking in hushed tones about random things but then Nathan, and surprisingly my father joined us at the table. Nathan had a huge smirk on his face and a pep in his step, practically prancing to the table while my father just looked on, his face stern as ever.
"Good morning, Queen Alice and Princess Leah! Gosh, today is going to be wonderful, I just know it." Nathan sounded like a fraud, but my parents seemed to appreciate his enthusiasm. I thought I even saw my father crack a small smile but he smiled so rarely that it felt like I imagined it. I just ignored him, picking at the bacon on my plate but it didn't seem to phase him.
"What are you two doing today?" This time it was my father speaking, looking at Mother and me while he ate.
Alice answered, "Oh! Well, the seamstress is coming by soon to get Leah fitted in her dress for tomorrow. Then after that, she's free for the rest of the day."
Bastion looked at me, "I know that this is faster than you expected. We've already sent notices to everyone to disregard the original wedding date, so this will be a small wedding. I think you would appreciate that. We all know how you hate all the attention." I couldn't tell if he was being facetious or genuine. His tone was so neutral, almost bored.
I nodded, choosing to sound thankful, "A small wedding will be...nice." Bastion nodded then returned his attention to his breakfast. Nathan was watching me with a curious expression, no longer eating but just watching. I met his stare, meeting those murky green eyes, refusing to flinch. I wanted him to look away but instead, his curiosity shifted to amused. I scowled before looking away and pushing my plate away. I didn't want to be around this man any more than necessary and I refused to spend any more time around him today.
It was perfect timing. A servant girl came running into the dining hall, announcing Janic's arrival. At least the universe was sort of on my side still. I stood up from the table and looked at my mother, "Let's get going, Mother. Have to make sure it's perfect, after all, right?"
Alice took one last bite of fruit before doing the same, nodding vigorously, her excitement evident. "Oh yes! Let's get going. Good day you two. Husband." She gave King Bastion a little bow before turning to follow me from the room. Peyton fell into step behind us. I glanced over my shoulder to see if I could read her expression, but she showed nothing. Only her eyes...they were still filled with a soul-crushing sadness that made my heart heavy. I sighed and turned back around.
A moment later, we were greeting Janic in the front hall. She had a servant behind her, carrying a trunk, which most likely contained all her sewing supplies for this afternoon. Mother was first to greet her, welcoming her and asking about her trip to the castle from town. Small talk.
"Oh, thank you, Queen Alice. It wasn't bad. Thank you for sending the carriage. No way my horse would be able to carry all this with me." Janic gave her a little bow, her old bones not letting her bend any further...either that or her pride. I couldn't help the smile at the idea that Janic wouldn't completely bow to royalty.
I stepped forward, taking her nimble hands into my own, "Welcome Janic, so good to see you again."
Janic smiled, giving my hands a soft squeeze, "Yes, Princess. Very good to see you again." She winked at me before turning to Mother, "Where would you like to get started, your Majesty?"
While Alice and Janic were speaking, I glanced at Peyton again. She looked a little less sad at the sight of Janic, her old family friend bringing her a small moment of comfort. We both knew that Janic wouldn't interact with her much, being that the castle knew nothing about her origins or that they knew each other but I could still see the tenderness in Peyton's eyes as she watched the older woman. After I was married to Nathan, I knew that Janic's little shop would probably become a little safe haven for Peyton and me to have alone time together without the prying eyes of the castle. Not only for the alone time but just a safe space for Peyton in general. A home away from home maybe.
About half an hour later, we were in the sewing room. I was standing on a circular base in the center of the room that someone had set up before we arrived. Peyton was no longer with us, but instead just outside the door. Janic was setting things up, moving fabric and needles this and that way. I knew that we had a dress already made for this occasion, it was something my mother spoke of as soon as I was of marrying age. I had never seen it though, so when a servant brought the dress into the room, I was surprised. It was beautiful.
It was almost the same color as Peyton's blue eyes, which made my heart flutter in my chest. It looked like it was made of satin with a square neckline and long sleeves that opened at the ends. The dress was long, with a sweeping train that ended in an intricate lace pattern. It also had these beautiful embellishments in white; draped pleats with embroidery lace applique along the chest and it even had a hood, with the same embroidery decor along the edge. The dress was beyond what I thought I would be getting. I always pictured something in the Nytewick colors, but this was better. Except that it was for the wrong person. This dress wasn't meant for Nathan...it was meant for Peyton.
"Isn't it just beautiful!" Alice broke my inner thoughts, her excitement almost tangible at this point.
I stuttered, "I-I...yes, it is. Very beautiful, Mother." I glanced from Mother to Janic, meeting her eyes as she watched us. My mother wasn't paying attention, her eyes still examining the dress, giving Janic enough time to give me the sad smile with an understanding nod. She knew this dress was for me to wear for Peyton, not this strange man. She knew. I could have sobbed right then, but I just sniffled and wiped at my eyes, hoping my mother would think it was over the beauty of the dress.
Janic clapped her hands, "Alright dearies, let's get to it. Princess, let's get you changed into the dress. From there, I will see where it may need to be adjusted. From the looks of it though, I don't think I will have much work to do." Let's get this over with.