* * * *
Nancy helped her lady to dress up into a traditional Hasten grown, she was glad that he had the courtesy to give her clothes from her tribe. She looked more and more beautiful as her curves were more prominent. Nancy added cocoa oil and some sheer butter in between her curls, "all done m'lady," she rose to her feet. She had requested for only Nancy to get her ready, she didn't want all those maids looking at her with curiosity as to why she was marrying that outcast.
"Thank you, Nancy," she adjusted her face veil and checked herself once more in the mirror, it was time for her wedding and now more than ever she felt very sick, tired, and exhausted. This place was too huge. The duchess made sure she was introduced to everyone.
She sighed, the palace was the most guarded place in Kaley and even the duke manor had tight enough security but it is nowhere near the Imperial Palace, how could she possibly run away from this place.
She hadn't even seen her future husband yet, during her engagement, she was just introduced to a bunch of noblemen and elite families, although not a lot of people turned up for the event.
It was as if they all knew what she was thinking too, they were all wondering who could ever marry that useless thing on a chair, he can't move and the very few people that say they have seen him said he wore a mask to cover the scar on his face. Was this who she was going to spend the rest of living her life with, her life surely will be pathetic
It was getting tiring to watch everybody prepare for a wedding she didn't want? She was stuck, tired, and in less than an hour, she was going to be the first princess of Kaley, a title she hated with a passion, but she knew that Nancy and her life were at stake.
If she runs away, she had nowhere to go. Although Kaley is in a big state, it still didn't mean she couldn't be caught. It was treason to humiliate a royal, if she decided to leave now she would be putting her city's life at stake, she was impulsive but even she knew when to give in, she realized at that moment that that was the time.
The door opened and Benedict entered, he was also dressed in royal Hasten attire, looking impeccably handsome and if she wasn't in a horrible mood she would have laughed and joked about his look.
He walked towards her, examining her thin figure, she looked tired, sickly, and lighter than her very dark skin. Even with the layers of makeup, he recognized that she wasn't happy with what was going on.
"Good evening," he said giving her a reassuring smile, she nodded and took his hands knowing what she must do.
"You look very beautiful this night," she said nothing to him as she wasn't in the mood for small talks.
"Irisa, you are going to be okay, you know that right?" she rolled her eyes. Did she complain to him that she was not?
"Are you okay?" he asked as they finally got to the grand hall, she met a bunch of people murmuring and she frowned.
"Wait here, let me check what all the commotion is about." Benedict jogged towards them.
"What wrong?" she asked for the first time that evening. He looked down not speaking.
"Benedict I am asking you a question! Will you answer me or I will the truth myself?" she started walking towards where the commotion was but he pulled her back.
"Don't go there," he muttered.
"Then tell me what the issue is?" she crossed her arms.
"He is not coming,"
"Who isn't coming?" she asked praying it was not who she thought it was. He sighed and pulled her into his arms knowing this was going to be a long day.
"You have not answered me, Benedict? Who isn't coming?" she moved away from his embrace looking into his eyes.
"Your husband," she looked down, she was also a royal, humiliating her was like humiliating the whole of Hasten but then again, she was disadvantaged, he had more powers than her, he could decide to do whatever he wants.
At some point she had started to question if he exist at all, "so what are we going to do now? Will the wedding not hold?" she whispered worn out.
"Mother has discussed with the Queen, the wedding has to carry on," she looked up at him surprised.
"What? How can the wedding carry on when the groom is nowhere to be found?" he pulled her again towards him.
"You can perform the wedding rites alone," he said disappointed that those words were coming out of his mouth.
"You want me to perform my wedding rights without a groom? Does that make any meaning? The true essence of a wedding is for them both to be joined conjugally and you want me to do it alone?" she glanced towards her stepmother as she approached them.
"Leave us," she turned to Benedict, who was still holding Irisa, he turned to her before leaving them.
"What is taking so long Irisa? The queen doesn't have all day?" Irisa frowned, a sour feeling appeared as she started at this dreadful woman.
"The groom is not present? How am I supposed to marry somebody that is not present?" she folded her arm, her face was squeezed, she had started to sweat has it was a sunny day.
"The prince is undisclosed at the moment, so we have to carry out the ceremony without him," she couldn't believe she was saying this! How could she marry someone who isn't even present on their wedding day?
"I can't do this! He isn't here? He jas to be here!" she protested as quietly as possible she didn't want to draw attention to them.
"That not my business! Remember our deal!" she pulled her hands tightly, forcing a strangle of groan out of her mouth. She couldn't believe she was doing this.
"You will walk into that hall right now and perform all necessary ceremony and you will get married no matter what! Are we clear?" she rose an eyebrow.
"I said ARE WE CLEAR?" she gritted out making Irisa look down, tears almost forming in her eyes with how tightly she was held. She released her hold on and smile, dusting invisible dirt from her grown. Irisa just had her eyes down not saying a word.
"Now go!" she pushed her towards Benedict, who caught her just in time, he helps her regain her composer and turned to the announcer, who announced their names.
* * * *
Irisa'a headache worsen as they traveled north towards the out sketch of the city. She wasn't surprised to have they entered into a deep forest and started embarking on a very rocky and bumpy ride.
Since her new husband refused to attend their wedding ceremony, she had to travel to his manor that was at our sketch of the city. She has said bye briefly to them and even though the duchess wasn't going to allow her to take Nancy with her, she had formulated a plan and was successful with it.
Now they were with three bodyguards were traveling towards the prince manor, which was supposed to be her new home.
"Are you okay m'lady? You look very sick?" Nancy asked for the umpteenth time. She nodded and groaned as the carriage hit another bump making the both of them hit the hardwood.
"I am not sure about where we going to Nancy, this place is new! We are not in the duke's manor anymore! Try your best to keep your mouth shut and your head low. The stories I have heard are very scary. Please try to avoid and protect yourself," Nancy nodded.
"I understand," the carriage suddenly stopped and Irisa opened the thick curtain covering the window of the carriage. Everywhere was dark, full of trees, and looked terrifying.
"We are here princess," the carriage wheeler announced and she closed her eyes taking a deep breath knowing that she had to remember all she had read or else he would kill her and she knew nobody would bat an eyelid. She opened it and glanced at Nancy taking her hand and they both stood and moved slowly out of the carriage.
"Thank you," the carriages wheeler bowed in courtesy. She turned to her new home and frowned, it looked awful. How could someone live here, no to mention a prince? She glanced towards her maid who was also as surprised as her lady.
"M'lady are you sure we are in the right place?" she glanced at the manor ones more, holding her lady's arm scared.
Irisa turned back to the carriage wheeler, "are we in the right place?" she placed her hand on Nancy trying to find comfort, it was really cold and she had no coat on. He nodded smiling sadly, "it is, the house hostess is waiting for you, she will direct you to where you will stay,"
"Are you sure?" Nancy glanced at him, he nodded and bowed moving back to where the carriage was before they knew it, he sat at the edge of the carriage and whipped the horse, it neither loudly neighed and galloped moving swiftly towards the dead road.
The guards led them towards the large stair, it was cold, misty, and wet. She shivered looking at the dead tree and held Nancy tighter. "I am scared m'lady," she whispered, Irisa glanced at the top of the stairs, they were almost at the stairway when they saw three young women, a guy around her age, and an older man, they bowed as she ascended the final stairway.
"Here comes the first princess of Kaley, Princess Irisa of Hasten!" the guards next to her yelled, and even in the cold they fell to their knees, and made a grand bow.
"Good evening princess!" they all yelled, she nodded looking into the dark manor. It was barely lit, windows were half-broken. She looked back at them.
"Rise!" the guard yelled and they stood to their feet. "Introduce yourself!" the guards yelled after thru had arisen.
"I am Timothy, the manor's butler," the older man first introduced, "I am Raymond, the manor's head guard,"
"I am Anita, the manor's hostess, these are the maids we have in the manor," she bowed and Irisa nodded.
"Thank you for this, aren't you cold? It's chilly, it isn't good enough to be outside at this your age," she cast a worried glance at him.
"It is no worries, mistress," she frowned still not satisfied, she looked at all of them.
"We are glad you have come, the room has been prepared for you," Anita walked towards the door and opened the door, coughing a little. Irisa walked in and looked around, she coughed again and her frown deepened.
They entered a large hall, she looked around, a strange stale smell was so prevalent in the room, curtains old and dirty covered floor to ceiling of the windows, old candles placed near them, the candles warmed the room a little but the room was still very dark and musky giving it a very erily demeanor. The room looked gloomy and shabby, there was an armchair in the far corner that looked so old and worn out.
"If you will follow me, we will show you to your room," she smiled and walked towards another hall Irisa hadn't earlier seen. Irisa walked towards where Anita was headed and they entered a fairly lit corridor, it was an opened corridor that allowed the moonlight to shine and a dead garden came into view.
Irisa shook her head and looked up and followed Anita through a flight of small steps that led to a door, "this is your room Mistress," Anita opened the large door and they walked into a room, it was as old as the rest of the house, with cobwebs all of and an old stale, musky smell, she walked further into the room and it was no small that the tea area in her former room back in Hasting.
"This is one of the largest rooms, aside from the master bedroom," Anita smiled proudly looked around.
"What?!" Nancy yelled making Irisa close her eyes, "don't yell!" she opened bed eyes and turned to Nancy who looked down in regret.
"I am sorry M'lady," she bowed, Irisa turned back and smiled at Anita.
"This will do thank you very much," Anita nodded.
"Tomorrow we are going to take a tour of the manor and you are going to learn about the manor's affair." she nodded and Anita fell to her knees again and bowed.
"Good night," Irisa nodded, she stood to her feet and walk off closing the doors.
"M'lady! This is a setup! What sort of place is this?!" Irisa sighed and moved towards the bed, at least it looked fairly decent. She fed into it and groaned, she had judged too quickly, the bed was very had, somewhat cool, it smelt nicer than it seemed, Nancy felt the bed and groaned.
"M'lady, this bed is too hard, I will go and give that woman a piece of my mind," she turned to leave but Irisa held her hand stopping her in the process.
"Nancy, sit,"
"But m'lady..."
"Sit Nancy!" she commanded, Nancy frowned and looked back at the door, she sighed after a while, she finally took a seat next to her lady. Irisa sat up, with Nancy helping her.
"Do you remember what I told you when we were coming?" Nancy looked down, remembering the warning her lady had given. She nodded and sighed opening her mouth, Irisa shot her hand up, "I don't want to hear any excuse Nancy, you have to be watchful of how you act, this is a strange land and we don't know much about them, you have to understand what I am trying to say!"
Nancy nodded, "I understand m'lady," she sighed. "I didn't mean to be ignorant. I will be cautious in my actions henceforth," Irisa nodded and sighed, rubbing her temple. Her legs were sour and a bad headache was coming on, the full effect of the week's activities was now taking a toll on her health, she needs rest. Suddenly she went from being carefree and single to married in less than two weeks.
"You are tired m'lady, let me help you massage your legs," she sighed as Nancy started massaging it, she smiled closing her eyes.
"Thank you Nancy!" she said drowsy, Nancy smiled, "no problem m'lady,"
* * * *