Chapter 7 - Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
Every afternoon, before dinner, King Griggory gazed into the full-length mirror that had been placed in his chamber. An intricately designed dark walnut frame surrounded it. The color contrasted beautifully with the light white oak that was found throughout the rest of the palace.
He studied himself in the reflective surface and smiled proudly at his own image.
Being the King of the Trade Kingdom offered Griggory many pleasantries that other rulers could barely fathom. His tall, healthy figure was covered in the smoothest silks that Burkelan could offer, dyed in the vibrant colors that could only be found around the borders of Harada. His fingers were covered in beautiful rings, crafted by the silver smiths of Rramnon with metals from the mountains of Alminia and inlayed with jewels from Ioh and Geitah.
His possessions were magnificent.
No one could outshine him.
Thanks to the many natural ports along the coast of his Kingdom, Griggory was able to dress in the majesty that he deserved.
His smile grew as he walked over to his breakfast table where his servant had placed several delicacies from all over the Thirteen Kingdoms so that he might sooth his impatient stomach before dinner.
He bit greedily into a small brick of Decantstern chocolate and let himself wonder about the dilemma that was Princess Gwenwyn.
During their lunch she proved that her youth and naivety fueled only ignorance rather than a chiding tongue. Once he was satisfied that there didn't appear to be an overly arrogant bone in the Rramnon Princess's body, Griggory was able to admit that he was quite taken with her.
It had taken her nearly the entire lunch to become comfortable enough around him to allow herself the freedom of asking him questions. His pretense for their lunch had been to learn more about the Rramnon society, and never once did she show even the slightest inkling that their time together was for anything other than what he had said.
That had proved her ignorance.
He was very glad to learn that.
Her Rramnon upbringing had given her a lovely and quiet demeanor but her emotions and thoughts remained indecipherable. It made him slightly weary of the young Princess, but later that day, during the negotiation meeting he caught her eyes hesitantly glance towards him, and then later he noticed her staring at him. She looked away as if embarrassed a moment later, but he had seen it.
She was drawn to him, drawn to the majesty and the splendor that his position allotted him.
King Griggory's smile turned into a satisfied grin as he sat down at the table and nibbled at a plate of almond cookies that had been made to his exact specifications. He not only wanted, but deserved the best, and he could tell if his chefs used anything but the finest ingredients.
His thoughts returned to the unintentionally charming Princess that seemed to be taken with the luxury his Kingdom had to offer. He pondered what he would do with her. He had contemplated on inviting her to the Champion's Ball after the Tournament of Wills, but he hadn't decided on it yet.
He needed to keep his distance from her to see if her apparent attractions might develop into something more.
The festivities didn't start until after the negotiations, and the ball would be held eight days later. The Champion's Ball was usually reserved for only Terrafein Nobility, but the winners of the tournament were considered guests of honor. If she continued to show more interest in him during the next three weeks of the negotiations, then he would be sure to invite her as his personal guest.
After all, she was a pretty accessory that would drape beautifully across his arm.
~~~ Change Character Focus, Later
"Bingham," Smyth called out as the man walked into the guard's dinning hall that afternoon, "We didn't see you at lunch."
Jenkins looked up and noticed the bearded guard plop down across the table from him and next to Smyth.
"I was released by King Griggory for an early lunch." He explained before he took a bite from his dinner bowl.
"Why'd he release you?" Graham mumbled between two large mouthfuls.
Luckett punched Graham in shoulder, and scolded him for being disgusting. Graham glared daggers at Luckett, but swallowed anyway and promptly asked his question again.
"He had a luncheon with my charge." The man explained. "Once I delivered her to the Garden Parlor I was dismissed. He escorted her to the east wing personally for the negotiation meeting." Bingham returned to his meal as if his words had been expected.
"Wait!" Reed called out partially shocked. "Isn't the Rramnon Princess your charge?"
"Yeah." He answered. "So?"
"So?" Reed shouted alarming everyone in the room. "Why would King Griggory want to meet with her, in the Garden Parlor, for lunch? Was it a private lunch?"
"It is not my place to question or to assume." Bingham reminded.
Several other guards nodded in agreement.
"But don't you see?" Reed continued. "Maybe she's the reason Queen Rebekah has risen from the grave."
A silence fell throughout the hall but a large roar of laughter soon broke it. Several guards wiped their eyes from the laughter, while others praised Reed for the clever joke.
"Think about it." He insisted seriously. "Queen Rebekah probably isn't happy about the news of King Griggory remarrying she been spotted ever since the negotiations started. It has to be because she thinks this Princess is a threat to her throne."
The laughter in the room only grew.
"That's how rumors get started Reed." Rutledge chided.
"You think the phantom is jealous of that ridged Princess?" Smyth shot out.
"Besides." Luckett continued with laughter still in his voice, "Jenkins doesn't think it's a phantom at all. Isn't that right Jenkins?"
His head turned sharply towards Luckett. "Where did you hear that?" He asked disturbed.
Luckett grinned easily, "You should really try to keep your voice down if you don't want others over hearing you." He explained. "I caught a little bit of your conversation with Russell this afternoon."
"What conversation?" Reed asked glad that none of the guards were laughing at him anymore.
"I heard," Luckett continued dropping his voice secretively and looking at Jenkins with raised eyebrows, "that you think the phantom is an actual person and you want to catch her."
A long whistle came from his right. "You think there's a girl out there faster than you?" Graham questioned in disbelief.
Jenkins smirked easily, and chuckled at the accusations. "I've never been one to believe in phantoms." He admitted easily.
"So, if she's real, how do you plan on catching her?" Rutledge wondered.
"I'm not sure yet." He admitted.
"You guys actually believe that this running girl is real?" Reed questioned in disbelief as he looked around the room of Firsts. "Just because you don't believe in phantoms, Jenkins doesn't make them any less real."
Several other guards nodded.
Reed continued. "Instead you insist that there is a person capable of evading multiple Royal Terrafein Regiments over and over again. Not only would that be fantastic on its own, but apparently this person is also a female." Reed snorted distastefully, "You don't believe in phantoms but you can believe that a woman can do all of those things."
Murmurs of agreement sounded all around the dining hall.
"I don't believe that I am skilled enough to argue with your logic Reed." Jenkins admitted easily with a shrug.
Reed raised his arms in triumph and several others shouted their praise.
"So you accept the phantom's existence?" He challenged.
"I can not deny your words." He confessed with a sly smile, "It would be unlikely for any ordinary woman to accomplish those fetes."
Reed shot him a puzzled look but it was Graham that asked. "So do you admit that it's phantom, or not?"
Jenkins chuckled and thought back to the few moments that he shared with Moria. "I admit nothing." He decided.
His answer caused several others to laugh lightly. Most of the Firsts returned to their meals while those that had finished stood to return their bowls to the stacks. Jenkins stared at his meal in contemplation. Soon he was one of the only Firsts still in the dinning hall.
The Nines and Sevens would be coming in soon for their shift changes, but still he sat on his bench and wondered about her.
Would she keep her hasty promise?
Would he fault her if she didn't show up?
He tried to push her from his thoughts.
Jenkins knew that she was a distraction. He shouldn't be thinking about her. He shouldn't care, but he did. There was a strange pull deep within his chest whenever his mind drifted to her.
Why?
It was the question that plagued him since she had rushed off the other night.
He forced himself to choke down the rest of his meal that had gone cold and return to his barracks.
Later that night, as he slept in his bunk, his dreams betrayed his resolve to not think about the faceless Moria. He saw her combing her fingers through her hair as the moonlight aluminate her silhouette. Then as quickly as he had seen her, she ran. Jenkins chased after her, but just as he had the night before, he couldn't shorten the distance between them.
~~~ Change Character Focus, Next Day
She woke up on a visibly pleasant day. A small yawn escaped her, but her lady in waiting didn't seem to notice.
Gwenwyn was exhausted. She hadn't slept well that night. The faces of those that she knew had been watching, staring at her in disapproval as she raced through the maze of hedges that occupied the outskirts of the Rramnon gardens.
No matter how fast she ran she couldn't out run them.
She had awakened with a jolt moments before Mryah entered and barely had time to steady her racing heart before she was asked about where she would prefer to eat her breakfast that morning.
Gwenwyn rose easily from her bed and waited for Mryah to bring her a robe to cover her nightgown before she made her way to the nearest window.
'Yes.' She repeated to herself. 'It is a pleasant day.'
The sky was a glorious blue, and barely a cloud marred its horizon. It comforted her and helped to diminish the unease that her foreboding nightmare had caused.
She used the sun's heat to help her pull her slouched posture back into its regal position. Her shoulders dropped, her spine straightened, and her head lifted until she once more exuded the air of a Rramnon royal.
After a few more moments of silently enjoying the sun's energy, Gwenwyn made her way to the room's breakfast table. A small knock came from the door, and her lady in waiting rushed off towards it.
A few moments later Mryah came back carrying a tray that was filled with an immense array of breakfast items. It wasn't anything like the hot tea and assorted scones that she had been enjoying for the last three weeks.
This was...more, much more, too much for merely one person.
'What a waste.' She found herself thinking.
The tray's diversity reminded her of the lunch that she had shared with King Griggory. She had to admit that the beauty of the Garden Parlor stunned her. The doors to the garden had been opened, and she had been able to see the lush foliage beyond and feel a cool breeze from the near by sea.
But the meal was too extravagant. It fought with the majesty of the room, but it let her know more about what kind of person King Griggory was.
Gwenwyn had stayed quiet for most of the meal. Her responses were vague at best, but he didn't seem to mind as long as she added subtle praises.
King Griggory was a man that lived in excess, and he enjoyed being envied. He rarely asked her questions about Rramnon society unless he was comparing what her Kingdom lacked with what he enjoyed on a seemingly daily basis.
Her personal opinion of the man was that he enjoyed obtaining everything that he could possibly desire. That type of vanity sickened her.
'Stop it Gwenwyn.' She told herself as Mryah happily poured her some tea.
Her strict Rramnon upbringing told her that King Griggory's actions were self-indulgent, while her own opinion was that he was unable too see any worth in the food that his own Kingdom could provide.
Neither opinion favored the King's actions.
And yet...
She couldn't afford to think about the King negatively. There had to be some redeemable quality about him. Her efforts should be focused on appeasing to the Terrafein King, not despising his vanity.
'No.' Gwenwyn reminded herself. Vanity was a fault that she couldn't afford to see in her possible future husband. 'He is merely proud of what his Kingdom's many ports are able to offer, and wishes to have it equally appreciated by others.'
She made herself smile at the excessive meal, as Mryah listed off the many different options that were available. Gwenwyn forced herself to eat one of the more extravagant pastries on the tray.
It was beautiful but overly sweet. By the time she finished it, she found that all she had really wanted was a cup of tea and a moment to watch the sun rise higher in the sky. That was what she wanted to do, but it wasn't what she did.
She couldn't follow any of her Rramnon, or personal impulses when it came to King Griggory.
The words from her father's letter came back to her.
You have been charged with the task of doing everything within your power to obtain the hand of the widowed King. Through your sons, Rramnon will have the ability to control the distribution of trade throughout the Thirteen Kingdoms.
This is my will, and therefore the will of the people of Rramnon.
She didn't agree with her father's tactics, but they would allow him to take possession of the Trade Kingdom without the need for blood shed. Her father, King Herlaf, was openly envious of the defense positions that both Terrafeuw and Alminia offered.
Both rulers were widowed but King Edwin of Alminia already had two heirs to inherit. Also the mountainous Iron Kingdom of Alminia had little farming soil and only two ports. Gwenwyn may not have been trained in strategy, but she was able to deduce why her father and his advisors had sent her to win the heart of the Terrafein King and not the Alminian one.
Gwen forced the last bite of the overly sweet pasty into her mouth and tried to focus on the day ahead. She had a few hours until the daily negotiation started, but what should she do with them?
The sound of the waves in the distance called to her, but she needed to refrain from visiting the ports for the time being.
"Mryah." She called out, surprising her lady in waiting. "I wish to take a stroll about the east garden, please inform Guard Bingham. Once I am dressed, you may be dismissed until after the trade negotiations, feel free to enjoy this good weather."
Mryah gawked openly at her. It was easily the most words that the young woman had heard come from her at one time. It was also the only time that she had given her lady in waiting some time off.
Gwen didn't need Mryah, to help her change. There were two serving ladies that had been assigned to assist Princess Gwenwyn with anything that she might need. The only reason that Mryah hadn't gotten sometime off before, was that Gwen enjoyed hearing her prattle on pointlessly.
This day was different.
She had a decision to make about whether or not to meet with the guard that she had named Marcus.
Gwen wanted to go to the overhang. She wanted to laugh effortlessly again, she wanted to cross words with someone who wasn't appalled to hear a princess speak in such a manner.
And yet.
Gwenwyn didn't want to risk it. She couldn't afford to be seen. King Griggory was starting to pay attention to her. What might happen if he learned that she had been managing to evade his guards on nearly a nightly bias?
That knowledge might damage the persona of the rigid, but naïve Rramnon Princess.
Not that she was happy to be thought of as naïve, but it was clear that King Griggory did not favor the idea of her being overly intelligent. It was just another thing that she would have to hide from him.
'You don't have to hide from Marcus.' The thought slipped out before she realized she had it. 'Stop it.' She told herself, and looked up in time to see Mryah offering her two different dress choices.
She nodded uneventfully towards the one that was more acceptable by Rramnon standards.
Mryah frowned slightly at her choice, placed the dull grey dress on the bed and slipped the sky blue one back into the wardrobe.
The sight of the dress being placed back into the wardrobe pulled at something within Gwen. As Mryah shut the door firmly, a pair of sky blue eyes, flashed in her memory.
The image caught her by surprise.
She knew exactly whom those eyes belonged to.
Guard Jenkins of the First Regiment.
Why would she be thinking about him?
There was no logical explanation for her to be doing so. She hadn't thought about him since before King Griggory invited her to lunch.
Gwenwyn's physicality remained unaltered as Mryah helped her out of her nightgown and into the soft grey dress, but her mind raced.
She pictured him clearly.
His short cropped sand colored hair and sun tanned skin. His tall stature and, most importantly, those sky blue eyes, which for one brief moment, had locked onto hers.
Was that what had called him to her memory?
That his eyes had somehow found hers?
It didn't make sense, but she could find no other reason for why her thoughts had turned towards the guard from First.