Chapter 3
Helen and Tristan somewhat avoided each other from then on. They tried not to see each other, because when they were forced in the same room together they would do nothing but fight, so they found that staying away from the other made their lives so much easier than if they tried to patch up their horribly broken friendship. Helen would always spend her days in the library, eating up book after book and Tristan would take out his frustrations on the training fields.
Helen was reading and writing, surrounded by books, papers, ink wells, quills, and the like as she busily researched anything that came to mind but mainly this castles history. She wanted to find out if there were any known and recorded secret passages around and if there were- where were the entrances? She had no idea that her brother and Tristan were just outside, on the training field, watching her through the window.
“What’s her deal, anyway?” Tristan said sullenly as he parried a blow from Mike and swung in an arc.
“No idea, maybe she’s just not feeling very…ok, so I have no idea.” He said laughing and blocking Tristan’s attack.
“I love her, but that woman confuses me to no earthly end.” Mike only laughed as Tristan flipped over him and attempted to attack him from behind. Mike turned and held up his sword just in time to block the sudden attack.
“Maybe someday, the Gods will tell us how to understand girls like her. Until then, we’ll just have to make it up as we go along, my friend.” Tristan laughed so hard he couldn’t fight back, so Mike stopped and laughed as Tristan hit his knees in mirth.
“Don’t we do that already?” Tristan asked as he started to calm down slowly.
Mike just laughed and shook his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“No, unbelievable is that even though I should be worried about my wedding tomorrow and my bride-to-be, I’m thinking about something totally different.” He grinned a big grin. “Let’s grab lunch.”
Mike laughed so hard that a couple people far off turned to look at them as they headed off for the Main Hall. They were both racing when they bummed into one of the council. They looked completely calm, since the boys just barely managed to not knock them down, they expected to get scolded.
“Prince, we believe the marriage is a mistake.”
“Tough. My father wants it to happen. Meaning that there’s very little you’ll be able to pull to make him change his mind. The council, out of anyone, should know best that when my father has made up his mind, it’s not going to change without one hell of a reason.” He said folding his arms, his brow furrowed slightly and his eyes demanding something better than just their personal opinions.
The older and shorter of the two glanced at his younger, taller companion and said, looking back at Tristan, “Tri-”
“Prince Tristan.” He said coolly, with a cold edge.
“Prince Tristan,” The councilman corrected himself, “We believe that Helen will be bad for Celdonia. She’s a filthy political witch. We should not trust her, My Lord.”
Tristan was gripping his sword hilt very tightly, so much that his knuckles were turning white. “What did you call her…?”
The two men looked at each other nervously. “Uh…”
“Go. Now. Before I decide to kill you both here and now.” They looked at him, frightened and tried to argue their point when he boomed, “You will never insult Lady Helena as long as I live again or I will kill you so slowly, and so gruesomely that you will have wished that the Gods themselves had decided your punishment and not me. Do I make myself crystal clear?” They mumbled their responses. “I can’t hear you!”
“Yes! Your Excellency…” They said bowing constantly and retreating. Tristan shook his head and spat on the ground, now having a foul taste in his mouth. Without another word he started heading off for the Main Hall again.
“Tristan,” Mike said, grabbing Tristan’s shoulder and making him face his brother-in-law. “Do you really care about her so much to make a threat like that?”
“I’d give my life for her, Michael. You should know that.” Tristan moved Michael’s hand off his shoulder and started walking again. He couldn’t get the image of Helen out of his mind. He didn’t understand it. He was mad at her, yet, he still found time to stand up for her when her name was being insulted. “I just don’t understand..” He said turning back to Mike. “Why do I stand up for her when I’m so mad at her?”
“You love her. You should know that.” Michael said with a grin as he walked past, going into the Main Hall and finding a group of friends to sit with as he grabbed a meal and ate. Tristan sighed. He did love her. He knew he’d always love Helen. Always.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Helen was snooping around the Private Study, trying to find anything at all that would be a secret passage or something along those lines. She had read up on this castle for days and found out that every hidden passage is kept within the royal family. She sat down at his desk and stared intently at the desk. She sat up as she saw a paper that caught her interest.
Petition Form: Councilman Bundy:
I request that the marriage is stopped and not to take place. Princess Helen does not belong in the royal family and I personally plan to see to it that she does not enter the Celdonia Royal Family. Helena is a demon in a woman’s body. I request that she is expelled from the castle and that the wedding DOES NOT take place. We would also like to see to it that the treaty is discontinued.
Supporters of this Petition: councilman Judai
Councilwoman Hicks
Councilman Jon
Councilman Kelleher
Councilwoman Grundy
Princess Bethany
Opposes: Prince Tristan
Princess Gwyn
Prince Michael
Prince Justin
Princess Melina
Prince Henry
“I’m trying to get more of your brothers and sisters to sign the opposing side.” Helen nearly jumped out of her seat when Tristan’s voice came into her ears. She looked up at him and was speechless for a time.
“Why? You want this marriage to happen?” Helen asked, confused slightly, no actually, to a major extent.
Tristan was leaning on the door way with his head cocked to the side and that grin. That sexy, teasing, humorous, fun, sweet, aw-shucks grin that made her go weak at the knees. His hair fell over his forehead rakishly, his eyes had that certain alluring and manly look. One foot was tucked behind the other ankle, his hands in his pockets, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops. She had never seen a more attractive man before in her life and she didn’t think she ever would. He shrugged. “Yes. If it means our people can rest in peace with their loved ones safe at home, then, yes.”
Helen stood up and walked over to a bookcase and rested one hand on the side of it as she rested her head against it, a soft smile in her eyes and an even smaller smile on her lips. She had her back to the bookcase as she faced him, her head turned to him making her neck arch gracefully. She looked at him, a smile of confusion in her eyes and a tiny grin on her face. “That’s my reason for going through with this as well…” she straightened. Tristan couldn’t take his eyes off of her anyway. She was too beautiful to imagine as a politician, because the word ugly and politician just seemed to fit but her name and the position didn’t seem to click.
“Helen…” Tristan started out nervously. She looked up at him, eyes wide like a doe caught in the headlight sort of look. She waited for him to speak but was afraid of what she might hear. “Helen…do you-”
“I have to go.” She said pushing past and leaving the room. She shut the door behind her as she went out and leaned on it, wondering what had made her jolt like that.
Tristan leaned on the door from the inside and lightly banged his head into it, repeatedly.
Helen headed off toward their room and made herself comfy on the couch in the outer room for the night. She didn’t feel like sharing a room with him for right now. She lay on the couch, holding the blanket up to her chin with one hand, the other hand under her head as she stared out into the dark. She gasped softly when the door opened and a tall dark figure came in. She figured it was Tristan and closed her eyes enough to be believable that she indeed was asleep. She shifted slightly and sighed. She decided to actually try to go to sleep. That was until she felt a gentle kiss on her head and he whispered something she didn’t quite catch. She was tempted to get up and ask him what had caused him to kiss her head but instead she didn’t. She stayed idle and waited until she heard the creek of the floorboard in the third hall leading to the bedroom before she dared to open her eyes.
“Helen!” came Tristan’s handmaid’s voice. She jerked to alertness and groaned softly. “Helen, come on. You’re getting married today!!”
Helen looked out the window and sighed. “Yes…I suppose I am.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tristan woke up the next morning in his room and yawned heavily. His man-servants were bustling around to get his suit ready while he scratched his head and lay back down on the bed, his hands behind his head. He smiled at the ceiling. “I’m getting married today…” He took a deep breath and jumped out of bed. He was always more of a morning person when he had something to look forward to.
He got up and let them drag him off to the bathhouse. He wasn’t surprised that Helen had been moved out, probably off in Gwyn’s room. He only sighed and bathed. He got out and pulled on bright white trousers, sadly, with no pockets. He loved digging his hands in his pockets. He pulled on a golden jewel encrusted belt, engraved with the mark of the Goddess of Life and a brilliant white long sleeved shirt with a white cape, which he thought made him look ridiculous. He was already tired of wearing so much white and it hadn’t even been five minutes. He wore a crown on his head and his sword at his hip, the sheath engraved with the God of War‘s symbol. He wore a golden armlet around his upper right and left arm. He had on a couple rings and a bracelet with the mark of the God of War. He wore white boots, which he really hated. He wanted to wear his black boots but his mother refused to let him wear a color of mourning on his wedding day.
“But mother,” He had argued. “I am mourning. I can’t mess around in the bars with Trey anymore.” Trey was his little play-boy brother.
He had been kidding but his mother almost slapped him for it. He smiled at the idea. He sighed and looked himself in the mirror and refused to let anyone touch his hair. If he had to get married dressed in all white, he was entitled to let his hair be a total mess. Even though, he still looked good.
He grabbed his cloak, to make a quick escape under since he was too easily spotted, and headed toward the Hall of the Gods in the very back of the castle.
As he went, he thought about Helen. In fact, he could swear he saw her heading into Helen’s room followed by a few servants but he said nothing. He kept wondering what her thoughts on the wedding were. She didn’t see to object too much the other day but still. She had never exactly been the type to tell him when things were upsetting her. He usually had to beat it out of her, of course, never literally. He’d never lay a hurtful hand on her. Never.
He shook his head as twisted visions of him ever striking her entered his mind. Why was he thinking like this? He know he’d never hit her, no matter how mad he was. He just wasn’t completely sure… No, he wouldn’t. He growled softly at himself, wondering what had gotten into him. He’d never hurt her. He loved her. He’d do anything and everything for her. Tristan didn’t even know why he was thinking this because he’d never hit her. Ever.
Would he?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Helen stood in Gwyn’s room, letting maids pull and tug at her hair and tight her corset, everything. She meanwhile stood there, her face expressionless. She ignored any petty complaint they had about her expression. She didn’t feel like smiling. She wasn’t even sure she really loved Tristan and if she did… Was she really ready to marry him? She wasn’t sure but she had no time to think about it now. She wore a long white gown with long nigh transparent sleeves that covered up to her collar bone. It was tight on her and she made a comment on it but, the maids didn’t seem to care. Her corset pushed up her bosom which in her eyes, made her look like a harlot but she didn’t have much option or say in the matter. She sighed and let them tie a necklace around her neck with a silver chain with a silver heart and the symbol for the Goddess of Love. She wore a silver necklace like brace around her neck. It was engraved with the mark of the Goddess of Life.
She sighed as a light color was put on her lips and a silver belt tied around her waist. She found the belt pointless, beautiful with its jewels, but pointless besides decoration. She felt like a painting and she hated it. She hated being on display like this. She felt like a piece of meat about to be devoured by ravaging and bloodthirsty animals. These animals would chew her up and spit her out if she wasn’t perfect or they may eat her alive if she looked like she was trying too hard. She wasn’t sure what would happen if they did like how she looked. If they did, they still might tear her apart, trying to get close to the future Queen.
The word Queen struck her like a mallet to the face. She hadn’t really thought about that until just now. She would be Queen of an entire nation, with Tristan at her side as her King. That wouldn’t happen until his next birthday, which wasn’t until next summer but still. The thought lingered. She couldn’t help but smile softly at that thought. Tristan, in her mind, looked horrible in royal garbs but maybe that was because she knew him best as the wannabe warrior. She never knew him during a time where he was ready to be serious. She had always known him as the fun loving, kind, caring, aw-shucks man that she fell in love with.
Then another thought struck her. Love? Had she just made a sure fire thought that she loved him? She wasn’t totally sure as she was slipped into shiny white boots with an inch heel. She sighed and stood up, letting the maids fix her hair up in a fancy ponytail-bun sort of do. She didn’t really like it much but it didn’t matter. She was going to have everything redone for the after party.
She let out a breath and let them throw a veil over her head after putting her crown on and taking her to the Temple of the Gods. She stood outside the door and waited. In less than fifteen minutes, she would be wed. Helen knew one thing, and one thing only. Whether she was ready or not, this wedding would take place.
Meaning she should get used to the ideas that scared her now. The one that was hardest for her to bear was that they would expect her to have a child. Part of the reason this scared her so much was because of a lover she had while Tristan was supposedly dead. That lover had done horrible things to her and because of him, she wasn’t able to look at Tristan the same anymore. Every time he would touch her now, she’d think it was her ex-lover and have to force herself not to cry out or scream.
“Miss, it is time.” said a guard from the hall.
“It didn’t matter now. Time was up.
Walking into the Temple of the Gods, Helena heard the pianist playing, and the soft tune made her smile, softly, radiantly. She felt the eyes of maybe a hundred people on her. She was standing tall and facing forward, the veil in front of her face. She walked in step behind the flower girl, which, was her sister, Beth. Helen had been surprised at Beth’s offer to do this, since, she hated the wedding idea, but she didn’t object. If Beth wanted to accept defeat, Helen would let her.
Walking up to the altar, Tristan wasn’t looking at her, but he seemed to be forcing the political smile. Just like she was. She knew his real smile. His real smile would make her go weak at the knees. This smile did nothing to her except make her realize how much he didn’t want to be here or how much was on his mind. She swallowed and tried to ignore the bile that wanted to come up her throat when she saw her whore of a step mother in a dress that showed an indecent amount of cleavage.
“We gather here today before the Gods, God of War, Goddess of Love, Goddess of Life, God of Luck, God of Fortune, God of Truth, and Goddess of Knowing. May these Gods and Goddesses bless this union today!” The crowd cheered as seven bright lights swarmed Helen and Tristan, who, for the moment were clouded by the lights and hidden from the crowd.
“Are you ready?” Tristan asked her softly.
“As I’ll ever be.” Helen replied with a soft sigh. The lights went away and the crowd cheered.
“Prince Tristan Lee Drynmire, do you take this woman as your wife? To hold, love and care for, through sickness and in health?”
He had to stop himself from saying anything along the lines of- ‘Aye, yea, yes,’ and ‘sure, why not?’ He instead said, “I do.”
“Princess Helena Cassandra Teorten, do you take this man as your husband? To hold, love and care for, through sickness and in health?” Helen had been to enough weddings to know that he was cutting it short. Why, though?
“I do.” She said quietly.
“Then I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Lifting up her veil, Tristan smiled at her before kissing her gently. She felt the herself be knocked off her feet and she felt like she was flying while she kissed him. Her senses dipped in and out and her sense of time and place were slipping. She knew she was meant to be with him. She knew she was meant to love him as she did. At this moment, she was at total peace.
She looked out at the crowd and they were cheering. Looking up, she saw every god mentioned standing above them in a bright ghostly form. She smiled and knew they were behind her on this. They disappeared as an explosion went off at the door of the Temple.
Men dressed in gold and blue came in. Barloanians had just crashed the party and they were heading straight for her.
Helen and Tristan somewhat avoided each other from then on. They tried not to see each other, because when they were forced in the same room together they would do nothing but fight, so they found that staying away from the other made their lives so much easier than if they tried to patch up their horribly broken friendship. Helen would always spend her days in the library, eating up book after book and Tristan would take out his frustrations on the training fields.
Helen was reading and writing, surrounded by books, papers, ink wells, quills, and the like as she busily researched anything that came to mind but mainly this castles history. She wanted to find out if there were any known and recorded secret passages around and if there were- where were the entrances? She had no idea that her brother and Tristan were just outside, on the training field, watching her through the window.
“What’s her deal, anyway?” Tristan said sullenly as he parried a blow from Mike and swung in an arc.
“No idea, maybe she’s just not feeling very…ok, so I have no idea.” He said laughing and blocking Tristan’s attack.
“I love her, but that woman confuses me to no earthly end.” Mike only laughed as Tristan flipped over him and attempted to attack him from behind. Mike turned and held up his sword just in time to block the sudden attack.
“Maybe someday, the Gods will tell us how to understand girls like her. Until then, we’ll just have to make it up as we go along, my friend.” Tristan laughed so hard he couldn’t fight back, so Mike stopped and laughed as Tristan hit his knees in mirth.
“Don’t we do that already?” Tristan asked as he started to calm down slowly.
Mike just laughed and shook his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“No, unbelievable is that even though I should be worried about my wedding tomorrow and my bride-to-be, I’m thinking about something totally different.” He grinned a big grin. “Let’s grab lunch.”
Mike laughed so hard that a couple people far off turned to look at them as they headed off for the Main Hall. They were both racing when they bummed into one of the council. They looked completely calm, since the boys just barely managed to not knock them down, they expected to get scolded.
“Prince, we believe the marriage is a mistake.”
“Tough. My father wants it to happen. Meaning that there’s very little you’ll be able to pull to make him change his mind. The council, out of anyone, should know best that when my father has made up his mind, it’s not going to change without one hell of a reason.” He said folding his arms, his brow furrowed slightly and his eyes demanding something better than just their personal opinions.
The older and shorter of the two glanced at his younger, taller companion and said, looking back at Tristan, “Tri-”
“Prince Tristan.” He said coolly, with a cold edge.
“Prince Tristan,” The councilman corrected himself, “We believe that Helen will be bad for Celdonia. She’s a filthy political witch. We should not trust her, My Lord.”
Tristan was gripping his sword hilt very tightly, so much that his knuckles were turning white. “What did you call her…?”
The two men looked at each other nervously. “Uh…”
“Go. Now. Before I decide to kill you both here and now.” They looked at him, frightened and tried to argue their point when he boomed, “You will never insult Lady Helena as long as I live again or I will kill you so slowly, and so gruesomely that you will have wished that the Gods themselves had decided your punishment and not me. Do I make myself crystal clear?” They mumbled their responses. “I can’t hear you!”
“Yes! Your Excellency…” They said bowing constantly and retreating. Tristan shook his head and spat on the ground, now having a foul taste in his mouth. Without another word he started heading off for the Main Hall again.
“Tristan,” Mike said, grabbing Tristan’s shoulder and making him face his brother-in-law. “Do you really care about her so much to make a threat like that?”
“I’d give my life for her, Michael. You should know that.” Tristan moved Michael’s hand off his shoulder and started walking again. He couldn’t get the image of Helen out of his mind. He didn’t understand it. He was mad at her, yet, he still found time to stand up for her when her name was being insulted. “I just don’t understand..” He said turning back to Mike. “Why do I stand up for her when I’m so mad at her?”
“You love her. You should know that.” Michael said with a grin as he walked past, going into the Main Hall and finding a group of friends to sit with as he grabbed a meal and ate. Tristan sighed. He did love her. He knew he’d always love Helen. Always.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Helen was snooping around the Private Study, trying to find anything at all that would be a secret passage or something along those lines. She had read up on this castle for days and found out that every hidden passage is kept within the royal family. She sat down at his desk and stared intently at the desk. She sat up as she saw a paper that caught her interest.
Petition Form: Councilman Bundy:
I request that the marriage is stopped and not to take place. Princess Helen does not belong in the royal family and I personally plan to see to it that she does not enter the Celdonia Royal Family. Helena is a demon in a woman’s body. I request that she is expelled from the castle and that the wedding DOES NOT take place. We would also like to see to it that the treaty is discontinued.
Supporters of this Petition: councilman Judai
Councilwoman Hicks
Councilman Jon
Councilman Kelleher
Councilwoman Grundy
Princess Bethany
Opposes: Prince Tristan
Princess Gwyn
Prince Michael
Prince Justin
Princess Melina
Prince Henry
“I’m trying to get more of your brothers and sisters to sign the opposing side.” Helen nearly jumped out of her seat when Tristan’s voice came into her ears. She looked up at him and was speechless for a time.
“Why? You want this marriage to happen?” Helen asked, confused slightly, no actually, to a major extent.
Tristan was leaning on the door way with his head cocked to the side and that grin. That sexy, teasing, humorous, fun, sweet, aw-shucks grin that made her go weak at the knees. His hair fell over his forehead rakishly, his eyes had that certain alluring and manly look. One foot was tucked behind the other ankle, his hands in his pockets, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops. She had never seen a more attractive man before in her life and she didn’t think she ever would. He shrugged. “Yes. If it means our people can rest in peace with their loved ones safe at home, then, yes.”
Helen stood up and walked over to a bookcase and rested one hand on the side of it as she rested her head against it, a soft smile in her eyes and an even smaller smile on her lips. She had her back to the bookcase as she faced him, her head turned to him making her neck arch gracefully. She looked at him, a smile of confusion in her eyes and a tiny grin on her face. “That’s my reason for going through with this as well…” she straightened. Tristan couldn’t take his eyes off of her anyway. She was too beautiful to imagine as a politician, because the word ugly and politician just seemed to fit but her name and the position didn’t seem to click.
“Helen…” Tristan started out nervously. She looked up at him, eyes wide like a doe caught in the headlight sort of look. She waited for him to speak but was afraid of what she might hear. “Helen…do you-”
“I have to go.” She said pushing past and leaving the room. She shut the door behind her as she went out and leaned on it, wondering what had made her jolt like that.
Tristan leaned on the door from the inside and lightly banged his head into it, repeatedly.
Helen headed off toward their room and made herself comfy on the couch in the outer room for the night. She didn’t feel like sharing a room with him for right now. She lay on the couch, holding the blanket up to her chin with one hand, the other hand under her head as she stared out into the dark. She gasped softly when the door opened and a tall dark figure came in. She figured it was Tristan and closed her eyes enough to be believable that she indeed was asleep. She shifted slightly and sighed. She decided to actually try to go to sleep. That was until she felt a gentle kiss on her head and he whispered something she didn’t quite catch. She was tempted to get up and ask him what had caused him to kiss her head but instead she didn’t. She stayed idle and waited until she heard the creek of the floorboard in the third hall leading to the bedroom before she dared to open her eyes.
“Helen!” came Tristan’s handmaid’s voice. She jerked to alertness and groaned softly. “Helen, come on. You’re getting married today!!”
Helen looked out the window and sighed. “Yes…I suppose I am.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tristan woke up the next morning in his room and yawned heavily. His man-servants were bustling around to get his suit ready while he scratched his head and lay back down on the bed, his hands behind his head. He smiled at the ceiling. “I’m getting married today…” He took a deep breath and jumped out of bed. He was always more of a morning person when he had something to look forward to.
He got up and let them drag him off to the bathhouse. He wasn’t surprised that Helen had been moved out, probably off in Gwyn’s room. He only sighed and bathed. He got out and pulled on bright white trousers, sadly, with no pockets. He loved digging his hands in his pockets. He pulled on a golden jewel encrusted belt, engraved with the mark of the Goddess of Life and a brilliant white long sleeved shirt with a white cape, which he thought made him look ridiculous. He was already tired of wearing so much white and it hadn’t even been five minutes. He wore a crown on his head and his sword at his hip, the sheath engraved with the God of War‘s symbol. He wore a golden armlet around his upper right and left arm. He had on a couple rings and a bracelet with the mark of the God of War. He wore white boots, which he really hated. He wanted to wear his black boots but his mother refused to let him wear a color of mourning on his wedding day.
“But mother,” He had argued. “I am mourning. I can’t mess around in the bars with Trey anymore.” Trey was his little play-boy brother.
He had been kidding but his mother almost slapped him for it. He smiled at the idea. He sighed and looked himself in the mirror and refused to let anyone touch his hair. If he had to get married dressed in all white, he was entitled to let his hair be a total mess. Even though, he still looked good.
He grabbed his cloak, to make a quick escape under since he was too easily spotted, and headed toward the Hall of the Gods in the very back of the castle.
As he went, he thought about Helen. In fact, he could swear he saw her heading into Helen’s room followed by a few servants but he said nothing. He kept wondering what her thoughts on the wedding were. She didn’t see to object too much the other day but still. She had never exactly been the type to tell him when things were upsetting her. He usually had to beat it out of her, of course, never literally. He’d never lay a hurtful hand on her. Never.
He shook his head as twisted visions of him ever striking her entered his mind. Why was he thinking like this? He know he’d never hit her, no matter how mad he was. He just wasn’t completely sure… No, he wouldn’t. He growled softly at himself, wondering what had gotten into him. He’d never hurt her. He loved her. He’d do anything and everything for her. Tristan didn’t even know why he was thinking this because he’d never hit her. Ever.
Would he?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Helen stood in Gwyn’s room, letting maids pull and tug at her hair and tight her corset, everything. She meanwhile stood there, her face expressionless. She ignored any petty complaint they had about her expression. She didn’t feel like smiling. She wasn’t even sure she really loved Tristan and if she did… Was she really ready to marry him? She wasn’t sure but she had no time to think about it now. She wore a long white gown with long nigh transparent sleeves that covered up to her collar bone. It was tight on her and she made a comment on it but, the maids didn’t seem to care. Her corset pushed up her bosom which in her eyes, made her look like a harlot but she didn’t have much option or say in the matter. She sighed and let them tie a necklace around her neck with a silver chain with a silver heart and the symbol for the Goddess of Love. She wore a silver necklace like brace around her neck. It was engraved with the mark of the Goddess of Life.
She sighed as a light color was put on her lips and a silver belt tied around her waist. She found the belt pointless, beautiful with its jewels, but pointless besides decoration. She felt like a painting and she hated it. She hated being on display like this. She felt like a piece of meat about to be devoured by ravaging and bloodthirsty animals. These animals would chew her up and spit her out if she wasn’t perfect or they may eat her alive if she looked like she was trying too hard. She wasn’t sure what would happen if they did like how she looked. If they did, they still might tear her apart, trying to get close to the future Queen.
The word Queen struck her like a mallet to the face. She hadn’t really thought about that until just now. She would be Queen of an entire nation, with Tristan at her side as her King. That wouldn’t happen until his next birthday, which wasn’t until next summer but still. The thought lingered. She couldn’t help but smile softly at that thought. Tristan, in her mind, looked horrible in royal garbs but maybe that was because she knew him best as the wannabe warrior. She never knew him during a time where he was ready to be serious. She had always known him as the fun loving, kind, caring, aw-shucks man that she fell in love with.
Then another thought struck her. Love? Had she just made a sure fire thought that she loved him? She wasn’t totally sure as she was slipped into shiny white boots with an inch heel. She sighed and stood up, letting the maids fix her hair up in a fancy ponytail-bun sort of do. She didn’t really like it much but it didn’t matter. She was going to have everything redone for the after party.
She let out a breath and let them throw a veil over her head after putting her crown on and taking her to the Temple of the Gods. She stood outside the door and waited. In less than fifteen minutes, she would be wed. Helen knew one thing, and one thing only. Whether she was ready or not, this wedding would take place.
Meaning she should get used to the ideas that scared her now. The one that was hardest for her to bear was that they would expect her to have a child. Part of the reason this scared her so much was because of a lover she had while Tristan was supposedly dead. That lover had done horrible things to her and because of him, she wasn’t able to look at Tristan the same anymore. Every time he would touch her now, she’d think it was her ex-lover and have to force herself not to cry out or scream.
“Miss, it is time.” said a guard from the hall.
“It didn’t matter now. Time was up.
Walking into the Temple of the Gods, Helena heard the pianist playing, and the soft tune made her smile, softly, radiantly. She felt the eyes of maybe a hundred people on her. She was standing tall and facing forward, the veil in front of her face. She walked in step behind the flower girl, which, was her sister, Beth. Helen had been surprised at Beth’s offer to do this, since, she hated the wedding idea, but she didn’t object. If Beth wanted to accept defeat, Helen would let her.
Walking up to the altar, Tristan wasn’t looking at her, but he seemed to be forcing the political smile. Just like she was. She knew his real smile. His real smile would make her go weak at the knees. This smile did nothing to her except make her realize how much he didn’t want to be here or how much was on his mind. She swallowed and tried to ignore the bile that wanted to come up her throat when she saw her whore of a step mother in a dress that showed an indecent amount of cleavage.
“We gather here today before the Gods, God of War, Goddess of Love, Goddess of Life, God of Luck, God of Fortune, God of Truth, and Goddess of Knowing. May these Gods and Goddesses bless this union today!” The crowd cheered as seven bright lights swarmed Helen and Tristan, who, for the moment were clouded by the lights and hidden from the crowd.
“Are you ready?” Tristan asked her softly.
“As I’ll ever be.” Helen replied with a soft sigh. The lights went away and the crowd cheered.
“Prince Tristan Lee Drynmire, do you take this woman as your wife? To hold, love and care for, through sickness and in health?”
He had to stop himself from saying anything along the lines of- ‘Aye, yea, yes,’ and ‘sure, why not?’ He instead said, “I do.”
“Princess Helena Cassandra Teorten, do you take this man as your husband? To hold, love and care for, through sickness and in health?” Helen had been to enough weddings to know that he was cutting it short. Why, though?
“I do.” She said quietly.
“Then I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Lifting up her veil, Tristan smiled at her before kissing her gently. She felt the herself be knocked off her feet and she felt like she was flying while she kissed him. Her senses dipped in and out and her sense of time and place were slipping. She knew she was meant to be with him. She knew she was meant to love him as she did. At this moment, she was at total peace.
She looked out at the crowd and they were cheering. Looking up, she saw every god mentioned standing above them in a bright ghostly form. She smiled and knew they were behind her on this. They disappeared as an explosion went off at the door of the Temple.
Men dressed in gold and blue came in. Barloanians had just crashed the party and they were heading straight for her.
