The royal armoury

"What effrontery she must have, rebuffing me violently like that," Aeon says to Fabian. He pulls out a sword from its scabbard, swings it around, and then replaces the weapon.

"Easy does it," Fabian says.

"That has always been your problem, Fabian. You are too used to playing the gentleman that you don't see simple things." Aeon says.

"She isn't even beautiful. I think her most striking feature is those hazel eyes. She is as plain-faced as every other commoner." He laments bitterly.

"You said her eyes are hazel-coloured. She must be beautiful," he swoons.

He glared at him and said, "I don't think she is. She is a mere peasant, and she was wearing a dress befitting her status when I saw her."

"Soon, her status will change to royalty. Perhaps then she will look beautiful to you when she wears the dress that befits royalty," he says, and this made Aeon scowl. "You do not love this lady or care about her. Why then are you annoyed about her rejection?" Fabian asks in his usual good humour.

"I have been crowned Prince of Jade. Men are intimidated by me, and women adore me. Why should a common peasant girl refuse me?" Aeon says.

He is as proud as he is violent.

"I say you are jealous."

"Why should I be jealous?"

"That is still a mystery."

"I am only doing this to protect my inheritance. She will never mean anything else." Aeon says.

Fabian does not reply. How does one respond to such talk? He is rather concerned about what Zeal has told him. It wasn't too late to convince Aeon not to marry Olivia; then he will become king. Morality gains the upper hand, and Fabian decides he does not have the heart to think of such betrayal.

A sentry comes from the opposite direction into the armoury. It is a wide room filled with weapons of all kinds. For kingdoms around, Jade was reputed to have a well-equipped armoury and was therefore feared in battle. The sentry's heavy armour rattles with every footstep he takes. He salutes the prince.

"The king requests every member of the royal family be at the great hall." Says the sentry. Aeon stares daggers at the young man. He is upset about how fast he is losing his father's favour since this began. Before now, he was never forced to appear at supper. Family gatherings were not his favourites, yet it seems all that is changing quickly.

"Thank you, Ian. We will be there." Fabian answers for both of them. Acknowledging the reply, the guard matches out as noisily as he had appeared.

"Ay, we should go. Your father doesn't like to be kept waiting, especially while the lamb grows cold." Fabian says. He takes the sword away from Aeon and drags him out of the armoury towards the great hall.

...

Olivia enters the great hall, escorted by Elsa. They meet Gail and Mara on their way out of the women's quarters. The four women are escorted by guards to the hall.

"I must commend Elsa for the splendid job she did with the outfit. She has always been one with an apt finger for the needle." Says Mara.

Gail stares at Olivia. Her breath catches in her throat. Olivia grows too conscious of herself with the fear that she doesn't look fitting enough to dine at the royal table. She looks down at her sandaled feet.

"You're beautiful, Olivia. Your beauty is as ravishing as the sun. Orel sure does breed fine women," gushed the Queen.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I owe the look to Elsa. She did the task well." Olivia says, forcing her eyes to focus.

"Well done, Elsa." Says Gail.

Elsa offered courtesies in acknowledgment.

The chatter of men in the great hall can be heard from a few metres away. Most of the king's most trusted guards were at the table too, and they were as loud as the soldiers were. Olivia's heart pounds in her chest so much that she fears it will burst from its cage. Being the object of men's appraisal is not something she is familiar with.

"The women are finally here," Lucas announces.

The royal men cast their eyes in their direction. A stunned silence envelopes the room. The tension is palpable. All the men are staring in one direction-at Olivia. Someone lets out a low whistle. Olivia stands rooted to the spot. Her head spins, dizzy from so much attention at once. Even the king stares for a while in appreciation but forces himself to look away. He clears his throat.

"It looks like the men love your outfit," Elsa whispers to Olivia.

"Stay near me, I beg you; I fear I am going to faint from so much attention," Olivia whispers behind her fan and gloved hands.

"I thought you said she was plain-faced. This damsel is not ugly." Fabian whispers to Aeon. They are seated at the head of the table, next to the king.

"Shut up," Aeon says to Fabian. His cousin, however, does not hear. Olivia's beauty also bewitched him.

Aeon pushes his chair back and stands up. He walks towards Olivia, covering the space between them in only six powerful strides of his long legs. He grabs her stiffened arm and pulls her towards the table. He clears his throat loudly, dragging the people out of the dazed state Olivia's beauty had caused them to enter.

They look at Aeon; they see his arm in hers, and they all look away. They knew Aeon better than to keep looking at his soon-to-be wife in that manner.

Aeon forces Olivia into the chair next to him, not too gently. He still grips her arm. She squirms and tries to pry the arm free from his firm grip.

"You're hurting me. Let go." Olivia whispers.

Aeon looks at her dumbly, as if he found it difficult to understand the simple request.

"I say let go. It hurts," she repeats.

Aeon still stares, unmoving.

"Aeon, please let go of the lady's arm. Your grip is too tight." Fabian whispers softly into Aeon's ear. Ever so slowly, Aeon lets go of Olivia's arm.

"Where is Zeal?" King Zakary asks.

"She has excused herself from being present tonight. She had business to attend to." Queen Gail replies.

"What sort of business does she think is more important than this gathering?" The king asks.

"I asked, but she would not say."

"Zeal, she grows more strange with each passing day. She needs a husband to occupy her thoughts." says the king.

He shoots Lucas a knowing glance, and the younger man looks away.

Royal maids lay out the food on the table. Everyone takes a good helping of whatever they like. The sweet smell of beef fills the air. Olivia, not used to such big feasts, piles her platter with vegetables and gravy.

"Eat up. You are too skinny. You should add some flesh." Aeon says to her.

"I am content with my body. Why don't you reduce the amount of meat you consume? You are too bulky." Olivia's retort was quick.

"You did not tell me she had a quick tongue and a temper that matched yours, too?" Fabian asks. He seems to enjoy the tirade going on between the two.

"Say that one more time, and I will drive my claws through your heart," Aeon warns Fabian, his teeth gritting.

The latter laughs.

"You," he says to Olivia, "eat up. I will not have a scrawny bride on my marriage bed." Says Aeon. A blush as red as beet juice grows on her cheeks. She hadn't thought of that aspect of the marriage, being lost in her misery and grief over her father's untimely demise. She hadn't allowed herself to think of her wifely duties.

"More reasons why I don't think I can do this." Olivia thought to herself. The fear intensifies with each thought of the wedding night and what was expected of her.

The king taps his golden goblet with his spoon to demand the attention of everyone present. The desired response is achieved as every man falls silent before the king.

"No one at this table is a stranger to Jade. So I take it you know of the recent happenings and my son's wedding, which comes up in two days. I present to you Olivia of the house, Kido, from Orel, daughter of the deceased Chad of the house, Kido." Olivia bobs her head in acknowledgment of the king's efforts to introduce her to the royal family.

"Olivia, that is your name," Aeon says to her, learning her name for the first time.

Olivia does not respond. The king fixes Aeon with a firm stare. That silences him.

"Olivia will be married to Aeon in less than two days. I hereby demand that everyone treat her as royalty and pay her the respect that her new status demands." Zakary says, looking at Gail, his wife.

The festivities at the table continue while the king and queen retire to their chambers. The young men left at the table kept up with the jokes.

"Mistress, you must retire now. The night grows late." Elsa says to her mistress. Olivia nods at her, grateful for the intervention to rescue her from Aeon's overbearing presence and the constant stares from the men.

"Yes, I must retire now." Olivia gets up and courtesies the people closest to her. Elsa escorts her out of the room.

"You said she was ugly. That woman is not at all ugly." Fabian says to Aeon as soon as Olivia and Elsa are out of earshot.

"I have no good explanation for that. Perhaps my eyes played a cruel trick on me." Aeon says.

"Surely they did. That woman is a goddess."

"That still doesn't change the fact that I do not want her."

"Then why did you grab her arm like that? Why did you rescue her from the hungry stares of the men?" Fabian says.

"I won't sit and listen to this nonsense," Aeon says. He pushes his chair back and stands up. Aeon goes to stand behind a pillar that overlooks the open platform, a goblet of wine in his hand. He looks at the hills and fields for miles beyond and imagines himself ruling over all of Jade one day in the future. He imagines Olivia by his side, ruling with him. Aeon shakes himself out of his reverie.

His blood pressure shoots up whenever he thinks about her. She made him crave things he never imagined he would want with her. He can't possibly be thinking about her in that way. He just met her for all he knows, and he knows next to nothing about her. Olivia is beautiful, but there were many beautiful women in Jade. He could always have one if he wished. He had the look and power that women would do anything for.

"Guy," he beckons to the guard standing nearest to him. The guards hurry to meet him.

"Go into the city and get me a beautiful woman. The most beautiful you can find. Go quickly. I want her with me within the hour." Aeon says.

The guard bowed and scurried off to execute his order.

He smiles a satisfied smile and goes to join the men at the table to await the arrival of the woman he has paid for.