Silk and Steel

Fate. Some believe and trust it with every fiber of their being, others believe and choose to ignore its voice out of resentment or fear. Some simply choose to deny its existence, turning their backs on it as they scoff at the very insinuation of the possibility. Ever since the birth of the first star in the sky, there has been the idea of fate. The idea that there is something bigger than yourself, promised by the cosmos, resonates with the mortal soul as a comfort; a tender caress of something far more important that awaits you, if you just keep pushing onwards towards the light.

This idea of fate has been shaken, however, for those caught in the tangled conflict between two powerful territories. Over the past 50 moons, tensions rose between the House of Alderfall and the House of Thalorien. While the battles have been short and scattered, the fighting has begun to chip away at the trust, and the idea of fate had begun to taste bitter on the tongue... What cosmos would place innocents in the line of destruction if it were not their destiny to be destroyed? What cruel alignment of the stars would allow such a devastating fate? And if this were the will of the promised end, why believe in such a thing at all?

Though all might not be lost, as both houses within the same year, the eldest offspring of the two kingdoms came of age. Upon the dawn of this news, an agreement would be made: If the two were to marry and combine their forces, they would be more powerful together and settle the conflicts once and for all. Perhaps the waiting and the wars will finally be worth the agony. All would be put to rest within the meeting of the two families to determine the details and demands. Tonight.

*+*

“Please dear, hold still.”

Was the only warning given to Princess Eira before the strings at the back of her dress were yanked roughly, the woven fabric constricting around her torso. Even with the bracing of her legs and the holding onto her vanity table, the force of her lady-in-waiting nearly topped her over. Once tied and smoothed, she was allowed to once again move.

“I thank you, Adeline. You never fail to tie me in a way that is both comfortable and practical.”

Eira turned to her assistant, the look on the old woman’s face beaming with pride, hands laced together at her stomach. She had been an assistant to the Alderfall family for as long as she could remember. Her hair, once remembered as a deep charcoal, now shimmering with a silver hue, face lined with wrinkles, most noticeably her laugh lines.

“Of course, darling! What kind of mistress of the robes would I be if I didn’t know how to fit my favorite Eira properly?”

A soft laugh resonated from the princess, looking up from the sprucewood top of her dresser to the mirror that sat atop it.

“A good question... And you speak as if you know another Eira! Have you been dressing other royal families behind our backs?”

“Oh please, I’m too fragile to travel all the way to some other kingdom in order to robe those who don’t respect me the way you all do.”

Behind her in the wood-lined mirror, she could see Adeline carefully rummaging through and plucking out jewelry and lace from her dresser that would pair properly with the silks she was adorned with. Eira’s eyes shifted back to her own reflection to occupy her while she waited. She examines her chestnut-colored eyes, settled beneath her hooded eyelids. She traced her hair as it draped over the sides of her face, a color like the wet, freshly turned soil of their farmers’ land, her locks usually harmonizing with the undertones of dark copper, though in this light it made the color look dreadfully flat.

She lifted her hand to her face, using the side of her index finger to swipe away a stray hair that stuck to her cheekbone, returning it to the mass of strands that frame her face. Eira gave a soft sigh, turning her head to face the other woman in the room, tracking her form as she made her way back to her, arms reaching over her shoulders to place a gold pendant around her neck.“...Adeline? Do you think that this betrothment will actually stop the fighting...?”

The old woman hummed softly, giving her a shrug as she clipped the ends of the necklace together

“Ah, who knows for certain? Though I believe that this decision was the last effort for both families to stop this senseless violence. All over land and power. The idea to combine forces instead of tearing each other down was bound to arise at some point.”

“I am certain that’s what is happening... I simply worry. I never imagined my parents as the type to trade me off.”

Adeline put her hands on her shoulders, squeezing Eira gently.

“Eira, don’t you dare put that idea in your mind! I can promise you that if they see anything distasteful about Prince Clement, they won’t hesitate to call off the deal. They might want peace, as we all do, but they care about you too much to bind you to someone who mistreats you.”

All Eira could do was nod. She believed Adeline and her words, but something about the idea of being courted by someone she’s never met before didn’t sit well in her stomach. She watched, deep in thought, as Adeline pulled her hair back to reveal her full face.

The door behind them opened, and the familiar clicking of heels and the particular walk pattern of her mother could be heard. Eira put on a smile for her reflection, unable to move her head to greet her mom properly. The sound of heels also made Adeline perk up from her work, finishing her hair before turning around with a pleased smile.

“Queen Margaret! I hope this is to your liking. I did my best to make sure she looked her best for the visitation today!”The queen smiled at the lady-in-waiting, nodding gently in confirmation.

“Yes, it looks quite nice. I appreciate the good work. I need to speak with my daughter for a moment alone, if you may.”“Of course, your majesty.”Adeline dipped down lightly in a bow, taking her leave from the room to allow them to converse.

“Now, Eira, once our guests arrive, I advise that you stay silent unless spoken to. We are unsure as to how exactly the Thaloriens will be in regard to those aspects, and if things do not end up going well, I wish to make sure that they at least see you in a positive light.”

“I understand, Mom. Thank you for telling me now in advance.”

Margaret stepped to her daughter, holding her by the shoulder and turning Eira to face her. She took a moment to look over her daughter’s features, brushing a part of her bangs to the side. She glanced at her mother’s hands, her long drooping sleeves sliding back to reveal the burned backs of her hands, the warped skin wrapping around her fingers; A scar from her old kingdom as she helped those within her past home out of the fire that burned her childhood palace down. It always made her sad to see the permanent damage the flames had done to her. Still, it was always cast aside by Margaret’s loving smile and attitude, paired with her father’s kindness over the scarring, taking every chance he could to hold her hands and kiss the skin that displayed a trophy of her bravery.

“My beautiful Eira... I’m sorry that things had to end up this way. As you know, your father and I only wish the best for you, and that if there were not this very sensitive instance, we wouldn’t have to do such a thing.”

Eira sighed softly, nodding slowly, her eyes shifting down to the floor to avoid crossing her mother’s gaze.

“Yes, I understand. This is simply an unfortunate turn of events. I am sure that the prince is feeling the same way... Maybe that is something that we may bond over.”

Queen Margaret laughed gently, a twinge of unease in her voice... If she knew how most young men in power were, he was most likely not feeling the same as her. He was most likely over the moon to have someone chosen for him, taking the guesswork and effort out of the entire thing.

“Right... Yes... That might be something to look forward to, I suppose! In any case, get yourself prepped; our guests should be arriving within the hour. I will leave you to your thoughts before you need to sit in the same room as all of us drab adults.”

As her mother left the room, Eira sat in silence for a moment, taking a second to look around her bedroom. She has seen these walls for years, growing up within the same four walls, and yet with each section of her life, the decor steadily changed. She could hardly believe that she had grown up so fast and believed even less in the fact that she was so lucky to be fated into being royalty. She looks down from her window at the bustling roads below her, overseeing the common folk as they live their lives.

While her heart ached with unease at being betrothed to a face she hadn’t known, the very fact that this marriage would provide proper protection and future security for her subjects made her willing to take that responsibility. The war was one matter that caused persistent stress to the royal family and to those around them, the other being the rate of crime as it increased beyond the safety of their walls. Caravan robberies and attacks have been spreading, and this made her worry and wonder about their guests as they made the journey to her home.

How were they to make it without conflict? Were they armed? Would they get lucky? If they were armed, how would that affect their entry without causing much friction with the guards? Though she was sure that everything would work out, the thoughts still crossed her mind. However, she hadn’t needed to think on this too long before a knock was heard at her door that pulled her from her mind. A soft voice came through the thick wood, the door creaking slightly as it opened just a crack.

“Your Highness...? They are arriving.”

She took this news to check over herself once more in the mirror, before folding her hands to her core and striding silently to the door, pulling it open to reveal their newest addition to the cook’s team: A short and slim girl with a blue, doe-eyed stare and short, straw-like hair, in both color and texture. She wondered for a moment why she wasn’t helping her father in the kitchen before remembering that this girl in particular was quite the clumsy one. He most likely didn’t want her to drop anything for such an important gathering, so he sent her to fetch it instead.

Eira gave the girl a smile and a proper thank you before moving past her. She tread down the dimmed corridors lined with unlit, scorched torches, down the stairs that led to the bottom floor. She took a moment as she walked to give a kind wave to the suited guards who stood watch at the door. Though neither of them ever greeted her back, as doing so would be breaking their duties, she liked to imagine that they wanted to. Looking away from the guards, she spotted her father: A tall, serious man with a salted beard and a head of red that sat under his crown.

She took her place beside him and her mom as they awaited the arrival of the house of Thalorien, the sharp fanfare of trumpets, and the call of their name signifying that they had indeed arrived safely. The doors open with a creak and a shake to reveal the Queen, her son the prince... And a tall knight at his side.