Chapter One: Cursed Bride
Dressed in all white apart from the sheer blood red colored veil that draped over her face, the cursed princess was offered up like a sacrificial lamb.
She walked alone down the aisle of the holy place. It was silent. There was no chatter, instruments, or cheering. It was just quiet and lifeless even though a decent sized crowd of witnesses was gathered around the edges of the aisle. There were no friendly faces among the crowd as her father and Kingdom had already abandoned her long ago. Only strangers were here to watch this unfortunate matrimony. They all wanted to see the cursed girl being given away to a cruel king.
There was no mercy. There was no protest. No one wept nor prayed for her. To them she was probably not worthy of their tears or mutterings. Not even the lingering departed souls cried as they watched her be given away like this. They just stared with open glossy eyes and wide grins that looked like they wanted to swallow her whole.
Spirits were gathered everywhere, attaching themselves to almost every person gathered today. Only Charlani was able to see them. A cursed princess indeed, though seeing the dead was far from being the only cursed ability of hers.
She ignored the frightening ghouls as she focused her attention forward.
King Edgar Jaspher Alistar III was standing on the candle lit steps of the altar as she slowly approached closer. He wore the traditional cloak and armor of his country; dressed entirely in the colors of gold, red, and black. A gold crown encrusted with colorful precious gems sat upon his head.
All a person would need to know about him could be told by the cold look in his dark green eyes. This was not a man whom she felt lucky to wed.
She wanted so desperately to run away, but her feet only moved her forward towards this man who was only but a stranger.
Even with the veil slightly obstructing her vision she could see enough to know he is what would be considered handsome. Tall with broad shoulders, dark blonde curls of hair that fell to the nape of his neck, and light stubble marking his chin. Still, despite his handsomeness there was an unapproachable air around him. The closets she got the more she felt wary.
As she reached the altar, he instantly helped her up and pulled her to stand next to him. She looked towards the holy man who stood before them dressed in all red holding the book of the people. His people of course, not her own.
The ceremony began as the holy man spoke a hymn in a language that she could not understand. The spirit of a dead man hung off his shoulder mockingly; however, the holy man is unaware as he continued on.
After what seemed like an eternity of chanting the holy man finally grabbed the arm of the king of Alistar and arm of the princess before he joined their hands together.
He spoke, “We are gathered today to witness the merging of two. King Edgar Jaspher Alistar III of the Alistar Kingdom and Charlani Fae Barlow, second Princess of the Barlow Kingdom.”
The holy man then started to chant again in the unfamiliar language. As he chanted, the dead man that hung off his shoulders continued to make funny faces at Charlani. She ignored him as she turned her head the other way.
After a while the holy man let go of the hands of the two who were being wed, but their fingers stayed intertwined together as in tradition.
“With this I bind your hearts forever. May this be a treaty of peace between two warring kingdoms. Long live the Kingdom of Alistair and may peace befall between the neighboring Kingdom of Barlow.” The holy man preaches loudly.
Edgar purposely gripped Charlani’s hand hard as he used his other hand to lift up her veil. His grip is too hard that it started to hurt but she refused to let herself show any signs of pain or discomfort.
For the first time they are directly face to face.
She noticed quickly that there was no kindness in his eyes. The dark emerald color was like an abyss. Void and emotionless. The souls that clung to him broke their silence as they began to sing a song of warning that his intentions were not pure.
Of course, his intentions were not pure. This was a marriage of business, not love. She could not understand why he had willingly chosen to marry her. She could not understand what thoughts he must have had.
For Edgar it was an easy decision. This young lady who was promised to him was told to have had a power he could never dream of. A power most people feared yet he envied and wanted to control it. He leaned in closely enough that she felt his breath tickle her cheek. “You are more beautiful than what the King of Barlow made you out to be.” He whispered out. Those words would usually be said sweetly, but they were merely a taunt. Her beauty was not what he was after, but it was indeed a pleasant surprise.
She knew he cared nothing of her beauty, but she did not speak a word about it. She took in a deep breath and bite down on her tongue to keep quiet. She could not hold but her intense stare full of discontent.
Neither of them broke eye contact.
Edgar then leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Charlani did not respond or even dare to flinch. She just stood stiff and nerved by the display of affection-less affection.
"Be kind and patient, yet fierce and strong.” She heard the words spread through my mind like wildfire.
As if in a sudden rush she could feel the presence of my mother’s soul as it brushed against her shoulder. She closed her eyes for a moment as she absorbed her strength and took in those wise words. By the time she opened her eyes her mother’s presence was gone.
She now felt a sense of calm as the ceremony came to a close at last.
