The Arranged Marriage

As I sat on my stone balcony, I thought to myself, this is crazy. I already know my fathers intentions. This is so unlike him though.

“Miss Celia?” Aimee called from my room.

“Out here, darling!” I shout back

Her thin little body pops through the thick dark oak doorway. Her hazel eyes searching the balcony for me. Her jet black hair brushes her shoulders as she turns her head.

“King Montegumry would like to see you. He would like you to dress your best.” She quickly grabs the book out of my hand; pulling me out of the white chair.

She pulls me inside, through my massive bedroom and into my closet. My closet had three walls full of clothes. The fourth wall had shoes on the left side, accessories on the right side and a seven foot tall mirror in the middle.

“What does father have in store for me today? New lessons?” I said jokingly as I stood in front of the mirror.

Aimee walked towards the back corner, “I don’t know Miss, he just asked me to get you ready.”

“Hmm? Okay.” I undress and put the dress that Aimee grabbed on.

As Aimee fastened the back, I realized it was a brand new dress. Light pastel blue, short silky straps that bunched up just off the shoulders. The torso was squared and had jewels with little blue diamonds dangling down. The waste had a gold chain with blue diamonds dangling down over the skirt. The skirt was short and simple, it hugged my hips then went straight down to my ankles.

“I wonder what he wants?” I say out of curiosity.

“I really don’t know, Miss.” She grabs a blue butterfly hair clip and works on my hair. I watch her put half of it up in the clip and let the rest sit. She then grabs a blue diamond necklace and earring set out of my acceroies. I look back at myself in the mirror for a second before I watch Amiee grab a pair of light blue heels from my shelf.

“Sit please, Miss.”She instructs me, and I do as she says.

“Do you think it will be terrible?” I look ger in the eyes searching for the truth.

“I do not know, Miss.” She fastens the last shoe, “Let’s go to your father.” I follow her out of the closet, out of the room and into the hallway.

My room faces the east side of the castle so I got the garden view. I look down the corridor as a maid turns the corner, she quickly stops, curtsies, and then goes on her way. The corridors were massive. They had red velvet wallpaper, large thick dark oak beams on the ceiling with gold chandeliers. The windows were almost from floor to ceiling, and they were trimmed with dark oak. Red velvet curtains were opened to the sides to let the sunshine in. Paintings of our ancestors were on the walls and little tables with flowers and lamp sat against the walls, as well as a couple of gold benches with red velvet cushions. The flowers were lilies and roses.

As the corridor came to an end we turned left into another corridor. This corridor had doors on the right side and on the left side were three staircases. The two outer stairs went down, they curved in towards each other. The middle set of stairs went up to the third floor. The banisters were thick dark oak wood with hand carved flower designs all down the rail. The stairs were carpeted red velvet.

“King Montegrumy will meet you in his office.” Aimee says letting go of my hand. “I will see you later.”

“His office? Why…..Aimee!” She takes off before I could even ask her. I watch her head up the stairs and out of eyesight.

I face down towards the first floor and start to head down. I start to wonder why he wants to see me and what for, father usually wants to meet in his room, unless it is something extremely important. At this point I’m halfway down the stairs. What is so important that he needs to see me in his office? I finally reach the bottom of the stairs and turn to the right going right behind the stairs about thirty feet. I stood outside the door for a second. Took a breath, then knocked.

“Come in?” My fathers voice boomed from the other side. I pushed the door open, a round oak wood table sat towards the front of the room. In the back was fathers dark oak desk. Fathers left wall was full of shelves filled to the brim with books, files, and paperwork. My father stood at the far end of the oak table. Mother sat to his right. To his left were two gentlemen and a woman.

“Oh, Celia, have a seat.” He gestures to sit next to mother.

“Father, what’s going on?” I walk towards the seat.

“Just sit please, dear.” His blue eyes sparkle with glee.

I sit next to mother. I noticed her brown hair was in a braid today. “I like your hair mother.”

“Why thank you, dear.” She smiles at me.

“Celia, I want you to meet the Balenskies, The king,” He motions to a man in his sixties that looked very sick, near to death. He had green eyes and very thin grey hair. “The Queen,” She was a petite woman, also in her sixties, but she looked healthy as can be. Her hair was very long almost to her waist and it was grey as well. “And the Prince, Dante.” He had golden hair with green eyes. His features were perfect in every way. “They are from Sweedway.”

“Hello, I’m Celia, princess of Cordelie. Nice to meet you.” I looked each one of them in the eyes as I spoke.

“Nice to meet you, honey.” The Queen says sweetly. Her voice is soft like clouds on a sunny day.

“Now Celia, your time has come dear,” My father looks at me. “Dante is of age and will be getting the title of king soon.” He motions towards Dante. “He is looking for a wife and we are looking for allies. You are to marry Dante as our agreement to be allies.” He sits in his chair and shuffles through a couple of papers. He grabs a feather and dips it in ink, “Celia, do you understand everything that I just told you?” He looks up at me.

“Yes.” My voice is a little shaky.

“Dante Balenskie, do you understand everything I just told you?” He looks over at Dante. I glanced over to Dante, he was looking at me. Then looks at my father.

“Yes.” His voice was velvet soft.

“Perfect.” Father hands Dante a piece of paper. “Sign the bottom line.” Dante signs and hands the papers back.

“Alright, a deal is a deal Dante, Celia, wedding sooner than later. The king doesn’t have much time left. Celia you have until….When does your plane leave?” My father looks at the king.

“In the morning.” His voice was raspy.

“Celia you have until tomorrow morning to pack everything you want to take with you. Balenskies make yourselves at home. A maid or butler will find you when dinner is ready.”

Everyone started to leave but I stayed and waited until everyone except my father, to leave.

“Father, I understand it is for the best, but I don’t know the man.”

“Cleia please, get to know him as you guys plan the wedding.”

“Do you even know the man?” I ask.

“No, Celia, but I know his father and his father is one of the greatest Kings I know. I believe in that boy just like I believe in you honey. You got this okay?”

He stared into my eyes with seriousness. I stared back. Hoping this was not for nothing.

“Okay.”