When The End Seems Near

Dawn had a very boring life. Sure, being the heir to a kingdom, more accurately a queendom since it was a matriarchy, seemed like the best thing ever. She longed for her life to have excitement, as it was often filled with lessons on how to properly be diplomatic with other rulers. Especially with the queen of the tribe of Calway, as she had no female heirs. The queen of Calway had arranged with Dawn's mother, Queen Alexandra of the Keller tribe, for Dawn to marry Prince James of Calway so the domains may be united when it's time for Dawn to inherit the kingdoms. Following Dawn, her daughter will rule, and so on. Dawn wasn't excited about this marriage. She just turned 18 and had never met the man she was betrothed to, and she was supposed to marry him this evening. She was already in her bridal gown and accessories with her handmaids fixing her hair and makeup to be perfect, as a princess should be.

"Are you alright, Miss Dawn? You look down," one of the handmaids asked.

"I'm fine. Just pre-wedding jitters, I guess," Dawn answered. Pre-wedding jitters wasn't even the beginning of it. Dawn was absolutely terrified that her new husband would despise her or the way she ran her country. He didn't technically have a say in it, but Dawn cared about what her new spouse would think. The only things she knew about him were his name and his age. His name is James Mason Calway and he's 19 years old, one year older than herself.

The handmaid just nodded and continued to style Dawn's hair. Another handmaid painted red gloss over Dawn's lips and dusted a gold-colored powder over her eyes. Dawn was the pinnacle of beauty in her country. All the little girls tried their best to look like Princess Dawn, coloring their hair brown and styling it like hers and tailoring dresses that were nearly replicating Dawn's own wardrobe. Today was the only day where it was forbidden to try to look like her, which was ordered by her mother. The High Queen didn't want anyone trying to upscale her daughter on her wedding day, as it was to be a royal wedding to remember. The handmaids finished with Dawn's hair and makeup and brought a mirror to her.

"Are you pleased, your majesty?" one of them asked.

"More than pleased," Dawn responded. "What are your wages? I'll double it."

"We make £14 an hour, highness," one of them answered.

"Now you make £28 an hour. Take your children something nice on my behalf," Dawn said as she handed them each a bundle of pound notes.

"Thank you, majesty," both of the maids said as they scurried off. Dawn was now alone in her room and was in wait of her mother, who was to come get her when the ceremony was to start. Right on cue, Alexandra walked in.

"Are you ready?" she asked Dawn, who only gave a sad nod in response.

"I know how you feel about this, sweetie. I didn't want to marry your father, but if I hadn't then I wouldn't have you," her mother consoled her. Dawn's father was a warrior general of the Queen's Army and was arranged to marry Alexandra when she had turned 18. Her father was slightly older, being 24 when they married.

"I understand, mother. I must marry him for the good of the country," Dawn said as she stood up and faced her mother. "I'm ready."

Dawn walked down the aisle, surrounded with citizens of her country on one side, and citizens of Calway on the other. Her father walked with her to give her away at the altar, a standard practice at arranged weddings such as this one. Her betrothed stood only steps away, looking just as nervous as she was. She now stood opposite of him at the altar.

"We are gathered here today," the priest spoke. "To unify to countries with the marriage of Princess Dawn and Prince James. Please exchange the rings." James took a diamond ring off a felt pillow that was held by a small child, no doubt his brother, and Dawn took the flat platinum ring that was next to it. James slid the diamond band onto her left ring finger, and she did the same for him. The priest nodded towards Dawn's father who stood and spoke.

"I hereby give my daughter away as the new High Queen of the united countries of Calway and Keller," he said before taking his seat next to Queen Alexandra, who then stood.

"Dawn Keller, do you solemnly swear to protect your people in the countries of Calway and Keller and follow your royal duty to provide for them?" Alexandra asked.

"I do," Dawn responded.

"James Calway, do you solemnly swear to protect High Queen Dawn with your life and cast down any who try to overthrow her throne?" Alexandra asked James.

"I do," he answered. Alexandra took her seat again next to her husband as the priest continued to speak.

"James Calway, do you swear to love and honor your wife, to stay faithful and humble, for the rest of your earthly lives?"

"I do," James echoed his last answer.

"Dawn Keller, do you swear to love and honor your husband, to stay faithful and humble, for the rest of your earthly lives?" the priest repeated again.

"I do," Dawn repeated again.

"I now pronounce you High Queen and husband. You may seal your marriage with a kiss."

Dawn and James slowly brought their faces together to share their first kiss. It wasn't a blissful kiss of love, but a cold kiss of obligation.

"I take great honor in introducing for the first time, High Queen Dawn and Royal Consort Prince James," the priest announced your new titles. Dawn walked down the aisle; her arm linked with that of her new husband. She hoped she would grow to love him as her mother grew to love her father, but alas, she felt no love towards him. They both waved to their people as they made their way to the carriage that would circle them through the streets of Keller and then back to the palace, where they would have a weeklong honeymoon period while Alexandra still ruled.

After that one week, the two young adults would be thrusted into ruling a kingdom together and be expected to have children to inherit the kingdom. The more children they have, the more provinces the country can be divided into with each heir governing one province, and the oldest daughter becoming the high queen. Dawn essentially had the rest of her life laid out for her. She would run the country, bear children, and raise them with James to become leaders of said country. She had given it much thought and research. With the medicinal advantages the palace medical staff had discovered, childbirth would be a very intensive process but would be near painless. With this knowledge and her love of children, she had come to the conclusion that she wanted three, but she would discuss this with her husband as taking care of children was a joint effort.

Dawn and James sat side by side in the carriage and waved to the people they passed by. Most shouted their congratulations and well wishes; some children came up to try to give Queen Dawn a hug (in which she gladly stopped the carriage and hugged each and every child that wanted one); and others simply waved back. The royal family was loved by all, and this marriage was widely approved of.

It had been two hours and dusk was brushing the horizon. The carriage was making its way back to the castle where the newlyweds were to officially consummate their marriage, marking the first day of their lives not only as a married couple, but the new official rulers of their countries.

"Are you alright, my love?" James asked his wife as he helped her out of the carriage.

"I'm okay, darling, just a little tired," Dawn answered as she made her way up the steps to the main door of the palace. James trailed closely behind her.

"My mother described your beauty and even showed me a portrait of you, but nothing did proper justice to your perfection," James said. Dawn stopped in her tracks.

"Husband, I know what you're doing. Can you not wait until we get upstairs to make your advances?" Dawn spat her words like venom at James. She was in utter disbelief that a man she just met that day, albeit her husband, would be so eager to lie with her that he would make public advances. She didn't mind the advances but didn't want them to be proclaimed in a public setting. She continued to walk up the palace stairs with her baffled husband trailing behind her.

As soon as they were in the privacy of her bedroom, she faces James.

"I apologize for being so harsh, however please do not make advances on me in public," she stated in a very flat tone. She wasn't upset, just uninterested in the conversation.

"I apologize for making the advance. Do I have your permission to make advances now that we are alone?" James was careful about asking, not wanting to upset his wife. He had been told everything about her and fell in love with her before he even laid eyes on her. Dawn simply nodded in response. And thus, they consummated their marriage and fell asleep wrapped in each other's embrace.