Chapter Four: I Swear to Protect
Decorations, bouquets, and music filled the hall. She could smell the meals being made and it made her mouth watered, but she didn't give in.
Right now, she was standing in front of the royal family dressed in her knight regalia. Her father and uncle by her side in their regalia because today was a special day.
The day the prince finds a bride.
She reined in her emotions as she stood tall facing forward. The king and queen in their beautiful trimmed clothing and the prince, looking formal and cleaned up.
She wanted to laugh at that.
Garret rather run around the fields instead of dressed up to play his role. Yet she couldn't laugh. This was not the right time or place.
"Lynn Harlow," the king spoke up and stood, "you have been recommended by both your uncle and father for your strength and your prowess," there's a short pause and she avoided looking at Garret, "you will be my son's protector and protect his life over yours. Do you understand?"
"What?!" she heard Garret scream.
"Do you understand?" the king repeated and Lynn felt the tightening of her chest.
"Yes my king," she bowed slightly.
"No! Lynn, you can't-" Garret tried, but his father, the king, spoke above him.
"Bring in the mage," the king called out and she was confused. The mage? She wondered why the king would request him.
"My king," the mage in his royal purple robe walked through the hall and paused beside her uncle's right.
"Today is the day for what we spoke of," the king nodded to the mage, "Lynn has sworn to protect my son over her own life. Let this union be tied into the gem."
The gem? What was the king talking about? Was her word not enough?
"Very well, my king," the mage bowed and stood in front of her.
"My king, if I may, what are you planning with the gem?" her father spoke up.
"You will see," the king answered and waved at the mage to continue.
The mage revealed an ice blue gem shaped as a diamond. The one inch diamond floated up standing over the palm of the mage.
"Father, please don't do this," Garret begged rushing forward to where they were.
"Go on mage," the King stated and Lynn felt her heart beat quicken. She wasn't sure what the king was planning, but she knew if Garret didn't like it, then she probably wouldn't either.
"Mr. London! Please stop whatever you are doing. I beg of you," Garret tried to step in front of her, but his father held him back.
Lynn caught Garret eyes and he was still trying and begging that they don't finalize this, that she should not be his protector. If she were his protector, then she could not be his friend.
Their friendship is all that she could have left with him, but she wouldn't even be allowed that.
[["My king and queen, did you request me?" Lynn asked with a smile.
"Lynn," the queen greeted as they stood before her and her father.
"You are twelve now, isn't that right?" the queen asked with a smile.
"Yes," Lynn nodded happily with a grin, "I will be thirteen in a month's time."
"My son will also be thirteen soon," the queen said slowly, "he would need to prepare to be a proper prince."
"Okay," Lynn nodded unsure where this conversation was going.
"He would not have time to play with you," the queen continued.
"Oh, we can play when he takes his breaks. I don't want him to miss his duties," Lynn said softly.
"No, that won't do," the queen shook her head and let out a sigh.
"The prince will marry a princess," the king announced and she felt her frown on her lips.
"A prince should not be caught playing with someone who is not royal," the queen added looking straight at her.
'Someone who isn't me,' Lynn realized what they were saying and she felt her tears filling her eyes.
"It is time for you to train for knighthood," her father spoke up looking at her and her eyes widened in shock.
Her father agreed to this? He agreed that she and the prince should not be friends?
"But I don't want to papa," Lynn said softly as she blinked the tears away.
"You will. You are my only child, my only heir to my lineage. You will become a great warrior," her father stated and Lynn dropped her head. Her heart was hurting and she was trying desperately to continue breathing.
They didn't approve of their friendship? Then they'll never approve of her love for him or his love for her. The promise they made to one another would never happen.
"Please, can't I just stay home? I don't want to be a knight and, and I want to be friends with the prince still. We could just play inside the castle walls," she tried as she wiped her eyes with her arms.
"No," the queen stated sternly, "you and the prince are not allowed to see one another. Do you understand child."
"But," Lynn cried softly.
"That is enough Lynn! You are being disrespectful to the king and queen. You do not speak back to them, do you hear me?" her father shouted and she felt so very alone.]]
"Do you agree to this arrangement?" Mr. London, the mage asked.
Lynn had to look away from Garret as she looked at the mage. This was a death sentence to her heart, but she had to do it.
There was so much riding on her and though it didn't make her happy, she knew where it would lead if she went against the royals. If she ran away with the prince like he mentioned, he would lose everything. She couldn't do that to him.
She loves him that much to know, even if he didn't realize it yet.
"Yes, I swear to protect Prince Garret with my life," she said softly and she could hear Garret screaming no before she felt pain.
She felt the gem pressed against her forehead, hot and burning, entered her. It was like her blood was leaving her body and her mind was fogging up.
Then she couldn't breathe and all she saw was blackness.
As soon as all those feelings came, she felt nothing. Opening her eyes, she saw the mage before her removing his fingers from her forehead.
"It is done," he stated and Lynn felt itchy where the gem resided.
"Good," the king stated with a nod.
"What does the gem do, my king?" her father questioned keeping his tone neutral.
"It is a statement of true loyalty to our kingdom," the king stated, "… mage, you may explain more."
"Thank you my king," the mage nodded, "this gem is infused with a spell."
"A spell, for what exactly?" her uncle questioned leaning in to look closer at the gem.
"The spell connects to the Prince's life. For if any harm comes to the prince, then Lynn would feel it," the mage stated to her father and Lynn felt like her body was swaying.
"Is it physical harm only?" her father questioned looking at the gem on her forehead.
"Yes," the mage nodded and looked at the king, "although it may be more than physical pain."
"You do not know?" her father's eyes narrowed.
"It is possible the different types of pain may be felt, but physical pain is confirmed," the mage stated in monotone as he looked at Lynn.
She was still trying to refocus from the whiplash of emotions she just felt. Blinking, she looked over to where Garret was, but he was no longer there and the queen was gone. She looked down and felt her heart was breaking.
'I'm sorry,' she closed her eyes forcing the tears back, I had to do it.
"Why now? Why my child, my king?" her father said and she felt his hand land on her shoulder.
"He is my heir Christian, we all know I will die one day," the king stated.
"Yet her words were not enough?" she opened her eyes to look at her father. There was a thinning of his lips and a small squeeze to her shoulder as he waited for an answer.
"I understand your confusion Christian, but know that my decision is final," the king stated with authority and walked away, "the other royals will soon be entering the castle. Be sure to have everything ready."
Lynn watched the king walk away and she felt a burning coldness inside of her. How dare he just spring this new contractual agreement at her! Did no one know of this, but the mage? She squeezed her hands into fists, biting her nails into her skin to ground her.
"Sir knight," the mage spoke up and continued when their eyes were on him, "I believe the king wanted assurance that no betrayal shall occur. He had many who turned against him during his reign as king and fear it would come again."
"My daughter would never betray the royals," her father barked gritting his teeth.
"Maybe she will be the first of many," the mage said calmly.
There was a silence, deafening and tense.
"I will speak with the other trainees and knights to remind them of their posts," her uncle said into the quiet and left.
Lynn watched her uncle walk away with his shoulders squared and tensed. Glancing at her father, whose hand was still holding her shoulder, he let out a deep sigh and a frown graced his face.
"Kurt," her father said quietly, "do you truly believe the King would adopt this new contract to the others?"
There was a short silence.
"I do not know Christian," the mage answered letting out a sigh through his nose and looked at Lynn, "if you feel any type of pain that you do not understand, come to me."
Lynn nodded and the mage walked away.
"Are you okay? Truly," her father questioned making sure they had eye contact with one another.
She nodded and offered a small smile of reassurance. She felt a soft squeeze against her shoulder before her father turned to walk out. She followed still feeling the itch of where the gem now lay.