Two

Vivian nodded to the armed guards on either side of the throne room doors. They each placed one hand on a handle and pulled them open slowly. Vivian approached her father and brother as they sat side by side at the head of the throne. Ethan, her brother, stood when she entered. She could tell he had been training. His tousled brown hair covered half of a bruise on his forehead right below where his crown rested and just above familiar dark green eyes.

Ethan Gray became a quiet and serious man since her father began training him just two years prior. He was almost unrecognizable to Vivian, as if the playful older brother of her childhood no longer existed. He had a rigorous schedule of daily combat and strategy training, which was followed by marriage meetings, none of which seemed to stick.

"Vivian," her father's deep voice echoed in the marble hall. Stone pillars elevated a ceiling at least four times her height and wood crackled from fireplaces on either side of her. The only light in the room came from two small windows behind her father, making it appear as though he was a shadow in his throne.

"Father, brother," Vivan kneeled before her family and stared at the stone floor beneath her. She attempted to mask her trembling by tightening her fist into the cold rock.

"Look up," Ethan said. She did.

Her father stood, and moved into the light. Maximus Gray was a tall and foreboding man, streaks of grey peppered his black hair and clean beard. A long red cape dragged behind him over the floor as he approached his daughter.

Vivian couldn't quite read his expression. He seemed worried, but he was smiling at her. She stood as he pulled her into his arms. Maximus had always shown his only daughter the utmost caring and compassion, but since the death of her mother he had not held her like this. She wrapped her arms around him, though over his thick plate breastplate, her fingers did not meet behind his back.

"My darling, I've something to ask of you," He released her gently. For the first time she felt as if he was looking at her as a princess, rather than as a child. She stood straighter,

"Anything, father."

She noticed Ethan looking away from her, as if he wanted nothing to do with the interaction. It pained her to feel the distance between them. She kept her face calm as she leveled her gaze to her father's.

"We are on the verge of war in our Eastern Kingdom. Those of the South and West push toward us with the intent to remove our family from the throne," the king's voice seemed to bellow in the throne room in such a way that Vivian could feel it in her chest. It was at moments like this that she only imagined the way he commanded an army on the battlefield. He continued,

"Their joint army is twice what we have here in available men and women. In order to win, we must form an alliance with the Northern Kingdom, it is the only way."

"Why would they want to remove us father?" Vivian felt fear rising in her throat and her words came out choked.

"They see the success of the East and they envy it. They think us conquerors that seek their land," he began pacing in front of her,

"They believe they must stop us before we can act. I have tried to explain that I have no intention of expanding the Eastern Kingdom, we have problems here we must address. They will not see reason. We have only six months before they will launch an attack."

"Six months?" Vivian's heart leapt up her throat. She placed a hand on her chest to stable her hastening heart rate. She glanced to Ethan but he continued to show no emotion; he'd known about it far longer...

"But father... what could I possibly do to help secure an alliance, or win a fight?"

Ethan scoffed just loud enough that she noticed it. It wasn't that he was upset with her, she realized, it was that he disagreed with whatever the King was about to say.

"The King of the Northern Kingdom ascended the throne just two weeks ago. He is holding marriage meetings. I have sent word for him to postpone any meetings until he meets you. A political marriage is our only hope to secure an alliance quickly between the two countries. Considering the threat to his kingdom as well, he has agreed to marry you," Maximus held a large letter out toward Vivian.

Marriage? Marriage was the furthest thing from Vivian's mind. Let alone an arranged marriage. Such a thing was unheard of in the Eastern Kingdom.

"And I have no choice in this?" Vivian whispered. Finally she made eye contact with Ethan, whose eyes betrayed the sadness he felt,

"So I'm to just leave here and marry this man I've never met? And when will I return?"

Her father grasped her trembling hands in a warm solid grip, slipping the letter between her hands,

"You have a duty to your people to see this through. This is your God-given duty as the only daughter of the Gray family," his words were harsh but his tone was kind, "It is safer, my love, if you are not here. It is possible that with war looming, assassins or spies could be sent. I will send you on this journey with a small, talented group. You alone can save the Eastern Kingdom."

Vivian felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She was always raised that her duty was first to her people and then to herself... why was it so hard to put in practice? Leaving her home and all of its memories seemed impossible. She knew nothing of life outside the palace, how was she supposed to become a Queen?

She wanted to somehow slap herself into focus. She knew that this was something she had to do, so why was it so hard? She would have to get stronger if she was going to save her kingdom. She needed to accept the situation and do what was needed of her. Vivian pulled her hands from her father and looked down at the vanilla-colored envelope in her hands.

Gently she tugged at the edge of the envelope until it ripped open. Beautiful blue embellished stationary unwrapped from the inside with cursive lettering painting the page. It read:

To my betrothed,

I look forward to meeting you and seeing the Queen that you will become to the Northern Kingdom. Your father, King Maximus Gray, speaks highly of you.

I hope that, for the first time, our countries will be allied together through our union. I promise you a beautiful life here in the Northern Kingdom.

I've attached a physical representation of our betrothal with the hope that it will make your journey easier.

Warmly,

Stefan Blue

A physical representation... Vivian squeezed the envelope in her hands and a pendant fell out, attached to a white gold chain. On the pendant was engraved the signet of the Northern Kingdom, the outline of three mountain peaks covered in snow. At the base of the peaks was a string of blue sapphires, representing the pendant belonging to royalty. Vivian shoved the paper into the pocket of her over-coat, and secured the pendant around her neck. Her father was smiling at her,

"Thank you, my love."

"I will do my duty for my people," Vivian affirmed, standing taller in her own resolve and acceptance, hiding her shaking fists so that they would not give her away.

"I will lend my Guard Captain and finest stealth agent to your team to ensure your safe passage. Our Guard Captain has also assured the presence of four archers. You will ride by horseback, moving only during the day," the King was looking at her more seriously than he ever had, "Ophelia has packed your things by now, you must go as quickly as possible. They should be at the palace gate waiting for you."

With that, Vivian was ushered out by two guards. Ethan had actually turned his back at that point. She wondered why he seemed to disagree so fervently with her father's methods. Was there another way to secure the alliance? If there was, she was determined to find it on her own. Marriage or no marriage, Vivian was certain that she would find a way to save her people from being slaughtered in war.

As the palace gates entered her sight, she forced her legs forward to meet her six new companions.