Hasty

"You may enter" said Alaric as she looked up from his table.

"Your Majesty you called for me?" asked Lady Marli as she stepped into Alaric's office.

"Yes Please sit down" said Alaric as he gestured that she sit down in front of him.

"Thank you your Majesty" said Lady Marli as she sat down.

"Is there something that you enquire of me?" asked Lady Marli, as this was the first time that Alaric had personally summoned her into his office, it meant that he had something very important to discuss with her.

Lady Marli was the keeper of the woman, which was a title she inherited from her own mother, who received it from her mother, and so on and so forth, but the truth of the matter was that there were no longer woman being kept in the castle since the beginning of Alaric's reign.

"Yes Marli, there is something very important that I enquire of you" said Alaric.

"Enquire away Your Majesty" said Lady Marli.

"I am at your service my King" said Lady Marli as she bowed.

"It is about the Festival of the virgins" said Alaric.

"What about the festival your Majesty?" asked Lady Marli.

"I want to know what happened" said Alaric.

"Well your Majesty, everything went according to tradition, the usual things that happen during the festival took place" said Marli as she was not specific.

"I do not mean in that manner of way" said Alaric.

"What I am referring to is the festival itself" said Alaric.

"I want to know what your opinion is on the matter" said Alaric.

"My opinion?" asked Lady Marli.

"Yes, your opinion" repeated Alaric.

"Well your majesty forgive me for saying this" said Lady Marli.

"But if you enquire from me, I believe that the Festival was hasty" said Lady Marli as she spoke up what she was thinking.

"Hasty in what way?" asked Alaric.

"Well your majesty, the festival's conclusion was rather rushed in my opinion" said Lady Marli.

"Elaborate more Marli" said Alaric as he was ready to listen, this was the main reason he had called her here in the first place, he wanted to know her thoughts towards Liam's truly hasty decision.

"Well your Majesty, after sending in the maidens one by one, one particular maiden supposedly caught the eye of his highness the prince" said Lady Marli

"And after she departed from his chamber" said Lady Marli

"The Prince called me to inform me not to send in any more maidens" said Marli.

"I was surprised because not even half the maidens had entered his chambers, and yet he told me to not send any more maidens" said Marli

"I was perplexed, but I could only follow the orders I was given, and that was how the festival was concluded, rather abruptly I might add" said Lady Marli.

"I see" said Alaric as he seemed to be thinking.

"Yes your majesty" said Lady Marli.

"Is anything the matter your majesty?" said Lady Marli as she just had to ask, it was peculiar for his Majesty to investigate something this deeply.

"No Marli, nothing is the matter" replied Alaric.

"Thank you for your honesty" said Alaric

"It is my pleasure your Majesty" said Lady Marli.

"I am at your service" she said as she bowed.

"I am aware of that now" said Alaric.

"You may take your leave now" said Alaric

"Thank you your majesty, if there be anything else you require, please do not hesitate to enquire of me" said Lady Marli.

"Thank you Marli" said Alaric as Lady Marli stood up and she left Alaric's office leaving him with his thoughts.

Alaric was in doubt, he had his doubts about this whole situation, he did not know why, but he had a strange feeling about the woman Liam said that he was going to marry, since he had heard her name this morning, an unusual feeling enveloped him.

He felt that this maiden named Diwura was not ordinary, his heart trembled at the strange feeling he was panicked at the idea.

He did not know if it was only an illusion, or a premonition, but his heart could not be at rest until his son Liam returned from his duties.

"My lady, what happened??" asked a maid as she ran after Lady Marli.

"Dawn, what have I told you about running in the castle" said Lady Marli as she kept on walking.

"I am sorry My lady" said Dawn as she bowed her head and she slowed down her pace.

"It is alright Dawn" said Lady Marli

It would be an understatement to say that Dawn did not respect lady Marli, she was the perfect example of grace, poise and elegance, the way she raised her head up high and she walked like a dignified lady.

Dawn wished that she could be just half as elegant as Lady Marli.

"My Lady, why did his majesty call you?" asked Dawn as she steadied her steps.

"He wanted to be informed concerning the events of the festival" said Lady Marli.

"Really??" asked Dawn as she was surprised.

"My Lady, that only means that the Prince has chosen a wife" said Dawn as she could not keep her mouth shut.

"It would seem so" replied Lady Marli as she did not hush Dawn seeing as they appeared to be the only ones in this part of the castle.

"That was rather quick My Lady" said Dawn.

"The correct term is hasty Dawn" said Lady Marli.

"But what are we to do? It seems that the Prince has been smitten" said Lady Marli.

"We can expect to hear wedding bells tolling soon" said Lady Marli.

"*Gasp* My Lady, in winter??" asked Dawn as she was surprised.

"It is the Prince's decision and it seems that he is one to go after what he wants" said Lady Marli.

"I can understand that My lady, but in winter???" asked Dawn.

"It matters on if the Prince wishes" replied Lady Marli

In Wyverdale getting married in winter was a sign of bad luck, there were no wedding in winter, they were rather left for Summer, Autumn or Spring, it was a certain belief in Wyverdale that a couple who got married in winter would never stay together, due to the origins of their Kingdom.

That was why Dawn was so concerned, but then again Liam was not one to follow Traditions and he did not care about old tales, if he wanted to get married in winter, he would and nobody would stop him from doing so.