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The Silent Princess - Chapter 67

Published at 7th of April 2019 09:19:12 PM


Chapter 67

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Usoa pulled her lips into a smile, prepared to apologize for her quick departure. Her father's face met her, eyes like flames, light sparking from him. He's never been this upset with me, she thought quickly as she lifted her hands to apologize, to soothe the man who had always been gentle and sweet with her, much to the first wife's upset.

She paused as she became aware of what stood in front of her. The game had stopped, everyone's eyes were locked on the Emperor's canopy, including the players who should be currently locked in gameplay. Why they were not was clear.

Ferran sat before her father. His body bent, his knee on the ground, his head pressed low.

"This man," her father said slowly, one thick finger pointing down at her would be lover's prone body, "has requested your hand in marriage. What is the meaning of this?"

Her lips parted and she turned to Ferran in shock. She had no words to answer her father, Ferran's actions were just as erratic to her as they were to her father.

"With all due respect, my lord, my heart belongs to your daughter. I cannot let her leave these lands without trying."

His words struck a cold cord in her that swept through her body. She turned her wide eyed gaze on Ferran, confused by his words, his actions. It's an affront to purpose marriage while we're celebrating my sisters, you dishonor my father, she thought frantically but there was no way to say so, it would only make things worse for the man who now, for the sake of his heart, would face losing his head.

Around her ankles she felt the gentle touch of Lloren's shadows again and she glanced over to find him, back in his seat, his eyes focused on her. She shrugged, the smallest of movements, unsure of what else to say or do.

"Is this your man?" her father barked kicking the prostrate Ferran who bent at the force of it but did not fall. Her father, she realized, had held back. His body had been honed in years of training. Ferran, though a soldier, would be no match for him.

They'll execute him if I say no, she thought frantically. She nodded.

The shadow threads that touched her skin faltered and stilled for a moment before tightening on her. She glanced at Lloren again and found his eyes had turned to her father and Ferran, a frown on his lips.

Her father turned back to the man on the ground who rightfully kept his head lowered, his body folded and small. She watched as her father's lips turned into a sneer and growling he asked a question she did not expect at all. "Usoa! Speak quickly! Do you return this man's affections for you?"

There was no time, his life hung in the balance and her heart could not mean more than a full life. She nodded, the head movement a lie as she felt little for him she realized but it sealed their fates, locking them together.

"I cannot approve this union. Not while my younger daughter is to be celebrated. You have both brought shame onto your heads," her father's voice boomed, sounding throughout the field. He paused, letting the weight of his words press on them.


She felt the press of shadows, so thin they were nearly invisible, against her fingers. They wrapped around her digits and inched up her wrists, resting against her pulse, holding her hands still. Below her skirts they wrapped around her ankles anchoring her to the ground as if he knew by some strange ability that given the chance she would run, her legs carrying her away from everything that unfolded in front of her. It took her the long moment of her father's silence to realize that Lloren's threads were stroking the hollows of her wrist as if to calm her pounding heart.

"This man who is not of standing to appear before me and ask such a thing deserves punishment!" her father bellowed. "But it is taboo to bring death when we are to celebrate a marriage! So in honor of Princess Esti, kindness be her name, he will be spared."

Usoa glanced at Esti where she sat next to her prince. The girl shot daggers at her but her intended stared at the spectacle, a sick light in his green eyes, his pink tongue licking at his lip absently as if he tasted something in the air. Usoa released her breath and the threads on her fingers began to loosen, slipping downward.

"But not without punishment!" her father's words filled the tent and she watched Ferran flinch, his head still bowed.

"No word will be given on my daughter's hand. This man must serve! He will accompany the princesses to the Dark lands. He will serve as their guard. If he follows his duty well, then he may be, in time, rewarded with the honor of asking for my daughter's hand again."

Usoa watched in shock as Ferran peeked up, a small smile on his face.

"Twenty lashes!" her father ordered and the smile dropped from Ferran's face. He would still be punished, but at least left alive.

Two guards appeared from the their cloaks of light and hauled him up by his arms. He turned to Usoa, his dark eyes locked on hers, lips in a straight line. He expected her to do something.

She shifted to move her arms, to say something but the shadows that had petted her so gently held her arms down fast. She looked at Lloren but his eyes were turned to Ferran. She tried again and the shadows held her, invisible ropes.

Why is he keeping me from speaking, she thought nearly panicked. The air around Ferran and the guards shimmered and rippled. A moment later, they were gone, the guard having wrapped him in a shield of light to remove him.

The shadows loosened on her. I'm sorry, father. I didn't know he would do that, she explained.

"We will speak later, daughter. Take your seat. There's still time left in the game," the Emperor spoke curtly as he took up his chair. He motioned for a servant to bring wine and clapped for the game to begin afresh, a new player to take the spot that Ferran had vacated.

Did you plan this, Esti asked quickly while Guifre spoke to the Emperor.

Usoa shook her head and took the offered cup from the servant, thankful for the calming effects of the drink on her system, the tart taste strong but welcome after the trying ordeal. Around her wrists, the shadows that she could feel but not see stroked her skin as the game started and attention moved away from her. She found their touch curious but in the midst of everything else, not unwelcome.

A hand touched her shoulder and looked back to find her brother, a small smile on his face. He had been so silent during it all, so well hidden in his seat she had forgotten him. "Don't worry sister, it's going to be fine."

He grinned, clicked his cup against hers and then returned to the girl that had amused him before, leaving her alone with the strange touch of darkness and a troubled heart.




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