Thirty four (2)

It has been a week and four days that we have been locked inside this room, everyday Gwenn tries something new and dangerous, she is the only one who have strength for that, although most times we suffer because of her attempts at what she say will free us, I don’t point it to her that based on we don’t know where our horses are or the fact that we don’t know our way out of this place, we will be caught within two hours and quite frankly, some of her means of freeing us are hilarious but creative, especially when she knocked out the guard that brought us food and they didn’t feed us for an entire day after that.

Today she was planning killing the guards who bring the food and steal their keys to the door, I don’t point it out to her that they might not have the keys to the open the full door which we can pass through. This time she might succeed in the killing of the guards, she had made weapons out of the thinking in the room and although I recommend her for her resourcefulness, I could not tell her that it was hopeless. Yes we will leave here and yes it was soon and it comes with a price but it was the only option and everything will work out fine in the future.

The door swung open just as Gwenn rushed to attack who was coming in and within a minute, she was pinned to the ground unable to move. “There there, my little spitfire. It is not nice to attack your host.” The prince voice filled with warmth said.

“I am not your little anything, release me so that I can kill you, how Dare you treat me this way when you are not half of who I am, I will kill you just you wait.” I promised as the prince sighed.

“I need to invest in a gag.”

“You might.” I tell him as I moved towards him.

He smiled at me as I approached, he was goading me but I refuse to be angry. “My Lady, how have you been? Sorry that I could not find the time to visit since…”

“You had the time, you just kept us waiting because you wanted to but you need us as much as we need you. After all, the news that your power will soon be given to your brother, he is the legitimate choice even if you are the first son.” I struggled not to smile with glee when my words removed the smile from his face.

“Take everybody apart from Lady Themis, Lord Orel and Lady Gwenn from the room and leave us.” He ordered and within minutes the room was clear.

“How did you know that?”

“I have a gift that shows me the future, your highness.” I smiled at him. “Do you want to know yours?”

“No I don’t.” the prince said as my lips twitch at his answer.

“If you have no desire to help us, please let us know so that we will be on our way.” Orel said but the prince ignored him and continued to stare at me.

“Ignoring my husband is not the way to get my help.” I tell him as he glared at me.

“What makes you think that I need your help?” He questions.

“Maybe because you will be dead in less than a year without it.” I snapped at him.

“Stop acting as if you have all the power while you are my home.” The prince roared in anger.

“Pardon me, your highness.” I mocked him. “I am a little cranky when I have been locked up for a week. Maybe I asked for the wrong prince, I would have specified and maybe promised to support his claim and we would have been on our way home right now while you would have had a dagger in your chest.” I spat out.

“I am sorry.” The prince breathed.

“Forgiven, if you want to be saved, we need to come to an agreement fast.” I said.

“What?” the prince plays dumb as if he doesn’t know what I was saying.

“You can waste all the time you want but we are leaving here alive regardless we make a deal with you or your brother.”

“Fine, negotiations.” The prince said as he left Gwenn and ran his hand through his hair frustrated.

“And that is where my husband comes in.” I said as I looked at Orel who was glaring at me, he has every right to be furious, I never discussed with him what I dreamt about and now I am acting like he was my consort instead of me being his, when he is more calm he will realize why I did that and hopefully, he will realize it in time.

Orel faced the prince as he waited for the prince to state his own terms first. “We will not help you in the war, but we are allies. There will be trade between our empires in return, I want the hand of Gwenn in marriage.” He said.

“There is no way possible I will marry you. I rather run a sword through you…” Gwenn started to rant only to stop the moment that Orel raised his hand.

“Why her hand.” Orel asked.

“Because she is the only one here…” he lies and when he saw my face, he breathed out as he corrected his statement. “Because I need the backing of the Dar army. She is your honorary sister, she is related to one of the ruler of Dar.”

“Why?” Orel asked again as the prince breathes.

“I am the king choice of successor but my mother was not allowed to marry my father, he had another son, two years after my birth. This time from the bride chosen for him by the kingmakers. They want my younger brother to be the king in my place, the only way to make them stop their demands and prevent a civil war is for me to align myself with foreign royalty, and they would not want to create a war with another empire.” He explains

“But they will try to kill you through assassination.” Orel points out.

“They can try. I plan on it” He said.

“I cannot marry him.” Gwenn voiced.

“What are other possibilities?” Orel asked me, not facing me.

“This is the best one. She will be taken care of…” I started to explain as Orel sharp tone cuts through the air.

“That wasn’t what I asked you.”

“We make a deal with his brother, they kill him and his brother double cross us and leads to the death of the empire, we make a deal with the king makers, they shun us, and refuse to help us when we do need their aid.” I recited out keeping my head low, I could not have told Orel this when I had the dream three nights ago, he would have found another option. An option that will take the Dar Empire to war, immediately after this one which was already happening. The Empire would have been destroyed.

Orel nodded, he turned to look at Gwenn and whatever Gwenn saw on his face was enough to make tears fall from her eyes.

“I am so sorry.” Orel whispered brokenly as Gwenn collapsed into Orel arms crying. “He will treat you right, I will always check up on you.”

“The wedding has to be within the week.” The prince said uncomfortably.

“The least you could do is keep quiet and allow her to calm herself, the wedding has to be within the week, that doesn’t mean that the marriage has to start then. The marriage will start after the war.” I retorted.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Help for the war will be granted to us from you and after we win the war, she can start her new life.” He nodded.

“You are not allowed to visit.”

“Will both of us stop talking?” Orel rages. “Themis, you can conclude the bargain, after all you started it. Make sure you carry Gwenn worth of negotiations even if you don’t think that she is worth a lot. If we are selling my sister, the sales has to be worthy.” Orel added as I flinched, all the blood draining from my face. Orel hates me, he hates me for this even though he knew that I didn’t have a choice.

“You know that this isn’t my fault right.” I asked softly trying to convince myself that all will be right between my husband and me in the future.

“I know nothing of such, all I know is that, you agreed for her to come along even though you hate her then this happen and you knew but didn’t tell me.” Orel said as I closed my eyes in sadness. He was right. It seemed as if I planned everything, that I knew how it will go. That I am the one at fault

“Orel…” I started.

“I don’t want to hear it.” Orel stated.

“Please conclude the negotiations so that we can prepare for the inevitable and leave this place.” Orel cuts in as I nodded with tears in my eyes but I don’t let it fall.