Arianna was rushing out of the library when she almost bumped into someone.
"What are you doing here!" Eliza said angrily, "You left you're husband to be and scurried off to the library?"
Arianna cringed at what Eliza called willow, 'her future husband'.
"I needed to calm myself—"
"Calm yourself?" Eliza interrupted, "Because of what?"
Before Arianna could answer, a maid ran towards them and curtsied. "Your highness, the king is wondering where the young princess went to"
Eliza turned back to Arianna with a glare and the latter rolled her eyes, "Take this to my chambers" Arianna said to the maid who left hurriedly.
"If you do not wish to incur the wrath of father, go to your husband to be, now" Eliza said, silk covered hands crossed against her chest. With a sigh, Arianna walked back to the throne room.
"Ahh, there she is" She heard King Alexander say to Willow who was standing next to him walked briskly to Arianna.
"You suddenly left, did I upset you?"
Arianna put on a smile as she curtsey, "Apologies your highness, I wasn't feeling quite well so I went to calm myself. But I'm better now." She said to see him give a sigh of relief.
"You know, you don't have to be formal with me, we're getting married soon, please just call me Willow" he smiled, his eyes sparkling lightly.
"Then you can call me, Arianna"
"Well then, would you mind taking a walk with me? possibly in the gardens, so I can get to know more about my bride to be"
"Ofcourse, your high— Willow" she immediately corrected herself.
"Father, your majesty, please excuse us" Willow bowed and the kings nodded, the previously annoyed lines on Arianna's father's face melted away, especially at the sight of the young couple leaving hand in hand.
In the garden, Willow and Arianna talked about many things as they walked through, potted violets and bright daffodils, amongst other flowers, enjoying their scents and beauty and while Arianna seemed to see that Willow wasn't exactly a bad person but still didn't want to marry him,
Willow on the other hand was very charmed by Arianna, especially by her looks and those captivating eyes. They talked about trivial topics, this time he didn't talk about manly things like; politics and war, he listened to her, though Arianna hardly said much. But she had to agree, he was a good company, but only that.
"So of all places to calm yourself, why the library?"
Now that Arianna thought about it, she really didn't know why she ran into the library, it wasn't that it was closer to the throne room, I mean, there were sitting rooms that were much closer but she had headed to the library. She probably did it on impulse or because no one would look for her there, but whatever it was she was glad because she had found that book, fake or not.
"I love the library," she explained. "The books there are captivating"
Willow shrugged, "the only books I read are maps"
Arianna smiled as she sniffled a yawn, "I hardly think maps can be considered as books your highness"
"Willow" he reminded. "You seem tired"
"I'm sorry, I just had a lot of preparations to do for today" she explained to see him hold her hands and gently turn her in the direction of the throne room.
"It's okay, I understand" he said, "It's no big deal, we both know the pre–engagement party is hardly for us—the betrothed. It's just for the guests to enjoy because they would hardly do that at the engagement party or the wedding"
Arianna nodded, it was true. According to the traditions that Lavanian and Gordesia share, the engagement party and the wedding are the shortest events, the engagement only involves their immediate family who come to witness the engagement ritual that only takes a few minutes to an hour and the wedding is just about signing the marriage papers and collecting gifts. it's the pre–engagement party that everyone looks forward to.
"To you enjoy walks through the garden?" Willow asked and she nodded.
"Yes, it's so peaceful out here," she smiled as she touched the petal of a violet, oblivious to the gaze of willow on her. "and the flowers here are beautiful"
"You remind me of a beautiful flower" Willow said and Arianna turned back to him.
"I do?" she asked and he nodded.
"Yes, the rose" he said to see her smile lightly.
"I wouldn't know your high—willow, I've never seen one before. Roses hardly grow in the eastern nations"
"True," he said. "They are quite rare and the ones found here aren't so beautiful or bright" Willow said. "Except of course, in De'Northa"
Arianna's brows furrowed in curiosity. "De'Northa? where's that?"
"In the bottom of the Northern Valley" Willow said as the approached the fountain, he guided her to sit and sat close to her.
"Why is it at the bottom of the valley? and why have I never heard of it?" Arianna asked.
"That's because it's a lost empire, you will only read about it in books that tell the story of Lost cities and nations, you won't find it in normal history books, it's been erased from the maps"
"What happened to it?" Arianna said, edging closer to Willow in curiosity, seeing this, willow smiled Inwardly and continued,
"Well, the Lost empire of De'Northa—or the Empire of De'Northa as it was called then was the largest nation in the Northern continent, it was said that it had the most powerful and fearsome army in the continents and they where not to be trifled with. It was also prosperous and had lots of roses, which was one of their country's symbol, there were so beautiful and bright with a blood red color" he smiled as he said the last part.
"Then what happened to it?" Arianna asked. If such a powerful nation existed how did it suddenly become ruined? Erased from the maps?
"The plague happened" he said and Arianna sighed. The infamous Plague of shadows, no one could say for sure how it started or where it came from but it wiped out so many population of people, Arianna, amongst others were lucky to be born about eight years after the plague.
"We're lucky not to be born during the plague" Willow said.
"Did the plague wipe out De'Northa?"
"No, it possessed it"
Arianna was confused, "How?"
"I'm not sure, the books did not clarify, but the De'Northans were a race of people acquainted with magic. Some say they tried to harness Energy from the plague and it consumed them, destroying their kingdom, others say they let their selves be consumed by the plague's magic"
"That's really sad" Arianna said, her green eyes glistening.
Willow reached for her hand and she quickly pulled it away to dab at her cheeks. Embarrassed, he laughed sheepishly, "Yeah, sad for the roses. They also perished, now we can't see them"
"The ruins...are they still there?" Arianna asked, without smiling. To her, the story was indeed a sad one.
"No one can say for sure, a thick mist covered the whole valley and it was said that anyone who went in got lost, hardly ever to be seen again" Willow said, his gaze falling on her hair, watching the way it shimmered in the moonlight and then it moved to her rosy face which seemed to be deep in thought.
"Did the story interest the princess?" He asked.
Arianna immediately nodded, "Yes, it was so captivating especially when you told it" Willow smiled, he was about to say something when the bells were heard.
"It's time for the blessings" Arianna said, standing up.
By the time they reached the throne room everyone was on their feet.
"Esteemed guests, as we gather today to celebrate a bright marital future, may the heavens be with us" King Jodar said as he beckoned to Arianna and Willow who walked gingerly towards him.
"Kneel" King Alexander who was standing behind Jodar said.
Arianna and Willow knelt down and both kings walked towards them with their sceptres which they placed over their heads.
"As the sceptre brings power to a king, it shall bring forth our blessings to you" Both kings chanted.
"Rise, my daughter" Arianna heard King Alexander say and she rose going to him, he took her dainty hands and held it fondly, slipping something inside. "You are blessed and accepted by the whole of Gordesia" he said.
"Rise, noble son" Arianna heard her father say to Willow and he held his hands and also slipped something inside. "You are blessed and accepted by the whole of Lavania"
Both kings joined the hands of Arianna and Willow, saying, "And may your marriage be accepted by the heavens and the holy spirits"
After that, cheers and claps where heard and the room was filled with music and laughter.
"It so amazing to know we have our parents blessings" Willow whispered to Arianna as both went to a table to have a late dinner. Arianna managed a smile, it was great for him but not for her. No matter how much she enjoyed his company, Arianna just couldn't see herself getting married to this prince.
After the dinner, Arianna retired to her bedroom not after informing her husband to be, who insisted on escorting her to her chambers.
"Let him," her father chided as she tried to refuse, "His already your husband, you too will soon be sharing a chamber in the Gordesian castle" he said and he and Willow's father laughed, causing Arianna's face to turn red from their words.
When they reached her chambers, Arianna bowed and made to walk in but Willow stopped her.
"Arianna...I just wanted to say...to tell you how much I enjoyed our time together" he said, a faint blush on his cheeks, his light blue eyes grinning at her.
"I also enjoyed it too, Willow" she said, "Goodnight"
Though he was sad to leave he managed a smile, "Goodnight Arianna"
Arianna turned once more but stopped again at the mention of her name.
"Arianna would it be alright if I'm allowed to visit you sometimes in your courtyard?" he asked.
Arianna gulped, she honestly didn't want him to be that close to her, she wasn't comfortable. But she couldn't possibly say no, "It will be a pleasure to have you" she courtesied and he bowed, taking her hands and kissing the back.
"Goodnight" he said and walked away. Left alone in her chambers, Arianna ran towards her room and fell on the bed. She was exhausted and sad, exhausted with the whole party and sad that she was getting married to someone she didn't love and hardly knew.
"Did you have a good time, your highness?" Meena asked as she walked into Arianna's room.
"Yes" Arianna said sadly.
"You don't seem like it"
Arianna sighed. She did have a good time with willow but, it's not one she would enjoy.
"Prepare a cold bath with Jasmine leaves for me, meena" she said and walked into her changing room without waiting for Meena to answer. What she needed right now was a cold bath to clear her head.
After the bath she hopped on her bed, she was about to sleep when her green eyes caught the silhouette of something on her reading desk. Climbing down from the bed and walking towards it, she found it to be the book she had sent the maid to keep earlier.
"The summoning book.." she murmured to herself as she picked it. The thrill to try it earlier engulfed her, she looked around, no one was with her, Meena was asleep in little the room next to hers.
She lit a lamp and sat on the table to read the book. Opening it, she found out there were so many things people could summon; witches, demons, angels, fairies...she searched for the guardians, it was hard to see because the book was very old. Guardians of the light as it was called, beings who protect the interests and happiness of their masters who called them.
"There!" she said as she started to read the instructions, she had not even started when a particle of dust made her sneeze so hard, the page flipped without her knowing. With now slightly blurred vision and the hard to read book, Arianna strained to continue from where she thought she had stopped and read out loud.
"To summon this powerful loyal being, a bridge between your would and it's own must be made. Draw a circle and a replica of the symbol you see below on a floor and when you have done that, come back for more instructions"
Immediately, Arianna found a chalk and drew exactly what she had read and continue to read the book,
"Now that the drawing has been done, place a candle at both ends of the circle such that they face eachother, chant the summoning spell"
Arianna was feeling excited, she was so curious as to what the result will be and she did exactly as she read in the book, but nothing happened.
"Perhaps that's not all?" she asked herself and went back to the book. At the bottom end it read, "The creature is bonded to it's master by blood. Let the drops of your blood run through the circle to summon it"
Arianna dropped the book instantly, she didn't have a good feeling about this. She felt she shouldn't be doing this, blood is sacred and could be used to do unthinkable things. Standing up from the ground, she leaned on her desk, but as she did, the sharp end of her quill pierced her hand.
"Ouch!" she flinched as she tried to carefully pull it out, as she grabbed it and pulled it out, a streak of blood ran down her hands, drops of it falling into the circle. Arianna gasped, she didn't know what would happen next.
But after a few minutes and nothing happened, she sighed and went closer to the circle, "it seems it was just a myth after all" she said smiling.
The next instant there was a seep of light and her room was engulfed in dark purple light, in fright she fell to the ground watching as the circle grew brighter and brighter.
A thick smoke grew out the candles, wind gushed around that Arianna took an arm up to protect her face, she was shocked to see her blood floating towards the thick smoke in the circle. The air was getting heavier and heavier and in the midst of all these a silhouette of a man rose from the smoke, his red eyes shining brightly through the darkness around her, she was about to scream when she suddenly felt dizzy, the wind, the sound, the darkness was too much. Arianna passed out.
