Chapter 3: Betrothed

   

The news of the king getting married to the chief minister’s daughter spread like a blazing fire in the wild forest.

               The nobles were particularly astounded by the news. They couldn’t believe that the childhood sweethearts — the king and Jestina Castemont  — were not the ones to be married. 

               And what infuriated them the most was that Asteria Eliphas would be Queen.

*******

               Before the royal coronation, which was always done in front of the public, a private ceremony in the court would take place. It was the royal union blessed by the high priest.

               The typhoon had passed. The fragrance of the flowers, which had bloomed last time, still lingered around the palace. There was a rainbow across the clear sky. It was the day of the royal union of King Alaric Clementine and Asteria Eliphas.

               The ministers were standing at the side, watching their union. Chief Minister Eliphas was the happiest that day. He was seen grinning endlessly beside the ministers.

               “I now pronounce you as husband and wife. The King and Queen of Grellis,” the high priest declared. Alaric and Asteria then took one cup of sake and drank it with their hands intertwined.

               “Long live the King, Long live the Queen,” the ministers hailed in unison. It was official; the Kingdom of Grellis had its new monarchs.

               Alaric, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his frustration. It was reflected all over his face. The woman looked at him, confused.

               He moved his face towards her ears. “This marriage is a curse. I do not care about it,” he whispered, but the woman didn’t answer back and just turned around. When he said those words to her, he knew he was declaring a silent war.

               The woman then turned her gaze again at him. “Very well,” she said, smiling. “May the heavens guide you.”

***

That night, Alaric was retiring on his bed.

He was restless.

He kept hearing that woman’s words inside his head.

May the heavens guide you.

He stood up and put his chin on his hand. 

“She accepted the war, I see.” He thought her words couldn’t mean anything but acknowledging their silent clash.

               Danko then entered his chamber. “Greetings, Your Majesty,” his servant said with a trembling voice. He saw him fidgeting his fingers.

               Alaric raised his eyebrow. “You are acting strange. There is a problem, isn’t it?” he asked. 

               “I do not know if I should tell you this, Your Majesty, but….” Danko cut his words because of his hesitation.

               Alaric’s curiosity was growing. “but what?” he asked, surprisingly calm. At that point, nothing could surprise him anymore.

               Danko bit his lower lip, then continued to speak, “Lady Jestina is severely ill. I heard she refused to eat and take medicine.” 

               The blood on Alaric’s face reflected on his cheeks, making them red upon hearing the condition of Jestina. “Let’s go, Danko,” he ordered his servant. 

               Confused, Danko asked, “To where? Your majesty?” He swallowed his breath while waiting for Alaric’s answer.

               “To the Castemonts,” his answer was short, but it brought great panic to Danko.

               “We couldn’t do that, your majesty. The guards are heavily guarding you,” his servant countered, trying to convince him not to go.

               Alaric smashed the table so hard it tumbled down. “I couldn’t care less,” he said, then wore his robe. “If something unfortunate happened to Jestina, God forbids it, but I wouldn’t forgive them,”

               Danko had to follow the fuming king.

*********

Alaric wore a knight’s uniform in disguise. Danko suggested it so they could pass the guarding knights.

               Being a former knight, Danko knew every corner of the palace. With that, they quickly escaped the tight security.

               The singing of crickets was heard as the moon shone above, battling with countless stars, lighting the way for them.

Reaching the estate of Castemonts, Alaric ran to the veranda, which was directly located in Jestina’s bedroom. With the help of Danko, he climbed to it silently so they wouldn’t draw attention.

               There he saw Jestina, peacefully reading a book without a care in the world. He stared at her for a moment, admiring her expression, when suddenly, the woman turned her eyes to the veranda and eventually saw him. She had a look of surprise on her face, but she instantly fixed it.

               Jestina walked towards the veranda. “What are you doing here?” she asked with contempt.

               “I heard you are sick, so I came to check on you.” He gripped her hands, caressing every finger. “I missed you,” he whispered.

Jestina pulled her hands from his clutches. Her eyes were full of hatred and disgust. “Go,” the one word that came from her shivering lips.

               “The news must have hurt her.” He thought.

Alaric swallowed his breath, then spoke with so much affection and longing in his voice. “I love you, Jestina.”

 “I said go, your majesty,” Jestina said once more.

Her words pierced into his heart.

Your Majesty.

He repeated that title inside his head.

He was no longer the crown prince who would follow her around.

He was the king of the nation. 

               Alaric stared upright into Jestina’s green eyes.

“I — I want,” he was going to say something when she cut him with her words.

“You are a married man. Even if I become your concubine, it would destroy me to have you in that kind of position,” she said with bitterness in every word she let out.

               He was dumbfounded and speechless.

Be told the words he didn’t want to hear the most, his guts trembled. “You are the only one I want in this life,” he said. His emotions came rushing to his mind. There was sadness, guilt, and hate.

Tears flowed down from Jestina’s eyes. “You were born to rule, and I was born to stand on the sideline,” she mumbled, tears still rolling down against her reddened cheeks. “To watch you be with another woman who was born to rule by your side.”

               Her words clawed down Alaric’s chest, ripping his heart. “But I love you, Jestina,” he told her. His voice was low, hurt. “I love you today, and tomorrow, and for God knows until when,” he grasped his own chest forcefully. “I love you in this lifetime, and if there would be next after this, I’d still love you,” he turned his back on her, then walked away and finally said, “I will prove it to you.”

Alaric then ran away without giving Jestina a chance to answer back. 

               “Your majesty,” Danko shouted, trying to stop Alaric from doing reckless things. His servant immediately followed him.

Alaric ran away fast, not caring if the people would see him. He was too numb to think of anything aside from his broken heart. 

               Reaching the garden inside the palace grounds, Alaric fell to the grass. No matter how wounded his soul was, he just couldn’t cry. There was a catastrophe inside of him, yet his eyes were dry, looking at nowhere. 

*********

               The sun wasn’t even there to witness the union that was bound to happen. The massive grey clouds were lingering in the sky, covering the earth’s surface, making it gloomier than it was supposed to be.

               “Even the heavens above believed that it’s the beginning of the end.” Alaric let out a paradox. He was standing in front of the people, waiting for the woman he assumed to spend his life with.

               “Her Majesty, the queen, has arrived,” the messenger announced at the top of his lungs. The nobles inside turned their sight to the enormous threshold of the palace.

               The guards immediately opened the gate widely. A gold horse-drawn carriage came up at the entrance and stopped moving the moment it reached the palace grounds. 

               Suddenly, the queen emerged from it. She was wearing a long rosy gown that was far different from the former queens who wore white.

“Why is she wearing red? She is supposed to wear white,” the one question lingered in the crowd’s minds.

They criticized the Queen yet couldn’t take their eyes off of her.               

She was too captivating.

               Alaric’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing that woman, who had a charming smile on her face. “She certainly has incomparable beauty,” he murmured to himself.

               The queen walked down the path covered with the red carpet. The royal musicians chanted a cheerful song as she approached the central platform where the union would occur.

               Alaric, too, started stepping towards the central platform. He had reached it simultaneously with the queen. He stared at her and extended his hand. She reached out for his hand, and from the moment they touched, he felt strange things. There was a static blaze and even rage. 

               “This is indeed an excellent day to get married,” he told her, his voice full of irony. “There is no sun, just darkness.” 

                The queen looked at him, her eyes glimmering. “Is that so?” she mumbled sarcastically, trying to repel his statement.

“Hail to the King and Queen!”

Their word clash had ceased when they heard the exclamation of the messenger.

               Alaric looked around to see Jestina at the back of the celebrating crowd. Her eyes were red. Thinking that Jestina cried because of him, his heart stung. He couldn’t stand seeing his beloved hurt.

               “I will make it right. This I swore to you, the creator as the witness,” Alaric whispered to himself.

               “Long live, The King and Queen. Long live, the great kingdom of Grellis,” the people chanted. For them, it was the beginning of a new era.

               Little did they know that a war had started.