(8 Months Later)Their loved ones had, at last, convinced James that it was time to take Zoey on their honeymoon. King Henry had managed to detain the newlyweds for far too long, both he and James recognizing that he had a lot to learn about the ins and outs of what exactly being a prince entailed. Since James wanted to be with his wife and involve her as much as possible in his life, his world, even if that meant that they spent a lot of their time together working, Zoey was always with him, picking up the tricks of the trade along the way. They even managed to make it look romantic somehow, stealing little moments wherever they could, disappearing when they could. So their marriage wasn’t exactly on the rocks, but they had earned some time to just be with each other, like they’d always wanted. They had been gone for two weeks when the news that the palace would be having a new guest reached them. “Your worry lines are showing, Jamie,” said Zoey, wrapping her arms around his neck
(Sartis Est: Some time ago)It was over, at least in real time. In her head, it was still ongoing. She was still imagining the agony, the fear her brother and parents and thousands of her people had experienced when they were blown to bits. Even as she watched her country still alight, still burning while what was left of her people worked tirelessly to put it out, she was kneeling in the dirt and the ashes to receive the crown, her father’s crown. A crown that was never supposed to touch her red-haired head. She remembered her father’s strict words to her brother every time he showed that he was hurt or wanted to cry. “Tears are not for monarchs,” he’d say and Ethan, her brother, would immediately stop crying, like it was a switch he’d just flipped.She kept saying the words to herself like a mantra, softly so that only she could hear them. When the other side’s surrender came, she gave the order to annihilate them. What good was their surrender now? Her entire family was dead and s
2018, December 2nd & 3rd Zoey hailed from small town Rosa. Now, as anyone from Rosa would tell you, the only thing more mundane than the town was its people. Quaint little suburbs. One book store. One coffee shop. One everything really, guaranteeing that everyone would know everyone, which they did. Rosa was what the set of a suburban utopia would look like. That's what she liked about the place, though. Everything flowed like clockwork. Nothing ever changed. Bookish, nerdy Zoey liked her predictable life just fine. How could she have known the simple act of opening the mailbox would drastically change all that? Everything was different after Zoey sat down to sort through the mail that day. The world seemed to be turned on its head, broken as though the pieces that came together during the time of creation. Even as it spun on, it seemed to spin differently. Zoey Ranger, with her pretty face and messy curls hidden often behind a book, was raised like most young women in Terres So
2018, December 2nd & 3rd "Stay with me at all times today," Bart ordered in an authoritative voice that did not match his youth. He was only 19, for goodness sake. Just the same, he had banished any thoughts Zoey had of asking where they were going. "My Lord." Zoey bowed awkwardly. He sighed. "And knock that off. Seriously, quit it. We are House of Arden. We bow to no one." Zoey didn't know much about polite society, but surely even nobles bowed to the king? She shook her head. This was the time to ask, before something else overwhelmed or distracted her. "Where are we going?" she asked, as Bart rushed them down the stairs and into the limousine where his parents awaited them. Again, that eerie silence from the night before enveloped her. It seemed to run in the family. The luxury car was like a tomb. Speech seemed forbidden. Zoey's eyes landed on Duke Arden. "Stop staring!" Duchess Arden snapped. Zoey looked down immediately. Duchess Arden gave Zoey a once over, then pro
2019, March 4th It seemed it had been pouring summer rain for months. In truth, the downpour had begun only yesterday. It was only yesterday that Lady Zoey Arden's world had come together at last. Only yesterday he looked upon her as though nothing and no one could take him from her and regardless of all the terrible things happening in the world, she could not help being happy. She was a different person. He had opened up her heart and not just for himself, but for everyone around her. She would mend fences with her father, if only for the sake of the wedding. Her new life had given Zoey something she had never had before. Two somethings, actually. A brother and a best friend. Bart held her hand while she stumbled through every situation, good or bad, since she reached Caines. She wanted to be useful to him. Zoey knew that this marriage would finally remove the burden of the Arden claim to the throne from Bart's shoulders. Knowing this made Zoey all the happier that things had work
As James stared at the monitor, looking at the title millions had read by now, scrutinising the photograph every noble in Terres Somnia had no doubt gawked at hours earlier when the news broke, James Beaumont felt his heart break one more time. It was a familiar thing; he almost didn't feel it anymore. Or maybe he deceived himself into thinking so. He did not know. He knew only what he saw. He would know her anywhere. Caught in a compromising, passionate, crude kiss with her arms wrapped around the engaged Prince Aaron. It was nighttime, his body and dishevelled clothes covered hers and the lighting in the elevator was somehow poor. This was the probable reason that the writer of the article had assumed that Emily was Aaron's fiancée, Lady Zoey Arden. Both women being blonde and it having been a masquerade ball, it wasn’t such a stretch. Besides, who could’ve imagined that they would do something so stupid in public at his engagement party? He understood all too well what would hap
2018, December 4th "Are you people out of your bloody minds!" Zoey knew that she was yelling, but she couldn't help it. "I just met the lot of you two days ago, one day really," she sucked in a deep, much needed breath, "and now you want me to marry some dude I have never even met?" His Grace raised his hand in dismissal of Zoey and said, "Silence! You are of the House of Arden and you will accept the prince's hand. There will be no discussion on the matter." Duke Arden, however, was not accustomed to Zoey's temper. "The hell I will! You know what? How about you keep your money and I keep my hand and we just call it even? Cool? Dandy." She stormed off, well aware that she was bound to get lost in the mansion and not caring at all. "Why that little... You come back here this instant!" Duchess Arden shrieked. "She seems to have the right idea," Bart shrugged, fishing his keys out of his pocket and tossing them up into the air. "She shouldn't be having any ideas at all, and nei
2018, December 4th Aaron put his thumb and his index finger up to his chin and feigned concern. His question gave her some pause. It was quite the conundrum she found herself faced with. It was only a matter of time before she was found, whether she gave herself up or not. Zoey searched her angry brain for the way out, because she had to find the way out. She was not going to be married off, used as some sort of bargaining chip. No, they would have to find another way. She would have to too. Perhaps a part-time job or selling off all her mother's bags and shoes. Yes, another way. Normal, everyday people did this stuff all the time and Zoey had never been raised in a fancy mansion so as to make her feel or think of herself as but every day. He could see the gears moving in her head as she contemplated what to do, her hand still on the doorknob, with only his body preventing the door from swinging right open. He had done this many times, come for some girl or another in the depth of t