Fables/Fairytales Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction / Romance Fan Fiction ❯ The Empire ❯ The Proposal ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

“He is only a child,” Melayna argued as their carriage slowed to a stop in front of a magnificent sized castle, “matrimony at this time is ridiculous to even fathom about Alexander.”

Slightly smiling at his agitated wife, Alexander leaned over and softly whispered, “It’s only an agreement at the moment, my love. This is the only way both our families can live at peace.”

“An agreement?” She questioned with an incredulous look in her hazel eyes. “How could you speak of it so nonchalant when we are talking about our sons, our ONLY sons, future?!”

As if knowing he was the main reason for the delay, Seth slid off his horse and walked with long strides towards the carriage door. Grabbing its handle, he pulls the door wide open.

“If we plan to start off with a good first impression, we mustn’t be late.” He stated with all the seriousness in the world.

Melayna gave her son a sorrowful sigh as she looked at him up and down. His silver blonde hair shone brightly in the sun, his blue eyes appearing older and wiser than his age truly was; fourteen.

If only there was another way… she thought in her mind.

All she wanted for her son was a future of happiness, not to be placed in the middle of this feud. For centuries her husbands’ kingdom and the Dryden’s have maintained an almost unhealthy hatred for each other. But with old age and time slowly looming on both kingdoms kings, like a dark cloud that would never go away; both families decided that perhaps it was time to bury the hatchet. Centuries of bloodshed, anger, and loss seemed to finally take a toll on both countries. Famine reached a new high and low whispers of a revolution began to sweep through the towns. A resolution to bring both families together with a wedding seemed to be the only choice everyone could agree with.

It seemed to be the only solution at that time, but as Melayna stepped out of her carriage and continued to watch her only son with his father, perhaps it was a judgment made in haste.

As Alexander, Seth, and Melayna (trailing a few steps behind) continued to walk down a marbled pathway; they were met by a foreboding figure which could be no one else but King Jerock himself. He was quite an intimidating man standing over six feet tall; a silver crown placed over his bright red hair. His green eyes had a hard glint towards them and his mouth seemed to curl into a slight sneer as he rested his eyes fixatedly on Melayna’s breast. But what were very distinct with this king were the scars all over his face and hands.

It wasn’t hard to tell that this was a man who had seen one too many wars in his life.

“It’s about time.” Jerock growled as he forced his gaze away from Melayna towards someone that was less appealing.

“Come come,” Alexander jested as he slapped Jerock on the back with a lot more force than a ‘friendly pat’ should have been. “Have we not agreed to put all animosity behind us? If we are to be family, you must learn to smile from time to time!”

Looking at the two great Kings standing by each other; you could not help but notice some distinctions with them. While both were the same height and about the same size; everything else was as similar as night and day, fire and frost. While Jerock looked like a man from your worse nightmares, Alexander was your dream that you wish never to wake up from. His silver blonde hair was of the same color as his son, his eyes were as blue as the sky and his smile could make even a statue blush. As Jerock ran his country with brutality and force, Alexander showed nothing but compassion and understanding.

Perhaps that was why neither could ever get along. But then perhaps it was because of the beautiful woman that stood behind the blonde haired king.

Melayna gave a slightly disgusted look towards Jerock. Many years ago she was betrothed to him by her father. She was considered a gift given to the despicable King since most her family were slaughtered by him and the only way to end it was to appease Jerock by giving him what was denied to him for years…her.

But in the process, Melayna fell in love with Alexander who helped bring her family to his country and save them from any further grief.

Jerock looked longingly at Melayna but when he noticed her shiver in disgust at him, fury filled him and he could only turn away and control his raging temper.

“Let’s get this over with” growled Jerock, “Heed my word Alexander, if you go back on this contract your kingdom belongs to me.”

“Us Blackwoods never go back on our word.” Seth replied as he stepped to his father’s side.

Jerock merely acknowledge the boy with a side glance as he turned to walk back into his palace with the rest following behind.

Down the palace halls emerald green tapestries hung from the great windows. The Dryden’s emblem was featured in every item around them; the family crest of a lion was painted on all the shields and banners that hung from the walls and ceilings.

Seth was a few steps behind the rest as he tried to take in everything he could see of this palace. This was the very first time he had seen the home of his fathers arch enemy; and in years to come, his father-in-law. He never quite understood why his mother was so distraught with this proposition. To him, if this was the solution to end all conflict it was but a small sacrifice. Seth couldn’t consider it a burden; finding a wife would be one less thing he would have to worry about as he becomes the future king.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an object lying on the side of the great hall. Curious, he walks closer to it and discovers it to be a ragged old doll. Its hair was thick with red curls and there were smudges all over it from being worn and torn from many years with a child. Around its waist was a peculiarly expensive pearl bracelet.

“You insolent child!” A shrill voice rang through the corridors. “Wait till your father hears about this! Of all the things you lose- why I should wring your neck! Oh he’s going to have my head for this,” moaned the woman.

Seth slowly wandered to the voice curious to see what all the commotion was about. As he neared the open door he could distinctively hear a child softly crying.

“Sara has it! She wanted to wear it for the ball so I let her try it on,” the little voice said in between sobs. “She promised me she would give it back! She never breaks a promise-”

“I don’t care for these stories you concoct you little hellion! Mark my words, if I wasn’t so worried for my life I would throw you to the bears!”

As Seth peered his head into the door he noticed that the voice came from a little girl, her auburn hair disarrayed and her emerald eyes welling up with a new batch of tears. Towering over her was an evil looking woman with beak like nose and piercing black eyes. Her hands were clutched to her side, anger fuming from within in her.

“Im-Im s-s-sorry Miss Ellea,” stuttered the little girl, “I’m sure if we find Sara-”

“Enough with your nonsense, child!” Ellea shrieked, “Lies lies lies! All you do all day is have your heads up to the clouds. There is no one in the staff named Sara that could have possibly taken your mothers-”

“But Sara is not part of the staff miss Ellea, she’s my-”

“Don’t you interrupt me again child, I will have your-”

“If you would only listen to me!” begged the little girl.

“That’s it! I’ve had it!” exclaimed and exasperated woman. Lunging forward, Ellea reaches for the little girls arm drawing her closer and raising her other hand, drawing it back. The little girl squints her eyes shut anticipating the blow.

Rage filled Seth at the scene he faced.

“ENOUGH!” he bellowed as he marched towards Ellea and grasp her arm with a firm grip. “I will not tolerate this!” His blood was boiling and it took every once of his own will to stop himself from snapping this hags wrist.

Ellea glared at this little boy that dared intrude.

“How dare you-” she began to scoff as she looked down at Seth who was only a few inches shorter than she was. “Can you not see that this child deserves a good beating? She is a liar who gets away-” in the middle of her sentence her whole body froze. She recognized the royal blue attire that this boy was wearing and the crest that was imprinted on his sword.

Hastily she drops to the floor her face implanted on the concrete ground. “F-f-forg-give me your ma-ma-majesty.” she stuttered, “I was merely trying to ask her a-a-a qu-question.”

“It looked more like an interrogation to me.” he retorted.

“Sara!” The little girl squealed as she lunged towards Seth.

Bewildered as to the little girls behavior, Seth stood still as he watched her run closer to him. Soon he realized her attention was fixated as to what was on his left hand. He still clutched the doll he had found unbeknownst to himself.

So that’s Sara. He thought amusingly to himself.

Realizing his hand was still clasped on to the terrified woman. Seth threw her arm aside and warned her that if he ever saw her look unarguably towards this little girl, he would take it upon his own hands to make sure she would never find her head even in the afterlife. Knowing that was a promise that would be kept, Ellea scurried out of the room and out of the palace for that matter.

Moving his focus back to the girl, he watched as she cradled the doll in her arm. She didn’t look older than seven. Taking a closer look at her, he noticed that she couldn’t possibly be one of the staff. Her dress was made out of silk and in a dark burgundy color with gold trimming on the edges of it. She also had a golden clasped belt around her waist with the Dryden crest etched on to it.

“Are you alright little lady?” Seth softly questioned as he knelt in front of her.

She gave him a slight nod as her eyes darted to look at him and look back down to her doll. “Thank you, sir. Miss Ellea was having one of her bad spells today and I made it worse by losing my mama’s bracelet…” she softly spoke. Her hand gently stroked the pearl bracelet around the ragged doll.

“You must be more careful with her,” he replied as he watched her take the bracelet off and slide it onto her own wrist.

“I will thank you…”

“Seth? Sweetheart?” a voice echoed down the hall.

He had completely lost track of time and where he was at. Hurriedly lifting himself off the ground he gently pats the little girls head and turns to leave. A slight tug on his tabard caused him to turn back around to face the little girl; trying to not seem impatient he smiles at her.

“Are you really going to take Miss Elleas head off if she bothers me again?” she asked with awe.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that question. Lifting the little girl and holding her in his arm he responded with all the seriousness he could muster, “‘Tis true milady! No matter where I am nor years have passed, I will always be here to protect you from that horrible witch.” He then gave her quick peck on her forehead and set her back down realizing he had wasted enough time than he needed.

“Until we meet again madam,” he smiled and gave her a curt bow and exited the room leaving the little girl clutching her doll and looking at the empty space where the man, she considered her knight, had just stood.

If only those two had known what was in store for them in the future. The trials and tribulations they would both have to face… if only Seth had known that he had just met his future wife for the first time. Both merely children, both destined for great things.