ROYAL BLOOD

WEDDING PREPARATION

A knock came on the door….

"Come in." Ragaleon said not shifting his gaze from the map laid out in front of him.

"Your majesty, Lord Brandon wants to see you." A guard informed and Ragaleon simply waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Let him in." He said bringing a golden cup to his lips which contained wine.

"I can see you are planning on the strategy you will use to defeat Canna." Brandon said after walking into the room, he bowed in courtesy.

"Rise." Ragaleon said before Brandon straightened up.

"King Gothem Ashram from the household of Ashram wouldn't be so foolish as to instigate a war…..his wife Yumi Ashram must be behind this." Ragaleon said shifting a wooden statued carved into a oak tree on strategic points on the map.

"So with that at hand, you will have to think like a woman? Brandon said then touched a point on the map.

"Yumi will seek help from Galvestone, her home town, her father might not be so willing, but then again Gothem helped Galveston a lot….when he was still alive." Brandon said with a smug tugged at the corner of his lips.

Ragaleon paused for some seconds, then slowly raised his gaze.

"You heard me right, your majesty Gothem from household Ashram is dead, living his wife Yumi alone without an apparent heir or heiress to the throne." Brandon said and Ragaleon scoffed.

"And you are sure, these are not just rumors? Ragaleon said shifting another oak tree carved out of wood on the target point on the map.

"Trust me your majesty, people sometimes speak gibberish and spread false rumors, but no one would want to spread rumors about a king who was said to have blood in his hands." Brandon was like a wise owl, his blond hair and blue eyes, matched up with deep voice that could put a woman to sleep.

"Trust you? Ragaleon scoffed.

"My trust for you has significantly reduced Brandon, if not for anything else, I don't see why you shouldn't have been beheaded by now for your incompetence." Ragaleon said and Brandon furrowed his brows.

"Have I said anything wrong to offend his majesty? I quickly apologized for my lack of etiquette." Brandon said but Ragaleon ignored him and kept his eyes fixed on the map.

"You go the library, read big books and get enough knowledge. Then you come here and begin to show it off, to make your king look stupid? Ragaleon was taunting the poor thing.

"No, your majesty I would never do such a thing. Those are not my intention, you are a literate as much as I am, why would I want to put you in a tight position? Brandon quickly denied.

"You can't even protect your own king, I was attacked by a bear and you sent….I don't even know what to call them…fools? Those fools call themselves knight but couldn't even come to my aid when I needed them."

"They were afraid your majesty, you gave an instruction that no one should come with you." Brandon had his gaze fixed on the floor, he dare not look at Ragaleon in the eye.

"I gave an instruction and you disobeyed it, that's the only thing keeping your head on your neck." Ragaleon finally looked away from the map which was spread out on a large table in the centre of his chamber.

"I do not understand your Majesty, I disobeyed your command, my head should be hanging on a spike." Brandon said bodly.

"Your head would have been hanging on a spike if you had obeyed my words. I was only testing you Brandon, testing your loyalty. Will you really let your King go on a journey into the wild alone all because he said he wanted no company? That would be foolishness, I consider it an act of treason.

There are times I would put you in a position where you would have to act on your own accord.;You have earned my respect Brandon and my trust." Ragaleon finally said before walking away.

Brandon no longer looked guilty, he looked amused.

"My days in this kingdom are numbered."

******************

Micah and Berth made their way to the the garden after being summoned by a maid.

Berth was wearing a blue gown that matched her eyes, her small face hidden under long eyelashes, her thin lips curved into a smug.

Today her hair was styled into a braided fishtail. The gown she was wearing was sleeveless exposing her bare shoulders.

Micah on the other hand was wearing a yellow gown, the shade of yellow was different, as if kissed by the sun. Her curly black hair was packed up in a neat bun. The braided hair wrapped around the bun, like a hairband.

Few strands were left to fall beside her face. Her hazel brown eyes glowed with perfection, under her thick short lashes. Her brows were thick and full.

Both of them got to where Ragaleon was having his morning tea.

"Your Majesty." They both said and courtesy simultaneously.

Ragaleon didn't raise his head…

"Take a seat and have breakfast with me." He wasn't inviting them, he commanded them.

Micah was about to refute when Berth pinched her a little and she kept quiet….

"Such a rare opportunity your highness, we will be honoured to have breakfast with you." Berth said, giving Micah a piercing gaze.

Micah swallowed her anger and took her seat beside her sister. There were a lot of exotic delicacies in front of her, the maid came to dish out a portion of food for them and filled up the golden cup with wine.

Berth helped herself with the cutlery and only took a few spoons.

Micah on the other hand just gazed at her food, it was foreign to her.

Her eyes scanned the rest of the dishes, the pudding and chicken sauce, the fruit basket in the middle, a jar of wine, lots and lots of fish delicacies, crab and shrimp vegetable soup.

"Don't just stare, eat something." Berth whispered.

Micah glanced at the food one more time before going for the pudding in front of her.

"Do you not like the food? Ragaleon seemed to have noticed her reluctance to eat.

"Your Majesty, forgive my sister's plain lack of etiquette, we are not used to such exquisite meals." Berth said, stepping in for Micah.

"Your Majesty, when will I be given permission to return to my own home? Micah said having taking some spoon of pudding, she wiped her mouth with the napkin beside the table, just as she had seen her sister Berth do.

"After the wedding." Ragaleon said, finally raising his gaze.

He gazed at Micah and for a moment looked stunned. This wasn't the same woman he had seen wearing rags, with disheveled hair.

"Your Majesty, my younger sister….

"Younger sister? Ragaleon interrupted Berth, he could have sworn Micah looked more mature than Berth.

"Is there anything wrong, your Majesty? Berth questioned feigning innocence.

"No, you may continue." He said sipping from his golden cup filled with grape wine, his eyes on Micah.

"As I was saying, my younger sister wishes to return to our home town, she wants to properly mourn our father's death." Berth said looking sorrowful.

"She will be free to do that after the wedding. She will be escorted to your home town by the royal guards and brought back just in time for her to be wedded to Duke Derick." Ragaleon said reclining on the chair he was sitting on he crossed his legs lazilly.

"I do not wish to get married to anyone, your majesty." Micah said avoid Ragaleon's gaze.

"I promised your father I will protect you, getting you married to one of the most powerful dukes in the capitals will ensure my promise is fulfilled."

"I will not get married to a man I know nothing about against my will! Micah said, suddenly pushing the chair she was seated on backwards as she rises to her feet.

"You don't have a choice." Ragaleon said rising to his feet.

"I don't need your protection, I will be fine on my own." Micah was apparently bold, but there was still a glimpse of fear in her eyes. Berth on the other hand was astonished by her sister's behavior.

"Your Majesty, please excuse us." Berth said, then bowed, then she gripped Micah's hands.

"Come with me! She said firmly before dragging the latter out of the long hallway.

Tamina was seated in the garden, when Jazell walked up to her in a orange gown, with long sleeves, her short blonde hair grazing her shoulder's and her blue eyes as enchanting as the deep blue sea.

"It's a fine day, to go hunting don't you think? Jazell's sonorous voice broke the serenity as she took her seat on the swing beside Tamina.

"The last time someone went hunting, I almost became a widow." Tamina said sarcastically, she was talking about Ragaleon. If he had gotten killed by the bear she would have definitely become a widow.

"Why are you here? Tamina asked dropping the ink pen and paper she was using to write her poem.

"Did I interrupt something? Jazell asked her gaze shifting to the paper in Tamina's hand.

"Yes, my peace of mind." Tamina said then crossed her legs.

"You have a beautiful handwriting." Jazell commented honestly, she signalled a maid to pour her a cup of wine.

"There is a royal wedding in two days time I expect you to be in the shadows of your room….. scheming." Tamina said picking up the ink pen she dabbed it into an ink bottle on a table in front of her.

"Scheming? Jazell scoffed.

"Scheming against who? The king has refused to tell us who his queen is." Jazell said, taking the cup of wine in her hand.

"My best guess is that common girl he brought to the castle…. What's her name again? Berth! Tamina said writing on the book in her hands.

Jazell almost choked on her wine, with laughter.

"You think Ragaleon would get married to a commoner? Now tell me why he would do that? Jazell shook her head from side to side mockingly.

"Because he owes that girl a debt that can never be repaid, her father saved the king from the hands of a bear and died in the process. Put the pieces together Jazell, first it was Berth now it's her sister…I don't even know what her name is." Tamina said not shifting her gaze from the book.

Suddenly Jazell paused, her lustrous full lips pouting as her fingers encircled around the golden cup in her hand, she was thinking…deeply.

She rises to her feet and drops the cup of wine on the table, crossing her hands behind her back she begins to walk to and fro languishly, her head still in thoughts.

"It took you this long to have the whole thing figured out? Tamina mocked sliding a string of her red hair behind her ear. Her grey coloured eyes gazed at Jazell.

"No Tamina, it took me this long to realize I have been chasing the wrong person." Jazell said before finally making her way out of the garden, her hands raising her dress slightly.

Tamina watched as Jazell made her way out of the garden. Slowly a sly grin curved on her plump lips...

"Few more weeks, and you will realize, I am a step ahead of you."