The Arranged Marriage (20 page)

“Would you like me to change?” She
asked him, wanting so hard to please him, but at the same time
hoping he would prove his trust by saying no.

“I would Rohesia, yes.”

Her heart felt squeezed but she
refused to argue. She wouldn’t ruin it now she had got this close
to him.

“I will go and change. I’ll be back
down in a moment.”

He didn’t release her.

“I’ll come with you.”

She knew then that he didn’t trust her
enough to change into something suitable and her heart sank down to
her toes.

“Very well my lord.”

“Josa thinks highly of you.” Rohesia
said to him as they reached the outside of their
chamber.

“Josa is very loyal, as long as you
feed him regularly.” He replied.

She laughed lightly at the jest and
warmed a little as he took hold of her hand. He opened the door and
led her into their candlelit room.

The sight that met Rohesia made her
heart soar right through her chest and into the sky. Laid out on
their bed was a white gown that held more skirts than the dress she
already wore. It was truly beautiful. She didn’t know what to say
as the tears filled her eyes. Ison came up behind her.

“I knew you wouldn’t be happy wearing
Yena’s creation. But that was before you went ahead and changed the
design yourself.” He said with a smile. “You deserved
better.”

“Oh,” She let one of her tears fall in
gratitude. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Just wear it, that is all I
ask.”

“Oh I will,” She advised, trying hard
to not fall into his arms. “Will you help me change?”

“With pleasure.” He said as his eyes
glazed over with lust. “Do you think they will miss us
downstairs?”

“I think we could get away with a few
moments,” She said as she leaned into him. She felt him wrap his
arms around her. “I don’t think I could go any longer without
kissing you.”

He groaned aloud at her words with the
desire, the need to have her here clouding his every thought. He
sunk his lips into hers and pulled her pelvis closer by handling
her rear. She felt a moan escape as he started to rub up and down
against her, tugging hard on the corset that was just about holding
her in place.

Within moments of deepening their
kiss, she found herself completely naked next to his dressed
stature.

“Ison I have to get dressed, we do not
have time for this.”

“Oh my lady, we will always have time
for this.”

She watched as he unfastened the catch
that was keeping his hard shaft in place, pulling her gently to him
as he eased her legs apart. She felt his hands lift her into the
air until her legs were wrapped around his waist, and her back was
leant against the post of their bed.

The pressure was sudden, but to have
him inside her without their usual build up was in itself
intensifying. She felt herself nearing the edge rather quickly at
the adventure of their sudden lovemaking.

Ison was also nearing the edge of what
was building in them both, and he hastened his thrusts to cease the
fire that was threating to consume him. Rohesia swallowed her
screams as the feelings took her over and breathed as quietly as
she could whilst they subsided. He held her against the post as he
felt is own release, and gently kissed her brow.

“Sometimes quick is just as good my
lady, but not one to get used to,” He was enjoying the feeling of
being short of breath inside of her. “I love exploring
you.”

“
Get me ready my lord,”
She advised with a smile. “Before a search party is called upon
us.”

He hesitantly helped her into the new
gown and summoned Kaya before begrudgingly leaving her.

“You look beautiful my lady,” Kaya
advised as she studied Rohesia’s final result with tears in her
eyes. “Prince Ison is a lucky man.”

“I am the one who feels lucky Kaya,”
She stood up and hugged her friend. They started to make their way
out of the chamber when Kaya remembered her instruction.

“Just a moment my lady, don’t forget
your mother’s broach. I have left it out for you,” She made a
sheepish smile. “I thought it would truly suit your
gown.”

Rohesia grinned at her friend as she
watched Kaya leave to make her way downstairs. She picked up the
broach of her mother’s and stroked the outside of the pearl framed
pin. She clasped it to the centre of the white corset, biting back
the tears of sadness that had been mixed with those of happiness
since meeting Ison. She was certain her mother had been looking
down on her today; sincerely hoping she would have had her back
turned a few moments earlier.

As soon as Rohesia reached the top of
the stairwell to descend for a second time, she heard the orchestra
strike the sounds of the traditional Centurias wedding song. Her
heart swelled as she motioned down the stairs to see Ison waiting
for her next to the Honorary who had wed them. Kaya was also stood
next to her father at the base of the stairs with a bouquet of blue
roses.

It was evident to her now that Ison
had not only given her the gown she had missed out on, but the
ceremony also. This was as close as he had ever come to showing his
feelings towards her without saying the words, and she could have
cried.

Argarth took a hold of Rohesia’s hand
as she reached him, and she accepted the bouquet offered to her by
Kaya. She heard her father talk to her under his breath as he led
her to Ison.

“We have just announced to the people
that you a renewing your vows for their benefit, but Ison arranged
this on his own, just for you.”

“
Thank you father,” She
whispered back.

“Whatever for?”

“For arranging my marriage to
him.”

He smiled as he gave her hand to Ison
and the Honorary readied himself to go through the vows for a
second time.

Once the Honorary had finished the
legal vows of the union, he took a different turn of events and
requested personal pledges from each of them; something Ison had
not planned for. He tried to focus, the pressure of the moment
taking him over, but then he did something he had never done
before. He looked into her eyes, unguarded, for the first
time.

“I am not good with words,” He started
honestly; his hands holding tightly onto hers. “I cannot give you
poetry or the many compliments that you deserve each day,” He
cleared his throat, his confidence soaring at the love in her eyes
for him. “But my lady, I will serve to protect you and be loyal to
you until the end of my days, and I will see to it that you are
free to love; free to love me.” He felt lightening in his soul as
her eyes shone back at him. She was his.

A tear escaped her eyes as Ison stared
deep into her, and she held tight on to his hand to steady herself.
It was her turn.

“We will have arguments my lord,” She
began with a large grin on her face. “We will no doubt have
discussions,” She heard the laughter of their audience, but then
her eyes turned to Ison with a seriousness just for him. “But no
matter what hardships we face, know this,” She paused for a moment
to fight the emotion that threatened to overthrow her voice. “I
will always stand by your side, and I will always do so with love
in my heart for you. You are my missing half,” She gently smiled.
“And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

He joined in with her smile as more
tears escaped, her feelings so exposed she suddenly felt very
frightened. The hold on her hand tightened.

“I now, for the second time, pronounce
you, Husband and Wife. Prince and Princess of Ecripian.” The
Honorary disclosed as the applause erupted from the crowd around
them. Rohesia was quite relieved when she looked at their guests to
see them either crying or sharing happy smiles at their joining.
Except for Yena, she noted with an abrupt return to
reality.

“Let us dance my lady,” Ison requested
as he pulled her close to him.

“I didn’t take you for much of a
dancer,” She teased.

“Any excuse to get you in my arms is
sufficient.” He whispered in her ear as she let out a laughter that
bubbled straight up from her heart.

Chapter Twelve

Ison and Rohesia were ready to ride
out as they waved their goodbyes to the waiting crowd. They were
journeying to The Loyal for what was to be their wedding moon.
Their baggage having been sent earlier in the day.

The wedding moon usually occurred
after the wedding to give the couple privacy to consummate their
marriage, even though theirs had been delayed due to the haste in
which they had wed. It was tradition for the villagers to see the
bride and groom off, and wish them well with fertility on their
journey.

Normally, tradition would state the
wedding moon would last until the next full moon, completing a full
cycle as husband and wife without their daily duties intervening.
But with the pressure of Ison getting back to travel to Dondayas,
they would have to settle for just two days. Rohesia had tried to
take it in her stead when he had told her about the
trip.

“But that would mean we would have to
cut the wedding moon short to just two days?” She had said, trying
to keep the pleading out of her voice.

“I know, and I vow to make it up to
you, but my father can only hold out for so long before travelling
back to Dondayas. If I travel back with him then it means I can
leave more of my men behind here.”

She couldn’t help but feel the hurt of
having a whole cycle with him, alone, ripped away.

“I thought you were going to hire men
from the villages?”

“We will, but having gone through your
father’s logs there wouldn’t be many men we could spare for long.
They all have duties on their own on the land. Plus,” He had
replied. “I will not use any more of your father’s men down the
tunnels, they will need to be protecting the castle.”

Rohesia sighed, knowing she wouldn’t
shift him on any matter regarding the protection of the kingdom
after what had happened the last time. She resolved herself to
making the best of the two days they had been given.

“Very well,” She had replied, moving
closer to him. “But you owe me one Prince Ison of
Ecripian.”

He had smiled before kissing her on
the lips and leaving to make the plans with his father.

At least their marriage had been
original thus far, Rohesia thought to herself, as they bid farewell
one last time before leaving the castle grounds. She was still
disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to spend time with him for a
full cycle, certain she could have achieved a lot regarding his
emotions during that time.

“I love the smell of the woods when
I’m out here,” She said, as they rode into the Ecripian forest,
filling the silence with her words. It had felt quite awkward
between the two of them since the wedding ball, especially for
Rohesia. Her deepened feelings for him had been making her nervous
for some reason. “It gives me so much freedom and relief from
everything that I feel like flying.” She continued, the nerves
making her talk even more.

He looked over at her sitting with her
legs astride the white mare. He had noticed her move into the
position from side saddle as soon as they had moved out of sight of
their well-wishers.

“
What is it that you
detest so much about your home Rohesia?” He asked her, knowing she
never felt truly settled whenever she was in Ecripian. She gave him
a look as if considering the direction of questioning before
smiling lightly.

“
It is not my home that I
detest my lord, but some of the laws that rule the land. They make
being a woman, and a daughter to a king, pretty confining. I don’t
feel that I can truly be me when I am there.”

“And you do when you’re out here, with
no one around?”

“Oh definitely, but I never feel
alone,” She glanced over at him, unsure if she could tell him her
thoughts or not. She decided she could. “Have you ever looked at
the sky and felt as if it were watching out for you? Or felt safe
by the enclosure of the trees? Never feeling judged.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. He
couldn’t remember having the luxury of letting his thoughts drift
into dreams. Such notions were not possible with the worry of
having his throat slit when he slept. He had always needed to rely
on his senses to keep both him and his men safe.

“No, I can’t say that I have.” He
replied with a smile, hoping it would soften the fact he hadn’t
agreed with her.

“I don’t suppose you would,” She
replied, thoughtfully. “Not when you were probably fighting for
your life out there each day. It must have been frightening at
times.”

Again she had managed to throw him off
course; her response to him yet another example of her instinct
that could rival his own.

“I couldn’t afford to be frightened my
lady, not when I had the lives of so many people in my hands. Our
fears could easily have been used as a tool against us by our
enemies. You had to learn to be emotionless; otherwise you would
never have been able to put a blade into another man’s gut when he
would not think twice about putting one into yours. It is called
survival.” He explained it to her matter-of-factly, no emotion in
his voice. It hurt her to think how their upbringing had been so
different, what paths life had enforced them to take. She smiled at
the thought of the surprise that awaited him at The Loyal and hid
her smirk with another question.