Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) (3 page)

She allowed Sebastian to lead her to the waiting throng.

***

As the evening drew to a close, guests departed, some to other parts of the castle, some to their own estates. Sebastian stood with the king and queen, as one soon to be family, accepting congratulations yet again. Thea stood with her sisters, her face aching. She didn’t know if she could ever smile again, she’d worked so hard at it this evening. She’d not seen Casimir since she and Sebastian had spoken with him.

“Well, get some rest, young man,” said Aland, taking the queen’s hand. “We shall need to delve into the business of our kingdoms tomorrow.”

“Of course, Your Majesties,” Sebastian said, bowing to them both. “Princesses,” he said to Thea’s sisters. He rose and stepped forward, taking Thea’s hand. “Thea,” his lips brushing her hand as he looked up at her.

Thea could hear some of her sisters sighing around her and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If she were being fair, which she felt no inclination to be, she’d be delighted at his show of romance. Were there no Casimir...

“Very well,” said Aland. “My dear, daughters, to bed.” He left the room, and Thea and her sisters followed. Thea looked over her shoulder. Sebastian stood watching them, a smile on his face. He looked happy, Thea thought.

She hurried to catch up to her parents. “Father, may I speak with you?”

“Tonight?” Aland asked. “Can this not wait until morning?”

He really has no idea, Thea thought. He truly had no inkling that he was high handed in doing this without telling her or that there was anything wrong with his actions. She pushed that aside to focus on the matter at hand.

“Yes, please, Father. Tonight.”

Aland exchanged a glance with Ceridwen. She spoke immediately. “I am sure you will be fine with a morning appointment, dear. Over breakfast, perhaps?” She smiled at Thea and Aland.

Thea could feel her sisters behind her, waiting, watching, and listening. She braced herself. “Thank you, Mother, but I really do wish to speak with Father before this evening is over.”

“What is amiss, daughter?” Aland seemed genuinely puzzled, which made Thea want to strike him.

“I would prefer to converse with you in private, Sir,” she answered.

Aland glanced at Ceridwen again. “I suppose, if you must. I shall give you five minutes in my chambers.  My dear, I shall join you shortly,” he said to Ceridwen. “Daughters, to your rooms.”

They scattered around Thea and Aland, some glancing back fearfully. Adelaide was the last to pass Thea, and she squeezed Thea’s hand as she went by.

Once everyone had moved on, Aland turned to Thea. “Come.” His face showed a mix of annoyance and concern.

Thea trailed in his wake, taking deep breaths as she did so. This would not be easy, and a part of her feared what her father might say or do. But she could not marry Sebastian.

Aland stopped at the door of his private sitting room. He held the door open silently as Thea hurried in, wanting to be done with what was sure to be a difficult discussion with her father.

“Well? What is this about? When last we spoke, you were both happy and excited.”

“Why did you not tell me it was Sebastian who asked for my hand?”

“That is what this is about? Thea, we spoke before I made the announcement. You were happy, in agreement with my choice for you. I venture to say you were even eager for it!” Thea could see that he was beginning to feel angry. She could also see concern for her in his face. She hurried to respond. She didn’t want to feel his anger if she could avoid it.

“I did not know you meant Sebastian,” she said, attempting to remain calm.

“You didn’t know….” His voice trailed off. “If not Sebastian, then who is it, Thea? Who else might be worthy of your hand? Furthermore, Sebastian has made his interest plain. I watched you carefully. You did not reject his advances.”

“I didn’t realize he even made advances!” She said. Her anger spilled over. “Why did you not tell me that he had asked for my hand?” The tears that had threatened most of the evening slipped out, and she brushed them impatiently from her cheeks.

“I didn’t think I had to!” Aland also struggled with his anger, his bewilderment showing. “We spoke of this, Thea! Who else would speak for your hand?”

“I cannot marry Sebastian, Father! I do not love him, I will not marry him!” She couldn’t name Casimir, not now. She wanted to, but feared her father’s reaction. He was speaking as though no one other than Sebastian had asked for her.

“You are making no sense, and I am trying desperately to understand, Thea,” Aland said, his words careful and measured. “Based on our conversation, I had no reason to think that you would be anything other than happy regarding my choice of a groom for you. If you do not care for him, why did you allow me to think you did?” Hands on his hips, he stared intently at her.

“Because I thought you were speaking of another!” She cried out at last, unable to bear his gaze. “I do love another, therefore I cannot marry Sebastian.”

“Daughter, I have pledged my word to Sebastian. Not only to Sebastian, but to his father, from one king to another. This cannot be undone.”

“Not even the fact that I love another makes a difference? You and mother married for love. Why would you deny me the same?”

“You did not let me know there was someone who had engaged your interest. I have given my word. I cannot break it, Thea. Would you have me known as one who reneged on a promise?”

She sat down onto a bench in front of the fireplace. She buried her face in her hands. Taking deep breaths, she willed the tears to stay put.

“You will learn to love Sebastian. He is a good man, handsome, a brave knight and a good leader. This other will fade,” Aland said.

Thea looked up at him. “Can you say that you would have gotten over Mother?”

Aland winced. “Thea, I have no choice. Your choice not to confide in me has led me to a place where I cannot go back on my word, nor will I. I have been attentive to your wishes for many years now, but I can do so no longer.”

“This is my fault? You ought to have come to me the instant Sebastian spoke to you! Why did you not tell him you needed to speak to me before giving your consent?” She could feel her voice rising.

Aland’s restrained anger burst through. Thea knew that questioning his actions had pushed him too far. “Because I like him, and he will be a good king, for both you and for Gallivas. I felt you liked him as well. You know I have long despaired over not having a male heir. He will be a strong king to you as queen.”

“I am your heir! Why does a man make any difference to that?” She could not believe what he’d just said.

“You are indeed my heir. However, you need to have a strong king by your side.” Aland’s face closed.

“I won’t marry him.”

“I understand your reluctance, Thea. However, I have given my word. I wish you had come to me, let me know there was another that you cared for. As you did not, I cannot indulge you. I wish that it were not so, but I have made the best decision I could given the information I had. You will marry Sebastian. And daughter,” he said, taking her hand. “I do believe you will come to love him. Let us go to bed now. There is no sense in furthering this conversation.”

Thea stared at him. Wrenching her hand from his, she stifled a sob, not wanting to show weakness, and ran from the room. She did, however, take care to slam the door behind her. She could hear her father roar “Thea!” but she did not turn back.

As she ran down the hallway towards the rooms she shared with her sisters, she started to cry. No longer caring who might see or hear her, she allowed the tears that had been threatening all evening to spill over unchecked.  She could feel the heat from the torches along the wall as she ran past them.

How could father do this to her? Marry her off without even telling her because he thought it best? All based on what he thought he saw! Why did he not ask her? She stopped in mid-step. She was so upset that her father brushed off her feelings that she’d forgotten to ask what reason he had to deny Casimir’s suit. She’d have to ask tomorrow. She wasn’t going back in to see him tonight.

And Casimir! The way he’d looked at her when she and Sebastian had approached him. She could tell that he thought she’d known and not told him. That she’d been leading him on. She had heard the anger behind his words. It was subtle, but she was so attuned to him that it had felt like a slap.

She headed for her chambers. She had to talk to him, to make this right with him. Then they could work together to find a way to change her father’s mind.  She pushed away the thoughts of how this might hurt Sebastian. He would be further hurt to be married to someone who loved another, who was not a true partner.

Stopping in front of the doors to her chambers, she took a number of deep breaths, and used her handkerchief to gently dab at her eyes. She didn’t want to involve her sisters in this mess. She squared her shoulders and reached for the door handle.

The hand over her mouth choked off her scream.

“Shhh! Thea, it’s me.”

Thea whirled around to see Casimir. She threw her arms about him, and for the first time all evening, she felt safe. The feeling was momentary as she felt him pull her arms away.

She leaned away from him. “What—?”

“Tell me, did you know?” His hands gripped her shoulders, his face hard. “Did Sebastian speak the truth?”

“I did not know! Could you not tell? It was all I could do to not run screaming from the room! Do you know me so little?” Thea whispered angrily.

Casimir didn’t answer, but folded her into his arms as she’d wished for earlier in the evening. “I did not think you knew. I was afraid you did, but didn’t want to think you did. I ask your forgiveness.” He buried his face into her hair.

Thea could se
e
a shadow move closer to her as she looked over Casimir’s shoulder. She waved a hand behind him. She had nearly forgotten Archibald. Of course he would be there. Casimir was lucky that Archibald hadn’t brained him for sneaking up on her.

She let his head rest against her, feeling secure in the warmth of him. “What are we going to do?” She asked him, her voice muffled.

“Thea, I must be honest with you. I do not wish to cause you further discomfort, but I cannot hide this from you.”

She pulled back from him, afraid of what he would say. “No matter how painful, I would you be honest with me.”

Casimir sighed. “Sebastian knew. He knew of my feelings for you. Perhaps not the depth, but he knew I care for you. He has known for some time.”

“What?” Thea’s head whirled. She thought back to when she was standing between Casimir and Sebastian, wishing the floor would swallow her. “Is that why you were so harsh when we stopped to talk to you?”

“Yes. I feared he had taken you into his confidence, and that you played with my emotions.” She could hear the hurt in his voice.

Thea threw herself at him. “Never. There has never been anyone but you, Casimir. I’ve had suitors for my hand since I was sixteen, and never until I met you did I have any interest in a man.”

He drew her closer to him, holding her tightly.  “We will speak to your father together.”

“I’ve already talked to him.”

Casimir drew back, looking down at her. “What did you tell him? That we wished to marry?”

“No. I told him I cared for another, and that I did not wish to marry Sebastian.”

“What said the king?”

“He berated me for not alerting him to my preference. I did the same regarding his decision to not consult me once Sebastian approached him.”

“How did you end things?”

“He roared at me, and I slammed out of the room.”

“Thea, that…”

She put her hand to his lips. “Do not chide me. I know I didn’t make our situation any better.”

A noise further down the corridor made them both still. Thea held her breath. Someone was opening a door. She could see the torch flames flicker as the air moved.

“Let us go to the woods so we may talk more freely,” Casimir whispered.

“Will we be safe?” Thea couldn’t help but be worried. While they’d snuck a few moments together as groups of courtiers walked through the woods, it had always been during the day. The thought of the woods at night scared her a little.

“I shall allow no harm to come to you,” Casimir said, stroking her face. “Please.”

“There is a staircase that will put us close to the edge of the woods,” Thea said.  She took his hand and pulled him with her, away from her chambers. The corridors of the castle looked eerie with only the torches to light them. The arrow slits above that provided dusty sunlight during the day were invisible in the inky blackness above them. She hurried, but trod lightly, not wanting her steps to be heard.

Finally, they reached the little staircase, and Thea opened the door, moving slowly so as to make no noise.

“Do not latch it,” she said. “It will allow us to return with greater ease than any other entrance.”

Casimir nodded. As they entered the stairs and he slowly closed the door, Thea stood still, letting her eyes adjust to the darker environment. There were a few torches, but the closest one was further down the stairs.