Post by L.E. Ott on Oct 23, 2006 2:32:48 GMT -5
"Only two more days, Arnaea."
"Yes, my Lady. Two more days and you will have everything."
"Please," Karia said, looking at her friend and protector, "let's not be formal. At least not in private."
Turning back to the mirror, Karia ran her hands along the material of her dress. It shimmered in the light, and she smiled.
"This is really the dress Saphira's mother wore at her wedding?"
"According to the court seamstress, yes. In fact, as she was leaving the last fitting, she commented to me that it was interesting how Saphira had found a bride so similar in size to her own mother. She was surprised I think that she had to take it in an inch. From what I've heard, Empress Liane was a tiny woman."
Arnaea smiled and stood, walking to the door.
"I need to go and check on some preparations. I'll be back."
"All right."
As soon as the older woman was gone, Karia headed over to the wall and pressed the switch that opened the false panel. Slipping through, she closed the wall behind her and rushed down the hidden corridor, stopping at last near another panel, where she knocked. There was a scuffling sound, and then the wall swung away and Saphira stood there in a soft blue robe, staring at her.
"What's this? An angel in my wall? You'd best away, bright angel, for I've a jealous fiancee."
Karia frowned and stepped into the room.
"Jealous am I?"
"Hello, love," Saphira said, pulling the girl into a warm embrace.
"What's this new dress?"
"It's...for the wedding."
"What?"
"My wedding dress," Karia said as she stepped out of the loving arms and turned slowly.
"Do you like it?"
"Breathtaking, Karia. Beautiful. My, but the seamstresses made such a wonderful dress quickly."
"They didn't make it just now. They had it in storage."
"From whom?"
"Your mother."
The Empress of Adaven was silent for a moment, looking her future bride up and down. She felt tears burn in her eyes for the mother she had never known, who had died giving her life. At last, however, she found her voice again.
"It's beautiful on you, beloved."
She turned and paced nervously over to her desk, sitting carefully.
"Karia, I've been meaning to talk to you about the wedding.
"I don't think I can go through with it."
The girl stood in shock before crossing the room to stare down into her lover's eyes.
"What?"
"I'm afraid, love. Marriage means so much more. As of right now, you're essentially an unbound concubine. With a marriage, you will be my wife and consort, always to sit and my side and rule the empire with me. Are you ready for that?"
Karia sat.
"Of course I'm ready."
"You sure."
"Saphira, I love you. Do you love me?"
"Of course I do. I love you with all of my heart."
"Then that's enough."
"Love isn't..."
"Yes it is. Now, no more of this fear. I won't hear it."
She stood and walked back over to the wall panel.
"If you're not in that temple in two days in your full regalia ready to pledge yourself to me before the Gods and the empire, I'll come up here and drag you down by your hair in just that robe."
As her future bride flounced out of the room, Saphira shook her head. When had this happened? When had her innocent, naive lover become a true force to be reckoned with? She would spend much of the next two days scratching her head in wonder.
"Yes, my Lady. Two more days and you will have everything."
"Please," Karia said, looking at her friend and protector, "let's not be formal. At least not in private."
Turning back to the mirror, Karia ran her hands along the material of her dress. It shimmered in the light, and she smiled.
"This is really the dress Saphira's mother wore at her wedding?"
"According to the court seamstress, yes. In fact, as she was leaving the last fitting, she commented to me that it was interesting how Saphira had found a bride so similar in size to her own mother. She was surprised I think that she had to take it in an inch. From what I've heard, Empress Liane was a tiny woman."
Arnaea smiled and stood, walking to the door.
"I need to go and check on some preparations. I'll be back."
"All right."
As soon as the older woman was gone, Karia headed over to the wall and pressed the switch that opened the false panel. Slipping through, she closed the wall behind her and rushed down the hidden corridor, stopping at last near another panel, where she knocked. There was a scuffling sound, and then the wall swung away and Saphira stood there in a soft blue robe, staring at her.
"What's this? An angel in my wall? You'd best away, bright angel, for I've a jealous fiancee."
Karia frowned and stepped into the room.
"Jealous am I?"
"Hello, love," Saphira said, pulling the girl into a warm embrace.
"What's this new dress?"
"It's...for the wedding."
"What?"
"My wedding dress," Karia said as she stepped out of the loving arms and turned slowly.
"Do you like it?"
"Breathtaking, Karia. Beautiful. My, but the seamstresses made such a wonderful dress quickly."
"They didn't make it just now. They had it in storage."
"From whom?"
"Your mother."
The Empress of Adaven was silent for a moment, looking her future bride up and down. She felt tears burn in her eyes for the mother she had never known, who had died giving her life. At last, however, she found her voice again.
"It's beautiful on you, beloved."
She turned and paced nervously over to her desk, sitting carefully.
"Karia, I've been meaning to talk to you about the wedding.
"I don't think I can go through with it."
The girl stood in shock before crossing the room to stare down into her lover's eyes.
"What?"
"I'm afraid, love. Marriage means so much more. As of right now, you're essentially an unbound concubine. With a marriage, you will be my wife and consort, always to sit and my side and rule the empire with me. Are you ready for that?"
Karia sat.
"Of course I'm ready."
"You sure."
"Saphira, I love you. Do you love me?"
"Of course I do. I love you with all of my heart."
"Then that's enough."
"Love isn't..."
"Yes it is. Now, no more of this fear. I won't hear it."
She stood and walked back over to the wall panel.
"If you're not in that temple in two days in your full regalia ready to pledge yourself to me before the Gods and the empire, I'll come up here and drag you down by your hair in just that robe."
As her future bride flounced out of the room, Saphira shook her head. When had this happened? When had her innocent, naive lover become a true force to be reckoned with? She would spend much of the next two days scratching her head in wonder.