Lilith - The Arrangement

Lilith II

 

The chill air made Lilith shiver. The light breeze blew the hem of her too-short white dress around her knees as she stood waiting on top of the hill. Her always-present guards, Atem and Galand, stood to her left and right, and to the side, her father Edward stood solitarily. He had his own guards watching him, of course, but he always preferred to stand alone. Lilith supposed it was some sort of statement: he was strong enough to not need to rely on his guards. He certainly looked the part, with his tall stature, broad shoulders, and stone-like expression. He wore this expression all hours of the day, even around her.

            With a sigh, Lilith looked forward, at the seemingly endless plains stretching out below her. She had been waiting for some time now. Too long, even - the people they were expecting were late. Despite that, and despite the cold, she almost wished they would never get here; waiting forever would be better than what would happen when they arrived. Yes, she was in no hurry to meet her soon-to-be husband.

            Alexander Alvroy was known throughout the world for being a tall, dark, and handsome prince, a young man with a brilliant mind for strategy, both in war and in politics. He was also known for being a spoiled, pompous royal brat who threw tantrums over the smallest things. He was the kind of person Lilith with whom Lilith would never want to associate. Unfortunately for her, Alexander’s father was emperor of a neighboring nation with whom Lilith’s father did wish to associate, to form an alliance. The easiest way to do that was to offer his daughter to the emperor’s son.

            Lilith had never had much control over her life, instead being a political pawn to her father. She had never realized how little power she really had, but it had become all too clear in the past three years, ever since she found that fountain and learned the inner workings of the city's political scene. Her small protests amounted to nothing, and her father tightened his grip on her. She had known the day would come when she would be married off to improve her father’s position, but all the same, she dreaded that it was finally within sight. The fact that she had to wear this revealing, restrictive dress did nothing to improve her mood

            There, finally, she saw movement down below. Had she been paying more attention, she might have noticed them earlier. Maybe half a mile from the hill, six people on horseback were riding toward them. She glanced at her father. He watched the riders with his steely, analytical gaze.

            Lilith hugged herself as she waited for them to reach her. She tried to figure out which was Alexander and which were merely guards. It did seem like an unusually large number of guards. Five guards for one man? Safety was always a good idea, but the emperor and king were on good terms with each other, especially now with Lilith being pawned off like a commodity. It made sense soon after when the riders became close enough for her to make out their faces. Alexander brought his sister. At least, that’s who Lilith assumed she was. It was difficult to tell from this distance, but she and Alexander both wore more regal clothing than their companions, and they had a similar air to them.

            Claire wasn’t as well known as her brother (women were never appreciated as much as their male counterparts). She was mentioned occasionally in courtroom gossip, but only as an extra in tales about her brother or father. Though if she was anything like the stories painted Alexander to be, Lilith wasn’t anxious to make her acquaintance, either.

            The next couple minutes dragged. She saw them approaching and could no longer pretend to deny the arrangement wouldn’t be happening, but it wasn’t happening yet. The anticipation and dread were killing her.

            Finally, just when the riders were approaching the top of the hill, Lilith’s father stepped forward to greet them, his guards silently following a few paces behind. The riders stopped and dismounted. Alexander and the woman walked together, pausing a few feet in front of the king. The two men regarded each other emotionlessly while the girl casually observed her surroundings. She made eye contact with Lilith. The girl tilted her head while she studied Lilith, and Lilith studied her in return. She had tan skin, curly black hair, and intense emerald eyes. She was just as beautiful as her brother was handsome. They stood watching each other for a few moments, then the girl flashed her a brief, sweet smile before looking at the king. Lilith’s heart skipped a beat, though she wasn’t sure why.

            A voice interrupted her thoughts.

            “It is good to finally meet you.”

            Alexander’s voice was a calm, smooth tenor. He ran a hand through his dark hair, smiling confidently. He was tall and slender, yet even under his clothing, it was clear his frame was packed with lean muscle.

            “Sire,” he continued. “Allow me to introduce myself.” He bowed slightly. “I am Alexander Alvroy of Vavalon, son of Emperor Rudolph, and heir to the throne.” He couldn’t help but smirk as he spoke, no doubt used to people being awestruck by his lineage and position. When Edward didn’t react, Alexander waved for just a moment. “And this,” he gestured to the girl standing at his side, “is my twin sister, Claire.” Claire curtsied.

            The king examined them for a time. Alexander shifted his weight, not quite managing to hide his discomfort. Lilith couldn’t blame him; her father’s gaze could make anyone squirm. Claire, on the other hand, seemed completely nonplussed. She stood straight and at ease, the wind gently ruffling her hair.

            Finally, the king pressed his fist to his chest, and dipped his chin slightly, the closest he ever came to bowing.

            “So you’ve finally arrived.” He let the comment hang in the air for a second. “I won’t waste mine or your time with pointless pleasantries. We all know why you’re here, so let’s not stall any longer.” He turned toward Lilith and gave a small nod.

            Her heart leapt into her throat and her hands shook. Forcing a smile, she curtsied and walked over, Alexander’s gaze heavy on her. He unabashedly ran his eyes up and down her body, and she wished she again was wearing something more concealing than this dress. Normally a young woman could count upon her father to stave off enthusiastic young men, but she could expect no help here. She offered Alexander her hand, and he took it, staring into her eyes.

            “My lord,” she said.

            “A pleasure.” He watched her for a moment longer, with wide, excited eyes, before kissing her hand. Instead of releasing it, as she expected, he placed his other hand on hers.

            “My,” he said. “I’d heard tale of the beautiful princess from Siben, but you far exceed even my loftiest expectations.” She had heard those exact words countless times before. The only thing the men from royal families ever commented on was her beauty, as if that’s all she was: a figurehead whose only purpose was to stand there looking pretty and pretend to be important.

            “You honor me with your words, my lord.”

            “I say nothing but the truth.”

            Edward spoke. “Let us continue this back at the castle.” Without another word, he mounted his horse.

            Alexander released Lilith’s hand and smiled one last time. His gaze had a suggestive undertone. Lilith forced herself to smile in kind. He returned to his horse, followed by Claire. Just before mounting, she turned and looked at Lilith, her face blank and unreadable. Lilith smiled politely. She turned around, though she still felt Claire watching her. Atem helped Lilith onto her horse, and they were off.

            Alexander immediately raced to the front of their group, next to Edward. No doubt the prince intended to boast about his achievements or praise the king to get into his good graces. Perhaps both.

            Despite being royalty, Lilith had grown to resent much of what that entailed. Many assume being born a royal is a blessing, but it was just as much of a prison as being born a peasant farmer. The cell was carved out of gold, but it was a cell all the same.

            She jumped when she heard Claire speak, not having realized she was now right next to her.

            “My brother isn’t the husband you dreamed about when you were young, is he?”

             “Alexander’s reputation proceeds him. He is - ”

            Claire exhaled. “A pampered royal brat?”

            Lilith blinked. “Erm, I’m sure he’ll make a great ruler and husband.”

            Claire laughed, and it was such a free, pleasant sound Lilith had to resist smiling. Claire looked at her, and Lilith was struck by the depth and intelligence her eyes held. “The men are out of earshot. Do not be afraid to speak candidly; I’m not.” She looked ahead at her brother, an amused smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll tell you what I think of Alexander. He’s an idiot. Sure, he knows war, and he knows politics, but his lack of common sense is astounding. Not to mention his complete lack of understanding of women. I tried to tell him once that women aren’t just there to be ogled by him and actually have thoughts of their own, but he didn’t believe a word of it. My sympathies lie with the servants back at our castle. I don’t think there’s a single skirt there he hasn’t chased.”

            Lilith stared back. Eventually, she managed to stutter, “Y-you shouldn’t say such things of the prince.”

            Claire leaned in as well as she could. Her face was mere inches from Lilith, and Lilith could feel her body heat. It was a strangely pleasant feeling.

            “So tell me, Lilith,” Claire said in a conspiratorial way. “What do you think of my twin?” She raised an eyebrow. “My entire life, I’ve wanted to woman to speak with. I can’t gossip about men to other men, can I? Don’t deny me this experience.” She winked.

            There was something about Claire that put Lilith at ease. For one, she understood everything Lilith had dealt with her whole life. But it was more than that. Her aura was comforting and encouraging. Looking into those green eyes, Lilith found herself blushing.

            She quickly looked away. Despite herself, she smirked. “I’m afraid I don’t have much experience with the art of gossiping.” She looked sideways at her. “You’ll have to teach me sometime. With the upcoming merging of our families, we’re bound to see more of each other. I’ll have plenty of time to learn.”

            Lilith looked forward. The castle gates loomed ahead, as strong and oppressive as always. Lilith didn’t know what the future had in store for her, and she certainly wasn’t thrilled with her new family. But where sisters-in-law were concerned, she could certainly do worse than Claire.

            Claire patted Lilith’s arm. “We’ve made it this long on our own, surrounded by these men. Now that we have each other, all these princes running about will be downright manageable.”

Author's Note

Reuploaded from my other account I no longer have access to.