Aine's Lady's maid, Braelyn, has many complaints come morning. All of which go through one indisposed ear and out the other. Aine glares into the mirror as if her reflection is her sworn enemy, whilst Braelyn flaps around her.
"Lady Sampson, I wish you would care more for your hair. It is ever so knotty. It is such a beautiful colour. If I had hair as beautiful as yours, I would do everything to ensure it was well-kept." Braelyn compliments, but Aine sees it for what it is: a chide. Stop horse riding, archery and sword fighting as they are not lady-like. And they make her hair harder to brush.
What am I supposed to do? I am defending both you and this entire realm! I would sacrifice a few knots to ensure Nocriam is protected. Aine bites her tongue before these thoughts leave her lips, knowing Braelyn is only trying to do her job. Besides, after partaking in all three activities subsequent to finding out who had called the Parish of Patrinis yesterday, Braelyn had to somehow transform a tired mess of a girl into a lady.
She is doing a good job. Aine's red hair cascades down her shoulders in smooth waves that reach the small of her back. The front sections of hair are expertly twisted to meet at the crown of her head, elegantly framing a gold mistletoe-shaped tiara. Aine is jolted out of her stupor when Braelyn attempts to attach an emerald necklace around her neck.
"What is this?!" Aine demands, swerving out of the maid's way the best she can in her heavy attire. Emeralds. Never emeralds.
"A-accessories, my lady. They match your eyes perfectly. I'm sorry, is it not to your liking?" Braelyn looks confounded, genuine confusion lacing her features and tone.
Aine lets out a shaky breath. "We never use emeralds, Braelyn. They are Vulstis's stone. Use something white or gold."
The realisation sinks in, and Braelyn immediately disposes of the emerald jewellery, fishing around for some pearls instead.
"I do apologise. I just wanted to accentuate your eyes. They are so much like-"
"My mother's?" Aine finishes the sentence, having heard the sentiment many times before from her father, "I know. Now, Braelyn, explain to me how I am supposed to move in this thing."
Aine motions to the multi-layered, embroidered gold dress she had been wrestled into with its corseted waist, excessively long train, flared sleeves that reach the floor, and white fur trimmings that are likely to match with her father. What she detests most is that the corset pushes her bosom far too much into the public eye, and the pearl necklace Braelyn added does not help disguise this. She is just thanking the Sun God that she is not being forced to wear heeled slippers.
Aine and Braelyn exchange a playful smirk, knowing any tension about emerald necklaces is long gone.
"Well..."
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Unfortunately for Aine and King Caylus, the Kingdom of Vulstis's party is the first to arrive for the Parish of Patrinis. Although all the kingdoms border Nocriam for easy passage to the Hall of Witnesses, Vulstis Keep is still the closest. Considering King Min Yoongi called the Parish of Patrinis, it would be doubtful he would be late.
"His royal majesty, King Min Yoongi of Kingdom Vulstis." proclaims King Caylus's usher as the guards swing open the grand entrance doors to the Hall of Witnesses and reveal a sea of black and gold. The sight is familiar yet dangerous to Aine.
Bannermen proudly march the sigil of the fox into the room, closely flanked by armed soldiers who stand vigil as their king sweeps haughtily over the threshold: his most trusted advisor, Mr Hwang, a few paces behind him.
King Caylus and Aine receive their guest through gritted teeth.
"King Min." King Caylus greets, taking him by the hand.
"Your Grace." Aine acknowledges, curtseying before the man she hates most.
He surveys the both of them, dark eyes lingering on Aine but never divulging anything more than that: looks. His skin is as pale as the marble behind him, and if he did not have a grotesque scar over his right eye, Aine would have mistaken him for a statue. He certainly acts as such: cold and unfeeling with eyes like two black holes- you would perish before you found any life in there.
Mr Hwang, however, offers a smile that is almost as bright as the room. Keyword: almost. Aine notices that the smile doesn't reach his eyes, making her feel uneasy as the cold king's advisor gleams down at her.
"Caylus." King Min finally addresses, solemn, uninterested.
Rude, thinks Aine, he's a king. Oh, how she wishes she could swap this ridiculously constricting dress for her bow and arrow right now.
"Yoongi." King Caylus politely claps back, an irked smile playing on his lips.
King Min is completely unfazed by this and glides past King Caylus and Aine towards his wooden throne beneath the marble fox, Mr Hwang tottering off after him like a loyal dog. Aine and her father exchange displeased looks and prepare to greet three more parties, none of which they are particularly fond of.
King Jungkook of Belltoria acts like an arrogant child wearing a grown man's armour, putting on a show of swordsmanship in an attempt to put King Caylus 'in his place'. Aine is sure one duel with him would cut his ego down to size.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
King Seokjin of Nalentus is boastful and unserious, cracking the most awful jokes at Nocriam and Vulstis's expense, showing both his ignorance and terrible sense of humour. His step-brothers' encouraging laughter only enrages Aine more, knowing how intelligent High Prince Namjoon is. Aine wonders if King Seokjin would be making the same jokes if Vulstis declared war on Nalentus instead and their precious crops began dying.
King Jimin of Verectias is as elusive as ever. He ignores everyone and makes an immediate beeline for his wooden throne as if this whole event is beneath him. Infuriating.
Aine breathes a sigh of relief once she finally takes a seat, registering too late that the man beside her is Grand Duke Taehyung of Nalentus—a renowned flirt who shares the same boastful tendencies as his older brother, King Seokjin. Whilst trying to subtly angle herself away from the man to avoid engaging with him, someone else enthusiastically plops themselves down next to her. Aine recognises that darned smile- Advisor Hwang.
She can't blank him; she's practically facing him due to her Grand Duke evasion tactics. Because the man is, for some reason, still smiling widely, Aine offers her best grimace in response.
"Lady Sampson, I must say, you are looking absolutely radiant today." he accolades, bowing his head in appreciation.
"Thank you, Advisor Hwang." Aine replies stiffly. This is weird. Why is he being so nice, especially when his king called this Parish? Her eyes dance over the five men on their thrones, willing her father to stand and commence the Parish as quickly as possible.
"Yes, I am rather impressed. From what I have heard, Lady Sampson, you are usually covered in dirt and mud like some peasant girl. And for what? Arrows and a sword?" It takes no genius to guess who threatened Aine's hot temper with such a wisecrack.
Aine narrows her eyes, hoping her father can feel her gaze on him. Not even bothering to glance at the Grand Duke, she states calmly, "I was led to believe people in Nalentus love the dirt and mud, Your Grace. It is, after all, where Patrinis's precious crops grow from. Your use of it as an insult tells me you lack the skills needed in both Nalentus and the warfare here in Nocriam."
This is met with a mocking chuckle from behind, which Aine deduces can only be one of King Jungkook's subordinates. Grand Duke Taehyung cowers into silence, not daring to fan the flames further.
"My good people!" King Caylus bellows, his voice carrying to all corners of the hall as he stands to address everyone, "Thank you all for gathering here today. King Min Yoongi of the Vulstis Kingdom has summoned us here as a matter of utmost importance. By the God of the Sun and the God of the Moon, we shall hear what he has to say with candour and benignity."
King Caylus extends a hand to the chair in the centre, atop the floor painting of the Sun and Moon Gods. All eyes follow the King of Vulstis as he rises from his wooden throne and coasts towards the speaker's chair, the black robes billowing behind him starkly contrasting with the white marble. He is like a haunting shadow. His long, silky, platinum blonde hair flows freely behind him, creating an unsettling contradiction to the steely expression on his face and the exceptionally pointy gold and emerald crown atop his head.
Finally, Aine hears the subject of her loathing speak more than a sentence. She compares his voice to the rumbling of thunder. It is low and grumbly yet commands attention without needing to yell.
"Preacher Nocriam and his holy kingdom have taught us for many years that there are only two Gods: The God of the Sun and The God of the Moon," he begins, "however, I am led to believe there is another God living among us. Benefiting Nocriam's newest ruler, Caylus Sampson."
This declaration is met with a chorus of gasps and murmurs. This man dares to come to the holy kingdom and challenge the religion, its king, and its history.
"I am certain I do not know what you mean, King Min." King Caylus comments, followed by a chortle from King Seokjin, who observes the King of Vulstis as if he has gone insane.
"You would deny it when you are disguising the Goddess of the Land as your daughter, wouldn't you?" King Min challenges calmly, his long, veiny finger pointing out Aine in the crowd.
What? Goddess of what? Aine furrows her eyebrows, her lips forming a scowl. Is this all a political ploy to defame the Sampson name so that Nocriam falls?
"King Min, what is this nonsense?" King Jungkook spits from a lounged position on his wooden throne. He looks bored, fed up, ready to be anywhere but here.
"King Caylus has been harbouring the Celtic Goddess of the Land, Aine, as an advantage over Vulstis. Aine's powers allow whichever land she favours to flourish and the ones she does not to feel her wrath." King Min Yoongi rolls up one of his sleeves to unveil a recognisable scar. Two months ago, Aine had caught him off-guard during battle and sliced the skin off his forearm with her sword. Eyes widen, some cover their mouths and court ladies gag at the sight before the king finally readjusts his sleeve. "If that were not enough evidence for you all, she looks exactly as the legends describe. Hair as red as flame and eyes as green as the emeralds I wear on my head. They even have the same name. Who else in Nocriam looks this way? Her father certainly does not."
Aine's eyes dart desperately around the hall as the murmurs and whispers become louder and more intense. King Min seems to successfully be riling everyone up. Are they buying into this? The people Aine fights tooth and nail to protect day in and day out, and they believe the enemy because it is an exciting piece of gossip. The God of the Moon sure is working his magic.
"Skill with a bow and arrow and a sword is completely different to having divine powers!" Aine's father reasons, but to no avail. All watch the red-haired girl as she rises from her seat, staring down the King of Vulstis with wild eyes.
"Let's test that, then. Have her live in Vulstis for a period of time and see if you still have your military prowess." the cold king states simply, dark eyes flitting to each of the three other kings for their verdict since Nocriam's answer would obviously be no.
As King Caylus, the largest and strongest man of the five, pleads with watery eyes for the safety of his only child, he is met with an aloof silence. When Aine hears King Jungkook's spiteful snigger at her father's predicament, she knows her fate. None of these outlying kings care about the conflict between Nocriam and Vulstis in the first place, so what does it matter if Aine Sampson has to live in Vusltis instead of Nocriam? It's all part of a war they have nothing to do with. King Min's stone-like nature and his advisor's persistent smile adds up in Aine's mind: they knew the other kingdoms' lack of concern about this matter would amount to their agreement with Vulstis on this matter and there would be nothing Nocriam could do about it. No one can go against the ruling of the Parish of Patrinis. After this morbid realisation, Aine runs. Like hell is she going back to live in that dark, insipid kingdom.
"Seize her." King Min sighs, unamused but unsurprised that Aine is not coming quietly.
Aine tries to run, she really does, but her heavy dress combined with Advisor Hwang latching onto her as soon as she attempts to, results in her being captured by the guards of Vulstis. King Caylus is chomping at the bit to get to his daughter's aid, but a mixture of guards from different kingdoms hold him back. The ruling of the Parish of Patrinis does not stop him from hollering after Aine like a wild boar. Aine screams back with the same ferocity.
Aine would be more frightened of the men restraining her if she did not glance at King Min Yoongi's face. He no longer looks like an expressionless statue but something much more sinister. He is wearing a cruel smirk on his lips.
Aine does not like that. She does not like that at all.
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