The Apathetic Knight

Chapter 8 - Cinder

Chapter 8 – Cinder

December, 311 Ashland Rule

"And who are these two?" My father asked, looking at the twins.

The duke stood straight again, glancing to his son first.

Bowing deeply, the boy introduced himself as Astaroth Renard Severing, the heir to the Severing duchy. He was a good-looking young man, with good presence and strong aura.

My father seemed impressed enough...

Then, he glanced at the girl.

She curtsied deeply, introducing herself as the duke's daughter, Kynareth Renna Severing.

She was quite pretty, I had to admit, and her voice was light and like a bell, pleasant to listen to.

My father looked her up and down, and I felt discomfort surge through me. My father had already mentioned marriage to me, and I could see already in this moment that the wheels were turning in his mind.

"You are quite a stunning beauty," he said, and she gasped softly, looking up at him in surprise. "Such bright eyes," he said. He glanced to me, before he looked back to her "How old are you?" He asked.

She hesitated. "I-I am eleven, your majesty." Even she seemed to understand where this was going.

I felt my stomach drop, but I was even more stunned by her reaction.

Her face blanched, turning pale, sweat beading on her brow. She even trembled, taking a step back.

I felt the strange dark energy swirling beneath her surface, and with a surge of realization, I understood it right away; she was of mage-blood.

There had been rumors floating around that Duke Severing's children were half-blooded, belonging to both the Knight's Faction and Mage's Faction, but Astaroth had such strong Knight Aura that I hadn't really thought of it until her emotions got the better of her and I could feel her mana.

Mages and Knights...didn't get along.

Ever.

We had been at war with them for centuries, until my great, great-grandfather started trying to bring us all together and unite us. It had been a hard-won peace, but we agreed to many concessions to get them to agree to a truce.

However, mixing the bloodlines was almost unheard of. Not many in our empire did so, and though it was common in other nations, our nation was simply not one of them.

Surely, father felt her mana as well...

He couldn't seriously be intending to marry this brat to me, could he?

Could he?

That wasn't the only problem I had with the idea, either. The reaction that she had was quite a negative response...and I felt myself become rather irritated.

She disliked me that much? I was a prince. Pray tell, what better options in groom would she have?

Surely, the duke wouldn't unite with a mage family because of the way he had secured his position. Using force to uproot the tyrant father he'd had to become the duke had really upset the mages. They were not so involved in politics and the like, and felt that he should have let the people come together to drive out the evil force rather than use force to remove my grandfather himself.

The mages wouldn't agree to join our household.

She was lucky that my father was even entertaining this...and I knew why he was.

Our alliance with the mages was strained, at best. If he married his oldest son, the heir to the throne, to a girl of mage-blood...he could greatly strengthen our ties to the mages and they wouldn't be able to complain with him nearly as much.

Being that she was also from a Knight Faction family, it made her the ideal candidate...even if I hated it immediately.

I didn't want this brat.

This immature, selfish little girl who couldn't act pleasant and jumped straight to hysterics at the slightest bad news?

No...I didn't want this girl.

Even father was a bit perturbed by her negative reaction. "You seem to have a deep awareness as to what I was insinuating," he said, glancing at her with a slightly frustrated gaze. "Though, judging by how quickly the blood drained from your face, I would take it that you do not look fondly upon such a suggestion...That is quite insulting indeed, showing such a negative reaction to the idea of marriage to a prince in front of the king..."

The other royals looked at her with shocked expressions, and I crossed my arms, huffing. I was offended that I didn't seem good enough for her.

She then continued on, basically slapping us in the face with the suggestion, and I could hardly believe that she made it seem like such a horrible fate to consider.

What had I ever done to her?

I didn't like this girl, not a single bit...and I knew that I had no choice.

As the crowned prince, I didn't have the freedom to find love. I had to follow the king's commands. If he commanded for me to drop to my knee and wed her this instant, I would have no say so in it if I wished to hold my position as the crowned prince.

That made me the angriest of all.

*

August, 313 A.R.

"What do you mean, you've officially set me to marry duke Severing's daughter?" I cried, exasperated.

My father shrugged. "You are about to be eighteen, now. It is time for you to marry. Beyond time, you should have wed at the age of sixteen. I put it off for two years as you asked me to. She is beautiful, she is the daughter of this nation's strongest duke and my nephew, mind you—and, she is of mage-blood. This will strengthen our ties to the mage faction. She has the blood of a war hero in her veins. She will be an excellent bride for you. So, you will accept this, and you will go to her coming-of-age celebration next week when they are announcing this engagement."

"But, father--!"

"You will be a courteous prince to her. You will perform your duties as you have been taught to, or I will make the second prince the heir to the throne instead of you. Understand?"

I sighed, bowing. "Yes, father."

"Good. Now, get your things-and your mind-prepared.

*

A week had passed, and I waited outside of the banquet hall doors. I heard the announcement of Astaroth's engagement and about his personal knight, before I heard the announcement about our engagement.

The crowd was asking about her personal knight choice when my name was announced, and I strode confidently toward them as the doors opened, my gait confident and proud, shoulders back, body oozing beauty and power, as I had been taught that a prince must.

The gasps and flirty giggles and stares let me know just how handsome I truly was.

I refrained from glowering as I, shocking everyone, gave my new fiancé a small bow at the waist, extending my hand for her own.

She stood there, dumbfounded, and I felt my face heat as I grew a tad red with embarrassment. I dropped my hand, standing once again, and crossed my arms. She really was infuriating.

I had just gone out of my way to be respectful, and what did the brat do? She made me look like a fool. A blundering fool.

I really, really disliked this girl.

Why did my father do this, again?

Oh, right. To look better to the mages.

I hated mages almost as much as I hated her, now.

"I am so sorry, your highness," her father muttered out the apology even as she still stood there, gaping into the empty space, seemingly holding her breath. "I am sure that she is just so overjoyed with the news that she doesn't know how to respond!"

I scoffed at the false flattery. I knew that wasn't the reason. The girl was obviously uncomfortable. I sighed under my breath, but took her hand into my own, and lifted it myself, slipping her glove off of her hand and sliding a large, bulky diamond ring onto her ring finger.

It was a pretty ring. I'd had my butler choose the ring out, and he had done well even though it was on short notice.

It was a rose-gold band, with a bright, crystal-clear, beautifully cut diamond centered in the middle, surrounded by tiny pieces of amber and peridot in a circle around it. It was incredibly shiny, and incredibly beautiful.

As the ring slid into place, she jolted.

Ah...that had done it. That got her out of her stupid, mindless daze.

She gasped out, flinching and wrenching herself away from me with a sharp cry, stumbling backward and falling onto the floor. Her mana spilled out of her body, and it made me feel nauseated. She had strong mana, certainly. A mage would probably have been happy with her, if their high morals didn't keep them from being interested in marriage with her family.

If she learned how to control that mana, she could be quite powerful.

Everyone around us gasped, and she sobbed out before anyone could say anything, tears pouring down her face. I felt my stomach drop at her reaction, startled and utterly offended.

"Kynareth!" My father snapped at her under his breath. "Control yourself at once!"

She didn't. Hiccups and sobs bubbled out of her throat, and as I reached out to her to help her stand, a wail ripped its way out of her as she stood on her own without help, struggling on shaky legs, and as I spread my arms to try to catch her, she slipped under my grasp and ran.

We followed her out to the balcony, where she—like the fool she was—got up on the railing.

Have I mentioned that I really hate this girl?

I really, really hated this girl!

"You continue to be selfish, I see," I said, crossing my arms and finally speaking up. I admonished her for another moment, and she looked like I had struck her.

Good.

"Why don't you just...come down from there, sister," her brother said, his voice fearful even as his knight stepped closer to her, ready to grab her if need be.

Her father ended up snapping at her, and she startled and slipped from the balcony.

I sort of hoped she broke her neck...that way, I could get out of this situation and it wouldn't even be my fault. I could blame my father for forcing this farce upon us both. Tell him that she just couldn't handle it?

Though, I did feel bad for Duke Severing. He was my cousin, after all.

I startled as I saw someone rush onto the balcony, leaping over the railing even as her body fell backward, and jumped down to the ground even as she fell.

Her family and I rushed down the stairs, coming out of the doors and into the courtyard where they now stood, and Seryn gently sat her down on her bottom on a nearby bench.

After several long minutes of conversation, it was agreed upon that Seryn would become her personal knight.

"If you have the knight you wished for, will you calm down about the engagement?" Her father asked, looking frustrated.

Fear flashed across her face and she backed away, seemingly feeling the need to flee again.

Seryn stirred at her side, glancing at her with a blank expression, though I could see some underlying concern beneath the surface.

She glanced at her brother, and he gave a slight nod.

She hugged her abdomen, looking away. "I...I will feel better if I have my knight," she whispered, stepping back a step.

Her father looked to Seryn. "Let's get to the wizard, then."

Her father quickly had a stone table sat up in the banquet hall.

The duchy's castle sorcerer arrived on the scene, dressed in ceremonial robes as instructed, and when we went to stand at the table in the center of the room, he was stunned.

I went up, a seal drawn on my hand, and I held my hand out, palm facing us. "Come, and kneel." I told Seryn.

Seryn groaned, but he stepped up to me, kneeling at my feet, and I put my hand on his forehead. Within a minute, the oath was sworn and completed.

We watched as they began the ceremony, and I crossed my arms, taking in the scene.

Seryn shouted in pain as the seal scorched its way into the back of his hand, and I watched Kynareth go pale, struggling to stand and breathing heavy with the effort to subjugate him. Her mana, unleashed, was probably the only concluding reason that she was able to bind him to her.

I was impressed, minutely.

It took some time, but finally, the poor girl wobbled, losing consciousness just as the seal finished on his hand, and he managed to catch her before she hit the floor even as he gasped out, trying to catch his breath himself.

As her knight took her to her chambers, Duke Severing turned to me, bowing.

"Hopefully, she will be more amiable in the future," he told me. "I deeply apologize for this grievous offense."

I shrugged it off. "It isn't as if I don't entirely understand. After all, this marriage was arranged between both of our fathers, without our input. I don't want this marriage either. But I will play my role and I will do so in silence. Perhaps you can teach your daughter to do the same before we meet again."

He gasped; eyes wide as he stared at me. "Highness..."

I sighed. "Don't concern yourself," I scoffed. "I understand that, as the Crowned Prince, I am obligated to marry whomever my father deems the best match for me. Lady Kynareth is beautiful and has strong, noble blood. She will make a fine bride. Do be sure to have Astaroth to begin having her study the correct material to learn proper palace etiquette and mannerisms. She has had ample training, I am sure, to be the daughter of a duke, but she will find it a struggle to adjust to palace life without a bit of extra education."

He gave me a nod, bowing. "Of course, your highness. We will bring in a tutor for her right away."

"Good, then," I said. "I will head out," I said, and he bowed again as I walked out, going to my chambers that had been shown to me when I'd arrived. I was staying for the entire weekend.

The following day flowed by without any news about Kynareth, other than that she was still asleep.

Honestly, I did find it rather impressive that she hadn't died. Seryn was a large, powerful man. For a young girl such as her to successfully subjugate him to her, a magic that took much energy anyway...it was an impressive feat. Many women had to choose younger knights, or women knights, for their first personal knight, simply because of this very issue.

Yet, Lady Kynareth had managed to subjugate not only a large, powerful man, but a man who was older than her by six years, as well.

Soon enough it was evening, and she had managed to make it down for a meal with her brother.

I watched from the shadows as Seryn glanced at her. "What kind of knight eats before their master?" He asked. A good, proper answer for a knight.

"An appropriate viewpoint for a knight to have," I spoke up, finally walking over into their line of sight, and she startled, crying out in fearful surprise as she spotted me. I chuckled, smirking at her as I strode past her, taking a seat. "You're going to have to get over this reaction you seem to have any time you see me, lion cub; you are my fiancé."

Her face turned a little green, and I tried to swallow down the frog that seemed to have jumped down my throat at her response to my mere presence.

How on earth could this little scaredy-kitten marry me in her current state? The engagement would only last a single year before we would marry. I may hate her, but I didn't want for her to be petrified of me.

Although, perhaps that may work better in my favor? Maybe she would leave me alone outside of required interactions...? At least, I hoped.

"It is a bit fitting, you know; your knight is known in the Knight community as 'Lion's Bane', and the beast his house is named for is the lion, and on top of that, the very sigil of your house is a Roaring Lion. Isn't it interesting how well things seem to work out?" I chuckled. When she continued to stare at her plate, I could feel the air get tense around us, and I grew further agitated. "You understand that I am not just a prince, but the crowned prince of our nation, do you not? Your response-or lack thereof-and your reactivity to me is beginning to become deeply offensive," I said, his tone dark. "What exactly have I done to earn such a rude reaction?"

She looked down at her plate again, hesitating. "It seems that each time we meet, you are quickly annoyed with me...the air is always tense, your highness. I thought that I offend you each time that we meet."

"You do," I clarified, and she flinched, trembling.

When she remained silent, I scoffed and stood, and I turned, striding out of the room with haste.

How could this little kitten masquerading as a lion ever marry the fire-dragon of the nation? It was baffling to me.

I hated her. Truly. She was mage-blood, she was timid and cowardly, acted against the crown's will and ran her mouth, seemed to have a mind against the crown, and on top of everything else, she was my cousin's son.

Her father was my father's nephew.

I didn't want for us to get married at all.

I, of course, had no choice.

I just couldn't see past my anger...but at least, I was better than that brat. At least I knew how to hold my tongue and do what was expected of me. She certainly didn't have a mindset to rule. Not with her attitude.

Ruling required sacrifice, perseverance, fortitude, and patience. You had to give up what you wanted. Ruling a nation was about what was best for everyone else, not what was best for you.

Marrying her, as much as I hated the thought, was what was best. The mages had already made it known that they approved, and they were happy that the imperial family would finally have mage blood in the inner circle.

She would have to put her petty grievances aside, just like I had to. Because, unlike her, I cared more about my nation than my own personal feelings.

If the Mage's Faction was happy about the union and they were willing to try harder to keep our alliance unified, then I couldn't complain too much. We already had enough international issues to deal with, presently. We couldn't afford a civil war.

So, civil was exactly what I would have to be toward my young new bride...no matter how much it irked my nerves.

I was, after all, going to be king.

I needed to act like it.