HELLISH DESIRES

CHAPTER TWO

Lorita stormed out of her room angrily as she dragged her long flowy gown along with her, she had an angry look on her face while her maid continued to run after her begging her to stop but she would hear nothing of it. She was the only daughter of the king of Pictish and she was just twenty years and one among the fairest women of Pictish. She had a beauty everyone wished for and her natural red hair always made her stand out of the crowd but right now she was mad, very mad.

How could her parents make such a decision without letting her know?did they think she was just a child who was unable to make decisions for herself?

With that thought in mind, she strode towards her fathers throne room.

King Abalom, he was the king of Pictish, a small town far from Ashen and he had been ruling the kingdom for ten years after the death of his father.

“My lady” the guard at the large door greeted and bowed respectfully.

“Is my father in a meeting?” Lorita asked ignoring his greeting. She was usually a cool girl but right now she was angry.

“The king has ordered no one should disturb him but he isn’t in a meeting”

Before he could finish his sentence, Lorita threw the door open and walked inside. Her father was having his morning tea and he looked pleased to see his daughter.

“Why are you up so early lorita, it is still early in the morning, you should be in bed by now” he said as he walked to his daughter, a huge smile was plastered on his face.

“Why didn’t I know I was getting married?”Lorita finally asked, when she heard the news from her mother’s trusted maid that morning she felt like she wanted to go mad. How could they plan her wedding with a man she had never met and they expect her to be joyful about it.

“Where did you hear that princess?” He asked finally coming to stand in front of her, he was tall so she looked small in front of him.

“Just answer me father, did you plan my wedding without my knowledge?”

“Come princess” he held her hand and led her to a nearby sit and Lorita slowly sat down not wanting to tear her eye from her father, “he is the king of Ashen” he finally said and she shot out of the chair again.

“What?father, how could you do something like this?”

“Listen child, this has already been decided. I asked your mother to get you ready tomorrow, he will be here to take you”

Lorita couldn’t believe her ears, “father?how much am I being sold right now?I never told you I wanted to marry a king and not necessarily from ashen”

King Abalom finally stood up by her side, “you don’t have a choice child, make sure you are ready” he added and slowly strode out of the room like the king he was while she slumped back on the chair in despair.

She didn’t know for how long she had been sitting until she heard the door open again and her mother hurriedly entered along her personal maid.

“You are here Lorita, I have searched the whole place looking for you” her mother said sitting beside her while the maid stood a little far off.

“Why didn’t you tell me mother?how can you allow father to get me married without my permission?

Queen Navina sighed, “ the decision was made in haste my dear, everything will be fine and you will be happy when you finally meet king Alexander”

“Mother” Lorita blurted, “I don’t want to get married, this is not a joke and especially not to man I don’t even love”

“Love?there is nothing like love my dear, you get married and you can find love”

“Moth…….”

Queen Navina interrupted, “our kingdoms have already agreed to this Lorita and it can’t be changed, just make sure you prepare yourself for tomorrow” she said as a matter of fact before leaving the throne room, she didn’t see the tears that fell out of her daughter’s eyes.

“My Lady” her maid moved towards her.

“I now know mother and father hate me” Lorita whispered in tears and Rose knelt in front of her using a handkerchief to wipe her tear stained face.

“No my lady, I believe they thought this through before making this decision”

Nodding her head in the negative, she stood up,

“Take me to my room, I want to have some rest” and like that they both walked out of the throne room.

…………………………

King Abalom was in his study and he seemed to be very busy when the huge door creaked open and his wife entered, a maid was behind her and she had a tray of herbal tea with her.

“Drop it and leave” Queen Navina ordered and the maid bowed before following the orders.

“You said you wanted to tour the kingdom, why are you still in the palace?” The king asked finally sitting down on his chair.

“ I suddenly lost my interest in that, I am here to talk about Lorita my king. You still have time, we can tell the Ashens that we refuse the treaty. Lorita is still too young to be alone on her own in a kingdom that is not even related to ours”

“Navina, I will not talk about this anymore. I have already made the decision and that is final, make sure she is ready tomorrow. Her groom will be here by noon” he states with an air of finality while his wife sighed.

“I have never gone against you my king but I hope when the consequences of this happens, you will be as firm as this. She is our only daughter and we should treat this with absolute seriousness”

King Abalom finally dropped the cup of tea he was holding, “this is to safeguard our kingdom Navina and I will do anything make that happen. If you have nothing more to say, please I have urgent matters to attend to”

“As you wish”

………………

The day went by so fast and it was already night, dressed in her nightwear Lorita kept tossing in bed because sleep had totally disappeared from her eyes. The fact that she would be going ashen kingdom the next morning was something she never imagined would happen. She her never dreamt of getting married to a king and definitely not from the kingdom she hated the most, leaving her life and dreams behind was something she never thought would happen but a few hours from now, she would be a queen in a kingdom she barely knew.

“Can’t you sleep my lady?” Rose asked as she entered the room. She had some scented candles with her.

“How can I sleep rose, even sleep has taken pity on me and decided to let me enjoy the few hours of singleness I have left” her voice was laced with sadness and a certain kind of fear she couldn’t place.

“I have asked the queen and she has agreed that I go with you to ashen kingdom” Rose didn’t know why she said it but she wanted to make the princess feel better, she was the only friend she had in the whole kingdom and life without her would be lonely.

“Take some rest Rose, tomorrow is a long day” Lorita finally said and turned her body to the wall, deep inside of her she was praying for the sun not to rise again.