Forged in Steel

Chapter 2: The Land of Iron

It wasn’t much longer until we reached the main capital of the Steel Kingdom, the streets empty for the most part. However, as I looked closer, I could see mothers hiding through the windows of their homes with their children clutched in their arms. Fathers and elder brothers would stand out on the front step with axes, pickaxes, hoes, and whatever they had that they used for work, but now resembled weapons as their eyes never left our carriage. All full of hate and wishes for malice towards us.

Most knew that the gold and blues of our carriage’s colors were symbols of Helm’s family colors seen on our flags. Colors that brought many of the people of Steel terror and distaste. Guards of the city now marched along with our carriage to ensure that no one on the street would try and attack us, but that didn’t stop some bold men trying to step up and hit the carriage with their items in hand. Rouge lost children of the street that didn’t seem to have any homes would throw rocks at the carriage’s horses which they were then threatened harshly by the guards with being captured and sent away if their attacks continued. Those who were bold enough then stopped their advances as soon as those threats were given.

“True savages out here, it’s so hard to think what life is like out here… It makes me happy to know that the Helm Kingdom is nothing like this.” Charlotte hummed in a soft voice as she too looked out her window with a morbid fascination in her eyes. My father only looked straight ahead at the wall of the carriage behind me, a stone-cold look in his eyes as he refused to look at the people of the Steel Kingdom. Instead, it was as if he was trying to strike more fear into them by not giving them even one passing glance.

I continued to stare out the window with curiosity and a bit of fear as we continued to pass through the streets. This was where I would be living? If any of these men or women knew I would be residing not far from their homes, I feared they would try to execute me here and now. After entering the capital it didn’t take much longer until we were out of the heart of it all and made our way up the cobbled roads to the palace grounds, where our carriage had been stopped by the building’s steps.

One of the guards who had been ensuring our carriage’s safety opened the door to allow my father and Charlotte to exit safely I was then to follow after. As I exited the carriage and could finally allow myself to stretch my legs after such a long journey I was able to take in the sheer size and grandeur of the palace’s architecture.

Helm’s infrastructure was a lot softer in colors and design with the palace and its grounds looking like something out of a fairytale, though the Steel palace used colder colors and much sharper designs. Silver, Iron, and Copper were used in many of the finest details with accents of red and black paints and inks for touch. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

After taking my gaze off of the large palace before us, I stood by my father and Charlotte, who for once seemed to remain silent and submissive from her usual self, as before the three of us stood one man and woman in beautiful elegant attire in reds and silver tones, a crown made of silver with red jewels sitting atop the man’s head. His dark brown eyes were full of judgment and a deep sense of curiosity as he stepped forward.

Men and women standing behind them in servant’s attires glanced at the three of us and took in our appearances with pure astonishment. To them, we must have been nothing but stories told by their own parents. To see a Helm before you, let alone one of the royal line, was something unheard of and terrifying to many Steels. That was how many Helm had felt about the Steels in return though… It was nothing but a fair trade-off.

“King Nicholas Helm? Fair meeting you finally after all of this time…” The man who had stepped forward addressed my father. No smile or pleasant expression in his tone as my father eyed up the man in return.

“It is I, and the feeling is mutual. King William, I presume?” My father offered his hand out to the other king, a handshake that King William frowned upon before finally giving in and shaking the hand of my father. Much to both of their own wishes, this entire interaction was filled with nothing but bitter resentments. The woman beside him before, stepped up to stand by him once more as he pulled his hand from the shake and placed it on her shoulder. Her smile was faint, her lips were painted a strong shade of red. Her dark brown hair and beautifully stunning gray-blue eyes caught in the sunlight at just the right angles. She never said a word though as she looked over the Charlotte and seemed to observe her with such a calm and never-moving smile. As if she was enjoying the fact that Charlotte looked horrified to be here and no matter how much training she had as a lady-in-waiting could hide the expression in her eyes and stiff posture.

“Yes… And this is my wife, my children’s mother, Queen Illya. This must be Queen Charlotte?” He motioned to my father’s wife who gave a small curtsy to King William and smiled at him, trying to charm him like she charmed my father always.

“I am Your Highness. Wonderful to finally meet you and your lovely wife…” She responded, about to say more before King William held up his hand to her and their sights then set upon me with pure interest. The King turned away from my father and strolled over to me. My hands held behind my back as my long snow-white hair blew in the cold winds, and my simple dark blue dress moved ever so slightly with it. I met the King’s gaze but kept a stony expression as he stopped but a foot away and seemed to observe me with intrigue.

“And you… You must be, Lillian? You surely aren’t what any of us expected, but why am I not surprised a Helm would never tell us the full truth…” He said backhandedly as he glanced at my father for a moment, before then turning back to me holding out his hand to shake mine. “My son Landon is finishing his training right about now, so he couldn’t meet you just yet, but the servants here will take you to your living quarters as my wife and I handle the treaty’s agreements.”

I was hesitant to shake his hand but did so with a gentle smile and a nod. I was afraid to say anything, afraid to even look the man in the eyes for anything longer than a second as my father looked at me with a dull sense of judgment before he cleared his throat.

“Forgive Lillian, King William. She doesn’t speak much, and hopefully, her appearance isn’t too unsettling… It was a gene through her mother’s lineage that was unknown.”

King William looked back at my father as he took his hand away and walked back over to him.

“That isn’t her fault, so no worries. Lillian will still be in good hands here, I assure you… I’ll let the servants lead her into her new home and room. We shall be heading inside to discuss and sign this treaty. Be grateful, King Nicholas, that I am allowing this to be settled finally, once and for all.” The King snapped his fingers and a group of three servant women rushed up to me, one taking my hand and giving a gentle smile as they then ushered me away, starting to lead me into the palace.

“Wait…” I breathed out, fear creeping into my voice as I looked back to see my father and Charlotte, neither of them gave me the respect of a final glance or wished me goodbye. I did catch my father’s eyes lock with mine for but a moment, a sense of minor regret as he looked back to King William and Queen Illya and followed them elsewhere, with Charlotte’s arm wrapped around the crook of his. “Father…” I begged silently.

Neither of them argued on my behalf to let me say my goodbyes and didn’t seem hurt enough to even try to say any goodbyes on their own conscience… For they could know, this would be the last time we would see each other, and neither of them told me that they loved or cared for me at all. All I had now was myself and the three servants around me, never saying a word, as if they were too scared to even speak to me let alone look me in the eyes as well.

Once we reached a dark hallway, away from many other rooms it seemed, they opened the door to my new chamber and allowed me to step in.

“This room is in the consort wing of the palace. Your personal servants and ladies-in-waiting will reside in this hall with you until the day of your marriage to the Prince. You will then move into his private wing of the palace, into your own suite within unless called upon by Prince Landon. Those rules will be explained later and in better detail for you closer to the date of the wedding. If you need anything, feel free to search for someone in this wing… You will be called upon for supper this evening, and one of us will do so. I hope you enjoy it all, Lady Lillian.” The eldest of the three servants explained to me as I stepped into the room and observed it all. The walls were a soft shade of gray and there was a single bed within the room, only able to fit one person. It was relatively empty and bland except for a shelf of some books, a windowsill to gaze out at the land around and below, a wardrobe that was open and currently empty, and a single chair by the window. This felt more like a servant’s room than the true room of an upcoming royal, but I once again had no room to argue, especially now.

“Oh, um… This is all wonderful. Thank you.” I turned back to say, to which no response was given in return. They simply bowed their heads and closed the door behind them with a subtle click, leaving me completely and utterly alone…

All I could do now was lean against the windowsill and gaze out of the only window I had to the vast world below. A garden, with many different rare flowers that were probably native to the Steel Kingdom, but were unseen and unheard of in the Helm’s Kingdom. I was taking in every color and detail I could see until a new voice made me stand up fully and look back at the door. I had not heard the door open again and was fearful of who it could be as I was in a land that could only wish and pray for my downfall.

“Lillian.” The voice commanded, deep and startling, the voice of a man. When my eyes landed on him in the doorway of my new room, the best words I could use to describe him were tall, cold, yet handsome in a shrouded sense. His eyes were that of coal, and his hair matched them effortlessly as it was swept back neatly despite having some length to it. His skin was a warm ivory tone that was littered with scars from what I could see past his darkly colored tunic and the embellishments of chains, cords, and buttons, all made of a lavish silver color. His hands and neck had a few marks from what I could only assume came from battle, and there was one that ran across the bridge of his nose in a jagged manner. It only made his chiseled face and form seem all that more hardened. He was strongly built and towered over me by a head or two, placing him slightly taller than Alexander and my father were.

His tone was uninterested and unforgiving to me, and his eyes held a sense of deposition towards my existence already despite only meeting me now.

“Yes. That is I?” I finally spoke out, my voice soft and full of a sense of apprehension. I eyed the sword that rested in the scabbard against his hip as he stepped into my room a bit more. His tall and rigid posture never failed as he spoke again.

“I am Prince Landon Steel… And you, Lillian, are who I am betrothed to.”