The Arranged Marriage

Chapter 6

“How could they just show up and demand a marriage!” Shouts Cruise in his room pacing back and forth and shoving his hands through his hair.

“Am I supposed to answer that sir?” Carter asked, standing off in a corner wanting to leave the enraged prince.

Cruise lets out a huff rolling his eyes. He wasn’t mad at him but at Brayson. He could not let down his parents all over again. This was his chance to make everything right and better again. Carter knew that. He did. They have grown up together their whole life. Carter followed him around making sure he always had a play buddy, making sure he studied and ate when he needed to. It was his job that was destined for him; to be in the shadow of the prince.

“Let me get you something to drink,” Carter mentions trying to get the prince’s mind off of the commotion.

Cruise turns his head over to Carter and slams his hands down on the desk that is in front of him. “Do I look like I want something to drink now!”

Rivers sat in her chair in the throne room as both of her parents were arguing.

“The Blue Islands do have some great resources,” mumbles Jonathan as he crosses his arms while walking.

“Don’t you even go there, Jon! Rivers is getting ready to marry tomorrow. We are not letting this contract go just because some prince has shown up,” Diana sternly says, grabbing ahold of his arms and pulling him in close.

“I don’t want to lose relations with the Blue Islands like Epherios has with Antebellum,” Jonathan rolls his eyes retracting his arms away from her.

His mind was circling everything and anything. What would happen to his country? What would happen if they stopped trading with him? He takes off his crown as he feels that it is causing his headache, but it is the stress causing it. Rivers wasn’t paying much attention to what they were saying. She just sat there playing with the ends of her hair as she did when her parents argued about the country.

“We can’t stress about what we can’t control, dear,” sighs Diana as she sits herself down on her throne.

“This is why women can’t run a country,” laughs Jonathan as he looks at her. “I can control the economy. I control what comes in and out of this place and to who and where it goes. Of course, this is something I should stress because I am the one who controls it.”

Diana shut her mouth as she stood up wanting to be away from this man entirely. She used to wish she wasn’t in the royal life living who knows where being a painter. It was one of her talents. Her paintings are sold far and wide. Everyone wants her paintings because had the talent that made the colors have meaning. That's the life she wanted since she was a kid. Rivers and her weren’t that much different, they just never wanted to admit that.

Rivers watched her mother leave as her father started muttering under his breath.

“Why don’t I talk to Brayson?” She suggested shrugging her shoulders.

“What would you have to say to him?” He sighs sitting down on his throne as he looks over at her.

“I can make an agreement with him,” Rivers suggests as she stands up out of her chair.

“Yes..yes..” he mumbled standing up. “You could talk some sense in with him. Give him a dance, make Brayson think he has a chance, and just make sure he still will have relations with us as I talk with Antebellum.”

“What's with Antebellum?” She asked, confused.

“Nothing for you to worry about. Go get ready for the ball.” Jonathan pushes off because he does not feel up for explaining everything.

Lilly kept flattening out the ball gown that Diana picked out for Rivers over and over again waiting for her arrival. She would stand up with her hands in front of her watching the door but then go back to straightening out the dress. Everything had to go well was what the queen kept harping on, so Lilly did not want to cause any trouble. Rivers walks in, throwing her hands up.

“They think they rule me!” She shouts, slamming the door.

“Princess Rivers,” Lilly starts as Rivers shouts, “I have to flirt with a prince just so this country doesn’t sink. Men. Men are stupid and absurd. I mean, it was technically my idea to talk with him, but! It was not my idea to flirt! I am engaged for heaven’s sake, and now my country and other countries are going to see me fancy a man just for his money.”

Lily's eyes kept going back and forth as Rivers walked talking with her hands ranting about her feelings about her situation. It wasn’t rather an appealing one, and they both knew that. Rivers didn’t care if she paid attention, she just knew she could get her steam off her. Lilly wasn’t paying attention just merely letting her words go in one ear and out the other. She was preoccupied with making the dress in top-notch shape.

“Miss, we really need to get you dressed,” Lilly interjected with a soft voice.

“They didn’t even have time to feed me lunch. Do they want me to starve to death and run a country from my grave,” Rivers went on ranting, not hearing Lilly.

“Miss Rivers!” She says sternly as the princess turns around from her pacing to look at her, “We can call in for some food, but it is time to start getting ready… your grace.”

“Can it be some ham with… some potatoes?” Rivers asked, lifting a smile and twirling around to the vanity dreaming of the great food already brewing in the kitchen.

Lilly let out a sigh with a smile as she knew food would do the trick. Whenever the princess gets like this, it is because she is in dire need of some food.

Queen Diana was sitting in her room that was separate from the King staring out the window wondering how the sky could look so effortlessly beautiful. This was the room where she put herself away to protest the arranged marriage she was forced into. She understood Rivers's resilient as she did the same, but since she was more mature she knew why it must be done.

“Your grace, here are the supplies you asked for,” a maid said as she entered the room with a canvas, paints, and brushes.

“Splendid. Thank you so much,” Diana smiled, pulling herself to the end of her chair as she watched it be set up.

This was her happy place, the place where her mind wanders off to and desires to live. Her picture was going to be auctioned off for money to give to the poor. It was her queenly duty; to help her people the best way she knew how. This was her way, of gaining money for her paintings. It's something she started in her hiding, and it has been working ever since. Jonathan was rather fond of it, but he would never admit that. Rivers has multiple of her mother’s paintings in her room in any time she gets, she brags about her mother’s talents at balls.

Today, she sat there looking at the sky of blue and fades of orange as the sun was getting to set. She hoped everything was going well with Rivers.

It was going very smoothly for Lilly ever since the head cook came in with her plate of food. Rivers was quietly munching on her food watching Lilly curl her hair and make her face prettier than it already was.

“Alright, it is time to get dressed,” she said as she went over to the bed to grab the white ball gown that had gold sparkles all over it.

It showed the worth of their kingdom, its power, and its meaning. On Lilly's other hand was a crown to match it; a beautiful pure gold crown with three diamonds. Rivers thought it was pretty, and it was just like all the other dresses she had in her closet.

“I guess I am about to get married tomorrow,” Rivers sighed, sitting back in her chair wanting to sink away.

This caught Lilly off guard; of course, the princess was to be married tomorrow. She didn't understand what the princess meant.

“Princess of course you are,” smiles Lilly as she puts the dress hanging on the wall for her to change into.

“I guess I am,” Rivers half laughed as she got up heading behind the changing curtain.