The Princess Broken Wolf

19

The ride finally came to a stop. This was the place from where they had to take up the rest of the journey by horse back riding. Rosamund tightened her face veil while Ruslan took the thing off at one swipe.

“What are you doing?” Rosamund said, demanding an answer about his uncovered face, which was an extremely dangerous face. At least for her current insolent heart.

“You have already looked at me. I don’t think I need this face cover anymore.” the careless way in which he placed the face cover on the seat made her blood boil just a little.

Rosamund couldn’t help but want to have his face covered. It was a stupid custom even though she was well aware of that, but there was this childish persistence in her that wanted to have her way.

“Are you disregarding my customs, Your Majesty?” she asked, her voice hard with anger.

“I am not. It is simply idiotic for me to cover my face from my clan and from my bride when you have already seen the last details of it just moments ago.” Ruslan shot back. He was right, of course, and that irritated Rosamund to no end.

“I wish you would take in accordance that there are my people among your clan as well. They would want to see their future king to regard their traditions as well.” at this point, she was spouting all the nonsense that came into her mind. The problem wasn’t that he chose not to follow through with her custom, the problem, for Rosamund personally, was his face, his magnificent, male God-like face that made awareness crawl on her skin in the form of tiny ants. He was too bloody handsome for her taste, without the veil, the masculinity of his face structure was highlighted. His eyes seemed much darker than before. The lush lips she was ogling just few moments ago were set in a disturbingly sexy tilt that did things to her heart. Stupid, uncomfortable things, she would rather die than admit it to his face. He was an incredibly large, extremely handsome brute that looked like he had been sent from Hell to seduce heaven. He was seductive, alright, and that didn’t sit well with Rosamund, who had never once found a man seductive.

“Will you please do so, Your Majesty? Not for my sake but for my people’s sake?” Pathetic, Rosamund snarled at herself internally for not getting her stupid hormones under control.

He looked at her a little surprised with a hint of agitation, but nevertheless, he conceded.

There was a knock on the carriage door just as Ruslan tied the face cover on his face.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness, we have prepared the supper before travelling further.” Luke was in a low bow when Ruslan opened the carriage door.

“I’ll have supper with everyone. As for Your Highness?” Ruslan looked back at her, waiting for her answer.

”I’d like to have supper with everyone as well.” both of the men nodded. While Luke walked away, leaving the door open, Ruslan climbed down the carriage and gave her his hand in a subtle way of leadership. It made Rosamund feel more of a princess than that of a commander, but it was the way of their life. Men ruled while women followed and it always left a bitter taste. Reluctantly, she placed her hand on his and climbed down the carriage, looking like a fragile princess when, in reality, she and Ruslan were equal in both combat and skills. Her grip tightened when she saw all the guards looking at the display of their little action.

“Relax sweetheart. They like what they see.” Ruslan’s soft voice prickled her ear and goosebumps rose on her body.

“This is ridiculous.” Rosamund grumbled softly, not wanting him to hear, but unfortunately he did. Ruslan only laughed out loud as a reply to her grumbling.

The supper was arranged on a long rug made out of wool and bear hide. Everyone of them were seated on the floor. Ruslan even sat down on the floor with everyone else. Only Rosamund and her people were awkwardly standing on the far end of the rug.

“Come here, Your Highness,” Ruslan called out to her, just as he sat beside a big bulky-looking man that probably towered above her and Ruslan.

“Luke, have Her Highness people settle down with us. Show them how the Karkonz enjoy supper as if it's their last.” to his words, the crowd erupted into loud laughter. Rosamund felt more awkward than before.

“Your Highness, how would you sit down on the floor?” Her maid, Marie, cried, just as she made her way towards Ruslan. He had kept a space for her between himself and Seika. Rosamund could already feel indigestion.

“Its alright, Marie. Please settle everyone else down as well. Lets have supper and be on our way as soon as it is feasible.” Rosamund softly commanded, settling herself down beside Ruslan. A single brass plate was placed in front of her and Ruslan, while Seika and everyone around her had their own. Rosamund quizzically looked at Ruslan for explanation. Lowering his head towards her ear, he lightly replied so that only she heard.

“It is my people's way of accepting you as their Queen.” He admitted, looking directly at her eyes.

“But they don’t know me?” She questioned.

“They don’t need to. They trust me to bring a Queen that is suitable for the clan.” his eyes were bright like dark crystals, and she knew he was smiling under his veil.

An incredible smell wafted up to her nose and Rosamund realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten a single biscuit since yesterday, when she departed from Marigold. There was a vast variety of food displayed in front of her. So many different kinds of fruits she never knew existed. Lamb brazed in buttery goodness with a hint of spices nearly made her salivate. Rice mixed with dried fruits like almonds, pecans and walnuts looked heavenly and Rosamund couldn’t help herself when she went for it almost immediately. Her action caused everyone to stop, all the attention suddenly on her and she could feel her cheeks warm like they were on fire. Chuckling lightly, Ruslan held her hand and scraped the rice onto their plate, for which everyone cheered wholeheartedly. Different people put different things on their plate. A mountainous amount of food was piled up in front of her and a warm feeling bloomed in her heart. This feeling of acceptance and warmth was something never given to her. Her fellow army members were too afraid to eat in front of her, so she usually had her meals alone during expeditions. Many people didn’t want her company, so she was usually left off of all the fun. To be able to eat equally on one single sheet with people she didn’t know and they didn’t know her, yet they fully accepted her, made her feel an emotion she never knew she would feel, atleast in this lifetime. She felt wanted and that was the best feeling she ever had felt. After finishing the food, which was the tastiest meal she had ever had, it was time for dessert. Rosamund couldn’t help but look forward to the food. Ruslan was having a hearty conversation with his fellow men while Rosamund was occasionally looking at her surroundings. She could feel the venomous energy and the hate from the other side where she was seated and those emotions came directly from Seika herself. Since she sat down, Seika had been shooting daggers at her and it made Rosamund feel absolutely nothing. Seika was jealous of the fakes they were portraying, and Rosamund couldn’t help herself. She pitied the girl.

“Do they not look good together?” a tall girl with blonde hair and blue eyes in a dress similar to Luke's said quietly while gesturing towards her and Ruslan.

“They do. They are like the perfect couple.” another girl fangirled a bit too loudly this time, to which Seika replied, “ What is so perfect about a doomed couple?” No one heard what she said but Rosamund did. Now she couldn’t say she didn’t agree with her because it was true, they were a doomed couple. Although the comment she made was valid, Rosamund knew if she let her go now, it would only lead to the bullying. And in addition to that, a part of her wanted to see how Ruslan would react to it.

“And why do you think we are doomed, Commander Seika?” Rosamund found out from her post. She had heard many of the girls address Seika as such.

The embarrassment of being called out made her flush deep red. Rosamund felt a bit better. Although she was against bullying, sometimes certain bullies needed to be bullied into their place.

Everyone had now gone silent, the girls carrying the desserts were silently placing the bowels of honey comb custard with cashew nut syrup. Rosamund could feel Ruslan's full attention but she chose to ignore him and carry on with the task at hand, to have Seika answer her question in front of everyone.

“Would you tell us why you think we are a doomed couple?” Rosamund repeated her question a bit loudly this time.

“BECAUSE YOU DON’T DESERVE HIM!!” Seika suddenly stood up and screamed at her. In an instant, she lunched at Rosamund and attacked with all her might. Rosamund saw Ruslan posing in a way that he was ready to take the attack on Seika but her timely response stopped him short. She had signaled him to not interfere and somehow he understood her unspoken words.

Seika had tumbled her onto the floor, putting her in a choke hold. In a matter of few seconds, Rosamund had straddled Seika, with the meat knife pressed against her throat, nicking her in the process, purposely.

Pressing the knife more into the bleeding wound, Rosamund said loudly, “I know that I might not have been the ideal Queen you have all wished for, and I might lack in more ways than one, but I am now your Queen, King Ruslan’s chosen bride. I will not accept any disrespect to myself or the status given to me by your own King. Say what you want to my face. If you want to fight, I will gladly oblige, but do not question our pairing. We were chosen by the Goddess. I, Rosamund Marigold, would accept anyone who wants to fight for the place of the Queen, but remember, I will not go easy on any disrespect.” Rosamund said, pressing the knife one last time before letting Seika free and stepping back. She bumped into Ruslan and he immediately engulfed her in his tight chest. Still holding her, he declared, “Anyone who dares to question my Queen again, let me remind you that if you challenge her Queenship, you’ll find me as your opponent as well, for it is in our rules that a pairing is of equal responsibility. So think before you act. As for Commander Seika, you are to travel to Karkonz before us and repent the mistake you have made by questioning my Queen. You might be my cousin, but our rules are for everyone. So go and spread the words I just said so that once we reach Karkonz, I can prepare for a fight. I have long been itching for one too.” Rosamund felt the warmth of his breath on her nape and that in itself was enough to make her relax her rigid body.

Seika was dragged off the ground and everyone else held their tongues. The delicious dessert felt tasteless to her palate and so, once night fell, Ruslan decided to make camp. Rosamund laid in the sky with so many suns and moons and stars visible. This was the first of the conflicts awaiting her once she reached Karkonz. But with her plan coming to its end, Rosamund knew she wouldn’t be lucky enough to call Karkonz, the kingdom of brutes where she had seen more civilized and human men than she had in her own kingdom, home. And that was the reality she had to face, all on her own. She didn’t know when her plans shifted from killing Ruslan to running away so that she wouldn’t have to kill him. But somehow along the way, she had been off the track and, surprisingly enough, she liked this plan better.