Looming chaos

The Alliance

Everyone in the hall stared at Amelda as she descended the stairs.

Rasmus moved closer to Thallorine and commented, "The princess is just as beautiful as the legend says."

​Thallorine smiled with warmth as he said, "A blessed man I am."

​Other people in the background were also commenting on Amelda's beauty. She made men drool and women green with envy. Most of the young princes coveted her and the princesses envied her. Some looked up to her while others envied her.

​Thallorine walked up to Amelda as she neared the last step. He stretched out his hand and smiled as she took it. He walked her over to greet other royalties.

​Amelda has always been respectful and graceful, it was hard to dislike her. A lot of kings tried to take advantage of this opportunity to bring up a marriage Alliance. Thallorine just smiled and said nothing.

​Finally after walking around, they stopped at Rasmus' table.

"Princess Amelda, lovely to meet you," Rasmus said kissing her knuckles.

"King Rasmus, it's good to have you," Amelda smiled back sweetly as she curtsied.

"Thallorine, you've brought your daughter well," he said to Thallorine.

Thallorine pulled Serena over and said with a doting smile, "She taught her everything."

Serena blushed and tugged at Thallorine shyly.

​Elena watched the interaction between the two and felt a bit jealous. As if sensing his wife's unease, Rasmus held her by the waist as a comfort.

"Stop you two, the rest of us are jealous," Elena joked changing the subject. Serena decided to bring up an Alliance.

​"What about Lancelot?"

"Oh, the young prince was at war recently and is not back yet," Rasmus said with pride.

​"Oh, I was looking forward to see the young man and I'm sure Amelda was too," Serena said. Amelda looked confused at her mom but all she got was her stern yet somehow smiling eyes. This was her mother's way of telling her to lie.

​Sure enough Rasmus and Elena looked at Amelda with curious eyes.

"Mother is right, it would've been wonderful to see the prince," she lied. She didn't even know him.

​"Thallorine, I guess we should start preparing to become family."

"Rasmus is right, it has been long expected hasn't it now?"

The queens smiled and hugged each other. And just like that an alliance was formed.

​Everyone was happy and smiling except Amelda. Amelda did not like the idea of getting married, at least not now, she was barely 20 years old.

​While they were all celebrating Amelda slowly slipped out of the castle and towards the sprawling royal garden and onto a bridge separating the kingdom from the forest. Amelda walked straight into the forest where she could no longer hear the music booming in the kingdom. She just wanted to clear her head.

​Walking deeper into the forest, she came to a stop when she heard the bushes around her rustling. Amelda was scared, she was a nature lover but never have she been this deep into the woods and all by herself.

​She walked carefully and hid behind a tree while clutching to her dress in fear. The creature, whatever it was continued moving close to her. Amelda's heart was in her throat she felt every bit of emotion. Fear, anxiety, regret, anger, sadness, everything negative.

​She hadn't enough time to process her emotions when two golden eyes appeared before her. Startled by the sudden image, she shrieked. As if sensing her fear, the animal moved closer towards her. She closed her eyes in fear and anguish praying for anything to save her. She didn't even know what kind of animal it was. It had the eyes of a tiger, sharp and vicious, the body of a lion, big and majestic. She had never seen anything like it before. Just when she thought she was going to be devoured, the animal paused and walked away.

​Amelda opened her eyes confused, what just happened.

Just then, a voice sounded behind her.

"And what is such a beauty looking for in the woods away from the festivities."

​Amelda turned around and was instantly stunned. She had seen beauty, a lot of it, but the man in front of her was out of this world. He had perfectly trimmed black hair that complemented his light skin tone. He had beautiful hair and clear pair of black and white eyes, a high bridged nose and a sharp jawline. He was well built and from the khaki he was wearing, she could tell he was a military officer.

But isn't this the Valtorian attire, she said to herself.

​"Miss, are you done staring," he said a bit displeased by this woman's lack of composure.

Amelda was embarrassed but quickly apologised. She was somewhat thick skinned, it came from being a princess.

"My apologies sir, it wasn't intentional." Then she curtsied.

​The man looked her up and down, this woman carried a very strong aura around her which he had only felt from royalty. Looking at her dress and jewels, he had no doubt she was royalty.

​"Are you a princess?" He asked but rather more certain. Amelda looked at him and then at her dress. Isn't that obvious look on her face. She didn't answer him but asked him a different question.

​"Did you scare that animal away?"

The young man looked confused. He had heard a cry for help but when he arrived, he saw nothing but the young lady cowering behind a tree.

"No, there was nothing here when I arrived," he said truthfully.

​Amelda looked confused. Was it all her imagination?

The man noticed her expression and said plainly, "You were probably imagining things, young ladies like you are normally easily frightened." The last sentence was said intentionally to tease her.

​Amelda could see past his taunts and decided to ignore him. She should head back home and talk to her parents about this.

"Well this trip was in vain," she muttered.

​Seeing that he couldn't get to her, he got bored and decided to leave.

"Are you a Valtorian soldier?" Amelda suddenly asked.

"Isn't that obvious?" He answered while pointing at his uniform.

​Amelda wasn't fond of the young man so she left him and headed to the palace.