Marriage

It did appear unavoidable, and she was glad to have someone take the burdens of rulership from her shoulders. She smiled meekly, and said

"Nothing would make me happier" the lie was painful in her heart, for she knew she didn't love the handsome man. He kissed her hand courtly, but the gesture seemed hollow to the princess.

The court received the news with apparent satisfaction. Everyone smiled in front of her, but she noticed the long eyes whenever they though she wasn't looking. Friends expressed their worries, but most said they didn't know what to do, they just promised to stay with her whatever happened.

Ophelia was an exception. "It is a mistake. Prince Mortimer is a warrior with strong manly needs. If you just tamely follow him you will be no better than I was under the dragon´s dominion". Liandra asked what she could do, and she said "Become the Queen you were meant to be. Lead your people, they still love you." But Liandra couldn't. After tasting power for just a few months she already knew she didn't want any of it.

The Autumn Wedding, as the event was recorded by the chronicles, was formidable. Magic transformed the royal gardens into a splendid track of elven woods, colored with gold and autumn. Music was played by celestial choirs, and inspired great devotion and piety in the fractured Luxian nobility.

Prince Mortimer´s vow was a solemn proclamation of duty to country and faith, almost a knightly pledge that barely mentioned the princess. Princess Liandra swore obedience and love, she kept herself to the old forms in the scholar books. They kissed, sealing the princess fate.