Gaius Remulus Artigro rubbed his eyes as he gazed detachedly at the files on his desk. He had been staring at them for hours, at the insistence of his advisers, and now had a massive headache. Looking up, he watched as his friend Aurus Calpernon idly twirled a metal diagram of the planets and moons. The large blond man eyed him back, shrugging.
"Dunno what you want from me, my brother. You already said you made your choice."
"Yes, and apparently it's the wrong one. Herrad insists I reconsider. Apparently the girl has a ridiculous reputation."
Aurus shrugged again. "So? You already know that, you said you talked to her. Hell, you talked to her more than any of the others." He smirked as a thought struck him. "Her tits must be glorious. I can't imagine anything else about her would hold your interest so well. Did you fuck her?"
Gaius sighed in exasperation. "No, Aurus, I did not have her. We talked, as I have said many times. I hear you got on rather well with the servants, though." Shifting through the papers on his desk again, Gaius finally stood and grabbed a bottle of port from a small table near his desk. Marching to the window, he leaned against its frame and watched the flickering lights of the city of Arthos. The sun had been set for a few hours now, and the twin moons Ula and Veros were already rising high in the cloudless sky. Sighing, he took a long swig of port.
Aurus watched him and then let out a slow, low whistle. "Rion's balls, Gaius. This one actually got to you, didn't she. You're actually taken with her."
"She's different from any of them, all of them. She's... She's intelligent, daring. She had more life in her little finger than all of those other girls combined."
Aurus belched. "Sounds like she'd make an awful wife," he commented dryly.
"Perhaps," Gaius said softly as he examined the wooden window frame. "Still, I'm willing to take that chance with this one. I want the challenge."
"You always did walk on the wild side," Aurus noted sarcastically. "So fuck Herrad. Marry the wench. It's your fucking life, Gaius. Do what you want. Your uncle will bless you either way." Gaius nodded thoughtfully, and Aurus asked, "What's this one's name, anyway?"
"Lithana Vitalis," Gaius answered with a smile. Somewhere out in the night, I had the feeling I had made a terrible mistake.
The few weeks following the viewing passed uneventfully. I concentrated on tormenting my keepers enough to earn their ire but not their punishment, and found a new hobby in reading the plays I had discussed with the guard I had met. I was reading one such play on a rather lovely spring afternoon when I was interrupted by the sound of many feet walking across the stone floor of the sitting room. I glanced up to see Romus, the head eunuch, and a small band of his fellows striding quickly in my direction. I rolled my eyes and closed my book. Obviously I had done something to upset someone again, and I stood in a huff as I prepared for a barrage of admonishment.
Romus stopped before me and nodded his head slightly, which was a very peculiar way to begin a lecture. His face was a mixture of confusion and terror, and he seemed extremely nervous, which immediately put me on edge. I stood in silent unease as I watched the eunuch shift his weight before me. Finally he withdrew a folded piece of paper from his robes and handed it to me with a pale, trembling hand.
I took it gingerly, holding it as though it would bite me. I was confused at first, and as I turned it over in my hands and saw the deep red wax and the seal of the headmistress I thought for a moment that I was being expelled from the house. I slid my finger beneath the seal and opened what I could now tell what a letter of some kind. It was ornate, the edges engraved in gold ink in intricate patterns that wove like vines around the page. I knit my brows and began to read.
IT IS DECLARED that on this day in the season of Evinistra that HIS LORDSHIP GAIUS REMULUS ARTIGRO of the royal house of THE DIVINE CASERO ASTERIA THE EIGHTH has accepted betrothal to the lady LITHANA VITALIS of the house of BALTUS VITALIS ERGRIGIO. May the lady Evinistra and her handmaids bless this union. May the Empire live eternally.
The bottom of the declaration was signed by the headmistress Germeta and her advisers, as well as someone from the household of the lieutenant general. As my eyes passed over their names I felt my knees fail me, and I fell to the floor with a gasping cry. More cries and roars erupted unbidden from my throat as I held the declaration in my shaking hands, my eyes transfixed by the sight of it. Suddenly the sitting room was filled with people as women and servants and eunuchs rushed in to find the source of the noise. I felt hands grab my arms and haul me to my feet, dragging me away. The declaration was taken from me as I was led from the room, blinded by tears, rage, and despair.
I raged for days, rejecting food and comfort alike, and had to be locked in my quarters. When I finally calmed down enough to be released, I was in a state of numb apathy. The congratulations of the other girls were met with sneers, and when one of my friends told me that I acted as though I was going to be executed, I asked her if it was an option. The eunuchs began the difficult task of preparing me for my wedding, but I didn't care. I was empty, cold, and unresponsive to their pleas for input. In the end, I never made a single decision about my wedding.
I waited for two long and anxiety ridden months for my wedding, which I often referred to as my death sentence. The day that it came, I was woken early in the morning to begin my preparation. The ceremony would be held in the early afternoon, and the reception party in the early evening.
I cannot say that the experience of preparation was entirely horrible. Had it been under different circumstances I would even have enjoyed myself. I was first washed, a lengthy process that involved cleaning every inch of my body with fine soaps and thoroughly washing my unruly hair. I was then rubbed in oils and my hair was combed and perfumed. My wedding gown was next, several layers of silk and linen and thin, gauzy fabrics that hugged my frame in conspicuous areas. My face was painted and my hair and extremities were adorned with ornaments and bangles. In all, I managed to cut a picture of divine beauty, an outcome that surprised everyone, myself included.
As I sat in front of a polished silver mirror, staring at the beautiful stranger in its reflection, I was suddenly aware of another presence. I turned slightly to glance over my shoulder, and smiled slightly as the eunuch Romus cleared his throat.
"Come to gloat?" I asked bitterly.
"No, Lithana," he said softly, and walking stiffly, he came toward me. He stopped a foot from me as I turned to face him, and held out a small, dark wooden box. I quirked a curious eyebrow and took the box from him. Seeing my questioning look, Romus said, "I'm delivering a part of your dowry."
I lifted the lid of the box and felt my eyes go wide. Nestled on a bed of silk was a fine necklace. The chain was bronzed with age in places, and I surmised that it must be very old. As I lifted it from the box to examine the intricate designs and encrusted emeralds and sapphires, Romus explained, "Your father left us very explicit instructions for your dowry, it seems. This was to be given to you on the eve of your wedding. His letter says it belonged to your mother, and that she wore it at her wedding."
Tears leaped to my eyes as I looked from the necklace to the eunuch, who was smiling kindly at me. "Thank you," I croaked. Still smiling, the eunuch placed the necklace around my neck and then, bowing slightly, left me alone to my thoughts.
I was transported to one of the imperial villas in a carriage an hour later. My transport was given an escort of armed guards, which amused me, and half of me wished I would actually be kidnapped. The windows were draped in linen curtains, but I lifted a corner and snuck a peek as we entered the grounds of the villa. It was grandiose, far more so than my father's estate or the maiden's home, with several stories and buildings and terraces. Gardens were interspersed amongst open courtyards and towering columned causeways. The buildings were decked in brightly colored banners and garlands, and somewhere I could hear a quintet playing for a very large group of people.
As the carriage pulled to a stop I felt my pulse rise and feared I would throw up on myself. I then thought that may very well be a good idea, that perhaps the sight of a vomit covered bride may change the lieutenant general's mind at the last moment, but I was unable to act on my plan as the door to the carriage swung open. Bright afternoon sunlight assaulted my eyes, and I was helped to the ground and quickly ushered into one of the smaller adjoining buildings.
There were people everywhere. Handmaids fluttered about me, commenting on how exquisite I looked and trying to feed me fruit and wine. I almost took a swat at one of them, but I was suddenly set upon by a priest who tried in vain to make me memorize the ceremony. I was again primped and perfumed, and when everyone was satisfied that I was the epitome of perfection, a veil was placed over my head and I was led to the temple.
The temple of Arthos was the primary priesthood in Parnatha. There were many smaller devotions to the individual gods, or groups of gods, but only the temples of Arthos paid homage to the pantheon as it was meant to be: a cohesive, single unit. As such, the temples were always extravagant and enormous, meant to house thousands and be the incarnate of perfect worship. As I entered this villa's own private temple, I could hear the shuffling of many feet and the chanting of priests and their acolytes. The little foyer in which I stood was my last refuge before I was thrust unwilling into the waiting world beyond.
Beside me I heard others approach, and I saw from the corner of my eye a man decked in fine metal armor. Realizing that this was my future husband, I sniffed and turned my eyes resolutely forward.
The man sighed and shifted his weight as he came to rest beside me. "I hope you are not that truly disappointed, my lady," he said softly, the hint of a smirk resting in his tone.
The voice was instantaneously familiar, and as realization dawned on me, I turned to face him with my mouth agape.
"It was YOU?!" I hissed incredulously. Indeed, now that I looked on him properly, the man before me was the same man I had met in the courtyard at the viewing. He looked considerably more regal, however, in glowing ceremonial armor. A long, deep blue cloak was cinched at his shoulders, and an ornate sword was strapped to his side. If I hadn't been so enraged, I would have been impressed. I pointed a shaky, manicured finger at him.
"You look surprised," he replied, trying to hide a smile.
