3 years later......

    Princess Seras of Arcadia should have been used to the looks of distain and annoyance that always came when she was in the presence of her father.  King Athelstan the Mighty with his recent win the battle of the 3 serpents was given that title. He defeated the triplet princes of Katagarth and cemented himself as the High King of the midlands and lowlands. His rule could not be challenge by anyone, not by any would be King or distant relation.     

 In the last five years Arcadia had nearly doubled in size and many surrounding kingdoms sought peace with King Athelstan the Mighty instead of bringing down his wrath upon them.  The King would not keep up with the constant fighting and conquering, the recent months have not been kind to him. The years had turn the once young King into a greyed version of himself.  

The years had been kind to him in other ways, for he got his one desire.  His fourth Queen, Lyse of the Green Isles just a fortnight ago bore him his prince.  The Green Isles was a small kingdom in the Asper sea, made of many small islands they had no real military power to speak of.  

To ensure that Athelstan the Mighty never turned his attention to his aquatic neighbors to the east they proposed he take their young princess as his next bride. Lyse was the King's type in every way, meek, good breeding and with a youthful beauty the King no longer processed.    

Great feasts, jousts and games were thrown in honor of his royal highness prince Athelstan the Younger.  Seras was truly happy to have a brother, it meant that King would finally be happy and she could hopefully mend the relationship with her father.  His hateful eye would no longer be turned towards the useless heir that he never wanted.  The princes birth meant that Seras was finally not under her father's watchful gaze, for his gaze was fixed permanently his one and only son.

    In her personal chambers, was the only place that she felt like she could just Seras and not a princess where nothing was expected of her.  Several of her handmaids were busy cleaning and organizing her dresses, jewels and furs.  Now that her brother was born she would be most likely to sent to their estates in the Black Marshes.  Castle Drom of the Black Marshes was given to her father in his first ever battle, the castle was the only thing left from an ancient noble family.  

For the King it made the perfect prison for his daughter.  Often, she and her mother were sent there when the King would be in a rage about the not having his heir.  For Seras it wasn't a punishment, for there is where they could simply be a mother and daughter.  Her mother didn't seem so distant, it was as there she was able to breathe.  

Seras and Bear were able to train without the fear of being caught by someone looking for favor from her father.  In the months that they were in the Black Marshes her relationship with the man only known as The Bear grew.  He was her mentor, her only friend, not many good honest people tried to be her friend.  The King's court was filled to the brim with people trying to get a head in life and they would use anybody to achieve their goals.  The King's court could be a lonely and dangerous place for anybody.          

"My lady, the King requests your presence in the throne room at once." 

Nodding, she stood as tall as she could, smoothing hands over her skirts.  Seras tried to calm her racing heart.  A pit formed in her stomach at the news, her father had a way of making her feel like a small child.  Walking down the corridor, she dreaded every step, no matter how much training, how much she learned to fight she was always a scared little girl in his presence.  Noble men and ladies bowed and curtsied as she passed, each gaze eager to get her attention whether to gain favor or to sneer at her.  

Stopping the doors to the throne room she waited anxiously for the doors to open.  When she was a child she used to think that every time she came near them they would grow another 50 feet.  Two weathered guards with giant halberds stood waiting for commands to let her pass.  Neither spared her a glance, she could clearly hear her father's voice booming through the doors.

"Bring her in here before she ruins her good mood."

Taking a calming breath, Seras entered the massive throne room, bathed in crimson and gold.   The throne room was a thing of splendor.  Built 400 years ago by King Bown the Bold in the first golden age of Arcadia its high ceilings and strong pillars stood up to the test of time.  Huge tapestries of great battles, old Kings and fabled creatures lined the great room.  This was the only place Seras ever saw her father, on his throne throwing down criticisms and harsh words.  

 At the very end of room was a giant stained-glass window, when the sun would rise it would cast the room in reds, greens, golds and blues.  King Bown built it for his wife Queen Herla the Merciful, for its told when the King's traitorous brother was brought before him to be executed Queen Herla threw herself at his feet and offered up her life instead because if he were spill the blood of his own brother the gods would never let him drink and feast at their table.  The love she bared him was so much that she couldn't let him kill his brother for if he did, he would not to be able to reach the great feast with the gods.  She would have rather she died to spare her King from his own vengeance.  

    Sitting on the great onyx throne of Bown, King Athelstan the Mighty looked down his nose at his first and only daughter.  Grey now grew through is once jet-black hair and beard.  Resting on his head was the crown of unification that is said to have been melted down by the first King of Arcadia Ultred the Unifier and father to Bown.  King Athelstan wasn't the only one in the great throne room.  

    Standing to his right was his younger brother prince Alred, nearly completely different from his brother, Alred always had a smile on his face that would crinkle the corners of his eyes.  Alred was the only family besides her mother that loved her and didn't distain her presence.  His two other brothers Prince Marek and Ulric have never even set eyes upon Seras.  As ambassadors to Hyoperia and the Green Isles they never came back to Arcadia.  

Some say they preferred to stay away instead of being in the Kings presence.  To his left sat his queen consort Lyse, her stepmother never treated her badly, but she didn't treat her with affection because she felt that would anger the King to do so.  Lyse was beautiful, with her long golden hair and big bright blue eyes, but she was a meek thing that bowed to the will of those stronger than her.  Seras was in such deep thought that she almost missed her father's next words.

"Now that my son has finally come, I need to do something with you."  

"Your more than old enough for marriage and it’s time that you were someone else's burden", he said with a sneer on his face.

Seras was used to these types of insults from him, there was a time that they greatly bothered and upset her, but that time was over.  In Seras mind he no longer had the power to hurt her any longer at least not emotionally.  What she feared most from his was when he was quiet and brooding.  For in his silence he was at his most harsh and cruel. Once when she was still a small girl her mother angered him so greatly he didn't allow them to see each other for a whole year, one of the worst times of Seras's life.

Smoothing down her teal a white lace day dress, she stood before the King unflinching.    

Draped in the crimson and black colors of the ancestors of Arcadia, King Athleson stood from the onyx throne and came to stand in front of Seras.  

"I see so much of your mother in you, she had the same villainess eyes." Turning from her as if the very sight of her angered him.

"In two days hence, you will travel to Hyoperia to marry prince Borin, then I can finally be done with you."

Marriage was not something thought it would ever happen to her, when she became the right age to marry her father kept putting it off and delaying.  Now all of sudden she was to prepare to leave good or bad the only home she ever knew.  

The unknown could make anybody fear taking the next step, but for her the next step was her freedom from her father.  Bowing very deeply she would pay her final respect to her father though he didn't deserve it from her but after this day she would not spare him another thought.  But before she could leave, she just had to say something to the man who was once her greatest tormentor. 

"My King you are the most generous father the gods have sought fit to bless me with and I pray every day that one day they will give you what you so rightly deserve."

With a sneer the King sat back on his throne, gesturing to his left a nobleman stepped forward with a deep bow.

"Lord Rowan will escort you to Hyoperia and give you away in the Kings stead, now you may leave her sight for the last time."

With a flourish of his hand the King thoroughly dismissed her from his presence, with her head held high she left the King to his Kingdom and the future that he ever so wanted.  

When Seras returned her chambers were in a complete frenzy.  Ladies maids, attendants and household servants dashed back and forth while filling trunks and chests full of clothing and miscellaneous items.  It seemed like the kings patience with Seras presence finally exhausted itself.

 Six dressmakers sat in the middle of the room tirelessly sewing and hemming a very large and intricate lace dress.  It looked like the dress has been in the works for months.  It seemed the King was planning this for a while.  Seras never even heard of a prince Borin and she’s only been to the castle at the Black Marshes let alone to a foreign land like Hyoperia.

Turning on her heels she started to make her way to the Queen’s chambers, this would be her only opportunity to see her baby brothers face at least once.  For it seemed like the King would be rid her in the next few days.  The Queen of Arcadias chambers never housed Seras mother.  The King never deemed her worthy to be housed in the official Queen’s chambers because she neglected to fulfill her “duty “.  After Lyse became with child, the Queen’s chambers were redecorated and now that the child was now confirmed to be a boy the chambers would be even grander than before.

This was Seras’s last chance probably to ever see the child that was so wished for, for so many years.  Standing outside of the closed doors to the Queen’s chambers, stood two menacing men holding heavy looking halberds.  It seemed that no only had the Queen’s chambers been upgraded but so had her security.  Down the hall stood two other hardened men with heavy looking weapons and faces too.

“What is your business with the Queen mother”, sneered one guard with a deep slash across the middle of his face.

Curtsying deeply Seras replied, “ I wish to congratulate the Queen on your success on birth to a healthy prince and if I may see him before I depart.”

Huffing the angry looking guard grunted a low “wait here” before disappearing behind the solid wooden double doors to the Queen’s chambers. Raised voices and laughter echoed from beyond the guard.  Waiting awkwardly around the other guard left standing, Seras palms began to become sweaty with anxiousness. After waiting several long awkward minutes the same guard reappeared but this time a petite slightly older woman with almost white blonde hair trailed behind him.  This must be the infamous chief lady in waiting to her majesty, Elizabeth.  Behind her back they compared her to a ghost because of her very pale complexion and her blonde almost white hair. 

Sneering she looked down her nose at me with a most disgusted look on her face.

“Her majesty isn’t receiving any guests at the moment.” Soundly dismissing me she turned her back to me to return to the Queen’s chambers.  Even the guard seemed to be dismissing her as he already had the door to her majesty’s chambers open and waiting for her to re-enter.

Seras in that moment snapped, “who are you turning your back on.” Seras almost shrieked. Trying to lower her voice she tried to rein in her temper but before she could say more the soft almost nasally voice of the Queen spoke.

“Elizabeth come back inside, tell her I wonder won’t be seeing her today, I’m bus.”

More laughter could be heard after the Queen’s dismissal.

Bowing almost mockingly Elizabeth waited for me to leave first, turning abruptly all Seras could hear was laughter.