Princess Variana walked up to the throne room door and pulled it open. Neither of the guards even moved. She had standing permission to enter whenever she chose to do so. She strode up the plush red runner carpet, the soft Satessian weave feeling cool on her slippered feet. Up ahead, her father sat in his throne. It always hurt his back to sit there for too long. She knew it and despised the meetings he endured. All for the good of the kingdom. She sometimes wished he had as much time for her as he had for the endless petitioners, lords and ladies, and various diplomats that continually called on him for services, aid or justice.
"My little Variana," he called out.
She gave a bit of a start. She hadn't realized he was watching her. "Daddy," she mock scolded, "you've been in meetings all day without a break. You haven't eaten anything since breakfast." He looked thin and pale and tired to her eyes. It seemed to be worse every day. In the mornings, he looked fine. By evening, he appeared near the gates of Unnamed Fifth.
"I'm fine," he waved his hand carelessly. It does my heart right to see you." As she strode up to the throne, he reached out and cupped her face with his right hand. Gently, he kissed her on the forehead. "How are your studies?" he asked.
Variana stared him right in the eyes. "You didn't call me here to ask me how my studies are progressing."
He chuckled lightly. It quickly turned to a cough. Several moments later, he regained control. "Just like your mother, she always knew when I was trying to work gently into a conversation." He smiled at the memory. His eyes turned slightly up and to the right as it played across his mind. "She never let me get away with it either," he said in a whisper.
Variana waited.
He looked at her and sat up with a start. "Sorry, dear. I miss her so much. I know you do too." He sighed. "Well, there's no point in beating around the bush. The war in the North will be lost within four weeks at the most. My counselors have advised me that the North will sign a Pax Royal with us if I will covenant with them your hand in marriage. And the dowry is to be the four northern Duchies."
"I won't do it Father." Variana felt like stamping her foot, but resisted. It wasn't the right time for childish antics. "You promised mother I could choose. When the day came, you said I could choose my own."
He bowed his head. Certainly he was ashamed. Variana felt bad for him. But she couldn't give in, not now, not on this.
After several moments, he looked up. "I did promise." He sat forward in his chair. "I'm not asking you to allow me to give you away. All I'm asking is that you go and meet this Prince of the North."
Variana started to interrupt. "That. . ."
The King put his hand on her shoulder gently. "Just a moment, dear. Go meet him. Perhaps he is the Prince you have always dreamed of. Stranger things have been known to happen. If you don't like him, I won't make you. I promised your mother, I promised you, and I won't break those promises, no matter what my counselors say."
Variana hesitated. It would be good to get out of the castle for a few days. She hadn't been able to travel, with the war going on. Everyone was too concerned for her safety. As she thought, her father sat back in his throne. He waved to his steward.
The steward hurried over. "Dinner for the Princess and I this evening at six," commanded the king.
The steward bowed his bald head. "By your leave, sire."
"By my leave," allowed the king.
He looked back at Variana. "Will you dine with me tonight? Just the two of us." He smiled. "You can answer me after the meal."
She looked at her father and smiled. "I'll do it. No need to wait. I'll go and meet him--but," she waved her finger at the King, "if he has warts, or bad breath, or chews like a cow, or anything I don't like," she paused, "well, I shall refuse to marry him."
The king smiled broadly. "I know you will. Thank you, dear child."
In her heart, Variana was glad to have pleased her father, but she was terrified at the thought of meeting Prince Alex.
The Black Oak Sword
Chapter 1: Part 1
Chapter 1: Part 2
Chapter 1: Part 3
Chapter 2: Part 1
Chapter 2: Part 2
Chapter 3:Part 1
Chapter 3:Part 2
Chapter 3:Part 3
Chapter 4:Part 1
Chapter 4:Part 2
© 2017, Stone Golem Publishing
**All pictures used are labeled for reuse. They come from Pixabay
Follow @bigpanda for more flash fiction.
Hi @bigpanda
Congrats! Your post has been featured in The Daily Qurator# 18
Dr. TLK :)
Loving this story @bigpanda. Can't wait for the next installment.
Thanks @bearpaw
Dude how much chapters it has?
I'm thinking it will be a full book--about 50,000 words or so. So right now it will probably end up about 40 chapters or so.
Cool
keep it up bruh
Thank you, I will for certain.
Noice noice!! :)
This post received a 2.11% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @bigpanda! To learn more, check out @randowhale 101 - Everything You Need to Know!
Great post! thanks @bigpanda
@originalworks
The @OriginalWorks bot has determined this post by @bigpanda to be original material and upvoted it!
To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!
To enter this post into the daily RESTEEM contest, upvote this comment! The user with the most upvotes on their @OriginalWorks comment will win!
For more information, Click Here!
Special thanks to @reggaemuffin for being a supporter! Vote him as a witness to help make Steemit a better place!
@bigpanda got you a $7.46 @minnowbooster upgoat, nice! (Image: pixabay.com)
Want a boost? Click here to read more! @originalworks
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by bigpanda from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
This post has received a 0.28 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.
This post has received a 1.46 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @bigpanda.
This wonderful post has received a bellyrub of 4.41 % upvote from @bellyrub thanks to this cool cat: @bigpanda. My pops @zeartul is one of your top steemit witness, if you like my bellyrubs please go vote for him, if you love what he is doing vote for this comment as well.