The Arranged Marriage

The Arranged
Marriage

By Katie
Epstein

Published in the UK in
2012

Copyright © 2012 by Katie
Epstein

Katie Epstein has asserted
her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988

The novel is a work of
fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s
imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
is purely coincidental

All rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior
permission of the copyright owner.

Cover art & design ©
2011 by Faye Postin

To all of you who love me,
and see me for who I am. You know who you are.

Foreword

Centurias is a land that is made up of
two kingdoms. It is set aside from what is known as the Foreign
Lands across the sea, and held together by a peace treaty that was
granted long ago.

A war once raged upon Centurias, led
by a madman named Quitize who had decided to claim the land for
himself and the noble blooded. The Islanders who had resided there
were no match for Quitize and his army, with only those of proven
heritage being allowed to stay. The Mookai, original natives to the
Isle and also known as the Magic Folk, shied away into the Moors to
preserve their race, leaving the Islanders to their
fate.

The time came as the battles decreased
across the Foreign Lands, where Quitize became a threat to the
warriors and kings who had long been fighting enemies on their own
borders. It was obvious to them that Quitize was ill of mind, and
his demands were spilling out of the Isle. The men could not afford
for his madness and growing empire to seep into the unsteady peace
they had secured during their fights, so they commonly agreed to
move forth and eliminate him.

Upon winning the war against Quitize,
the united leaders announced ownership of the Isle and divided up
the land around the Mount that naturally halved
Centurias.

King Ecripian, who had led his army
into the fight against Quitize, was honoured to rule the primary
kingdom, positioned south of the Isle. A warrior known as Dondayas
was given the secondary kingdom to the north that would host the
only port into Centurias. Both kingdoms were named after their new
kings, and the peace treaty was signed.

The Moors were given to the Mookai,
who had refused to join in the battle. They were relinquished from
any law and protection offered by the kings if they chose to stay
in the Moors, which they did. Not trusting the new regime of whom
they saw as only more intruders. The kings settled in, and in
retaliation to this, the Mookai would challenge anyone who passed
by or entered the Moors without permission, causing the Moors to be
avoided for safer route via the West of the Isle.

The residents, who had promoted the
beliefs of Quitize, chose to retreat peacefully into the south of
Ecripian, in a place that would soon become known as the
Quart.

Today, on the Isle, the kingdoms are
ruled by others as their ancestors have come and gone. Aside from a
group not settling under the rule of Centurias, the land is now
known again as ‘The land of Peace’.

King Argarth II now rules the throne
of Ecripian, as King Roscaar rules over the lands of Dondayas; both
kings aware of the underlying threat of the rebels becoming more
daring every day. But it is King Argarth who is more concerned of
the threat with no male heir to take his place should the worst
occur. Only his daughter, Princess Rohesia would stand to take the
throne in her father’s absence, and only she can do so with a
husband to rule as king. Hence where our story begins.

Chapter One

The ball was being held in the great
hall of the Ecripian Castle, and King Argarth II had not held back
on any expense where the festivities were concerned.

Many from his own kingdom and the next
had been invited to celebrate his daughter’s Quarter-of-a-Century
ball, and even King Roscaar had arrived to join in with the
celebrations.

The food and decorations had been in
preparation over the past few days, and all were impressed with the
final result. Drapes made of Ecripian colours flowed from the stone
walls, as their hue of emerald and amber matched the table cloths
and the colours of the royals.

Food from pickled pheasant, to roast
boar, and fruits from the lagoon were decorating the large table at
the back of the room, as the variety of wine delicacies stood
chilled in their vats. The guests would eventually be seated in the
long wooden tables situated around the hall, whilst the grandest
table was positioned in front of them and decorated with the finest
cloth.

As the bright candles cast shadows of
the large number in attendance, King Argarth II realised that it
was almost time for the feast to be served. He stood talking with
his friend and ally King Roscaar when he noticed that his daughter
had been spending too much time with Baron Minley throughout the
eve. It looked like she had finally made her decision on a husband,
realising the irony of how he was about to take that choice away
from her.

“Baron Minley,” Princess Rohesia
smiled. “I fear one day you will regret your intentions when you do
not find what you seek.”

She was standing in front of a man who
had been chasing her heart for a good while now, and she had
finally resigned herself to the fact that if she was to have a
husband, then Minley would suit adorably.

She knew herself not to be in love
with him, not if any of the ladies gossip that she heard regarding
love was true, but she did find him amiable.

“My dear, fair lady princess,” The
baron replied, his smile full of promise. “My only fear is that I
would fail to meet your expectations, but I would fight hard every
day to make you a happy woman,” He gently lifted her hand to his
lips.

She smiled and noted his appearance as
he brought himself back up to full height. He was not a tall man,
but she found it difficult to compare when she was not exactly
petite in height herself. She supposed he was average, and
continued to assess his grace. Lighter hair, she thought, was quite
a nice trait, and it was cut quite short to the current fashion of
the kingdom, highlighting his cheekbones. She liked how he had soft
features as they made him look friendly, and his humour always made
her laugh like no other had done before him. Yes, she thought again
as Baron Minley started to witter on about her long dark hair being
more luscious than that of any Queen; he would make a perfect
match. Her father would be pleased that she had finally
chosen.

She reminisced back to the time her
father confided in her about her mother’s dying wish. Her mother
had wanted her to grow up as independent and as learned as any
Prince, and to be allowed her own choice of husband. Her father had
agreed to grant the wish on the grounds she would take the
husband-seeking task seriously, and it wasn’t her fault that she
found issues with every suitor who crossed her path. She was aware
that she was pushing her luck as time passed by, and she was also
knowledgeable in the fact that her father was growing weary by her
failure to wed. Yes, she was only five and twenty, and yes she
wanted to keep her independence, but she also knew she must act
quickly before just any man was thrust upon her. Her father’s
patience was definitely ailing.

Rohesia had accepted the fact that her
inheritance of a kingdom was probably the soul reason any man would
want to make a proposal to her, but even that would not hold much
precedence now her father had remarried. His union with Yena had
given him another chance to produce a male heir which would risk
the eventual position for any husband of hers to be king; not that
it bothered her either way.

“Baron Minley, you say that you seek
my hand but as to yet I hear of no proposal of pursuing our
friendship?” She sweetened the directness with a smile and felt an
inner glow as the smile was returned to her.

“Then you will take pleasure in the
fact that on this very eve, I will be propositioning your father
for your hand,” He dropped his voice to a whisper “It is all
arranged.”

The relief flowed through her. Her
father would be pleased.

“I will look forward to our union my
lord.” She whispered back, but then out the corner of her eye she
noticed her father making his way in her direction. She quickly
curtsied to the baron in the hope he would take it as a hint to
leave. He wasn’t moving.

“I must make haste now.” She added as
Minley noticed the direction of her eyes, thankfully taking notice
of her father’s approach. He bowed to her curtsy and walked away in
the opposite direction before the king could approach
them.

Rohesia turned to her father, and
against ruling, walked to meet him halfway.

“My daughter you will be the death of
me.” Argarth barked as his daughter approached him. “You have been
allowing one man to talk to you for more than is appropriate and
now you walk to another? You know you should always stand in
greeting when a person is approaching you, especially one of
royalty.”

She rolled her eyes and gently took a
hold of her father’s hand.

“You’re my father, not a potential
suitor or King Roscaar. You know I hold my manners when
necessary.”

“You have been taught to hold them at
all times Rohesia, not when they suit you.”

Sensing that her father was slightly
agitated, she decided to leave the hint of the proposal from Baron
Minley until later. She didn’t want him to neglect it because he
was ill of mood.

“Father, you should know me well
enough by now. I may always teeter at the edge of disgrace but I am
yet to actually step over it. You should have more faith,” She
started to lead him to the head table before he could lecture her
anymore. “Now come, it is my Quarter-of-Century ball, let us
feast.”

King Argarth waited until the feast
had ended to address his guests. He nodded to one of the servants
in order to deliver more wine to his audience, and stood from his
chair.

“One and all,” He shouted across the
tables, giving the room time to settle before continuing. “I thank
each and every one of you for joining us in the celebration of my
daughter, Princess Rohesia’s, Quarter-of-a-Century ball.” He paused
and looked around the room. “It makes a father proud when his
daughter, and only child reaches an age when it would be more
fitting to call her a woman, and no longer his little girl,” He
smiled as the aww’s came from the crowd and at the same time he
noticed the strained smile on his wife’s face. “Rohesia is a
treasure to me and always has been, and one day, if she ever
decides to get married,” He placed both of his hands together. “She
will be a treasure to each and every one of you.”

Rohesia watched her father in
admiration as he spoke of her with so much pride. She watched as he
reeled in the people, always acting as one of them yet at the same
time carrying an air of authority. She rested her head on her hands
to listen to every word, another no-no in the world of manners, but
she didn’t care. Even with disapproving glances from her stepmother
she did not move. This was her moment and the one thing she would
not allow Yena to ruin.

“So I conclude by saying thank you to
my wife Yena for aiding the preparations for this eve, and to King
Roscaar and his wife Queen Morell for making the journey to be with
us,” He waited for the applause to settle. “And of course I would
like to give thanks to my beautiful daughter, who makes me the
happiest father in all of Centurias; even though at times I do wish
she would consider my nerves more when she decides to be herself.”
Laughter and clapping were united in the noise, and King Argarth
concluded his part before taking his seat.

The next few moments were hectic with
the tables being moved to the side of the room, and the musicians
taking their place not far from the back of the hall. People
gathered to leave room for others to dance the traditional steps of
Centurias and beyond.