Cage of Deceit(16)

As if in response to her agitation, the crown atop her head shifted, suddenly feeling heavy. Blasted. If only she could practice on her hitting dummy right now. She laughed. Dressed in the finest gown she’d ever worn and all she could think about was punching. How very unprincess-like.



Allyssa hurried to the antechamber of the Throne Room, where she found her parents talking with Neco and Ellie. She stood in the doorway, not saying a word. She silently observed them, no one noticing she’d arrived.

“This is a real opportunity for Emperion,” Darmik said. “If only Allyssa would cooperate.”

“The princess is strong-willed, that’s for sure,” Neco said. “But she always does her duty. She has Emperion’s best interest at heart.”

“I agree,” Rema said. “But Allyssa doesn’t understand the precarious position we’re in. We need this alliance.”

“She’s just so young,” Darmik muttered.

“No, she’s not,” Ellie said, speaking for the first time. “Think of what you accomplished at her age. She’s old enough, and more than capable.”

Neco came up behind Ellie, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I agree with my wife,” he said, kissing her cheek.

Darmik sighed. “Who knew having a daughter would be so … difficult.” He turned to face Rema. “It’s up to you,” he said.

“Let me meet Prince Odar. Then I will decide how to proceed.”

A steward came up next to the princess. “The convoy is here,” he announced to the people in the antechamber.

Rema noticed her daughter standing there, so she came over and hugged Allyssa. “I don’t know how much you heard,” she whispered, “but we will talk later. Please, just keep an open mind and don’t jump to conclusions.” She released her, took Darmik’s arm, and entered the Throne Room.

Neco and Ellie remained in the antechamber. “From all my spies’ accounts,” Neco said, “Prince Odar is a shrewd military leader, much like your father. We just need time to assess the situation and to speak with him.”

“Why is he officially here?” Allyssa asked.

“To discuss Fren’s situation with Russek.”

She knew there was a lot more going on than she was privy to. She gave a curt nod to Neco and Ellie. After all, the least she could do was keep an open mind. Taking a few deep breaths, she put a smile on her face and entered the Throne Room.

Both sides of the aisle were filled with people eager to greet the mysterious prince from Fren. Out of all the kingdoms on the mainland, Fren was the one she knew the least about. The kingdom kept to itself, choosing to remain isolated. She couldn’t imagine a marriage contract would be enough to lure the prince here. No, she thought, there is definitely more going on.

Allyssa glided down the aisle, head high, while everyone bowed. Her parents were already sitting on the dais, her mother in the center, Darmik to her right. Allyssa took her place on her mother’s left. Light poured in through the windows, lining the right side of the room. Everyone present wore their finest clothes, and perfume wafted in the warm air.

The horns sounded and all heads turned toward the doors at the end of the aisle, eagerly awaiting the prince’s entrance. Allyssa was mildly curious to meet him. How old was he? Twenty? Forty? Was he boring like the prince from Fia? Arrogant like most of the lords and nobles of her own kingdom? Was he ugly? Did he have a beard? Was he here to establish a relationship with Emperion? Did he seek Allyssa’s hand in marriage? Perhaps he simply wanted to implement a trade agreement between their kingdoms.

The doors flew open, and four Fren soldiers clad in shiny armor entered. Behind them came two men dressed in solid black, carrying the flag of Fren as they marched down the aisle to the dais where they stopped and faced inward, clicking their heels together. Half a dozen men dressed in finery now entered the Throne Room. These must be the prince’s lords-in-waiting. Allyssa squeezed her hands together to prevent her eyes from rolling at the pompous arrogance being displayed. This show of wealth was a bit excessive. Granted, Fren was one of the larger kingdoms and rumored to be well off. Apparently, the prince wanted to make sure everyone here knew it. Four more men entered, wearing fine tunics, indicating they were stewards or pages. If this display was any indication of the type of person the prince was, then he was just like every other bloke who’d come vying for her hand, and she was not impressed.

A collective murmur arose as the prince finally entered. He stood in the doorway a moment and flashed a smile before sauntering down the aisle. Blimey. He had dark hair, blue eyes, and a cocky smile that made him utterly handsome. The worst part was that he knew it and was flaunting it at her court. If she had to guess, she’d say he was about her age. The prince was dressed in a flamboyant white shirt and a dark embroidered tunic that was well suited for a ballroom and not traveling. He had to have changed after he arrived. No one could possibly be that vain. Strapped to his waist was a fine-looking sword. She was sure he’d never used it in battle. He’d probably never even seen a day of fighting in his life. She desperately tried not to laugh as his attention landed on her, his eyebrows lifting in what she could only assume was approval. This prince was even more arrogant than all the previous suitors combined. He was going to drive her utterly mad.