Paper Love
so yeah I wrote like a BUNCH of stuff in the past weeks (months) but really wasn’t satisfied with ANY (like none–and I wrote a lot, like A LOT). So I just opened a new file and tried something else instead of trying to perfect something I knew I wasn’t gonna post… and this is what came out, I’m still not quite sure about it but you’ll let me know.
Oh and, I kinda got carried away, so its way too long to post all of it in oneshot, so I’ll probably post the rest in the coming days (unless it’s garbage, in that case well… I’m ready to cave for another couple of weeks)
Oh and as always, try to get over my poor grammar skills (still not from an english speaking country)…thanks
Ehri felt uncomfortable. With reasons. She was sitting by the far end of the table, an empty seat to her right, and another to her left. She was alone at the table’s end, while on the other side Nikolai was discussing with his advisors.
They’d been engaged for a week, and she had only been introduced to very few people in the palace.
No one was paying attention to her. It was for the best, she didn’t want to pay attention to them anyway. She silently got up from her chair, and left the room unnoticed. Or maybe they had seen, and chose not to care. She cast oe last glance to the room on the doorstep, no one noticed. And she left.
Ehri was heading back to her rooms, when an out of breath servant paused and slightly bowed to her. « Y-Your highness, the rest of your belongings has arrived, it is in the king’s room. » then the young boy bowed again and left faster than he had arrived. The king’s rooms. Of course.
The princess got to the rooms in question. She was his fiancée, so she had access, actually, most were probably under the impression that these were her rooms as well. But no. She hadn’t even asked. But Nikolai, just after they ‘engagement’ provided her with a room of her own.
She’d been in the king’s room before. So she feigned indifference to the pretty moldings on the ceiling, the enormous fireplace, or the bed. The biggest one she had ever seen. She’d thought the country low on money, but this room screamed of wealth.
Ehri hadn’t planned on carrying trunks of belongings back to her rooms, no. She knew exactly what was waiting for her. Her jewelry box. It was sitting on the night-stand. She took the wooden artefact in her hands and opened it. Her most precious valuable were in this small box. She put the box on a small table near the window, and took out her grand mother’s bracelet. It was truly a thing of beauty, all black silk embedded with the whitest, tiniest pearls drawing the body of a dragon. And a ring. Her grandfather’s. A silver ring, almost as wide as a knuckle, embedded with her family motto. She was to give it to her husband.
A knock came on the door. Surprised, Ehri let the glorious jewel escape her slender, clumsy hands and it rolled under the bed. Raging, she headed for the door, only to be faced with a young guard. «Oh sorry your highness, I heard footstep inside and I thought that you were at the council meeting with the king».
« Your comrade did not inform you of my presence ? He was here when I arrived. » said Ehri irritated. The guard had obviously just begun his shift. She did’t wait for an answer, and closed the door. She crouched by the bed and looked beneath it. And she saw the ring. But something else too, and she stretched out her hand to get to it.
And there it was, brown and folded. Carefully tied under the bed frame. Ehri had always been a curious girl. But she was no girl, she was queen. Or she would be, and she had the right to know what her husband to be wanted to hide from her. From everyone. King Nikolai had trapped her into this arrangement, so he owed her. She had…hurt his friend, in an attempt to kill him, but she was in unknown territory, and she knew, that information was the best currency at court. She got her ring, and took the envelop.
She put the ring back in its box, and pocketed the piece of paper. She wasn’t stupid enough to stick around and read it within the king’s chambers. So she left, nodding to the guards on her way out. She noticed the speck of red on the one who had interrupted her, thinking she might have been some intruder.
Back in her chambers, Ehri tied her ebony hair and locked the doors, and sat on her bed. The room was bright. The king had assigned her to the chambers the farthest from his own she thought. And wasn’t mad about it. It was all, white and gold, so different from home she often thought. She shook her head, trying to forget about home, and just unfold the letter she had just pocketed.
Should she burn it? Tear it appart? Or just leave it laying around for someone to find and condemn the king for treason ? The princess was pacing, her heels hitting the floor upon each of her step, the only sound breaking the deafening silence of the room. Her fist was tightly clutched around the letter. She wanted to break something. What was the meaning of this? She knew, she wasn’t wanted here, nor did she want to be here, but this, this was an insult. And this country wanted her money ? No. She would give nothing if she was given nothing, damn her sister, she would rather face her than this humiliation. Ehri was no trophy, she would not just be there to look pretty.
She would not burn it. She had leverage, importance for the first time in this forsaken palace, she would hold on to it. And Ehri smiled as the knock on her door came. She knew the one named Genya was supposed to come and talk wedding with her. She unlocked her door « Come in » she said smiling.
Genya practically raced out of the future queen’s rooms. To whom she should talk first? She was no idiot, Genya knew the Shu princess had left the document in sight on purpose. Genya spotted Zoya. The choice was made. She ran to her friend, and reached her out of breath. « Well Genya, I don’t think it’s the place or the time to jog, though I do appreciate you finally training for a change. » Genya gathered her breath, and took hold of her friend’s arm. Zoya raised her famous eyebrow, the one that made anyone lower their eyes, and stop everything they were doing. And in any other circumstances, Genya might’ve just done that. But she didn’t have time. « We are going to your rooms…now. » Said Genya, summoning every ounce of authority she had. Zoya smirked « Oh I’m flattered, but you’re not my type Genya, besides, I don’t want to fight with David. » Zoya thought she was joking. « Now. » repeated Genya.
When they got there, Genya locked the door, and faced her friend. « Well, are you going to tell me what all of this is about now » said Zoya crossing her arms. She seemed irritated. But Genya hadn’t feared Zoya in a long time, she would not start again today. So Genya crossed her arms mirroring Zoya’s expression. « What happened with Nikolai when you two were away? »
« Are you joking » responded Zoya faking a laugh. « You will have to be more specific. »
« Playing the idiot doesn’t suit you Zoya. » Genya saw tension in her friend’s jaw. Zoya uncrossed her arms and took two step towards Genya.
« Nothing happened Genya. You know me better than that don’t you? » Zoya almost sounded hurt, or maybe Genya was dreaming. « So why don’t you tell me what’s gotten into you ? »
« Well…As you know, I was just speaking with our future queen. » Zoya nodded, still furious at her friend for her suspicions. « And the future queen found…Something »
« Saints Genya just spit it out, I’ve had my fill of dramatics, we’ve spent all morning with Nikolai didn’t we… So please indulge me and just say what you want to say. »
« I dont know how, or why she has it, I didn’t ask, actually I pretended not to see » Genya was rambling and Zoya was loosing patience. « There is a document, which staples that if Nikolai dies, with no heir, you will be in charge of the country. And it’s signed. » Zoya did not looked shocked. « Did you know about this ? » Said Genya, now mad.
« Yeah… But I thought that it would be destroyed by now. Especially after his engagement… »
« Is it just me you don’t seem phased about it at all? »
« Genya… He thought he was going to die. » said Zoya shaking her head « I’ll go and talk to him don’t worry about it. » Genya couldn’t figure out weather Zoya was mad at Nikola, or disappointed that the document had been found.
« Well do that, because our future queen is in possession of the said document, and if I were her, I would not be thrilled about it. »
« I’ll talk to him » she said, her voice low and promising. And she left.
Nikolai was still in the council meeting room. By himself. Well not entirely, he did have glass of Brandy keeping him company. And a couple of guards posted by the doors. And one inside the room. Actually, he craved loneliness.
The doors flew open and Nikolai jumped to his feet spilling his drink on the floor. The guard posted by the door jerked away, and meeting her eyes, he understood and fled the room. Her hand made a wave movement and the doors closed. Nikolai wished he could have followed that guard outside, seeing the look on her face, he really didn’t want to be here. Her death stare locked onto him. He wished to drown. To drown in blue, or in ebony black. « I know you didn’t agree with me during the meeting, but I truly think this is the best course of action… » started Nikolai
« Forget about that. » she ordered. « Ehri has it »
Nikolai sat lazily on his chair, and motioned for her to do the same. She stayed up. « And I supposed you’re gonna tell me what this is about » he sighed. He was usually the enigmatic one.
« Do you know what your wife found? » she asked him. He could tell she was furious. She wasn’t screaming, or blinking for that matter.
« To be. Wife to be, general. And I thought we’d agreed on the fact that I had no idea what you are talking about. » answered Nikolai in a sigh. He got back in his chair.
« Nikolai. » she warned, bringing her fist down on he table.
« Just tell me already, I’m tired of the guessing game » said Nikolai throwing his arms up. She threw a glance at the door, as if there was something she couldn’t say out loud.
« Well. Someone found it ».
« Zoya. » He warned, voice low and irritated. He hated to not understand. She was being enigmatic on purpose, she knew it irritated him.
« The document you signed. » she raised her eyebrows, and widened her eyes, as if to say something without saying anything. All it did was make her blue eyes bigger. And they did not need to be bigger. So much blue.
« You have to get it back and destroy it before she has the time to use it against you ». She continued. Nikolai knew what she was talking about now. And he was thankful. Thankful that she hadn’t asked him. Even if he could tell the question was burning her lips. He looked up, right, left, anywhere but her lips.
« Do you understand? She has the paper right now, in her rooms. So you get in there, snatch the document, and burn it, tear it apart, eat it, feed it, I don’t care, but make it go away. » She finally sat next to him, and gather her breath.
« Why would I eat it…or feed it for that matter » he asked, trying to release some pressure.
« Don’t get me started on the ‘Whys’ Nikolai » was all she said, staring right at him. He looked away, maybe he was blushing, or it was too hot in this room.
