Coalesce: The Escape
Chapter 2

A few hand-maids and my two attendants come in to help me get ready within the hour. I’m forced to wear a gold silk dress and a circlet of moonstone and pure silver, they all said I would be irresistible. I didn’t believe it. Never have, maybe never will. Did I care though? No, I didn’t.

The clock tower chimed as the new hour came upon us and I was half shoved out of my room and down to the main hall. There, King Phillip and his protector, Isaac, sat talking as they waited. Somewhere, Edward ran laughing and shouting, as oblivious as always to the world around him. With a heavy sigh and regretful glance toward the stairs, I take my place at the King’s side.

“Show them in now,” Philip shouts to the guards at the doors. The doors slide open and a line of prince’s and their attendants begin to make their way inside the castle walls. I tried to seem interested, I really did, but it was very difficult with the way the suitors walked. They all walked with a sense of purpose it was, quite frankly, annoying. Out of the few suitors there, none of them stuck out to me. All of them seemed the same, interested in only one thing. Power.

I doubt any of them actually wanted to be wed to me. I think they all just want the power that comes with being married to me. That’s how it always was these days, all about power. The war has driven the Empire mad for any kind of power available. Most days I just wanted to live the life of a peasant to escape all of this greed, selfishness, and overwhelming sense of duty. The duty, I felt was not only to my Kingdom or the Empire, but to the Brotherhood. I had a job to do that could not be ignored.

“Presenting Prince Saul of D’avidia.” I look up to see one of the suitors walking forward with head held high. He and his attendants were dressed in fine brown and dark green clothing. The first attendant, a young girl, brings forward a small silver box and sets it down at the foot of the thrones and bows then steps back.

“M’lady,” Prince Saul bows deeply first to me, then to the King. Something about his voice seemed familiar, but unsettling in a way. I stopped paying attention after that.

The rest of the night blurred together in a wave of uncomfort. There was dancing, laughter, a feast, and several meaningless conversations with the Suitors and drunken guards... I left the ‘festivities’ and headed to my chambers to be alone for a while. The door had been locked from the outside by a guard as I entered the room. What a gentleman.

The prince’s were all from different kingdoms of the continent, most from the region of Valley Forge, except one. Prince Luciack was from Shadow Mountain.

There are four Kingdoms in Valley Forge, D’avidia, the smallest of the kingdoms. Cryshalla, the northernmost kingdom located in mostly mountains. Haven’s Hold, the largest kingdom, also the home of the High King of Valley Forge. The last kingdom is Dallek, where I am now. We’re also on the Shadow Mountain border closest to the White City, which makes it a great trading destination for merchant’s passing through.

I glance toward my bed at the untouched gifts of ‘pretty’ things from the Suitors and sigh. It was pointless, really. I didn’t want to pick, I wouldn’t if I could help it.

“Uvalya, Smertia, hear my plea. Save me from this disastrous fate. Deliver me to a better life.” I mutter a prayer to the Deus. The Deus were revered figures, ten in all. Uvalya and Smertia had to do with change. Uvalya was the Deus of love, respect, and wishes. Smertia was the Deus of life, death, and change. I hoped, almost desperately, that my wish for change would be heard and I would be able to escape my predetermined fate.

I pull on my traveling cloak and hope no one is outside at this hour. Going to my window I pull it open. With a smirk, I jump and take off running to the forest. It didn’t take long to get there, really. I climb down into the sanctuary of the Brotherhood and heave a sigh of relief to be away from the castle after the dreadful dancing, and snide comments from the King.

“I told you, she can’t stay away from me,” Kylon’s deep voice sounds behind me. I wince and turn around, crossing my arms. Did I really have to deal with this now?

“Sure, by you do you mean the sanctuary? I came to be away from the castle for a while,” I look at him, then sigh. He smiles and rests his arm on my shoulder, he was quite a bit taller than me so he had to lean down a bit to be at my level.

Even if he was annoying, it made my life interesting. Kylon was annoying, Xavier was shy and quiet, everyone else was really just never here or I didn’t see them because they were asleep. Though our family was small and dysfunctional, it was nice. Everyone was close and some called it our family, others preferred not to say a word.

I was the youngest, though with the way some of the men acted, it didn’t seem like it. We had fun, laughed, talked, and sometimes played games like small children. They made me feel welcome, even if they still treated me as a Princess.

“Morgan! What a pleasure to see you,” The usually playful, non-serious Anthony smiles and hugs me. I smile, awkwardly patting his back.

“Hello, Anthony,” I gently pushed him away. He raises an eyebrow and looks at me with his deep blue eyes. His blonde hair was about shoulder length and had bits of brown streaked in it. I roll my eyes and head off into my room. Even if it was smaller and less grand than my castle bedroom, I liked it. Most of the members think I’m crazy for liking the sanctuary more.

They don’t know what I go through there every day though. It was torture. I loved Edward, but rarely had the chance to even speak to him for longer than a minute. He seemed to think I was avoiding him, which made me feel horrible. I only had a few hours to myself anymore, which were either spent here or sleeping. I barely slept, ate, or did anything other than my Royal duties.

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