The Four Swords

Chapter 36: Waiting

The king's scowl deepened. Surely his mood was due to more than just our tardiness?

"I am sorry, Father," Alina mustered up the most angelic tone possible, trying to appease the man.

His shoulders relaxed. Daughters have a way with angry fathers. I think it's just a fact of life and something I'll never be able to use to my advantage.

"I was worried about you." His tone softened as his daughter approached him.

"Well, I'm here now. What is it that you needed?" Alina did not lose the calming tone.

The king shook his head as if shaking off Alina's attempts to calm his savage side. I guess that tone didn't work every time.

"Were you injured in the gardens?" The king was back to his original mood, but at least the motivation behind it was clear. He was worried about Alina's safety.

Alina was taken aback. "Why would I be injured in the gardens?"

"I'll assume that's a no. From now on, you are restricted to the castle." The command was royal with all the authority within it.

"What? Why?" Alina was flabbergasted.

The tension in Cali's expression was palpable from where I stood. Always a loyal friend. I think if the king were a lesser man, he would have heard Cali's thoughts on that idea in a colorful manner.

I stood there confused. Was safety the cause of the guard shift?

"Were you somehow unaware of the practice sword that could have killed you?" The king pointed out.

"I hardly think it could have killed me. Besides, clearly I lived through that experience," Alina stood her ground.

"Yes, thanks only to the sword of your betrothed!"

It was technically not a wrong statement, but it also was not the full truth. Although the blade that stopped the sword belonged to me in practice, Cali was the one who saved us from the threat.

"Only thanks to it being wielded by Lady Calista," I spoke for the first time and instantly regretted it.

The king squared his shoulders to me, "Mine is the version that is being spread around the court. And you would do well to remember it, Sir Jacobson. It's to benefit you after that somewhat embarrassing display of force against your sparring partner."

So many emotions swirled in my chest. Anger. Frustration. Humiliation. Curiosity. Meekness. Pity. Determination. Did Alina deal with these outbursts from her father often? Maybe overprotectiveness blooms from the fear that comes when you face your own mortality.

Curiosity won my tongue. "Which match did you see, Your Majesty?"

"I saw none of it, but the report that reached me said you lost horribly to a man from the clan of Bear. If you hope to keep this country running, please make sure they have a leader to follow." The king almost spat the words at me.

The defense I used in that sparring held off many hits, but this was a hit I could not block. Why did the king choose me to marry Alina if he thought so little of me? Did the king choose me? The council had and my father and uncle seemed against the idea. Who was the mastermind behind this plan?

I took a deep breath to try and steady myself from my spiraling questions and growing self loathing. Today was going to be a long day.

"Is that all you needed to say, Your Majesty? To inform me of my new parameters and to belittle my friends?" Alina used her father's title, throwing away any hint of sweetness in her voice.

This took the wind out of the king's sails. "I simply want you to be safe. You and the country." The king tried to justify his behavior. I had never seen that before.

"Are you sure there is nothing that slipped your mind, Your Majesty?" Alina pushed.

"If you're wondering about your wedding date, you'll have to wait! Now if there is nothing else, we are needed in the petitioner's court," The king boomed. He rose and started leading our gaggle of guards to the court.

Although it did not slip the king's mind, it certainly had slipped mine. Traditionally whenever the petitioner's court convenes after a royal proposal, the wedding date is announced. Although this tradition is not steadfast and has been broken on occasion.

The dates are typically discussed by the bride and groom, however they must be acceptable and ultimately decided on by the king and queen. I knew a few of the dates that Alina discussed with her mother the day I proposed, but none of them came to mind.

Alina's guards slowly peeled off as we entered the petitioner's court and walked toward the dias. Queen Valerie sat alone with a quizzical look on her brow. I wonder how often she is told what is going on around her.

The king and Alina joined her in their usual thrones. I took up a chair that had been placed out for me. My two shadows flanked the sides of my chair, just out of my sight line. Luckily, Cali was not far from me. I hoped she would provide entertainment if the day started to drag.

The room overflowed with courtiers, petitioners, well wishers and the city folk that had much to say about the day before. The room was buzzing with gossip. I felt my face turn red. How much of this was about me?

The king stood and held up his hands to quiet the crowd. The masses begrudgingly complied, finishing their stories quickly.

"People of Ensis, I would like to start the day with a few announcements. First off, the wedding date for my beautiful daughter has not yet been set." The king paused for the crowd to hush again. The court was very interested in that piece of news. I think it's why the room was so crowded.

I caught Cali's expression from the corner of my eye. She gave a large sigh and then a faint smile. Did she really dread being a maid of honor that much?

"As for the intruder who cut short our parade yesterday, information is still being gathered. If you have any actionable information, please let one of the guards around the room know immediately. Now let's begin the petitioning!" The king announced.

It was at that moment I realized how much of my life was spent waiting. Waiting to become a Swordsman. Waiting to get to know my wedding date. Waiting to figure out who yesterday's attacker was. Waiting for what would happen next. I took a deep breath and began waiting for the petitioning to end before it even started

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