Till Death Do Us Part
folder
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
9
Views:
6,439
Reviews:
65
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
9
Views:
6,439
Reviews:
65
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Preparation
A/N: Yeah, sorry it took so long. It's been a mix of computer problems and just a sheer lack of interest in my story right now. I've been forcing myself to write it, but I've taken the time to make sure I'm somewhat happy with my writing. I'm defintely going to go back in chapters 1-7 and most likely rewrite them because I think they're crap quite frankly.
I have to go back and change the royal titles, since I realized that I've screwed them up. If anyone's actually noticed my mistake then sorry. It seems I've been messing up a lot lately.
===================================
~Chapter VIII: Preparations~
To say that Luther’s party had reached the palace without hassle was a complete lie. As soon as the ship docked at the private station the group was bombarded by reporters and spectators alike, all of whom were trying to catch a glimpse of Caecelija.
“I’ve never seen the streets this crowded before,” Futaba whispered to her brother. “Not since that time.”
“It’s to be expected,” Lachlan replied, keeping his voice to a minimum as well. “He hasn’t done anything this drastic since…you know.”
Pennelo looked at the pair and her eyes widened. “You mean, when he…”
“Hush!” Futaba said gritting her teeth. “He doesn’t like it when that subject is brought up! Don’t even think it! He’ll know.”
Luther apparently didn’t hear the trio’s conversation as he caught Caecelija by the hand and motioned her quickly past the ogling crowded into a car.
“News travels quickly here,” Luther explained absently to her on their limo-ride to the palace (Lachlan, Futaba, and Pennelo had taken another car to another locale. To where, Caecelija did not know). Luther seemed to be too distracted by a stack of documents and a computer sprawled on his lap.
‘Must be too busy with his work to even look at me’, Caecelija thought.
They reached Ariadne’s capital city Idonea on the afternoon of the fifth day. The weather was warm and dry. It wasn’t known as the most beautiful planet in the universe for nothing. The surreal beauty of Ariadne befuddled one’s senses: grass that looked like a sea of emerald green skies that sparkled azure for miles on end; and waters so clear and pure that they cast perfect mirror images of the already flawless environment.
However, the true jewel of Ariadne was the Crystal Palace: the crystal-stoned castle that stood at the center of its capital city. The palace itself was separated from the city by a wide river that traveled like a snake into a larger body of water a mile down: a lake. When Luther and Caecelija exited the car they had to ride a gondola to get to the main gates.
The guard immediately recognized the cold and stern face of his ruler and without challenge he opened the double gates that led into the large outer courtyard. There were at least a dozen soldiers just standing about. As soon as their eyes caught Luther, they quickly stood in formation like good soldiers are supposed to.
“It’s not me you need to fear for your idleness; it’s Lachlan,” Luther said walking past them, Caecelija in hand.
He and Caecelija walked into the inner bailey, and the girl almost squealed in delight. There were gardens surrounding the inner walls of the Crystal Palace, filled with vividly blooming flowers. There were many of them, hundreds, no, thousands. On one wall was a trellised rosebush that spilled red blooms from the ground and beyond. Beautiful stone fountains graced the centers of the wide walkways that were there so no one would trample the flowers.
“My mother loved flowers, Gods know why.” Luther began motioning his bride-to-be deeper into the inner walls. “She would often stay out here for hours planting and breeding new plants until the entire bailey became flooded with them. I don’t fancy them much, but I thought it would be something that you may like when I can’t be with you.”
“I like them a lot,” Caecelija replied shyly.
“Later I will show you the gardens in the back then. Well…I suppose it’s more of a jungle. My mother felt the need to plant tulip trees every three feet.”
As soon as the pair entered the main hall of the Crystal Palace, Luther had quickly surrendered Caecelija to a maidservant and dissapeared into another room in the beginnings of a deep in conversation with someone on his phone. She felt a little upset.
“Aw, don’t feel bad,” the comely, blonde servant said. “He’s just trying to get everything ready for your big day!”
The girl directed Caecelija up the winding staircase into her temporary room.
“You know, the King asked me personally to keep you company. Normally, he doesn’t even give servants the time of day. He pretends as though we don’t even exist.” She moved in closer to Caecelija who was determined to look anywhere but at her. “I was really excited to when he actually referred to me by my name! I think it’s because I’m closer to you in age. I’m sixteen. My name’s Alice, by the way.”
The younger girl finally looked at Alice and said, “I’m Caecelija.”
“That’s a nice name. It’s better than my name, at least.”
“I really don’t have an opinion about it,” Caecelija said. “I don’t hate or like my name.”
At first it started out as forced conversation; Caecelija wasn’t the best person in the universe to hold a conversation with, seeing as how she didn’t talk to very many people, but Alice was a nice person. The two sat on the satin-sheeted bed and Alice asked Caecelija about her life and what her favorite pets and foods were---normal things that two girls meeting for the first time would say to each other.
“You’re lucky, you know,” Alice said simply.
“Lucky?” Caecelija stared at her bewildered.
“Yep, you’ve done what no other woman’s been able to do: get the King to marry her.”
“That’s being lucky?”
“Well of course it is!” Alice said looking at Caecelija as though she were from another planet (though in all technicalities she was from another planet). “Don’t you get it? You’re marrying the most powerful and vicious man in the universe!” She leaned in close to the ebony haired teen. “So…how’d you do it?”
“Do what?” Caecelija asked.
“How’d you get him to want to marry you so bad?” Alice said impatiently.
“I-I dunno…” Caecelija answered truthfully. “I didn’t even know who he was when I met him. I talked to him about math and science and stuff, and he was always just very keen on what I had to say even if they were trivial things.”
“I heard you’re just an orphan,” Alice said more to herself than to Caecelija. “You’ve got no title or any money. You’re a thirteen-year-old human girl who just happens to be really smart. So what? The King is smart too, smarter than you are. What could he want with you?”
Those words seemed to dent Caecelija’s pride a bit, and Alice noticed.
“Oh no! Don’t misunderstand me!” She quickly waved her hands and shook her head. “I’m just trying to look at this from the King’s point-of-view or even just an aristocrat’s mindset. They don’t just marry any ol’ person off the streets. Marriages in the noble world gains them money or political advantages. The fact that the King is marrying you raises some questions.”
“Questions? Like what?” Caecelija demanded.
“People think that the King’s lost his mind,” Alice continued. “But the way I see it from what I’ve heard and from what you’ve told me he’s lost his mind because he’s mad in love. It’s like one of those storybook fairytales on your planet. What’s it called?” Alice scrunched up her eyes in thought. “Cinderella, that’s it!”
Caecelija was at a loss for words. She really didn’t know what else she was supposed to say.
“Well, Caecelija---wait---sorry, I should say your Highness---“
“No,” Caecelija said firmly, “don’t call me that. I don’t want you to call me by some cheesy title. Just call me Caecelija…or even just Ceci. That’s what Luther calls me…but maybe he won’t be happy if you call me by his pet name for me…”
“How ‘bout I call you Celia, then?” Alice said standing up from the bed.
The younger girl smiled faintly. “Yeah, that’d be great.”
“Okay, then!” Alice smiled then grabbed her new friend by the arm. “Come on! I want to show you something!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“No, fool, I said fifty red roses, thirty pink roses, and twenty white roses!” Luther growled over the phone in the library. “Yes, the pearl gown! How many times must I repeat myself before you understand? Everything must be perfect and if I find the slightest imperfection I’ll have your head!”
Luther snapped the phone shut and sunk into a green armchair. There was so much to do and so little time. Even though he’d been organizing this event for the last week there was just more and more that had to be done. Hopefully Lachlan and Futaba were taking care of the other preparations that he couldn’t attend to. There was the wedding itself (which was a big task in itself since Luther wanted nothing but splendor), then there was the coronation for his new queen which needed extra attention. He had to get Caecelija fitted for a brand new wardrobe as well amongst his other duties. To be honest he was feeling a bit stressed, but in a good way nonetheless. Hopefully that maidservant Alice (was that her name? Sometimes he forgot) was entertaining Caecelija while he was getting everything ready.
His phone rang.
“What…Futaba? No…she can’t eat that….she’s allergic to it….yes…wait, no…those Earth swans instead…yes…the saffron gown, I think it will go nicely with her eyes…she’s fond of butterflies, I believe…yes…I think that will do nicely…oh, and tell Lachlan I’m questioning his abilities as my general….why? Tell him to inquire his soldiers, then….yes, that is all I need….”
Good, Futaba and Lachlan were getting things done efficiently. That’s what Luther liked: efficiency. His people as a whole were inefficient, however. It was somethi9ng that he had come to realize before he left Ariadne those some months ago. After everything had settled down a bit and his Caecelija was comfortable, he’d start his purification. He needed to out the bad blood of his society, but it could wait…right now…all he needed was some sleep.
The last thing he remembered was the small phone dropping from his hand unto the floor. He didn’t care, though, he’d get it later…
++++++++++++++
R&R!
I have to go back and change the royal titles, since I realized that I've screwed them up. If anyone's actually noticed my mistake then sorry. It seems I've been messing up a lot lately.
===================================
~Chapter VIII: Preparations~
To say that Luther’s party had reached the palace without hassle was a complete lie. As soon as the ship docked at the private station the group was bombarded by reporters and spectators alike, all of whom were trying to catch a glimpse of Caecelija.
“I’ve never seen the streets this crowded before,” Futaba whispered to her brother. “Not since that time.”
“It’s to be expected,” Lachlan replied, keeping his voice to a minimum as well. “He hasn’t done anything this drastic since…you know.”
Pennelo looked at the pair and her eyes widened. “You mean, when he…”
“Hush!” Futaba said gritting her teeth. “He doesn’t like it when that subject is brought up! Don’t even think it! He’ll know.”
Luther apparently didn’t hear the trio’s conversation as he caught Caecelija by the hand and motioned her quickly past the ogling crowded into a car.
“News travels quickly here,” Luther explained absently to her on their limo-ride to the palace (Lachlan, Futaba, and Pennelo had taken another car to another locale. To where, Caecelija did not know). Luther seemed to be too distracted by a stack of documents and a computer sprawled on his lap.
‘Must be too busy with his work to even look at me’, Caecelija thought.
They reached Ariadne’s capital city Idonea on the afternoon of the fifth day. The weather was warm and dry. It wasn’t known as the most beautiful planet in the universe for nothing. The surreal beauty of Ariadne befuddled one’s senses: grass that looked like a sea of emerald green skies that sparkled azure for miles on end; and waters so clear and pure that they cast perfect mirror images of the already flawless environment.
However, the true jewel of Ariadne was the Crystal Palace: the crystal-stoned castle that stood at the center of its capital city. The palace itself was separated from the city by a wide river that traveled like a snake into a larger body of water a mile down: a lake. When Luther and Caecelija exited the car they had to ride a gondola to get to the main gates.
The guard immediately recognized the cold and stern face of his ruler and without challenge he opened the double gates that led into the large outer courtyard. There were at least a dozen soldiers just standing about. As soon as their eyes caught Luther, they quickly stood in formation like good soldiers are supposed to.
“It’s not me you need to fear for your idleness; it’s Lachlan,” Luther said walking past them, Caecelija in hand.
He and Caecelija walked into the inner bailey, and the girl almost squealed in delight. There were gardens surrounding the inner walls of the Crystal Palace, filled with vividly blooming flowers. There were many of them, hundreds, no, thousands. On one wall was a trellised rosebush that spilled red blooms from the ground and beyond. Beautiful stone fountains graced the centers of the wide walkways that were there so no one would trample the flowers.
“My mother loved flowers, Gods know why.” Luther began motioning his bride-to-be deeper into the inner walls. “She would often stay out here for hours planting and breeding new plants until the entire bailey became flooded with them. I don’t fancy them much, but I thought it would be something that you may like when I can’t be with you.”
“I like them a lot,” Caecelija replied shyly.
“Later I will show you the gardens in the back then. Well…I suppose it’s more of a jungle. My mother felt the need to plant tulip trees every three feet.”
As soon as the pair entered the main hall of the Crystal Palace, Luther had quickly surrendered Caecelija to a maidservant and dissapeared into another room in the beginnings of a deep in conversation with someone on his phone. She felt a little upset.
“Aw, don’t feel bad,” the comely, blonde servant said. “He’s just trying to get everything ready for your big day!”
The girl directed Caecelija up the winding staircase into her temporary room.
“You know, the King asked me personally to keep you company. Normally, he doesn’t even give servants the time of day. He pretends as though we don’t even exist.” She moved in closer to Caecelija who was determined to look anywhere but at her. “I was really excited to when he actually referred to me by my name! I think it’s because I’m closer to you in age. I’m sixteen. My name’s Alice, by the way.”
The younger girl finally looked at Alice and said, “I’m Caecelija.”
“That’s a nice name. It’s better than my name, at least.”
“I really don’t have an opinion about it,” Caecelija said. “I don’t hate or like my name.”
At first it started out as forced conversation; Caecelija wasn’t the best person in the universe to hold a conversation with, seeing as how she didn’t talk to very many people, but Alice was a nice person. The two sat on the satin-sheeted bed and Alice asked Caecelija about her life and what her favorite pets and foods were---normal things that two girls meeting for the first time would say to each other.
“You’re lucky, you know,” Alice said simply.
“Lucky?” Caecelija stared at her bewildered.
“Yep, you’ve done what no other woman’s been able to do: get the King to marry her.”
“That’s being lucky?”
“Well of course it is!” Alice said looking at Caecelija as though she were from another planet (though in all technicalities she was from another planet). “Don’t you get it? You’re marrying the most powerful and vicious man in the universe!” She leaned in close to the ebony haired teen. “So…how’d you do it?”
“Do what?” Caecelija asked.
“How’d you get him to want to marry you so bad?” Alice said impatiently.
“I-I dunno…” Caecelija answered truthfully. “I didn’t even know who he was when I met him. I talked to him about math and science and stuff, and he was always just very keen on what I had to say even if they were trivial things.”
“I heard you’re just an orphan,” Alice said more to herself than to Caecelija. “You’ve got no title or any money. You’re a thirteen-year-old human girl who just happens to be really smart. So what? The King is smart too, smarter than you are. What could he want with you?”
Those words seemed to dent Caecelija’s pride a bit, and Alice noticed.
“Oh no! Don’t misunderstand me!” She quickly waved her hands and shook her head. “I’m just trying to look at this from the King’s point-of-view or even just an aristocrat’s mindset. They don’t just marry any ol’ person off the streets. Marriages in the noble world gains them money or political advantages. The fact that the King is marrying you raises some questions.”
“Questions? Like what?” Caecelija demanded.
“People think that the King’s lost his mind,” Alice continued. “But the way I see it from what I’ve heard and from what you’ve told me he’s lost his mind because he’s mad in love. It’s like one of those storybook fairytales on your planet. What’s it called?” Alice scrunched up her eyes in thought. “Cinderella, that’s it!”
Caecelija was at a loss for words. She really didn’t know what else she was supposed to say.
“Well, Caecelija---wait---sorry, I should say your Highness---“
“No,” Caecelija said firmly, “don’t call me that. I don’t want you to call me by some cheesy title. Just call me Caecelija…or even just Ceci. That’s what Luther calls me…but maybe he won’t be happy if you call me by his pet name for me…”
“How ‘bout I call you Celia, then?” Alice said standing up from the bed.
The younger girl smiled faintly. “Yeah, that’d be great.”
“Okay, then!” Alice smiled then grabbed her new friend by the arm. “Come on! I want to show you something!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“No, fool, I said fifty red roses, thirty pink roses, and twenty white roses!” Luther growled over the phone in the library. “Yes, the pearl gown! How many times must I repeat myself before you understand? Everything must be perfect and if I find the slightest imperfection I’ll have your head!”
Luther snapped the phone shut and sunk into a green armchair. There was so much to do and so little time. Even though he’d been organizing this event for the last week there was just more and more that had to be done. Hopefully Lachlan and Futaba were taking care of the other preparations that he couldn’t attend to. There was the wedding itself (which was a big task in itself since Luther wanted nothing but splendor), then there was the coronation for his new queen which needed extra attention. He had to get Caecelija fitted for a brand new wardrobe as well amongst his other duties. To be honest he was feeling a bit stressed, but in a good way nonetheless. Hopefully that maidservant Alice (was that her name? Sometimes he forgot) was entertaining Caecelija while he was getting everything ready.
His phone rang.
“What…Futaba? No…she can’t eat that….she’s allergic to it….yes…wait, no…those Earth swans instead…yes…the saffron gown, I think it will go nicely with her eyes…she’s fond of butterflies, I believe…yes…I think that will do nicely…oh, and tell Lachlan I’m questioning his abilities as my general….why? Tell him to inquire his soldiers, then….yes, that is all I need….”
Good, Futaba and Lachlan were getting things done efficiently. That’s what Luther liked: efficiency. His people as a whole were inefficient, however. It was somethi9ng that he had come to realize before he left Ariadne those some months ago. After everything had settled down a bit and his Caecelija was comfortable, he’d start his purification. He needed to out the bad blood of his society, but it could wait…right now…all he needed was some sleep.
The last thing he remembered was the small phone dropping from his hand unto the floor. He didn’t care, though, he’d get it later…
++++++++++++++
R&R!