Chapter 2. Becoming Lady Zoey Arden (2)

[2018, December 2nd & 3rd]

“Stay with me at all times today,” Bart ordered in an authoritative voice that did not match his youth.

He was only 19, for goodness sake. Just the same, he had banished any thoughts Zoey had of asking where they were going.

“My lord.”

Zoey bowed awkwardly.

He sighed.

“And knock that off. Seriously, quit it. We are House of Arden. We bow to no one.”

Zoey didn’t know much about polite society, but surely even nobles bowed to the king? She shook her head. This was the time to ask, before something else overwhelmed or distracted her.

“Where are we going?” she asked, as Bart rushed them down the stairs and into the limousine where his parents awaited them.

Again, that eerie silence from the night before enveloped her. It seemed to run in the family. The luxury car was like a tomb. Speech seemed forbidden. Zoey’s eyes landed on Duke Arden.

“Stop staring!” Duchess Arden snapped.

Zoey looked down immediately.

Duchess Arden gave Zoey a once over, then promptly looked away with another snort. No one seemed particularly interested in anyone else. They might have been in a vehicle of comfort, but it seemed to Zoey that she had had more pleasant experiences riding the bus.

There she was, all alone again with her thoughts. How could her mother have done this to her? Why could she not hold her tongue where grandfather was concerned? All they ever did was fight about the same things anyway. He wanted her to come and work for him and she constantly refused him, still bitter that he had kicked her out twenty-three years ago.

Did she not know what this would do to Zoey’s plans? If she was accepted as a PhD student at the University of Rosa, she would be assigned an advisor for her book next month. Did she not know how the duke had no room for her? Zoey scrubbed this last thought from her brain.

They didn’t seem to be big on hellos. Fine. She could be quiet. She loved silence. Unfortunately for Zoey, it was all but quiet in her head. Duke Arden had asked for a meeting. She could only hope, therefore, that this would not take long.

With this she consoled herself, but though a lack of life experience and her emotions had clouded her judgment enough that she might have believed this yesterday, Zoey now knew something was amiss. If he really meant only to talk with her and then send her on her way, why bother having her dressed up like this and dragging her along to wherever they were going? Just what the hell was going on?

Get out!

Her mind seemed to be screaming.

Danger!

It told her, as her eyes darted back and forth between three pairs of frosty, disinterested ones.

Upon arrival at The King’s Fancy, Zoey could not help being astounded at the sheer volume of people all dressed to the nines. Yes, this was definitely bigger than a picnic.

Rows and rows of long tables topped with white tablecloths and expensive, delicious looking foods were all lined up along the riverbanks so as to offer a spectacular view of the shimmering blue river and its surrounding trees and hills. It was truly a beautiful place and Zoey imagined it might be even more so when all the people had cleared out and it was quiet. She found herself back to wishing for the quiet. Curse her mother for making this man her father!

Their Majesties, King Henry and Queen Mary were announced, just as the members of the House of Arden were making their way to the last empty table.

They received scowls and grimaces from everyone, but the men of the house only hastened the women to their seats, being eager to do their due diligence, say brief greetings as was expected of them and conduct the business that they had come to The King’s Fancy for.

Duke Arden had last been seen at The King’s Fancy five years ago, following the coronation of the now king. He would have disappointed the king in a similar manner today, had it not been for business that had to be settled between them.

King Henry had come to power by the last-minute decree of an heirless King Maximus. Henry’s reign until now had been somewhat volatile, owing to his appointment as opposed to that of his long-time rival, Duke George Arden.

After years of awaiting King Maximus’ choice between the houses of Condor and Arden, all of Terres Somnia was somewhat divided. To this day, the Ardens were hailed by many as the royal family that should have been.

Support for the Ardens was so fierce that King Henry feared to see Terres Somnia alight with war even now, five years after his coronation. No, the business between himself and his cousin must be done, the king knew, and soon too.

Families had come in all their grandeur and splendour and offered King Henry gifts the worth of which might buy houses and flattered him according to the best of their ability. After doing so, they would go back and find other friends and acquaintances to pay similar respects to, a good many of them looking ready to leave by the end of the first half hour. But stay they did, as stay they must.

How far removed the Arden family tree was from the Condor family tree was a discussion that could and had spanned debates that dragged on for many hours.

Duke Arden had even attempted to have King Henry dethroned by having his claim to the throne dismissed, based upon evidence of the Condor bloodline not intersecting with the former king’s. This did not take, but the two men had been at each other’s throats ever since. Until, at last, they came up with a compromise.

All others seemed momentarily dismissed as the House of Arden approached the royal table. It was well known and rather expected that this particular greeting should take a good deal of time.

“My lord,” was all Duke Arden offered.

King Henry smiled.

“How are you, dear cousin?”

“I am not here to make small talk, Henry. I’m here to be assured of my business being done,” said Duke Arden curtly.

Duke Arden was short with King Henry, which brought the latter more displeasure than he liked.

But it was only seen a moment, a small change in the face that lasted only long enough to be seen by those paying attention. Queen Mary hadn’t been, or at least pretended she hadn’t been, and as such expressed displeasure of her own.

“How untoward. Is this to be how you would form such an alliance? We have not even been given the opportunity for us all to say hello,” said Queen Mary.

With these words, Queen Mary gave a meaningful look to Zoey, whose knees promptly began to buckle.

Zoey was not a woman easily unnerved, but something was afoot here and she felt she had something to do with it. And although she knew not what it was, she could not stop the bad feeling from settling in the pit of her stomach. She might have dropped or fainted under the queen’s scrutiny, had it not been for her brother’s hand on her arm, giving her a tight squeeze. Her eyes darted to his face, and she glared.

With an eyebrow raised in annoyance, Bart said, “Your Majesty, allow me to introduce Lady Zoey from the House of Arden.”

Queen Mary looked Zoey over for several moments as King Henry and Duke Arden continued a silent conversation, locked in a competitive glare as though to stare each other to death.

“I suppose she must do, being that you have no legitimate daughter, born and bred as noble,” Queen Mary said at last.

At this, Duchess Arden saw red. Perhaps it was simply in her nature to see red, but just now, she saw more than red. Just now, Queen Mary was crimson and might be ash at any moment. How dare Mary insult the House of Arden? How dare she mock her for not knowing of the existence of George’s love child? Mary, who had herself—

“Then it is done,” said King Henry, interrupting Duchess Arden’s thoughts.

“Not quite. What about your side? She is my only daughter. I should hope you would pay me the courtesy of presenting to me the man whom you would have me wed her to, prior to such an engagement,” said Duke Arden.

The duke said this frankly and equally, without emotion. It was perhaps for this reason that it took Zoey a moment to understand. And when her brain did once again function, she spat out the word

engagement

like every letter was a hot coal.

Not too far away, lurking in the shadows, he beheld her. The shadows were not a place Prince Aaron was used to being, but this morning it suited his purposes. He watched her go from excited, to hushed, then pale. This amused him. The whole thing did, really. He could not help being amused. He, married to this mousy little commoner, who could barely keep herself upright in such an amusing situation? His father truly must be in fear for his throne, perhaps even for his very life.

“Insolent child!” Duchess Arden exclaimed.

“Forgive my sister, Your Majesty. She is not accustomed to noble society,” said Bart.

Bart’s apology was swift and elegant, as though practiced.

“It’s true. Lady Zoey only came to us yesterday,” Duke Arden added.

Again, Zoey’s head spun. Did this man, who deemed it appropriate to call himself her father, who avoided her at all costs, just apologize for her?

But wait, that wasn’t what was important. They had said engagement, had they not? Should she ask? Who was it that had said the words?

King Henry gave a nervous chuckle and said, “Think nothing of it.”

“One might hardly expect anything less,” Her Majesty quipped. “If nothing else, she is at least pretty, and pretty is all she needs to be.”

Wait, wait, wait! Stop! Everyone just slow down. Why had she really been brought here? Why were they speaking of her, but not to her? Why would the words they were saying, though crystal clear, just not make any sense?