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The prince stared at her as if she told him the secret of the universe and she noted with a grim ache that Sophie was watching her in much the same way. It was Sophie who spoke first, breaking the deafening silence, “They didn’t tell you.” It was not a question and when Sophie spoke again, pity in her drawn face. “The ceremony three nights ago, Wren, that was your wedding.”
She was sure her mouth was hanging open. It was as if her mind was lost in some space between comprehension. She sought understanding between her companions, but found Sophie’s lips pulled thin and the prince was still staring at her as if he was also struggling to understand.
“I should have expected this. One more cruel arrow, as if this sentence was not enough. I must go.”
Wren stood from where she had been seated and nearly yelled at him to stay and explain, but she could not find her voice. Sophie stepped away from her and moved towards the prince who was already pulling the door open. “Kai, you have to talk to her, she deserves to know what’s happening. This is cruel.” He did not turn around before he left the room, leaving a sickening empty space in his wake.
“I feel sick,” blurted Wren as she brought a hand to her mouth.
Sophie was there in an instant rubbing her back, the intimate gesture strange in such a cold place.
“Sophie, tell me what is happening, please.”
Sophie hesitated before her features set in determination.
“You were brought here for the purpose of marrying Kai. It is complicated, but that is the truth of it.”
Wren moved towards the bed and sat stiffly. “Sophie, what happens now? I did not know I was being married, I only knew they told me to say the words or I would die. They killed Cara and threatened my family. I did not know what they were and they cannot be binding if I did not know what I was saying.” Her voice edged higher and higher as the panic and trauma of the past few days settled back in.
Sophie’s eyes were soft as she sat next to her. “They are binding, my lady, all the same they are binding.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.
Wren closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths in order to steady herself. Nothing made sense. Wasn’t it just a few days ago she had woken up on the farm and enjoyed a peaceful breakfast with her aunt, uncle, and Georgie? Why did she stop at that lake? Why had she felt compelled to stop? The memory of what had been done to her that night took root in her mind.
“Sophie, are there witches here?” The question came out almost as a whisper, she was frightened to ask, but she needed to know. When Sophie’s brow wrinkled in question she searched her mind for the right word. “Magic?”
Sophie nodded. “It is almost entirely faded from our lands, but there are a few who can access it if that is what you meant by witches? We call magic users sorcerers. No one knows why it’s fading. It used to be so common that at least half the people had access to it, but no one knows why it went away.” Sophie looked at her hands clasped together in her lap and there was no mistaking the pang of loss in her words. Seeming to remember herself, she gave a small chuckle. “Of course, the priests said it was a lack of faith in the gods and that it was their punishment to the unfaithful.” The roll of her eyes clearly stated how she felt about that explanation.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Other people say it was stolen, though I have never put much into that theory. Either way the next generation will likely be the last to know magic.”
Wren kept her eyes closed trying to absorb the words. At home, if you were accused of witchcraft you would burn for your crime. It was forbidden to even whisper about it. There had been a witch in a nearby village when she was small and she remembered how people spoke of her worshiping the dark gods and meeting them under the light of the moon to do their bidding. Wren had asked her aunt about it and she said that it was only ignorance and judgment, but Wren did not know what that meant at the time. The way Sophie talked about magic was with sorrow and longing. Clearly, the people of this world did not treat witches the same way.
“Did a sorcerer cast a spell on me to bring me here?”
Sophie stared ahead as she nodded slowly. “We think you were brought here by the Bishop who is the most powerful sorcerer left to us in Haradon. He is the advisor to the king.” Seeing the question on Wren’s face, she continued. “I only know what Kai has told me. There is a wealthy kingdom north of us, North Helm. The king sent Prince Richard there for diplomacy meetings last spring. When Prince Richard came back he said he was in love with their crown princess and she with him. The King was eager for the alliance since North Helm is our greatest threat, but our own laws stood in his way. Our law states the elder sibling must be married before the younger can enter into such a union. It is an old law that has always been strictly followed. The priests say it is a commandment from the gods and while some may not believe that, with magic fading no one is willing to risk the gods ire.”
“He killed Cara. My best friend. She fought back the night we were taken and he killed her.” Sophie wrapped her hand in hers.
“I’m sorry, Wren. He’s not a good man, but he’s also not touchable. The King won’t hold him responsible for it. Kai’s tried."
Wren didn’t know what to do with any of that information so she clung to the next question. “I don’t understand why I am here, why I was married to him. Aren’t there women lining up to marry a prince? In my world there would be no shortage of women willing to marry for wealth and power. I realize that your prince is excessively disagreeable and without emotion aside from anger, but still there must be someone.”
Sophie wore a sad smile. “You don’t know him yet.”
“I have seen enough and I don’t want to know him better. Please answer my question.” Wren regretted the bitter tone immediately since Sophie had shown her nothing but kindness.
With a deep breath, Sophie continued. “I don’t know why they brought you here for this, only that they did. You are right that many women here would rush to marry him despite his…disagreeableness. Power is important here at court and marrying him would give them a significant amount of that considering she would eventually be queen. They never even brought anyone from court forward as a suggestion. If Kai knows why, he has not told me, but I think he doesn’t know either.” Sophie exhaled as if she could release all the tension in the room.
Wren shook her head still not understanding. “Why would the prince agree to a marriage he obviously doesn’t want to be a part of? I understand that in order for the younger to get married the older must, but why someone he has never met? Why wouldn’t he simply say no? As a crown prince he must have some choice.”
Sophie looked straight ahead and then with great reluctance spoke, “You aren’t the first.”
Wren felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. She whispered the next question, “He is married to others?” This would at least invalidate their marriage in her world as this was considered bigotry, but she was unsure if it mattered in her world that she was married following their customs anyways. Even still she was not interested in being part of such a grotesque union.
Sophie shook her head, “No, Wren. Remember when you said that they told you they would kill you if you didn’t say the words?” Wren nodded. “The last one they brought refused to say the words, they killed her right there in front of Kai. The king ordered it done and the Bishop carried out the sentence, using his magic to withdraw all the air from her lungs.” Wren couldn’t help the chill that fell over her. She had considered refusing.
“You said ‘the last one’?” Wren felt the dread settle in her belly.
Sophie looked as if she would be sick. "There were two more before her. The first, Kai refused to marry, as you said, he does not want to be married even if it means the good of the kingdom. That’s not true.” Sophie paused to consider her words. “If it was for his people’s safety and well-being he would. He would not force someone to wed him if she did not wish it though.” Sophie ignored the look of disdain on Wren’s face and continued. “He refused and the King ordered her death while he watched so that he would know the price of his refusal.”
