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Chapter One
Thewoodenfloorscreakedat the touch of the young woman’s feet as she tiptoed down the hallway towards her father’s study, struggling to hear the muffled voices. Her parents were speaking with an older gentleman, and his voice was one she did not recognize. Placing her ear against the door, she listened intently.
“My company sails to West-Terra in a few days and will be returning in 12 weeks’ time. Shall we have the marriage ceremony then?” The older gentleman asked, his raucous, raspy tone echoing off the walls.
“I think that would be splendid,” her mother responded, tone honeyed.
She shifted her weight, and the floorboards let out another creak. Hearing her father’s cough, a quiet implication she had been caught, the door opened. Calming her ragged breaths, she addressed the room.
“Who is to be wed?” the young woman asked, green eyes wide with shock.
“We were going to tell you soon, but your father and I have found you a husband! You’ll make a beautiful bride, Primrose,” her mother announced, bright blue eyes cold and hollow as she looked at her daughter.
Primrose’s breaths began to wheeze as her smile faded into a frown. Her muscles tightened, and she shuddered. Everything was still around her, and she felt her head grow heavy; blood rushed to it in streams as she stared at her parents, then back at the older man, her new fiancé. The room went black as she collapsed onto the floor.
Primrose awoke a few hours later, dull gray sheets covering her pale legs. Mrs. Sharp, her head handmaiden, and her parents stood over her cold body, whispering to one another. Primrose’s father loomed over both women. His deep green eyes looked straight at his wife as Primrose lifted her body and sat up in her bed.
“Adora, you cannot give in to her every whim. This is not what I want for her, but this is how it has to be,” Primrose’s father said in a snappy, bickering tone.
“I am not giving in to her every whim,Bazz, but I would like her acceptance. I do not wish for our child to hate us. I do not wish for any of this at all.”
“Your Grace, if I may—” Mrs. Sharp interrupted.
Bazz lifted his brows and then nodded in approval.
“I have been with the Reditus family since before you were born, Sir. Primrose is just like you, and it will be hard for her to adjust, but I assure you her schoolmasters and I will do our best to prepare her for this new step in her life. I can request they design new lessons that will prepare her for all that the realm of Terra has to offer,” Mrs. Sharp said and then looked at Primrose, one eyebrow raised.
“I am awake,” Primrose finally spoke, head throbbing as she placed a dainty palm against her forehead.
“Yes, my love, we know; we were just worried about you and your head.” Adora smiled at her daughter, eyes gleaming.
“It sounded as though you were more worried about my reaction to this engagement,” Primrose said, huffing her golden bangs out of her eyes.
“The Duke and Duchess are doing the best thing they can for your future. You should be grateful,” Mrs. Sharp replied and then exited the room, heading toward the other servants.
Primrose’s father crossed over to her side and rubbed her head.
“Take care of yourself, dear,” he said and then followed Mrs. Sharp through the entryway, kissing Adora on the forehead on his way out. With only her mother left in the chambers, Primrose stood in her underwear, thin legs exposed.
“Mother, I cannot comprehend why I would need to marry an old man from North-Terra,” Primrose exclaimed, lifting her hands to her face, pulling down her skin. Sighing deeply.
“He’s a merchant, and it is for a trade agreement with the North. These were orders from the queen herself,” her mother replied, taking Primrose’s hand and sitting down on the bed. “Also, cut the proper talk? It’s just us, you goose.”
“I am nineteen. Do you still need to call megoose?” Primrose laughed.
“I will call you it more and more the older you get.” She rubbed Primrose’s fingers between hers. Primrose collected her thoughts before breaking the silence.
“I want to marry for love. I want to find a man or a woman, whomever I’m with, and I want it to be sensual. I want it to bereal.”
“I know, love, that’s why I am going to Medio in a few days with your father.”
“You’re going to the capital? With Father?!” Primrose’s eyes widened to nearly the width of her face as she anxiously spoke.
“I am going to appeal the order. Your father disagrees and thinks it is a waste of time, but I would do anything for you, so I will try. It was a heated debate, but I convinced him to join me.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Primrose beamed as she hugged her mother tightly. She embraced the softness of her mother’s skin and the warm feeling that entered her chest.
“You will stay here with Marveline and your schoolmasters,” her mother said, breaking free from the hug.
