Chapter 46 - A Vow to be Kept

Wherein Valentina loses what she gained.

The house was quiet with both Bosra and Rose gone. It would remain so until dinnertime. 

Valentina had seen them off with bleary eyes and a yawn. It was way too early for her. It would have been even if she hadn't been tossing and turning all night. The marriage contract with the elvish ambassador was to be signed today. Come lunch time, she would officially be engaged. 

She rolled out of bed to dress and do her make-up. Though Rose had left her breakfast, she decided to skip it. With a cup of tea, she settled in Bosra’s chair in the music room, to contemplate her future husband whilst waiting for the carriage to collect her.

Lord Elvendale was an influential man. One that would outlive her by several lifetimes. It was hard to wrap her head around that. He looked not much older than her.

He was truly beautiful too; too beautiful: high cheekbones, almond eyes, long lashes, not too slim lips. He had an oval face and a sharp jawline. His long tresses of hair were like gold woven into intricate braids. 

If he had been human, or even half-elven, one would have called his features effeminate. Yet, on him they looked masculine. 

The image she had of him was confirmed once she walked into her father’s office at Effyne palace. Lord Selenar Elvendale rose from his seat as if he were the King and she a lowly peasant petitioner.

"Young Lady Effyne." He bowed to her.

She curtsied automatically. "Lord Elvendale."

Her father came around his big desk to hug her and kiss her cheek. He looked her in the eye, conveying emotions she didn’t fully understand. She gave a slight nod, hoping to communicate that she was on par with him.

He let her go and offered her a seat. Her instantaneous nausea came from the bitter aromas of the tea she poured; certainly not because she was about to sign away her life to this stranger.

She tried to pay attention to the reading of the contract, but found herself drifting. Bile rose in her throat when her father read the division of children – a minimum of two.

Dear Nightsoul, babies. How could she protect them from being neglected, degraded, and mistreated by an uncaring sire, an uncaring society, when she had not been able to protect herself from that fate?

She hugged herself as foster-ages were redetermined.

Her father didn’t look at her. Neither did the elf.

Too soon she was called over to the desk and given a gold nibbed pen.

"Remember your vow," Lord Elvendale whispered in her ear, standing just behind her left shoulder.

With shaking hand, she let pen touch paper. The scrawl of her name was not graceful. Her father frowned upon seeing it.

"I’m sorry," she choked.

She ran.

She got as far as the indoor statuary, before the clicking of heels on marble had her slide to a stop. She leaned on the arm of a scantily clad, overtly muscled hero of yore, to keep from dramatically collapsing.

"Valentina, here you are. You look terrible," Venlica’s honey sweet voice dripped poison, yet the words… Valentina wanted to find compassion in them. "Did you overeat on petit fours again?"

Valentina shook her head. She tried to find her voice. "No. I ate nothing this morning."

"You should do that more often. You can’t let yourself outgrow your wedding dress."

Valentina cocked her head. "W-what?"

"Don’t worry, darling. The seamstresses know what to do. It will be the dress of the century. Though of course I still have to give them permission to start."

Valentina blinked.

"Words, Valentina. Don’t stand there looking owlish. You are not a bird."

Gone was the wish to find compassion with the witch.

"I will not be at lunch," Valentina stated, straightening herself. She patted the stone hand in gratitude for his solid support. "There are things to do at home."

Venlica snorted. "What things? Digging up daffodils in that mud pit you call a garden? Don’t be silly. You will stay for lunch. And you will pretend to adore your husband. And if he is so inclined, you will let him fondle you."

Valentina’s chin dropped.

"We promised him a fortune, you are going to keep him from making bastards while he is here. Do you hear?" Venlica was suddenly very close.

"W-what?"

"Do not let him get for free what we are paying him to get," Venlica stipulated.

It took a few seconds and some mental gymnastics to understand what her mother wanted. "But he is leaving for his homeland tomorrow."

"It takes only one encounter to beget a bastard, silly girl." A little packet containing a powdery substance was pressed into her hand. "Use this if his good looks don’t do anything for you. You might not remember much of what happened, but you will assuredly enjoy it."

"I should drug myself and have intercourse with a man I have seen twice, just to make sure he will have to marry me? Is that what you are saying?" Valentina couldn’t help her rising tone, nor the scratchiness of it. Repulsed, she pushed the packet back into her mother’s hand and stalked off.

"I. Am. Leaving."

She didn’t wait for Venlica’s reposte. She walked away.

The carriage that would take her home caught up with her halfway down the driveway.

She fished a sweet bun from the lunch basket and ate it perfunctorily. Her thoughts were churning to the point where she could make heads nor tails of them.

Thoughtlessly, she ate another bun. On the third pull from the picnic basket on the seat beside her, she uncovered a hard, paper-wrapped package.

A book on elvish etiquette. Jasper must have found it and wrapped it for her. She pressed it to her chest. She could always count on him to have her back.

Valentina rested her temple against the window. Slowly, the swirling of thoughts stopped. She recognised houses, realising what street she was on. Not long after, the carriage pulled to a halt on Stygian Way.

She waved away the offered hand, choosing to exit under her own power. She thanked the lackey and driver for taking her home. They nodded politely back, waiting for her to enter her house before driving off.

Walking into her own home was the warm embrace she needed. She slogged up the stairs and collapsed on her bed.

Plan, Valentina. You have to make a plan for yourself. 

As soon as you are married, the world is at your feet.

It doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't even need to be good. Just a plan. Any plan. 

Nothing came to her. She knew there had been things she wanted to do, but suddenly she couldn’t remember them. 

She tried to get up, but didn't. 

She curled up, not bothering with a blanket. She lay there until she was shivering with cold and hungry enough to feel woozy. Still, she didn’t get up until the need to relieve herself sent stinging tendrils of pain through her stomach.

When Bosra and Rose got home, they asked how her day had been. She smiled and pretended it had been alright, the same as every other day. Whether they believed her or not, they let her be.

Rose cooked while Bosra took care of the laundry. Valentina sat in the music room, staring at the frozen landscape outside, wishing she was someone else.  

~

Hello Sunshine,

Thanks for sticking with me through this story so far.
If you like my writing style and can't wait to read more, the ebook and paperback are up on Amazon.
My newest novella - Bear With Me - is up for grabs on Kindle /KU.
Meanwhile I'm working on a next big project, that may or may not end up here on Arkhaven.

Love you, bye

Zanna Bear