Queen of Blood

Arline went back to the House of the Order after announcing the news to Cadel and Aidan, where she took off her ring to hide it and go train with the rest of the girls.

During training, everyone just kept sharing stories and gossip about what had happened in the Festival. Except for Michaela, who had been absolutely disconnected from the world. She couldn’t stop sneaking glances with Calix during the entirety of their time together.

Arline made her stumble for the third time that day, this time during sword combat. “Quit it!” Michaela hissed.

“You are distracted,” Arline said. “I’ve never seen you distracted.”

“Oh shut it,” Michaela rolled her eyes at her, annoyed and went away to find something better to do when she saw Calix Lohs coming their way.

“Hello,” Calix greeted without even looking at Arline, just staring ahead as Michaela went away. “Don’t start,” he recommended when he saw Arline smiling for herself.

“What?…she will give in eventually, she just needs time,” Arline advised.

Calix stared at her confused. “Since when are you so reasonable and comprehensive with that matter?” He asked, sitting by her side.

“I am happy, nothing more. I-” Arline said and her words started turning into a whisper. “Merrick proposed,” she announced only for him to hear.

“WHAT?!” Calix yelled scandalized as he turned his entire body to face her.

“Shut up, idiot,” Arline punched his arm.

At the scene, Zeroun approached thinking one of them was hurt. But when Arline broke the news to him as well, she earned the same reaction. “You two are impossible. Not a word,” Arline ordered them and they both continued staring wide-eyed at their friend while they shook their head, understanding her command.

Arline was still staying at the house. She had been debating all day to tell the Order about the news on her relationship with the King. They were her sisters. She had shared so many moments with them and after telling the boys, the girls deserved to know too.

“Girls,” Arline said during dinner that same night. She wasn’t much of a talker but they all turned their head at the sound of her voice calling for them. “I want to tell you…it’s a secret. A very important secret.”

The candles in the dining room of the House were very bright and Arline began smiling for herself while trying to hide it with the lowering of her head.

Every single one of the girls seemed preoccupied. But Michaela was who spoke first.

“What is it? Are you alright?”

“Oh, yes. You don’t have to worry, is just that… I’m getting married,” Arline chuckled as she said it and everyone’s expressions dropped, followed by smiles that ended in screams and squeaks of happiness and excitement.

She showed them the ring and every girl ran to embrace her in a group and tight hug. Lara was in such a state of shock, she was the last one to hug her and kissed her forehead. “You will be the most beautiful bride,” she said with tears forming on her eyes.

“Wait. You will be Queen,” Margaret said.

And then everyone remembered who was the man she was going to marry. Even Arline seemed to have forgotten about who Merrick was. And she opened her eyes widely. “Oh shit,” she thought.

“And an incredible Queen,” Lara reassured her.

The bride to be spent a week in the House before one day, a knock on the door surprised them at breakfast. When one of the girls opened up, Aidan and Merrick were standing at the door.

The King greeted the Huntresses and apologized for storming into the dining room at the earliest time of the day. But his eyes were looking for Arline.

“She is dealing with an owl that got stuck in the roof,” Michaela said, focusing on her porridge to avoid smirking at the King for not being very subtle with his gaze.

“You’ve got to be joking,” he mumbled under his breath and Lara laughed at him and invited them a seat

“Congratulations,” the Head of the Huntresses said out loud.

“She told you, didn’t she?” The King smiled at his old friend.

“Of course she told us, we are her sisters,” Michaela answered.

When Merrick focused on the rest of the girls, they were all watching him with soft eyes and a smile. Not because he was the King, but because he loved Arline and they knew he would sacrifice anything for her well being.

“How much do you hate me from taking her away?” Merrick asked them.

“Can you believe it doesn’t fly?” Arline said entering the room with an owl on her shoulder and abruptly stopped at the sight of the King and his Frontlord sitting on the table.

She ran into his arms and he hugged her tightly after getting up. The owl had stepped on her head and was grabbing her hair.

A collective awe echoed in the room and everyone stared at them lovingly, even Aidan. Both Huntress and King laughed at their reactions and sat down.

“I think we can keep this little friend in the House for good luck,” Lara said and took the owl from Arline’s head and let out a hoot.

“Are you ready for me to take you home, my love?” Merrick asked her, caressing her cheek without a care in the world that the entire Order and Aidan were watching them.

With adoringly eyes only for him, Arline nodded. And the girls squeaked in excitement.

They headed outside of the House and began pacing the kingdom in the early hours of the morning. No shadows covered them as the shops began opening their doors, they people went to work and the kids headed to school. And every person they encountered seemed shocked at the sight of them together.

A group of young kids run towards Arline’s encounter. They bowed their heads to the King but couldn’t really care less for his presence and began talking to her in excitement.

“We passed,” Lillian said with a smile. “Thank you, Arline,” she hugged her neck and so did Tobias and Callahan who thanked her as well.

“Well, I am glad I was helpful,” Arline hugged them back. “If you need me to do it again, just ask.” She reminded them.

“Really?” Callahan asked confused. “Thank you even more,” he said making Arline giggle.

“Go, you will be late,” Arline said with a smirk and the kids waved her goodbye and bowed their heads for Merrick and headed to the school.

The King hadn’t said a word as he stared at her with dozed eyes and a loving shine on his gaze.

“What?” Arline asked with a smile as they continued walking. “They needed my help, and I helped them… They were sneaking out of class on my first day and I called them out,” she confessed.

Merrick snorted and grabbed her hand as they met and talked to some people in the kingdom, to keep her closer to his side. Arline tensed at the gesture but the rest didn’t seem to mind that their King was holding hands with her and she was walking right by his side.

When they arrived to the flower shop, Jess welcomed them inside. That beautiful dark-skinned, young woman was in charge of everything inside that place. Her powers allowed the greenhouse to be filled with various colors and smells that fitted everybody’s liking.

The people visiting the shop filled it to its maximum capacity. While Merrick talked to Jess, Arline paced the shop and admired the flowers and smelled spices.

She found herself looking at Venus flytraps digesting a fly, when Merrick made her snap out her trance by asking her. “What is your favorite flower?”

“Oh…um…I have many, it depends on the day,” she said looking around to try and remember what her favorite flower was. “Daisies, peonies, bluebells, lisianthus too. I don’t know, I like many.”

Arline finished wondering through her catalog of flowers and a beautiful bouquet with tulips, peonies, daisies and bluebells was handed to her by Jess. And Merrick took one of the daisies and placed it behind her ear.

Some, to not say most of the people were surprised and stared at them. Despite how improper it was to stare at the King, he didn’t mind. Not when Arline looked at him with a smile that bright.

He grabbed her chin and pecked her lips, making the entire shop to erupt in cheers and applause. The lovebirds smiled and laughed at the acceptance of the kingdom to the relationship.

And the rumors began circling every shop, market and person in the kingdom as they displayed their love in public. The Kingdom of Reiska was already preparing for a wedding between their King and the Goddess of Tides.