Queen of Blood
Chapter 32

The Huntresses were all going around the House, finding what to wear for the Festival of Blooms and Flowers. Fabrics, dresses and jewelry were adorning every room in the House. While Arline tried helping some if the youngest girls with their gowns, altering some last minute details before the event next day.

The Festival of Blooms and Flowers was an event which celebrating the coming of Spring. The entire kingdom stopped whatever they did and for an entire day, to celebrate beauty and nature and the course of life.

“What will you be wearing?” Red headed Eunice asked Arline while she tried to decide between a lilac or mint green gown.

“I don’t really know. I haven’t picked anything yet,” Arline confessed and told Eunice to pick the lilac dress.

“Yet? The Festival is tomorrow,” Margaret said to her as she walked to the other side of the room with lace around her neck in a bow.

“Don’t worry,” Arline laughed.

Every single one of the girls were excited for tomorrow. It was one of the few times in the year were they didn’t need to be Huntresses and could just enjoy and blend in with the kingdom.

A knock on the door made the entire House to go quiet and Arline opened up. To her surprise, the King was standing outside with a large box on his hands.

“Good afternoon, Arline,” he said only for her to bow her head to him and stepped inside.

“Good afternoon,” she replied once in the foyer of the House, with a bright smile. “What is that?” Arline asked, looking at the box.

“For you.”

“What?”

“For tomorrow,” Merrick announced for her and Arline was about to complain about the gift. “Sorisana insisted.”

Not even a fly could be heard in the entire House. The girls had stopped talking, managing fabrics and comparing necklaces. “You do know I can see all of you, right?” Arline yelled to the upstairs level, where the Huntresses were sneaking to see the King and Arline together.

“Hello girls,” the King greeted his most loyal soldiers, but never looking away from his favorite Huntress.

“Hello, your Majesty,” all of them replied in unison and went back to silence.

“I wish I could stay to see you trying it on but I have some meetings to attend,” Merrick rolled his eyes to the back of his head at his obligations as King. And a gasp from a few of the Huntresses could be heard, making Merrick to smirk at her.

“That is a shame, I was going to ask for your opinion,” Arline answered back and the King laughed at her cheekiness and didn’t even try to hold back as he grabbed her waist and kissed her lips.

A few other reactions from their audience upstairs was heard but her focus was on him, as she looked into her beloved Dark Prince with love-filled eyes. “I will see you tomorrow, my love,” Arline whispered on his lips.

“Until tomorrow, my love, ” the King kissed her one more time and headed to the door. “Good bye, girls.”

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As he closed the door, all of the girls came down squeaking in happiness for her and insisting she had to open the box. When she did, it revealed a beautiful baby pink gown with small shining bits that went all over the fabric, with sleeves that moved with the wind.

All of the girls swooned at the sight of her with the dress on. She looked like a fairy out of a tale and felt light like one too.

The next day, the House was living and raging chaos. Everyone helped everyone get ready, do their hair, put on the dresses, clip necklaces. And Arline was finishing her loose hair, adorned with crystal beads and then put on the dress.

It truly was a dream to wear. Light, comfortable and beautiful, not to mention it hugged her body the way all of Sorisana’s dresses did. “She outdid herself with this one,” Arline thought.

They all headed outside and began walking and the entire kingdom had blossomed in front of her eyes. Flowers of every color adorned every corner and balcony in the kingdom.

The sweet smells of flowers and food drove her to a state of happiness she only snapped out of, when Calix and Zeroun approached her. And everyone looked astonishingly beautiful with their gowns and suits.

Michaela joined their group and they walked to the main square where the dancing was held. A band was standing on a stage and the melody of a flute began filling the heads and steps of the people in the square.

A handsome man with a white jacket appeared in front of them. “You look wonderful,” it was the King who said to Arline and offered his hand. “May I take your first dance?” He asked and she took it gently, letting him pull her into the dance circle.

Calix took Michaela’s hand and Zeroun invited beautiful Jess to join him in the round.

They danced all day until the sky began exchanging colors and the sunlight was gilding part of the streets. The music and food never stopped and everyone was too busy to notice the King and Arline sneaking through the crowd and began walking.

They went through the markets, where the owners curtsied their King and hugged Arline once they saw her. Some of the owners seemed shocked and happy to see them together, going around and tasting food and laughing.

“I want to show you a place,” he whispered in her ear and took her hand, guiding her towards the woods.

The music ceased and quiet invaded their senses. “If you wanted to kiss me-” she said laughing but he indeed kissed her and then guided her to a hill, covered in moss and grass, surrounded by big pine and oak trees.

He waited for the light to abandon the surrounding spaces, while he held her close. The closed flower cocoons, began blooming and their petals glowed in the growing darkness.

“It is… spectacular,” Arline gasped and walked over to the flowers, smelling them and allowing their sweet and wild smell to take over her.

Seeing her wearing that dress, smiling with such joy and beauty made his heart skip a beat every time the Dark Prince locked eyes with his Goddess of Tides.

Merrick approached her side and Arline searched for his hand. “Every time you show me something new, I get more impressed,” she said smiling and he stared at her sweetly. “I love your curls,” Arline complimented him and threw her arms around his neck.

He laughed and pulled her closer. “I love you.”

“I love you more,” she said and stole a kiss from his lips.

He took a deep breath. “I… I want you by my side, Arline. And I want to be part of your life from now on.” Merrick’s heart was beating out of his chest as he said those words and breathed again. “What I am trying to tell you is that, I hope that you accept my proposal to be the man you choose in your freedom to spend your immortal years with.”

He finished and Arline’s eyes glistened and she smiled. Merrick pulled out the ring from his pocket and showed it to her. “Please, Arline, would you become my wife?” He had been carrying the ring in his pocket for the past days, not knowing when the right time might be but now he knew.

Arline took a deep breath and said as two tears rolled down her cheeks. “There is nothing I would love more than spending my endless years with you, Merrick.”

The King placed the ring on her finger and she kissed him while he hugged her tightly.

They laid down on the grass and enjoyed the valley as the minutes passed and the flowers glowed around them. “What do we do now?” Arline asked him, laying on his chest.

“I should tell my Council.”

“You didn’t?” Arline laughed at him but he only shook his head.

“Come to the castle. Spend the night with me and we tell them in the morning,” he planned.

She giggled and nodded at his nonsense plan. They began heading out of the woods when they came across Michaela and Calix, who were sharing a little too much of their personal space.

Arline let her jaw drop in disbelief and her eyes were wide as plates. But Merrick covered her and himself in shadows to sneak back into the castle.

“Are Michaela and Calix…together? And she never told me?” Arline asked once in his bedroom.

“No. Calix always found her attractive but Michaela pushes him away because of her duty as Huntress,” he explained as he unlaced her corset. “Stupid if you ask me. Huntresses are allowed to be in love, but Michaela was always too stubborn for it.”

“Well, love works in curious ways,” Arline mentioned and kissed him.

“Clearly it does.”

At breakfast, Arline was avoiding to use her left hand. To say she was nervous was an understatement. Arline was shaking at the mere thought of it. Engaged to a King. Crazy life.

“How did you find the festival, dear?” Cadel asked after pouring some tea in his cup.

“I’ve never seen such beauty all in one place. The music, the flowers, the people… I loved it,” Arline responded with a smile.

Merrick grabbed her left hand. “I have to tell you both something,” he was serious as his Purser and Frontlord put their attention on him but a smile drew on his face when he looked at Arline. “I proposed to Arline last night.”

“Yes!” Aidan said jumping from his seat and hugging Arline. “I told you,” he said to Cadel.

“I couldn’t be happier for both of you,” Cadel greeted them with a tight hug and kissed Arline’s hand. “But now I owe Aidan money.”

“You made a bet?” Arline asked, laughing at Aidan’s excitement.

“Of course we did,” the Frontlord said. “And I won.”

“Yes, yes, keep it in your pants, Aidan,” Cadel rolled his eyes and ate his breakfast.

“For now, you should spend a few more days in the House,” Aidan said serious, all of his excitement fading away and Arline agreed without complaints.

He kissed her goodbye in front of enough people in the castle. Trusting them to hold the secrets within the walls, and began heading to his Council meeting with an accomplished look on his face.

“Good morning, gentlemen. First things first,” the King announced taking a seat, while the Elders bowed for him. “Arline Cole will become my wife. I’ve proposed so you can stop whatever you had planned for me.”

Out of the three, Samuel was the only one who congratulated the King with genuine happiness in his words.

“She will be named Queen, not Queen Consort as you planned,” Merrick mentioned to their Council and Victor wanted to have his skin pulled after hearing that. “Arline is the Goddess of Tides, I won’t belittle her by having her as my consort. She is my equal Victor, and I may adventure to say even more powerful than I’ll ever be.”

They all bowed their heads giving in to his requests.

Insane for some. Sensate for others.

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