In the carriage on the way to the palace, Majic dared not look at the king, or anywhere else for that matter, so she kept her gaze fixed on her own feet and tried to breathe as quietly as possible so as not to be heard.
"You at least knew how to conduct yourself in the church; when we arrive at the palace, you must remain seated by my side as we greet the representatives of the kings. Then, we will have the wedding dance, and after that, you may retire to your chambers to rest," the king said.
"Dance?" Majic asked timidly.
"Yes, it shouldn't be too different from the dances you must have had in your kingdom. Just follow the rhythm and my lead," the king replied, annoyed that she was reverting to childish ways.
Hearing the king's tone of voice, she said nothing more. Life in the tower had taught her that the quieter she was, the fewer blows she received. She looked at the king's large hands with great fear.
When they arrived at the palace, the king stepped down first and then assisted Majic out of the carriage. This small gesture began to fill the young princess's heart with warmth. Accustomed to mistreatment, she saw these commonplace acts of chivalry as a show of immense kindness and dared to smile slightly. The king saw her and thought she had a beautiful smile but then shook his head, reminding himself who this woman's father was.
The young princess remained quiet and seated beside her husband as they received the greetings of the kings' representatives. Despite her simplicity and thinness, she had that unmistakable air of the Maruzba royal family from Susumira; she would surely grow more beautiful with time. However, King Fortem was incapable of seeing this, blinded by the deep hatred he bore for the princess's father.
When the time for the dance arrived, Majic was very nervous. She recalled watching her parents dance when she was around seven years old, but she herself had never danced. As the king intertwined his fingers with hers and drew her close by the waist, she trembled. She had never been so close to a man and couldn't help but feel strange. The music played, and she tried to keep up with the rhythm, even though there were moments when she stepped on the king's feet, who showed no reaction, attempting to conceal it from the onlookers.
After the dance, the king ordered that the princess be taken to her rooms and excused himself to the guests, stating that his wife was very tired from the journey and the quickly arranged marriage. No one was surprised, as it was customary for the bride to rest sufficiently for the wedding night in royal marriages.
Arriving at her room, chaperoned by Lady Marila, Majic breathed a sigh of relief. The innocent girl thought this was all there was to marriage, and it hadn't been so terrible. But soon, she saw servants arriving with many implements.
"What's happening? What is all this?" the surprised princess asked.
"You must cleanse yourself, perfume, and prepare for the wedding night. We will assist you with this," Lady Marila said.
The princess wanted to ask more, but everything was happening so quickly. She was undressed and placed in the tub to bathe. Expecting the water to be cold, she braced herself for a chill and closed her eyes, only to be pleasantly surprised by the tepid water. Deep down, it hadn't been so terrible going to that place. She had no idea of what the wedding night meant and assumed that perhaps it involved having a private conversation with the king to get to know each other better. Maybe it wasn't so terrible after all.
The celebration was exceedingly brief. Everyone knew that the kingdom of Fortem was forced into this marriage to maintain peace and was not in the mood for prolonged and lavish festivities. The king was in his study with the Royal Advisor.
"Lady Marila is preparing your wife for the wedding night; just signal when you wish her to be brought," Tesko said.
"I've already told you that I do not wish to be intimate with her. Let her stay in her chambers," the king said, taking another glass of wine.
"Take everything you need to spend the night with her. We cannot risk her calling to her father because her husband does not fulfill his marital duties and giving him a reason to start a war. Without the marriage being consummated, the agreement is unstable, even with that mark on their hands," Tesko stated.
"Why must you put it that way?" the king asked, returning to his wine.
"Because I am your advisor, and I must ensure that you do the right thing for Fontana. Remember, the survival of what remains of your family depends on this peace agreement," Tesko insisted, knowing full well he was asking the king to do something very difficult.
The king hurled his glass against the wall and started drinking directly from the bottle.
Princess Majic was ready. Lady Marila had to admit that the girl had a very pretty face, but her body had been slow to develop; she looked younger than a fifteen-year-old. However, it wasn't unusual for girls in the kingdom of Susumira to marry as young as thirteen, which might explain why King Carpio had sent his daughter while she was still underage.
"When you're with his majesty, do as he instructs, do not complain, and even if it hurts, you cannot stop him; just endure as long as it lasts. It is your duty to please his majesty," Lady Marila advised the princess.
"Hurt? His majesty is going to beat me?" Majic said, fearful.
"I'm not talking about that, but the moment you become a woman," Lady Marila said, surprised at the princess's demeanor.
"Become a woman? I am a woman. I don't understand what you're telling me," the young princess expressed, confused.
"Do you know what happens between a man and a woman when they share a bed for the first time?" Lady Marila asked, suspecting the princess had no clue.
"Share the bed? Why would I need to share a bed with the king? Surely he has his bed, and I have mine; why would we need to share one?" the princess asked, even more baffled.
Lady Marila refused to believe that no one had explained to the girl what would happen when she married the king, but there was no time to explain. At that moment, the message arrived to take the princess to the king's room. The young bride walked toward her husband's chamber, unaware of what should transpire between them.
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