Preparation II

"You all must not like me much for me to be hearing of this just now."

Harriett started, nearly jumping out of her own skin. "No. No. That isn't true. I… I didn't want you to worry—"

"Well done, you've achieved what you wanted. Now I'm set to leave, unprepared for what I'm to expect. You must be happy now."

"Mel—"

"Just leave. I don't want to talk to anyone." Mel turned away, giving her mother the cold shoulder.

Harriett remained standing still, devastated. Her lips quivered once more and she covered her lips with a thin hand. "I understand."

Mel watched her mother leave the room and her heart sank. She remained sitting in a daze, staring off into space as more servants came in scuttling about and running in and out of her dressing room with folds of fabrics in hand as they packed her things and set out the garments she was to wear.

"My lady," Anna, the older of her two chambermaids whispered at Mel's ear, snapping the young woman out of her reverie.

Mel looked around the mess that was her chamber, the bustling movement of the maids finally reaching her ears with a soft hum. "What?" she tiredly asked Anna.

"Your bath is ready."

"Oh," Mel simply said as her chamber maidens escorted her to the bath chamber.

She was undressed and bathed in scented water, massaged with sweet-smelling oils, and had them rinsed off her body before applying a thin layer of honey-scented body lotion to her skin. Mel sighed in relief, already exhausted from the pressure applied to all areas of her body. The one time she had been prepped like this was for her coming age ceremony, and if her memory served her right, this seemed to be more taxing than the previous preparations.

Mel stood in front of the standing mirror, a rising panic pooling within her as the maids started dressing her up. After this, she would be on the seas to Orion. What would she do when she got off? She struggled to remember everything her mother had taught her when she was eighteen about raising a family and watching over the stronghold but nothing came to mind. Her pulse raced.

Maybe she should have paid more attention to her mother's teachings.

"My lady—"

Mel flinched and looked around. They stood in silence, watching her. Mel looked into the mirror, pausing to take in her appearance. She stood a few inches taller than the rest, dressed in a light camisole that accentuated her fair skin and dark eyes. Her hair was plainly combed back, yet to be brushed and adorned after tending to her face with makeup. Then more layers would be added to her undergarments for the final dressing.

"Yes?" Mel spoke up, eager to be seated. "You're done?"

A maid shook her head. "We're not done adjusting—"

"Just have me seated, you'll do the rest there," Mel breathed out, slightly faint. "I haven't even eaten and I would like to rest at least."

The maids scrambled and led Mel to the vanity, seating her on the stool before rushing off to bring her some food. A short while later and with a slightly full stomach, Mel watches the servants get to work, brushing and pleating her hair into several rows as they applied faint makeup on her face, highlighting her soft features.

A subtle knock came before the low voice of her father, "Mel."

The servants halted and Mel froze, not knowing how she should proceed with her father's visit.

'Send him away. Send him away. Send him away!' she constantly repeated to herself but her mouth betrayed her when she asked for him to come in instead.

The servants backed away without any words and left the chamber once again as the lord of the castle walked in, his small frame further shadowed by his dark green robe. Her mother was the taller of the two, but she still loved her husband despite his small frame. The old man shuffled in, his hands folded behind his back as he walked in, his brown apologetic eyes fixed on Mel.

"My little flower," he let out in a hoarse whisper, coming to stand before her.

Mel didn't answer but only looked back at him through the mirror.

"You're in this mess because your father did a very terrible thing in the old days," he spoke up, his voice shaky as he laid his hands on her shoulders, giving them a small, affectionate squeeze.

Mel frowned. "What did you do?"

He was silent for a while before speaking, "It was a foolish act. One I deeply regret, but I stole something very precious from a clan of the Orions, one of the largest in that kingdom. Something so precious…"

"Why? Why would you do that?" Mel whispered, slowly shaking her head, unable to believe the words she was hearing.

He lowered his head. "I really can't say, Mel. I can't. Not now… I was able to return their item and they required that for us to have good relations with not just their clan, but the nation as a whole, I would need to sacrifice something precious of mine…" His hold on her shoulders tightened and Mel's chest tightened equally in anticipation. She had never expected things to be this serious.

"What would happen if you had refused?" she asked.

Her father sighed. "They would get rid of the whole family, including my most precious I didn't want to hand over to them…" He then straightened and walked over to kneel beside Mel, looking up into her eyes. "You shouldn't worry about anything, Mel. You will be safe, I promise. The Orions are generally hospitable and the clan has promised to take good care of you—"

"Bears, papa. Bears," Mel whispered, her eyes watering. "You are sending me to a territory with bears as their spirit animals." She shook her head and wiped back her tears. "I can't believe this."

Mel silently wept. In the past, she had been looking forward to her life in Orion, but now that she knew what was truly behind this engagement, a new kind of fear consumed her. She was heading into a carnivorous den.