Chapter 6: Moonlit Stroll

         After the excruciatingly long wedding ceremony, Tala had been led to the Governor’s mansion, where the wedding night was about to take place. After having heard her mother’s good advice and detailed instructions, she found herself alone, waiting for her husband to join her in the bedchamber and complete the union. Tala knew well that it was unavoidable; it was just what every married couple did. Nevertheless, she felt restless. Would Prince Sargon like her? Would he be delicate or pounce at her like a wild beast?

         Tala strolled to the window and shoved the curtain aside. She set her gaze on a beautiful, yet completely impractical garden. Basked in the moonlight, it amazed with trimmed bushes and wonderful flowers, but where were carrots or beetroots? Suddenly, a bold thought invaded her mind.

         I could sneak on a merchant ship, sail to the White Isles. Far in the North, neither mom nor the Emperor will get me.

         It seemed reasonable compared to being stuck with Sargon as her husband and the imposing Emperor hovering over her. It was beyond all doubt – if she stayed, she would make her family proud, but there would be no happiness for her. On the other hand, if she escaped, endless possibilities awaited her. Misery against freedom. The choice seemed obvious.

         My parents will be so disappointed.

         Tala whined, grabbing a handful of her messy hair, as her conscience voiced its opinion. She tugged at her auburn strands while battling with her thoughts. If she ran away, she would break her parents hearts, but she would remain true to her spirit. Tala could live her own life instead of a life, her parents wished for her. Suddenly, the thick fog of doubt dissolved, showing a straight path in front of Tala, the right one. She lifted her balled fist in a determined gesture.

         Freedom, here I come.

         Not wasting any time, she scoured the bedroom for sheets, sashes, belts – everything that could be tied into a makeshift rope. Her fingers worked fast, and Tala was keeping her eyes on the locked door. Hopefully, Prince Sargon wouldn’t grace her with his presence for a while longer.

         “Done,” Tala whispered, admiring the oddly-looking rope.

         She tried one end to the bed, and lowered the rest over the window sill. Before she set off on her adventure, she emptied the bedroom of all small yet valuable items. Hastily, she hid jewelry and other expensive decorations beneath her dress. Loaded with golden trinkets, Tala snatched the rope and swung one of her legs over the window sill. She spat in her hands – surely her mother would cringe at such crude behavior. The rope creaked, when it became burdened by Tala’s weight.

         The bride made her way down, fighting with her long dress which kept wrapping around her legs. Her arms ached, and the insides of Tala’s palms felt, as if they were on fire. She clenched her jaws and made her way toward her freedom.

         Unbeknownst to her, Tala was being watched. A certain person followed her every move, observing her struggle with mild curiosity and a growing smirk. Taking a step back, he let the shadows swallow him and waited.

         As soon as Tala set her foot on the ground, she wiped the sweat off her forehead. The first stage of her escape was over. Now she had to just ran across the garden, climb over the outer wall and head off to catch a ship. Feeling optimistic about her quest, she whirled around, and hit something firm.

         “Ouch!” Tala moaned. Lightly swaying on her feet, she made a step back to see what obstacle was in her way. As she did, she froze in terror.

         “Well, if it isn’t my peasant wife.”

         Petrified, Tala stared at Prince Sargon standing in her way to freedom. The Emperor’s son bore that mocking, unpleasant smirk of his. He was clearly delighted to had caught her red-handed at the attempt to sneak out. Tala found herself trembling under his piercing gaze. When he took a step toward her, she inched away.

         “So, were you taking a relaxing midnight stroll?” he asked nonchalantly.

         Tala wasn’t fooled by his calm voice. The Prince was smiling, but the smile wasn’t reaching his eyes. They remained cold, unforgiving pools of darkness. She stepped back, when he attempted to close the distance between them. When Tala felt the firm wall behind her, her palms began sweating from fear. The Prince kept smirking in a most unsettling, knowing way.

         “Or were you about to escape?” It was more a statement than a question.

         Tala’s heart beat like insane, as if it was about to burst out of her chest. Her lips shook and her knees buckled uncontrollably. She couldn’t bring herself to utter a single word in her defense. Momentarily, the visions of most gruesome repercussions flickered through her mind – the Emperor’s wrath, mother’s tears and imprisonment as punishment for what she had just done.

         Her fear seemed to fuel Prince Sargon’s delight. With each passing moment, he grew more confident, imposing, relaxed. Tala thought that he resembled his father not only in appearance, but also in this peculiar ability to make people quiver before him with a mere look. Then, he did an even a more daunting thing – he reached out to touch Tala. It was a fleeting gesture; he merely brushed a lock of her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. It was eerily gentle and almost caring.

         “It must be so hard and tragic for you,” he whispered.

         Tala blinked, startled. As she was gawking at Prince Sargon, he suddenly transformed before her very eyes. It was unspeakably creepy that one moment he looked like a personification of death and the next one he seemed so friendly. The smile on his lips was neither sarcastic nor cruel – “compassionate” was the word that came to Tala’s mind.

         “Everything happened so sudden, and no one even gave you the choice.” Prince Sargon continued his surprisingly insightful, amiable speech. “Our marriage won’t be an honor for you; it will just make you unhappy.”

         Is he reading my mind?

         Dumbfounded, Tala followed Prince Sargon’s hand, as he placed it upon her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. The kind smile gracing his lips was a bit stiff, as if his facial muscles weren’t used to such activity.

         “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to prevent you from escaping. In fact, I’m going to help you,” the Prince said.

         “W-what?” Tala coughed out. When she presumed that the situation couldn’t get much more bizarre, it just did. “Why the heck would you do that?”

         Prince Sargon tilted his head, looking, as if Tala’s frank question made him feel offended. He looked away and sighed heavily.

         “As a prince, I have always been destined to have a political marriage, devoid of love and genuine fondness,” the Prince whispered softly. “However, you don’t have to suffer the same fate. Run away. A marriage unconsummated for a year is void.”

         Tala’s eyes widened. Abruptly, her opinion of the Emperor’s son took a violent twist. Just like her, he seemed to be scared of this forced marriage, his thoughts must have reflected her own. Although he was so different than her, there was something they had in common, thus a thin yet strong thread of connection appeared.

         “Thank you,” Tala said quietly, gazing upon Prince Sargon’s faze with relief. She gave him a faint smile. “Thank you for understanding.”

         He reciprocated the smile, and for a brief moment, the time seemed to stop. The delicate melody of the wind playing in the rustling leaves died down, the moonlight seemed to be as bright as the blazing rays of sun. For a while that seemed to last eternity, Tala and Prince Sargon were staring at each other. There was no romantic bond or even a trace of lust in their eyes, but the spark of alliance, fueled by their souls’ desire.

         Tala didn’t even flinch, when she felt Prince Sargon take her palm in his big hand. Something in his gaze and smile made her trust him completely.

         “I know where to climb over the wall,” he said.

         Tala nodded, letting him lead the way. The entire time they were holding their hands, and she was comfortable with it. Like two ghosts, they sneaked through the vast garden, maneuvering between sculptures and trimmed shrubbery. As soon as Tala spotted a tall ash, she figured out Prince Sargon’s plan. The tree grew right next to the wall; its branches brushed against its whitened surface and reached beyond.

         “It will be like climbing a ladder.” Prince Sargon pointed at the ash.

         Tala wrinkled her forehead, not feeling as optimistic. Climbing trees had been a vital part of her childhood, but wearing a long dress wouldn’t contribute to her agility. While she was standing under the ash, pondering how should she tackle the problem of climbing the perfectly smooth trunk, Prince Sargon already sprung to action. In a dramatic move, he ripped off his regal robe, revealing dark pants matched with a plain shirt – a very practical outfit. Hastily, he unwound the odd belt encompassing his wait. As Tala noticed, it was in fact…

         “A rope?” She coughed out, pointing at the rope of the finest quality. “Are you prince by day and burglar by night?”

         Prince Sargon glanced at her, humorously smirking.

         “Perhaps.” Nonchalantly, he put the rope around the trunk and grasped its ends tightly.

         Tala watched with awe mixed with bafflement, as he worked his way up quite proficiently. She was pretty sure that Prince Sargon would win a climbing contest with Cas easily. Perhaps he received some fancy, advanced military training. Otherwise there’s no plausible explanation why the member of the royal family is skipping in the treetop like a squirrel. Once the branches were near, he swung his body. Tala held her breath, when he let go off the rope, making a flip in midair. He didn’t fall through. Prince Sargon snatched the branch in between his ankles, while he was hanging upside down like a bat. Then, he pulled himself up like this was nothing.

         “Huh.” Tala showed her appreciation for the demonstration. Maybe the Emperor stole Prince Sargon from a traveling circus?

         “Catch!”

         Tala reached out, trying to snatch the rope, Prince Sargon tossed her. Unfortunately, she didn’t have cat reflexes like him. The heavy rope slapped her squarely in the face, before she took a grip of it. Sargon’s light laughter came from the treetop.

         “Hold on tightly. I’ll pull you up,” he called

         Tala twirled the rope around her foot and grabbed it firmly with both hands. Afterward, Prince Sargon hauled her upward. Once she was within his grasped, he reached out toward her. Hesitantly, Tala unglued one of her hands from the rope. Prince Sargon’s warm fingers closed around her wrist, and he pulled her toward himself so forcefully that her joints felt like popping out.

         Grateful for his help, Tala crawled onto the wide branch beside him. While he was tying the rope to the branch, she looked toward her freedom. Over the top of the wall she could see numerous rooftops and further, she discerned fields and faint shimmering in the distance. It was the ocean reflecting the moonlight, her gate to the independence. When Prince Sargon lowered the rope to the other side of the wall and waved his hand in a gesture of invitation, Tala’s excitement built up. That was it. She was escaping and there was no stopping her! Naturally, her unexpected accomplice had played his part.

         “Prince Sargon, thank you,” Tala whispered.

         Awkwardly, she patted his hand. Then, she realized that it was how people praised their dogs, not saviors. She took a deep breath, bracing herself, before she leaned toward him. Prince Sargon raised his eyebrow, clearly clueless about the fact that he was about to receive an ultimate gesture of appreciation, a young maiden could muster. Tala squeezed her eyes shut and pecked him on the cheek, merely brushing his skin with her lips. She pulled back, anxiously waiting for his reaction. Thankfully, he just smiled.

         “You should go already,” he murmured.

         Tala nodded and silently bid him farewell with her gaze. It was actually nice that they were breaking up in an amiable way. Finally, she averted her eyes and turned her attention to the rope. She approached it on all fours. Tala was about to lower her legs, but before that she glanced down. Against the white wall, she noticed a shadow. She brought her palm to her eyes and rubbed them energetically. The dark shape didn’t disappear though.

         “Eeek!” she yelped. The branch swayed, when she crawled away, until she clutched Prince Sargon. With a shaking finger, Tala pointed at the rope. “Someone’s climbing up!”

         Sargon cursed under his breath and drew a thin dagger. He would survey the situation sooner, but Tala’s fingers clawing into his sleeve were quite an obstacle. When he managed to free himself from her panicked grip, the mysterious shape was already crouching toward them. First, a hand clutched the branch. Then, another one joined it and a man’s head appeared. His dark hair, gathered in a ponytail, swayed in the wind. As Tala took a good look at his bearded face, she realized that he was someone she had met.

         “Two lovebirds in a treetop. How adorable,” he said, crawling onto the branch.

         Prince Sargon snarled at his sight, but hid his dagger. The overly friendly expression fled from his face, instantly replaced by his trademark scowl.

         “Hello, brother. Did father sent you to guard me?” he asked.

         Crown Prince Jahan beamed a bright smile at him. Unfazed by the hostile glares, Sargon sent at him, he seated himself on the branch right beside Tala, trapping her between the two brothers.

         “It’s a great night to admire the moon.” He ignored Prince Sargon’s question. “And yes, father ordered me to make sure that neither of you escapes the marital duty.”

         Tala stiffened, terrified. What was with these princes popping on escaping people? She set her stare at the moon above, too scared to even look at the Crown Prince. Tala felt, as if she was sitting on needless; she wasn’t sure what was more dreadful – the fact that Prince Jahan intercepted her, or the prolonging silence. Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted, bringing even more tension to the uncomfortable scene. Finally, Prince Sargon couldn’t take it anymore.

         “What are you going to do now?” he demanded.

         Tala dared to glance at the Crown Prince, who casually made himself comfortable in the treetop. Out of the tree of them, he looked the most relaxed.

         “Tell father the truth, of course,” he answered his brother’s question. “I’ll tell him that I stumbled on the two of you strolling in the garden, getting to know each other before consummating your union. It’s not like you set a foot outside the walls yet.”

         Prince Sargon nodded, and relief flickered through his dark eyes. Tala felt alleviation too. She released the breath she was holding and thanked the Sun for its grace. However, when she finished a litany praising the Crown Prince’s mercy, she started feeling uneasy. Still sitting on the branch between the two princes, Tala shifted, wondering whether she should stay there or go back to the bedchamber.

         “What a pleasant evening.” Prince Jahan broke the silence. Afterward, much to Tala’s horror, he addressed her. “My dear sister-in-law, what do you think of my little brother?”

         “He’s fine, I guess.” Tala gave the blandest answer imaginable. However, the interested expression on Prince Jahan’s face made it seem, as if she had procured an inspiring speech.

         “You’ll grow to like him. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but he would never let any harm come to you.” As Jahan was saying the last phrase, the merriment vanished from his warm eyes, and he looked directly at his younger brother. In fact, Tala was under the impression that the Crown Prince wasn’t talking to her at all. His mouth twisted in a slightly angered grimace, when he was boring his gaze into Sargon. “Little brother, perhaps you should tell your bride what would happen to her if she set a foot outside this mansion.”

         Tala shuddered. She felt threatened by the mention of potential consequences of her escape, but, actually, she wanted to know. Inquisitively, she gawked at Sargon. The younger of the Princes averted his gaze and muttered a curse. He refused to meet the eyes of his brother or Tala’s. It appeared that her husband wouldn’t utter a word, even if tortured. Therefore, she turned to the Crown Prince for information.

         “What do you mean, Your Highness?” she asked.

         The corners of the Crown Prince’s lips twisted upward in a bitter, humorless smile. Before sending his younger brother another furious glare, he answered.

         “My little brother is a prince, so he’d be relatively safe. You, on the other hand, would be considered a traitor. The customary punishment for treason is death,” Prince Jahan said, making Tala freeze in terror, staring at him with wide-opened eyes. He sighed, shaking his head. “Your family would be executed as well, to set an example. I am afraid that my father isn’t a forgiving person. He isn’t an idiot either – he had stationed the troops in all ports, just in case.”

         Tala couldn’t move a finger, all she could, was to gawk at Prince Jahan. She felt, as if she was half-conscious. Sounds reached her ears somewhat later than they should. Her body was completely numb, as she made an atrocious connection in her mind. Slowly, like in a daze, she turned her head to Prince Sargon.

         “You wanted to get me killed,” she whispered. “You knew that I would be executed and you were helping me escape to get rid of me!”

         He isn’t denying.

         Prince Sargon had an absolutely unreadable face expression. What was most revolting, was that he didn’t even try to convince Tala that he wasn’t guilty of what she had accused him. Then, he shrugged nonchalantly.

         “You caught me,” he murmured without a hint of remorse.

         The short sentence made something snap in Tala. Like a wild animal, she shrieked, channeling her wrath for the bastard, who was trying to get her, her parents and Cas killed. Before Prince Sargon knew what was happening, she launched at him, waving with her fists like possessed. She noticed a flicker of surprise in his eyes right when her fist collided with his jaw.

         Sargon fell backward, and the back of his head slammed against the trunk of the ash, they were sitting on. Tala didn’t wait for him to recoil. She pounced at him like a predator finishing its prey off, and started hitting him. Her moves were random, fueled by a blinding fury. Instead of setting her aim at a point, where she could inflict most damage, Tala slammed the Prince’s torso, head, wherever her vengeful fists landed.

         “Stop it, you crazy peasant!” Sargon exclaimed, once the initial shock washed over him.

         Tala hissed from frustration, when he began blocking her blows. Behind her back, she heard Prince Jahan’s melodic laughter – it appeared that he was having a time of his life. The branch was buckling and swaying dangerously, but Tala couldn’t care less, busy beating the sorry life out of her husband. Unfortunately, she didn’t notice when she lost her footing, until it was too late. Feeling that she was about to fall off the tree, she grabbed the front of Sargon’s shirt. He gasped, seeing the unhinged look in her eyes.

         I’m going to drag you down with me, bastard.

         “Sargon?” Prince Jahan coughed out, when the pair rolled off the branch. He rushed toward his younger brother, but Prince Sargon was already making his descent. “Crap!”

         Tala clutched her husband tightly, using him like a pillow and a shield. It was his body, not hers, that received the blows from the lower branches. Naturally, he crashed into the grassy ground first, and Tala landed on him, safe and sound.

         I might have overdone it.

         Tala groaned, feeling that she would have bruises after this. Slowly, she pulled herself to a sitting position, rubbing her aching elbow. The human pillow underneath her buttock moaned and opened his eyes to glare at her. However, Tala sat on his belly comfortably, examining herself. Thankfully, the bruises were the most extreme of her injuries.

         “Get off me,” Prince Sargon hissed like a viper, but Tala only lifted her eyebrow, before checking whether her ankles were fine. They were. Just to spite her husband, she bounced on his stomach, eliciting a pained grimace on his face. Tala smirked with satisfaction.

         “Does it hurt?” she asked with a faked concern. “Well, you deserve it.”

         She shifted her weight, making Sargon’s stomach ache more. He clenched his teeth, glaring daggers at her. Suddenly, he twisted his hips, throwing Tala off him. When her face met the ground, she moaned, but quickly propped herself on her elbows, staring at the Prince fiercely like a Daughter of Sun should. In response, he smirked.

         “That was an outrageous behavior, peasant girl,” he said, clumsily scrambling himself off the ground.

         Once he was firmly standing on his feet, he reached out toward Tala, offering her his help. She slapped his hand, though, and pulled herself up on her own.

         “Tch!” she looked away, holding her chin up.

         The rope fell from the treetop, and the Crown Prince agilely slid down. His gaze wandered between offended Tala and his little brother, who was eying her with a frustration.

         “There’s no fury like a woman scorned,” Prince Jahan said philosophically, gaining vicious glares from both Tala and Sargon. Unfazed by the hostile couple, he cleared his throat. “Now, off you go, lovebirds. You have a cherry to pop, Sargon!!”

         “I hate you sometimes, smug dirtbag,” Prince Sargon muttered.

         “As do I, snotty brat.” Prince Jahan waved goodbye.

         Sargon snorted and stalked away. Tala also headed toward the mansion, feeling the Crown Prince stare at her like a watchdog.

         “I do hope you won’t kill me in my sleep,” Prince Sargon said quietly.

         “Thanks for the idea. I might just put your suggestion to a good use,” Tala responded.

         “If you did that, it would get you killed.” Prince Sargon reminded her.

         “Before you do that yourself?” Tala asked.

         Her question made the his facial expression go from a sour scowl to a tortured grimace. Abruptly, he snatched her wrist and almost tore her arm off her torso, as he stopped. Tala jerked her wrist, trying to free herself from his grasp, but he let go quickly anyway. Instead, Prince Sargon placed his hands on her shoulders, firmly holding her in place. Tala thrashed, but he was stronger than he looked. Like a rock, he refused to budge.

         “Listen, about tonight,” he said, not heeding his wife’s futile attempts to flex his fingers. “You should understand why I did what I did.”

         Tala stilled.

         “Oh, sure, I’m perfectly fine with you trying to get me and my family killed. No problem at all.” Sarcasm was dripping from her words, as she glared at Prince Sargon murderously.

         The feisty look in her gray eyes made him avert his gaze briefly, but he regained composure.

         “All I wanted to do was to free myself from the marriage with you. Don’t take it personally,” Prince Sargon explained with a guiltless face.

         Tala wouldn’t be fooled by this fake innocence this time though.

         “Have you just asked not to take my own life personally?” She crossed her arms on her chest.

         “It’s your own fault actually.” Prince Sargon shrugged his shoulders.

         That does it! Tala was under impression that the last statement set her blood on fire. She dashed out, but Sargon held her at distance, precautious.

         “How it’s my fault?” she shrieked, threateningly waving with her balled fist right under her betrothed’s nose.

         “Have you seen yourself in a mirror lately? I was acting in self-defense!” Prince Sargon tried to shove her further away to protect himself from her uncontrollable fists.

         Tala looked like a wife from nightmares. With her hair hellishly tangled and her face still smeared, she glared at Prince Sargon like an embodiment of vengeance.

         “There’s nothing wrong with me!” she cried, her voice hoarse.

         Her husband hastily nodded, agreeing more out of fear than because it was true. He glanced around, as if searching for backup, but, of course, he was solitary in this struggle. Then, an idea sparked in his mind. Prince Sargon sighed and suddenly, pulled Tala toward himself.

         She yelped, startled by how abruptly the distance between reduced. Slightly panicked, she put her hands on Sargon’s chest to keep at least a bit of the space. Tala arched her back, but her husband was firmly holding her in place, making it impossible for her to escape the uncomfortable closeness. When he leant down, bringing his face closer to hers, she was torn between swooning like a hopeless romantic and seizing the opportunity to break his nose with her forehead.

         “Your feistiness is very charming though,” Prince Sargon said in a husky, seductive voice, immediately making Tala blush violently at the compliment.

         “R-really?” she whispered back. Sargon leaned even more, so that his mouth found itself right by her ear. When he was breathing, she could feel the exciting tickling on her earlobe.

         “No. You’re not only a hideous peasant, but you’re also batshit crazy,” Prince Sargon said in a deadpan voice.

         Tala snapped out of romantic daze. The Emperor’s son dropped his air of a chivalrous gentlemen and assumed his usual snarky attitude. He eyed her in such way, as if he was holding a steaming pile of horse dung in his arms.

         “Let’s get back to the bedchamber,” Sargon ordered.

         Knowing there was no other choice, she followed him. The married couple used the rope handing from the windowsill to return to their room. Once Sargon and Tala found themselves inside, facing a wide bed, even more tension appeared between them.

         Tala gulped, aware what had to transpire next. Tonight, she would know a man’s touch. It was pity though, that it were Sargon’s despicable hands touching her.

         “Let’s get it over with.” Tala grabbed the straps of her dress and shoved them off her shoulders. The wedding gown slid off her body quickly, weighed down by golden trinkets, she had stolen before her failed escaped. The jewelry clanked, as it rolled on the floor. Tala let her arms hang by her sides, displaying the seductive view of her womanly charms to her husband. She was unable to look Prince Sargon in the eye though; ashamed of being seen in her underwear, she averted her gaze modestly. The blush upon her cheeks intensified, as he approached her. Her body trembled.

         She held her breath, when Prince Sargon was already beside her, surely about to push her down onto the marital bed and do the deed. The blood wildly rushing through Tala’s veins sounded in her ears, as she gazed upon her husband, who walked over to her and passed her. She blinked, confused and turned to gawk at him climbing into the bed. He didn’t even undress and dived under the covers, patting them and ensuring that they were thoroughly guarding his decency.

         Wait, what is going on?

         Afterward, Prince Sagon proceeded with building a wall from cushions, separating the spot where he lay and the other half of the bed. Once the fortifications were complete, he pointed at the pillows.

         “If you try to sneak up on me-” He paused. “Just stay away.”

         Tala was buffaloed by his bizarre behavior. She was pretty sure that it wasn’t how a wedding night should progress. Tala expected Prince Sargon to attempt to ravish her. Naturally, she would defend her chastity for a while, not too long though, before yielding to his brute confidence. However, his indifference and lack of interest in ravaging her was weird.

         To make the matters worse, Prince Sargon snuggled into the pillow and closed his eyes, about to slip into slumber. Tala glared daggers at him. Suddenly, his attitude felt incredibly insulting to her. She used to be hesitant about consummating the marriage, but it had to be done. It was a matter of upholding sacred tradition!

         “Hey!” Tala exclaimed, eliciting an annoyed groan from her husband, who reluctantly glanced at her. She rested her hands on her hips, proudly pushing her chest forward, presenting the skimpy underwear. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

         Prince Sargon rolled his eyes.

         “Let me sleep, shrieking harpy,” he responded in the rude manner, so characteristic to him.

         Tala locked her target on and reached for one of the embroidered cushions.

         “Not until you get the job done, royal bum!” she threw the cushion at him.

         It hit Sargon squarely in his face, much to his disgruntlement.

         “Over my dead body.” He tossed the cushion back, but Tala caught it in midair. Right now, she felt like tearing it apart until the goose feathers would fly around like snow on White Isles.

         “What?” she shrieked.

         “Do you want me to spell it out for you?” Prince Sargon sat up. The aloof look, he gave Tala, was just mean. “I won’t bed you, unless I’m absolutely forced.”

         That was a painful blow. Tala was still set on using her anger as a shield, but few cracks appeared in it. Half-consciously, she folded her          arms on her flat chest, hiding the not particularly erotic sight.

         Prince Sargon looked, as if he was about to sprout some mean insults again, but then his facial expression softened. For a moment, Tala thought that she saw pity flickering through his eyes, before he sighed. He got up from the bed and walked over to her.

         “Look, our marriage is nothing more than my father’s ploy to have the farmers pay higher taxes without complaining. As for you and me, I’m not interested in having a… a closer relation with you.” His uneasiness was apparent, as he reached out to pat Tala on her shoulder. “It’s nothing personal, and I don’t really want to be so brash and cruel, but-”

         “But you don’t want us to live like a husband and wife.” Tala finished for him.

         Prince Sargon nodded. It seemed that he really wished to avert his gaze, but at least he showed enough respect for Tala and looked her in the eye. She bit her lower lip. It was totally unexpected that her own husband would reject her like that. Partially, she felt relieved. Tala didn’t want him anyway. However, it hurt; the pain of humiliation and hopelessness was overwhelming.

         “Perhaps you should get some sleep.” Prince Sargon broke the uncomfortable silence that shrouded the bedchamber. “After all, we’re leaving at dawn.”

         His words immediately snapped Tala to reality.

         “What?” she demanded.

         Prince Sargon turned his back to her and walked off to put out the candles.

         “My father stroke the deal with the Governor, we got married off, so there’s no reason for the royal entourage to stay. We’re returning to the capital tomorrow morning,” he said.

         A knot in Tala’s stomach twisted. Probably, tomorrow she would see her parents and Cas for the last time. She would miss daily arguments with her mother, her father’s smile and conversation with her brother, although they weren’t intellectually challenging. Tala  was finally about to leave her dull home island, but she wasn’t as happy about that as she had thought she would be. It was a bride’s fate though, to leave her old life behind and start a new one with her husband. Speaking of whom…

         “Just don’t start wailing. My head is aching because of the priest’s rambling.” Prince Sargon crawled back into the enormous bed.

         Tala hissed at him like a snake, when someone steps on its tail. She barely navigated her way to the mattress, before Prince Sargon extinguished all light.As she put the thick covers over her, her thoughts swirled around her grim perspectives. In a way, her dream almost came true – with a status of a princess consort, nothing stood between her and the whole knowledge of the world. But… Tala looked at the useless, immobile log laying next to her. Prince Sargon inched further away, balancing at the edge of the bed.

         Tala lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness already, and the faint starlight was seeping through the windows, basking the chamber in an ethereal, pale glow. When she heard rustling next to her, she didn’t cease admiring the carvings on the ceiling.

         “Tala?” Prince Sargon’s voice cut the silence like a sharp knife.

         “What do you want?” she asked dryly, still feeling scorned.

         The covers rustled again, when he probably rested himself on his elbows. Tala wouldn’t know for sure, because she didn’t bother even to glance at her despicable husband.

         “Don’t you dare castrate me in my sleep,” he whispered.

         “You wouldn’t even know the difference,” Tala retorted and rolled onto her side, with her back to him.