5 5) A possible war.

"Your highness," Merlyn's soft voice woke me up as she drew the curtains away. Dawn's light came in as I liked to wake up early.

Getting up and sitting up in the bed, I groggily looked around the room. Merilyn brought in some fresh fruits and water and kept them on the table in front. She prepared for my daily routines as I tried to wake up fully.

Getting up, I stretched a bit and yawned, and then made my way to the washrooms. Merilyn and another maid assist me and dressed me up. Today the color of my dress was light green. I loved such light colors.

"Your highness," Merilyn called for my attention and I looked over, "Are going to use this for summoning?" She raised a bell in front of me.

I gasped as I saw it, I knew that bell! That was the one given to me by that mysterious man yesterday. I had made sure to lock all doors and windows and the ones which were not locked had grills embedded in them, so no one could have possibly entered last night. No one human and that large. He was built like a wrestler.

Noticing my expression's Merilyn said, "Do you want me to get rid of it, your highness?" She started to walk away after picking it up from in front of me when I take a little time to reply.

"Wait!" I yelled, she flinches because I never did so. "I changed my mind. Keep it in the chest of ornaments." If he could enter a locked chamber, maybe someday he could help me. The possibility was rare but there was no harm in assuming that one day he could be of use to me.

Because of that men could keep a bell in a locked room, he sure could do a lot of things. It still didn't make sense to me but I shook my head out of it. There was no use in thinking of such happening when I already had reality crashing down on me.

The budgets.

Having a small bowl of fruits as breakfast, I started my day. I went through various amounts of bills and noted down the final expenses. Now, that the Queen was financing them I was sure that we could last easily till my marriage.

My marriage; the words stung a bit. All my life I had wanted to become a Queen and here my chance was, only three months away. Now that I had it this close, I had an unsettling feeling in my chest and I had no idea what it was. Was I nervous? Could I be? I was breathing heavily by now. Why was I nervous when I was finally getting what I wanted? Prince Terrence was handsome, rich, intelligent, and hardworking; the qualities that made a man stand out from the rest.

What was this? Why was it happening now?

"What is wrong, sister?" Estelle placed her hand on my shoulder. "You look highly troubled." She frowned.

"I don't know," I honestly answered her query. "I have no clue. When I think of the marriage I feel a sudden weight on my chest, something," I pressed my fingers on my chest, "..this dread.." Estelle hugged my waist and placed her head on my shoulder, trying her best to comfort me.

"You fear tomorrow. It is very reasonable. Everyone does." She concludes. But I don't feel it to be the stress of tomorrow, it's much more than that. She continued, "Do not worry for the next three months you are still at home. How about you let me handle most of the responsibilities now?"

She was trying to lessen my burden. My sister was thoughtful enough to divide my duties amongst us as she thought that it was the responsibilities and the tensions in the kingdom that was affecting my health.

I nodded but more so in gratitude. Having a good wisher was a blessing.

"There is something else I came for.." she left the sentence hanging, probably worrying about my condition and talking about it first.

"Just tell me." I sighed. There was nothing I wanted other than to distract myself and maybe solving another's problem would provide a solution for my own.

"The spy has not sent any letter. The last one he sent talked about court tensions and preparations of war for conquering a Kingdom."

"Which Kingdom are you talking about? We have one in every kingdom." She never clarified things. I hate how vague she can be when she knows everything clearly and in detail.

"Lethoris," she says, "I am talking about that barbaric Kingdom."

"You sent our spies over there?!" I harshly whispered into her face. "Are you out of your mind? Do you know what they do to the ones caught and then to us if by any chance he babbles out the truth?" They won't just kill the spy but they would come for us. 

Estelle gulped. For the first time, I could see the fear in her eyes, the fear of what possible outcome could her deeds bring upon us. "I know and for that, he had a poisoned ring given to him. If anything were to happen, he shall consume and have an immediate death."

"Well done, sister." I clapped at her ideas. "And you were thinking of becoming a queen." I taunted, taking her hands off my waist.

There was now, a possible war coming to our nation.