Love from Beyond

etty made Liana wear a light blue floor length gown with a fitted bodice and a full, flowing skirt that falls in soft folds to the ground.

The bodice was made in a corset-style that cinches at the waist adorned with hand-beaded lace that look like flowers. The flowing long sleeves that formed a slight bell shape at the wrist added a touch of volume to the gown while the neckline is round and adorned with pretty silver beads, giving the gown a soft, ethereal glow that matched with Liana's silver hair and blue eyes.

Betty let Liana's silver hair loose and placed tiny crystal pearls on them.

When Liana stared at herself in the mirror she couldn't help but feel mesmerized she looked so beautiful, too beautiful for an ordinary talk with her parents.

A servant rushed into the room and quickly announced that the princess's audience was needed in the Garden and that the councilmen as well as people from Vladkarya were awaiting her presence including the king of Vladkarya.

Liana looked at the maid and them at Betty " The king of Vladkarya? What is he looking for at Ravens peak?" Betty and the young maid who had delivered the message both looked confused at the princess's out burst

"Maybe he is here to meet his future bride your highness" and with that Betty helped her get up and wear her cute pump heels

It took Liana all of her guts and self control to keep her body from shaking while her heart kept beating out of control as she descended from the castles spiral stairs. Her dress kept swishing and hissing as she walked.

As she arrived at the courtroom to meet her parents and guests, a guard whispered some words into Betty's ears and Betty immediately guided her princess away from the courtroom and to the garden. As they walked towards the garden Liana couldn't help but gasp at the sight that welcomed her.

The garden had been decorated with blue and white ribbons and flowers in different colors and hues of pink, blue, and shades of silver fabrics had been used to arrange the chairs and tables where the councilmen and guests were sitted

It was obvious that the arrangement had been done in a hurry, she stood behind a puller at the entrance of the garden refuusimg to move and clasping her gown, Betty hurried off to inform the queen about her arrival and her mother quickly rushed to her.

Liana looked around her in disbelief, she had just been informed of her arranged marriage with a man she knew nothing about, her brothers murderer and now this. What exactly was going on she thought to her self

"My love, you look beautiful" Her mother said as she gently placed her hair that was hanging loose on her face behind her ear. Liana looked at her mother in confusion

"Mother what's going on? I thought father wanted to speak with me? Why is the king of Vladkarya here?" Her mother looked at her with moist eyes, and she quickly understood what was happening

"He's here to marry me"

Her mother nodded and Liana bit back a cry " Isn't it too early, I mean I just got the news can't the wedding be postponed so I can at least let the information sink in" she said fighting back her tears from falling

Queen Vera hugged her daughter tightly " I am as shocked as you are my love, we weren't expecting him anytime soon, not until the date of the wedding was picked"

she stared into her daughter's teary eyes

" He just appeared at our front door and announced he wanted to marry you today, your father tried his best to convince him against it but the man was just too adamant, your father could only comply"

Liana felt her heart break into two "okay Mother" was the only thing she could say, it wasn't everyday the king of Ravens peak was easily subdued by his fellow man.

But the king of Vladkarya wasn't am ordinary man, he was a man born of two different blood. He was a half vampire and a half witch, hence why he was feared around the lore.

She calmly peeped at the garden that was beautifully decorated under haste. The aroma of rich food drifted across her throat to her stomach that made her realise that she hadn't eaten since the night before she also noticed how there was friction wafting around the air in the garden.

The guests and councilmen of Ravens peak were huddled up at the left side of the garden while those from Vladkarya were sitted at the right side of the garden. Both sides had their facial expressions fierce and intimidating as if they were patiently waiting for either side to make a mistake or slip up so they could attack

The tension in the air was palpable and Liana wondered, if it wasn't for her wedding these two groups would have gladly bite, chew, suck and kill each other without thinking twice about it and the whole garden would been smelling of blood and not food.

Even though she wasn't happy getting married, she sure was glad that they could all sit in the same environment without the blood bath even though animosity lingered in the air

"My love" she heard her mother call her out of her mini trance " Don't be scared I'm here with you, it'll be over before you know it" Queen Vera forced out a smile as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulder

Liana smiled back at her mother, not a smile of understanding but a smile of uncertainty she was aware the wedding ceremony would end as quickly as it started but how about her life at an unknown territory, a place she had heard vulgar and scary stories about, a place whose citizens drank blood for a living, but wait how did they get to Ravens peak in less than a day when it took her father about a week to return home after he was informed of her brothers death.

As her mother held her hand and was about to lead her into the garden she couldn't help but ask

"Mother, when father travelled to Vladkarya, it took him almost a week to get there and another week to return, how come they arrived a day after father returned"

"From what they had explained to us this morning, they started their journey the same day your father left their kingdom" Queen Vera whispered for only her daughter and Betty to hear

"I'm sure they must have thought if your father returned he would go back on his words and send you far away"

Lianas grasp on her gown tightened and she became quiet lost in her thoughts and emotions.

As her mother graciously led her across the garden a familiar smell wafted in the air, of chocolate musk and oak.