Love from Beyond

Liana quickly averted her gaze from his icy stare. As Liana stood at the garden silently taking a last look at the her home, the castle she had lived in for the past twenty years of her life a tear fell from her eye and she failed to notice her mother who had approached her and stood by her side.

"How are you feeling my love?" Her mother finally broke the silence, and Liana turned towards her mother with a sad look plastered on her face

"Father hasn't said a word to me since he got back" she sniffed as her mother listened

"I'm sure he must have his reasons, neither of us expected to get you married off this quickly, I'm sure he must feel broken for putting you in this situation and must be too proud to admit it" Her mother suggested to her

"The idea of leaving you and father, of leaving the castle, my home, terrifies me greatly mother, I'm scared" Liana turned her gaze towards her husband and her Father who seemed to be caught in their deep conversation " I know that I have been groomed for this moment all my life, but right now... right now I feel that I am not ready mother"

Queen Vera gently held her daughter's hand "I know my love, I know your marriage was not what we both had in mind, I know how hurt and broken you must be feeling, I mean you were just informed about it and now here you are about to go off to a foreign land." She cupped her daughter's chin and cleaned the tears that had fallen "But you must know that what you are doing now is for the good and betterment of your kingdom, for your kingdoms future"

Liana felt the shivers run down her spine " And what happens to me mother, did any of you think of my well being? What if the treaty is broken mother? What happens to me then? I'm pretty sure I'll be the first one to die before he comes after you, father and the kingdom"

"Nothing will happen to you my child. They both swore to the gods of the realm to keep their words and uphold the treaty and you know that the greatest kind of promise is one rendered to the lore" Queen Vera's eyes went to Claudia who was standing closeby observing them while casually sipping her wine " All you have to do is try your best not to fall into any kind of trouble with your husband and his people" Dhe spike in a low voice that only Liana could hear "I'm pretty sure your Aunt Claudia would want you to slip up so she can happily have Catherine take your place, so please my child be careful, the peace of our great kingdom now rests in your hands"

Liana felt numb as she let out her breath,she honestly didn't have the emotional strength to think about any body at that crucial point in her life she had bigger fishes to fry, there was every possibility that she would end up six feet under the ground before she finally had the chance to even conceive an heir, a legal proof of the peace treaty, and her mother was busy thinking about Claudia?. She finally forced a smile " I'll try my best mother"

Queen Vera drew her daughter into a tight and warm embrace before taking a closer look at what her daughter had worn, she straightened her dark blue cloak and then looked at her black knee high boots before helping her adjust the thick white sweater she had worn underneath her cloak. When she was done arranging and rearranging her daughter's outfit, she walked with her to where her father and her husband were. " Please take care of my daughter"

"I'll try my best" came his curt response and Liana felt her mouth turn bitter as she looked at her father with a look of helplessness waiting for him to laugh and tell her this was just a big joke and that they weren't actually sending her off to her death. "I reckon you must be on your way now, it's getting late" her father's words jolted her back to reality, her newfound cold reality, she was indeed being sent out to face the unknown.

"Indeed, we'll be on way now" her husband replied as he turned to look at her. Liana stared back into his eyes, and she noted how handsome he looked dressed in his brown breeches that highlighted his long legs, his dark tunic and cloak completed his silky black hair. He looked more handsome than he had looked the previous night when they had seen each other, she found herself gawking at him as her cheeks heated and illuminated a bright red color.

As her parents left them, her husband gestured for his men to start their journey "The skies are turning grey we should be on our way now" he said to her impatiently as he offered her a polite smile and she offered him a smile back.

When it was time to go, he helped her into the carriage and sat down opposite her. She stared out the window in silence as the castle she called her home growed smaller and smaller in size. "I don't think we've been officially introduced, Princess" Damian finally broke the unnerving silence that was between them

She stared at him for a brief second before looking back out the window, so this was her husband, the man who had cold bloodedly murdered her brother "No we haven't, your Majesty"

"I am Damian Valois, King of Vladkarya, your husband"

" I am Raeliana." She responded wondering if he had even known her name or if had been kept in the dark about her identity just like she was.

Damian glanced at his wife who seemed rather tired than scared, he had been expecting her to be as white as a ghost due to the fact whereby she had just married the terror of the realm, the dark king, the mad King, and here she was looking so relaxed and calm wasn't she a tiny bit affected by his presence, was it because they had seen each other before they got married, he wondered to himself.

"Raeliana, Raeliana Valois" Her name rolled of his tongue like melted butter, 'Valois' she whispered to her self, yes that was her name and identity now she was no longer a kael she was now a Valois and was married to the king of Vladkarya. Liana couldn't help but stare at her husband as realization hit her

They were travelling with a cavalcade of up to thirty able bodied men. The moon was high above them, showering them with her silver light, while grey clouds swiftly sailed by in the night sky. Damian noticed how Liana's silver hair glistened and glowed bright inside the carriage and how it radiated her pretty blue eyes making her look ethereal and outwardly beautiful and exotic even though her face looked pale.

"Why don't you try to catch some sleep? You look exhausted" He spoke calmly as he noticed how tired and sleepy she seemed.

"I'm not feeling sleepy, thank you" came her whispered reply

Of cause he knew she was lying, he had seen her the night before and the difference between the person he was seeing now was massive, he didn't understand why she claimed to be fine when in reality she wasn't. Did she think he was going to kill her or harm her if she fell asleep next to him, a chuckle escaped his lips and she quickly looked at him before returning her gaze back to the window.

"Are you scared?" Damian's deep voice echoed inside the carriage making Liana flinch. She calmly and slowly turned her head to face him. When she looked at him, she couldn't help but marvel at the sight of his perfect face.

"I'm not, or should I be scared?" She replied, saying the first thing her brain conjured. She had already married him, her fate had already been sealed, there was absolutely no turning back for her so what was there to be scared about.

A sweet smile appeared on Damian's face as he stared at the beautiful creature seated in front of him "I see, so why has your heart been beating that loudly as though you are being chased by monsters,"

'im not being chased by a monster, instead I'm sitting close to a vicious monster that keeps looking at me like he could pounce on me at any moment' Liana thought to her self "I'm not scared I'm actually nervous" she finally spoke out

The smile on his face widened "Nervous you say, does your nervousness have something to do with the fact whereby your husband is not as old and disgusting as you had believed?" He asked her sarcastically.