The Bladed Tiger's Empress, page 27
part #1 of Claiming Her Empire Series
She smiled against him. “With you, I can do anything.”
The soldiers did not take the news well. They said nothing of course, nothing much to say, but they bitterly accepted their marching orders with barely concealed glares. Marilla appointed several warriors she had gotten to know during her time as a fugitive to accompany the soldiers and the townspeople back to their towns. They would be in charge of rebuilding, of defense and of reporting any issues back to the empress.
“This is all new,” she told them. “Every three months we will hold a meeting here, and the representatives from each town will return to report their progress.”
She also decided to send the carriages to the mining towns no longer in use to transport any and all who wished to go to another town to find work. Those who were unable to afford transportation and too weak to walk would finally have the option to move to a different town. “I want everyone to have the opportunity to better their lives,” she’d said on the matter.
“There are some positions within the castle to fill now that I am in power,” she said to the large crowd of people who had gathered before her. Townspeople, servants, temple warriors and soldiers all eerily silent as they listened to her make her decrees. “I’ll need a new advisor,” she went on to say, searching the sea of faces and finding several missing.
Cornelia was still attending to the injured, which included Blythe who had received a nasty slice to his abdomen. On her walk back out into the square, Marilla had passed where Cornelia had chosen to tend to the wounded.
“Get back into bed unless you want me to finish the job the last guy started!” she was hollering as Hayden led Marilla past the room. Marilla had turned her head to look as they passed and witnessed Cornelia, the former brothel girl turned maid hovering over Blythe with her hands positioned sassily over her hips. Blythe was defiantly trying to roll to his feet before Marilla passed and both were out of sight.
“Cornelia of Gyles will be my new advisor.” No one reacted though both Kayda and Edna seemed to have equally disagreeing pinched faces. “As for my new general, Commander Kayda of the training temple.” Most of the crowd looked to Hayden, Kayda included even as Marilla said her name instead. It almost seemed not to register at first but once it had, her surprised eyes swiveled up to the empress then dipped as she bowed her head in gratitude.
“I am now Empress,” she said to the crowd as if it weren’t already widely known. “I have no desire for an Emperor to rule over me as my husband Frederick tried to abuse the title to do.”
“Illegitimate husband,” Marilla heard Hayden say under his breath and she had to resist a smile.
“However, I do have a strong desire to marry the love of my life. I will still be your empress, make no mistake, but Hayden will be my second in command, and my everything else.” She smiled at her former general, he who was known through her kingdom as the Bladed Tiger because of his brutal and undefeated fighting ability. She knew him however for his gentleness and affection, his unwavering support and devotion.
He stood over her then with his naturally highlighted hair hanging in his face in an absolute mess of sweat from their battle earlier yet instead of exhaustion drooping his expression, he appeared energized, relaxed with love and green eyes as bright as emeralds as he looked at her. “We wish to be married in a week’s time.”
“A week?” Edna blurted, mouth agape. “Prin—Empress, the preparations are too severe and this place is not currently a suitable venue for—”
“Anywhere is a suitable venue,” Marilla interrupted, surprising Edna with her sudden commanding tone. The Princess she remembered was never so inflexible.
Edna looked around at the blood soaked square and pouted, no doubt trying to visualize a white gown intermingling with the gore. Marilla ignored her and made one final announcement. “A market will be held each month and the castle will no longer have first delivery but will purchase their goods as every other town. No more will people starve because of the castle’s greed.”
There were no cheers of agreement as she waved them away to their duties. She was more met with exhausted stares or enraged glares with only a few nods of agreement. With adrenaline wearing off, Marilla felt exhausted as well. Her eyes felt droopy, her knees weak, only her heart felt light and limber, floating while the rest of her sank. She felt heavy even when Hayden wrapped his arm around her hips.
“One week,” he whispered, and she relaxed against the hardness of his chest.
“One week,” she echoed.
Marilla resisted the urge to pinch her nose as irritation tightened her skull, causing a dull ache.
“This is not white,” Edna was snapping to a sweating maid who held out a beige lace. “This is eggshell!”
For a week Marilla had struggled to keep control of the wedding preparations and her sanity. All worth it, she reminded herself again, imagining Hayden to give herself strength. “Edna,” Marilla grumbled. “It’s fine.”
“I just want this wedding to be everything you deserve, just like the first one,” Edna said and Marilla felt her lip twitch. “Please sit down and let me handle all of this for you.”
This wedding was not like her first, this wedding was to a man she loved above all others and she would not tolerate being told to sit on the sidelines while everyone else prepared. That was not the way of her kingdom anymore. She was engrossed in the planning of this ceremony despite the many servants who wanted to uphold the old ways of the castle and told her to sit down or go to the garden and let them handle the preparations.
“That is the old way of doing things, this kingdom has turned over a new leaf,” she reminded again, stepping forward to examine the lace herself. “This is fine, thank you,” she said, offering the shaken girl a slight smile before she fled the room.
“Empress, the lace isn’t the proper shade,” Edna argued, her elderly voice rising into a high and frantic tone.
“The wedding is not of importance,” Marilla interrupted. “White, eggshell, black, red, I do not care because tonight I marry Hayden. That’s all that matters to me.”
“You won’t even wear a wedding dress,” Edna grumbled.
“Not everyone is fond of dresses,” Cornelia mumbled, fiddling with a beaded pillow on her lap, bored.
“I will be wearing a dress,” Marilla corrected. “It just won’t be the one you picked.”
“There won’t be a train, all brides need a train.”
“Is it not her wedding?” Cornelia challenged, pitching her pillow aside. “She is the bride, and she has opted not to have a train.”
“It’s brutish,” Edna gasped. “She is not a fugitive anymore, she doesn’t have to behave and dress as a barbarian.”
Marilla resisted a groan and instead flicked her wrist. “Edna, I’m sure they could use your guidance in the main hall. Please go and tend to the troubles there.”
Edna brightened immediately, overlooking Marilla’s intention to be rid of her. “Indeed, I will prepare everything.” She walked swiftly for the door, mumbling under her breath about flower arrangements and table settings.
“You’ll regret unleashing that beast on the main hall,” Cornelia said.
“It’s work that makes sense to her,” Marilla sighed, plopping into the nearest chair, her hand resting on her forehead. “She wants to be in charge of it.”
“Make you wish for the days you could have just retired to the garden and let her handle it?”
“Both are equally torturous,” Marilla admitted. “When I would sit in the garden, I would get anxious not knowing what was to happen, but now I sit stressed over what I know needs to be done.”
“Perhaps you should take a walk through the garden. There isn’t anything left to be done despite your handmaiden’s efforts to find problems to solve where there are none.” Cornelia rolled her eyes. “You should relax a little, every bride should.”
Marilla looked out the window into the courtyard. The square was scrubbed clean and it was as if there was never any battle had. The garden too had undergone maintenance in the past week and was nearly back to its former glory. Perhaps she would go there. Connect with her mother since neither of her parents would be attending her wedding.
“Cover for me,” Marilla ordered as she stood.
“You know I will.”
When she stepped into the garden, she was immediately engulfed in the feminine smell of rose petals. She had tried to tread lightly as she went, sure she would be stopped to discuss some mundane wedding arrangement. Luckily, everyone was too focused on their duties to notice her as she passed into the gates of her mother’s garden.
She held her skirts in one hand, breathing deeply as she hopped more than stepped from stone to stone along the path. “I’m sorry you couldn’t see,” she whispered, looking at one of the many statues carved to resemble an angel that sat undisturbed off the path. “I’m sorry to both of you that you’ll miss this night, and the many nights to come.”
“They won’t miss it.”
Marilla whipped around, her hair catching air and fanning out around her face. Hayden stopped behind her, shirtless with beads of sweat glistening along his chest and brow. The unexpected sight stole her breath from her chest. He had been training, using his swords to build some adrenaline or be rid of some nervousness.
“Hayden,” she breathed.
“They’re with you,” he responded, his chest still heaving slightly as he caught his breath. “They’ll stand beside you this night, blessing our union, and stand over you as you progress as an empress, and when we have children. They’re with you and always will be.”
She swallowed, not wanting to ask him how he knew because she knew he truly didn’t, just believed as strongly as he believed in everything. As strongly as he believed in her. “What brings you here?” she wanted to know.
He hesitated only long enough to take a step towards her. She held her breath as she watched him, this powerful man about to become officially hers as he stopped before her, towering over her. “I just couldn’t sit still,” he admitted.
She searched his features, her golden-brown eyes flickering over his face, taking in the wetness of his skin, the green glow of his eyes and tousled stroke of his hair. “Does the wedding make you nervous?”
“No,” he said deeply, his eyes not leaving hers. “It excites me to finally be able to call you my wife.”
Her breath caught again. “I can’t wait to call you husband either,” she huffed as she struggled to regain it.
“This wedding though, as necessary as it is for an empress, seems impersonal.”
Marilla sighed, breaking eye contact for the first time since seeing him. “Yes, I could do without being paraded in front of the kingdom too but,” she returned her eyes back up to him, “knowing you’re waiting for me at the end of the aisle will get me through it and quicken my steps.” And my heartbeat, she added silently.
He smiled at that, but it faded as his expression loosened into longing. She felt his thumb stroke her chin then cheek and lift her face up towards his—
The bell of summoning sounded just as his lips came within brushing distance of hers and she laughed against him. “Keep that thought,” she whispered, and he smirked.
“I’ll see you at the altar,” he promised, a growl of anticipation hidden within his tone.
“This is going to be the most beautiful wedding,” Edna was sobbing as Marilla gathered her skirts against herself.
The dress hung snugly around her though not nearly as restricting as her first wedding gown had been. The bodice was tight against her chest, forcing her breasts upward and the many satin buttons down her back pulled as she breathed. The lace was fancy yet still sleek and as she was escorted towards the main hall, nothing dragged the ground to Edna’s constant dismay. Marilla could hear violinists and harpists through the double doors as she approached, entertaining the guests until they saw her.
Until the main attraction arrived.
Marilla felt much more comfortable this time, much more at ease. She could say it was the veil which didn’t hang like a trap around her head and instead flowed down her back with her curly caramel hair, or the dress that didn’t bunch around her ankles like chains, but she knew it was Hayden himself.
The man whom she loved with all she was.
The fire in her blood.
The desire in her heart.
Hayden was finally going to be her husband, and unlike her first wedding which felt like the march of death, she had to restrain herself from sprinting down the aisle and into his arms.
“Empress, you’re trembling,” Edna observed, a handkerchief to her nose.
“Anticipation,” Marilla said, hefting the bouquet of roses she carried higher into her arms.
“Try to restrain yourself until after the reception,” Cornelia taunted, a smirk on her full lips.
“I make no promises.”
The violinists switched pace and the melody she had once recognized as the ‘Death March Anthem’ was now music to her ears. Finally, she was going to be joined with Hayden officially.
Finally, she would be his and he would be hers.
Edna locked her arm into Marilla’s, her escort since no proper lady went without one. It was the one thing Marilla had allowed Edna without some resistance. She was an empress, she could stand alone but she feared she would sprint for Hayden without someone to hold her back.
Cornelia trailed behind her, her hair bound up in a tight bun and her dress a rich green which fit well against her dark complexion. She followed Marilla as she passed through the doors into the main hall where rows of standing warriors greeted her, dressed in their finest fighting attire of full leather. The servants were dressed in finery of robin egg blue, their hair adorned with pearls as they stood to the side, their eyes bright as they watched Marilla ascend towards Hayden.
Hayden himself, however, was what drew Marilla’s eye. He stood at the end of the long walkway, shoulders back and chin high. He wasn’t breathing as he looked at her, his eyes moist with joy and pleasure at seeing her. Kayda too stood behind him, equally tall and proud. Silently approving the union.
Marilla smiled, her lips free of the red paint she had had at her last wedding, they shimmered glossy instead. She looked as she should, Hayden felt. When Hayden looked at her he didn’t see a painted face, but his princess. She was clean, adorned in white with dozens of little buttons down her back which he longed to rip away or undo slowly one by one, watching the fabric loosen around her back then fall in a pool at her dainty feet.
She was a vision, her hair tangled in the lace veil that didn’t block her face from him, the dress that made her appear even curvier. She was a sight to behold, and the entire room seemed to hold their breath with him as she floated down the aisle as if gravity itself obeyed her footsteps.
Finally she was before him, close enough to smell her sweet scent of honeysuckle which drew him closer, causing a frenzy of desperation within him to touch her. Hold her. Make her his.
“Not yet,” she whispered melodically for only him to hear. She could see the desire dancing within his impossibly green emerald eyes and resisted a giggle as the preacher started the ceremony.
“Love, which takes many shapes and many forms can be found anywhere and with anyone,” the short man announced loudly to the crowd. Marilla knew him as the preacher for the church outside the castle. The emperor had not cared for religion, so the church had remained in a nearby town. Edna had insisted on sending word to him so he could perform the ceremony. Marilla had been skeptical when he came before her, but in hearing his speech, she’d known he was the right man for the job. “These two, for instance,” preacher Graham continued, “have known one another since childhood. Hayden having served our empress when she was but a princess and were fugitives together as they fled into an adventure to unite the kingdom.” Graham looked from one to the other before taking each of their hands and placing Marilla’s on top of Hayden’s warm palm. “Hayden, do you agree in this union to lift up our empress, to be her main line of defense and support?”
“I do,” Hayden said deeply.
“Empress Marilla, do you accept Hayden as your first confidant?”
“I do,” Marilla breathed, unable to contain her wide smile.
Preacher Graham dropped their hands and let them split apart though instead the two interlaced their fingers as Graham continued, “You may present your vows then.”
Their wedding vows were of a traditional script, but not one that had been used for generations. It had been Hayden’s idea since they strengthened her order to the people that no emperor would rule over her.
Marilla smiled delicately up at Hayden as she took a breath to begin. “You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, but while we both wish it I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me for I am a free person, but I shall serve you in those ways you require and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.”
Hayden took a breath then two before reciting his part of the vows. “I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night, and the eyes into which I smile in the morning. I pledge to you the first bite from my meat, and the first drink from my cup. I pledge to you my living and dying, equally in your care, and to tell no strangers our grievances. This is my wedding vow to you: this marriage will be one of equals.”
Preacher Graham, with a smile as wide as his cheeks themselves, announced them husband and wife and ordered them to kiss. Hayden lunged forward, seizing Marilla around her waist and lifted her into his arms. Marilla too wrapped her arms possessively around his shoulders and brought his face to hers, their lips connecting in a passionate heat which burned her to her very core. Nothing like the cold kiss Frederick had given her, there was never a comparison to be made. Hayden made her toes tingle, her heart race in a harsh beat against her ribcage and her muscles turn to mush.
He was finally hers, and she doubted they would spend much time at the reception.
