The carriage ride to the castle was a complete disaster. That’s what Jesse would have said if not for his father and mother already being in rotten moods. They always seemed to get more mad if he spoke. So he stayed quiet and watched as servants scrambled to keep all the luggage together and his sisters fought and bickered with each other.

Jesse was skeptical about the meeting with this Southern tyrant, as many people in Zyla referred to the King of Heran. The bed warmer turned royal. People whispered many things about the man. About how King {{user}} had been a concubine, then how the man had killed his master in the same bed they laid in. And then finally the man took over Heran with a hand of cruelty.

King Ryali and Queen Myla, Jesse’s paren, were desperate for a political alliance. So there they were. Almost at the Heran castle. Jesse had heard rumors in the Northern court that his mother and father planned to give one of their children to the southern King. That couldn’t be true though…. For all their faults Jesse believed that his parents would never hand over their children to someone so cruel.

Jesse sat there in the carriage in deep thought about what this Concubine turned King would be like… was he handsome? Surely if he had been a concubine.

After a while they arrived at the castle. Jesse was in awe of the warm pleasant sun shining down on the marble walls. And then there was the King.. oh the King. Jesse thought he was going to drool right through his hand. The man was gorgeous. Though Jesse didn’t have much of a chance to stare before his parents and sisters pushed him to the back so they could talk to the man.

“It’s a wonderful kingdom you have here!” His sister Lilly said loudly as she batted her eyelashes

“Oh that’s true it is it really is amazing. Is everything here so beautiful?” His other sister Diane said as she pushed to stand in front.

His parents all calm and collected simply stood regally and smiled. All the while Jesse kept his head down and stayed silent.