Alinea

The truth behind Alinea of Ritz' and Ivan of Kres' engagement…

"Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom, there lived a very popular princess who had recently come of age.

Blessed by the gods, the princess was of ethereal beauty, with skin as white as milk. Her long raven hair silken, framing a small, innocent face. Her lips were as delicate as rose petals, and she had a pair of silver-grey eyes that sparkled like diamonds.

Her laughter sounded like bells ringing from the heavens. It could bring a smile to everyone who heard it.

Aside from her physical appearance, the princess was also known for her good temperament, and her multitude of talents, ranging from needlework to playing musical instruments, to singing and dancing. She was also known as a great writer and a poet.

Likewise, the beautiful lass also excelled in other things like archery and swordsmanship. She could hit the target several meters away with an arrow while riding bareback on a horse. She could fight men who were ten to twenty times her weight and win. She could kick their balls mercilessly and laugh at her victory.

She could hunt goblins, trolls and giant serpents and skin them alive. She could drink a whole barrel of ale, get stinking drunk and burp so loud she could wake the dead. She could – "

"WAIT!"

Alistair of Ritz paused from his story and raised a disapproving brow at Ivan of Kres who had rudely interrupted him. The two of them were in Alistair's private study room, with him sitting behind a huge oak table filled with fancy scrolls, while the other lounged on one of the velvet chaises.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? I think there's something wrong with your story there," Ivan complained.

He had come here because his friend had sent him an urgent message asking for his help. But as soon as he arrived, he was subjected into listening to his friend's random nonsense.

"What's wrong with it?" Alistair totally looked clueless.

"You're telling a story about Ali, right? Why is it like that?"

How could someone tell a story about their little sister like that? Huh?

"But it's true. Did you think I raised my Ali as a weakling?"

Alistair was smirking, his voice and amethyst eyes were filled with so much pride that Ivan had to roll his eyes. The sister-loving fool did his usual humble-bragging again. He already stopped counting how many times he had to hear about it.

"Why did you ask me to come here? I thought you had an emergency. If you're just playing around then I will go home now."

"Of course I have an emergency!" Alistair suddenly declared angrily as he pointed at the fancy scrolls and glared at them as if they were totally offensive.

Ivan who was surprised with his best friend's outburst paused and blinked several times before clearing his throat and shifted his body so he was sitting properly.

"Ehrm…what's the emergency then?"

It was rare to see the Ritz king so incensed that he felt that whatever was bothering him must be totally urgent.

"What are those?" he asked referring to the scrolls, and Alistair picked one and threw it at him in great speed, but he caught it easily with one hand.

With a sigh, he tugged at the fancy ribbon that closed the scroll and the parchment unrolled in his hand. At first, he was surprised, and then he frowned. He could see nothing vile nor anything that could be considered an emergency in it.

"What's wrong with this?" he asked, and Alistair's face darkened again.

"Didn't you read it?" the Ritz king asked, and so he read it again to see if he missed something, then he shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just a request to court Alinea."

As soon as he said it though, he finally realized what was wrong. His jade-green eyes darted towards the table where more fancy scrolls, probably bearing the same messages were: Offers for marriage with the Ritz princess.

Having received so many, if Alistair didn't choose one and got Alinea engaged, there would be trouble with diplomacy.

"Well, this one is from Rinaldi. The lad's not bad. He could be a good match to Ali," Ivan reasoned, but the grumpy king placed his arm across his c.h.e.s.t.

"Too young," he snapped his reason for rejecting.

Okay…

Ivan stood up to pick up another scroll and check the sender. "This one's from Strahl," he said, but he frowned and personally tore the scroll and made fire appear in his hand to burn it into ashes that fell on the floor.

The lad was a harpy caster. People who had harpies as their elemental pet were usually mentally unstable.

He picked up another. "Rios, he's a nice fellow."

"Too timid, he's like a girl."

Ivan took another one. "Van Alekhin, he's great at swordsmanship."

"Ali's much better – and he doesn't have an elemental."

Rejected.

He picked another one. "Ares, he's a strong lad who's very nice with the ladies."

"Too nice. I might kill the guy for keeping mistresses."

Rejected.

Another one. "Kievan. Now, he's a good, strong guy who has a good reputation."

Alistair looked unhappy. "He lives too far. I can't visit Ali whenever I want."

Rejected.

Ivan had already opened and read all the scrolls, and Alistair would always find flaws with all of them.

Finally, they were all gone, and Ivan was mentally exhausted.

"Ritz, do you really want Ali to get married?"

"Of course I do. I just can't find someone suitable."

Ivan's eyes turned bleak. "You're too picky."

Alistair wanted a man who was strong – stronger than Alinea, had an elemental, handsome, had a good reputation, someone who would really care about his younger sister, and someone who lived nearby so he could visit anytime.

"You already rejected all eligible bachelors in the world. Where else can you find a man you'll be satisfied with?"

Silence hung between them for several heartbeats, both with contemplating looks on their faces. Suddenly, Alistair snapped his fingers, his amethyst eyes sparkled with excitement.

"What?" Ivan was curious. "You found one?"

Alistair nodded, a bright smile stretching his lips. "Yeah."

"Who?"

"I'll marry Ali off with Kres."

"Ah, you will marry her off with Kres – "Ivan nodded and then sputtered, totally perplexed. "What? Kres? Isn't that me?"

"Yep," Alistair said happily as he took a new scroll from his desk and started writing a marriage contract on it.

"W-Wait!" Ivan wanted to complain, but Alistair sent him daggers with his eyes.

"What? You're not satisfied with my Ali?" the Ritz king asked in a low, dangerous tone, that Ivan swallowed all types of protest and shook his head.

Just like that, Alinea of Ritz and Ivan of Kres got engaged to be married.

"You sister-loving fool," Ivan whispered softly with a pout.