A Lifetime Ago

Chapter 17

Ragnar reined his horse to the narrow hilltop as he left his countrymen far behind. He rode Nuri fiercely since the slow pace was making him drowsy and he needed an adrenaline rush in his nerve.

The group dawdled a few hundred feet behind him. They had no energy to match the prince’s speed. Most people had sore skin and bruises beneath them, from the hard saddle on their horses. If not for the large group of his people, Ragnar could have completed the journey in just a couple of days. He would have raced on Nuri without breaking a tent but he knew the group had many elder men and women for whom they needed to stop.

His horse galloped as he raced towards the huge castle built on the ridge full of green. The large castle gates were already left open as the people of Triyad were all set to welcome their guests.

Ragnar was soon followed by Nodin and his younger brother Oren. The three princes raced together throughout the journey. Prince Oren was in his late teens and often stayed with Ragnar whereas Nodin would often go missing during the time the group stopped for resting.

At first Ragnar thought he was wandering around the forest but later he found out that he was sneaking behind them to meet the girls, especially Timandra. Ragnar had caught him fooling around and cracking jokes with her. It made him angry to know that she was enjoying Nodin’s company as much as he did. He was clearly trying to flirt with her and she laughed unusually more than she did around Ragnar. He had observed the shine in Nodin’s eyes whenever he looked at Timandra, which infuriated Ragnar even more. It made him want to drive his fist into the tree trunks which stood tall near him. 

If it were in his hands, he would have dragged her away from there, not before throwing a punch on his cousin’s face. After a few days he learned to ignore them.

He had always wished to go meet Timandra during the journey but unfortunately for him, she was always surrounded by either her hand-maiden Meeda or Avira or his aunt Tamara. He would look at her from afar for a few minutes and then leave quietly. She never failed to mesmerise him.

Ragnar was pulled out of his thoughts and turned to look back when he heard the clip-clop of the horses walking on the gravelled roads as the riders had managed to catch up with their Prince.

The King came riding on his stallion leisurely with his knights following at a close distance behind him. The old man looked tired and each part of his body ached from the long travel.  He wanted this exhausting journey to end as early as possible. He had been riding his shorse for seven days, of course stopping here and there but it did nothing to sooth his sore body parts. It wasn’t the first time the emperor was traveling such a long distance on his horse. He had rode to distant lands during war times but that was in his youth years. His senescence was taking a toll on the emperor.  He wished he hadn’t travelled so long, instead he could have arranged a marvellous wedding in Vonentis, if not for the nonsensical traditions of Triyad for the prince to come all the way to the homeland of the princess for their union.   

The setting sun provided an aesthetic background to the impressively great castle. The young princes waited for the king to take lead once again and marched forward into the gates. It was seven days prior to the actual ceremony yet the place was decorated exquisitely with lights all over. The people of Triyad were deeply rooted with their customs and traditions, and a princess’s wedding was no exception. Jugglers, Magician, acrobats and poets were seen entertaining the crowds outside the palace while the music from lute and lyre were continuously heard at the background.

Elkan stood at the strongly built and fortified main entrance of the castle with a broad welcoming smile across his face. King Regis slid down from his mount seeing Elkan and stretched his hands widely to hug him into a brotherly embrace.

“Elkan.. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” King Regis pulled away and beamed at him.

“Welcome to Triyad, King Regis.” Elkan greeted him and looked over at the three young men beside the king.

“Which one of these handsome men is my future son-in-law?” He asked eagerly.

“This here is my son, Prince Ragnar and your future son-in-law.” Regis gently pushed his son forward and he bowed in front of Elkan respectfully.

“Welcome son.” He held Ragnar’s shoulders and squeezed them lightly. He ran his eyes all over him and said, “He is as handsome as the people of Vonentis describe him.”

“You speak too highly of me, my lord.” Ragnar replied politely while Regis nodded too proudly.

“And this here is my brother Robi and his two sons, Prince Nodin and prince Oren.” He said as he pointed at them for a brief introduction.

“Good to see you all, gentlemen. Welcome to Triyad. Please let us get in..”

Elkan watched the others dismount from their horses and the women belonging to the royal family of Vonentis got down the carriages. After the welcome formalities were over, Elkan guided them through the tall corridors of the castle.

“Holy mother of Lincoln!!” Timandra was amazed by the spectacular and breath-taking castle that stood majestically in front of her eyes.

“You know you always surprise me with your weird choices of words.” Avira snorted at Timandra and she blinked at Avira mindlessly. Avira was now used to those unintelligible terms that Timandra often said. Avira wondered what they actually meant.

“I don’t know.. It just came to my mind and blurted it out.” She would say when asked or she would simply blink like she was doing right then.

She was too drawn to the entertainers that were presenting to the people but Avira pulled Timandra with her into the castle.

Everyone was tired and cold since they had been riding for seven days. They needed to refresh and have a proper sleep on a proper bed instead of the uncomfortable tent bed.

The royals were led to a large thirty seater dining table.

“Avira we will dine with the others..” Timandra hesitated to enter the dining hall where she would have to encounter the prince after so many days and she wasn’t a royal to sit with the King or the prince.

“No way I’m letting you dine there.” She refused to leave her hands. “And also you.” She pointed at Meeda.

“My lady, I cannot dine along with the king and the prince.” She protested.

“Hush now.. come with me.” Avira pulled both the girls towards the dining hall.

“What if the king notices us, Avira? And Ragnar.. He would kill us for joining you here..” She kept whining all the way to the hall.

“I will manage if the King ask me, which I am sure he wouldn’t.” She assured them. They took the far right corner from where they wouldn’t be noticed by the King or the Prince.

The dinner arranged by King Elkan was a feast for all senses. He strove to impress his guest with extravagant fare, luxurious silver tableware and diverse forms of entertainment, all of which were enjoyed by everyone. 

All they had eaten in the course of their journey, was smoked trouts from the river, frozen cheese cubes, fresh fruits and fried breads.

The massive dining room included high quality decorative fixtures, mosaic flooring, wall paintings, luxurious furniture and artworks.

Food and drinks served were not only to satiate the guest’s hunger but also to add an element of spectacle to the meals. Exotic wild animals, birds and fish were prepared to reflect the King’s affluence in front of his counterpart.

As they all began to settle on their seats, King Elkan nodded at someone who walked out of the hall immediately. A few minutes later, in walked the same old woman with a young woman trailing behind her.

She elegantly glided over the floor as smoothly as fluid. Her head was bent down and all one could see were her perfect features. A slender waist, whistling down her bust. The bends of her hips were so voluptuous that one could feel as it has been carved out by a creator who sculpted her with care and fineness. The glistening gleam and colour of her creamy skin made a striking balance with the redness of her gown.

“This is the youngest of my daughters, Drina.” Announced Elkan.

King Regis got up from his chair and walked towards her. “Son..” He gestured Ragnar to follow him and so he did.

“Your Majesty..” She bent in a deep curtsy.

King Regis patted on her gently and studied her face which was as pretty as a painting.

“This is Ragnar, your betrothed.” The king informed

“My lord..” She bowed again, this time to Ragnar who stood there like a stiff pole. She peeked at him through her lashes and her already red skin turned a shade darker. She hadn’t expected her betrothed to be so perfectly handsome.

He gazed vacantly at her. He had to accept she was a beauty but not as beautiful as Timandra. He scowled as he realised that he was comparing every woman he saw to Timandra. When did she become the benchmark for beauty? He thought. He walked back to his chair and sat quietly.

Timandra looked at her with aw. She was a reminiscence of the idea of perfection, who sure would give heartaches to the passer-by. She was absolutely a perfect match for Ragnar in all sense.

She was beautiful beyond words.

She was a princess.

She had everything, nobility and wealth.

And their alliance would mean the union between two powerful countries.