The Tangled Tree

by S. K Munt

The rug had been pulled out from under me many times in my years in Eden- but this was the first time that I had not seen it coming, and so I fell sharper and harder than I had ever fell before.

  31.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ I demanded when I caught my breath again, looking from the ring to her. ‘Are you drunk? Karol would never-’

  ‘But he did, and if you do not believe me, then look closely at it and see the proof engraved within. There’s an inscription there for you- and I know this because I helped Karol choose what he wanted most to say to you through a long process of elimination earlier today.’ She smiled tenderly, taking the ring out of the box and showing it to me. ‘You can’t imagine how long it took for him to find the exact right stone- one that reflected blues and lavender and glare, as your eyes do, apparently.’ She rolled her eyes and stepped forward and placed it into the palm of my hand. ‘It should be him giving this to you, not I, but I will do whatever it takes to soothe your ruffled feathers right now, so you must know: you will be untouchable after midnight, because Karol already has the votes he needs to change your status from captive by contract, to captured by love!’ She smiled, and her eyes shone with tears. ‘If you’ll accept, of course… and you must! Not only is he a wonderful man, but this is your ticket to freedom Lark! Possibly the only one you have left now, so take it, and let the love he has for you infect you as it has me!’

  Proposal at twelve-fifteen. Proposal at twelve-fifteen…Yes there was to be a proposal made at twelve-fifteen, Kohén and I knew that! But to WHO? That is the question!

  I gazed down at the ring, staggered, and through misty eyes, read the words within, twisting it gently so every letter appeared and vanished behind the gleaming platinum band:

  ‘What is a Prince Charming, without a swan princess?’

  My legs went cold as blood began to chill. I looked up at Ora, mystified. ‘Wh-what… no! He is confused- bewitched! Look at me, Ora! Who would want-’

  ‘Karol wants you, that’s who, and he’s hardly the only one!’ she smiled, tucking my hair behind my ear. ‘And do not apologise to me for winning his heart before I could. I suspected that he felt something for you when we first met remember? I asked you if the feelings were mutual-’

  ‘They’re not!’ I cried. ‘I hate him and he knows it!’

  Her eyebrows shot up. ‘That’s what you both believe but it’s not the truth and anyone standing on the outside of the chemistry between you can see plain as day that you’re more drawn to one another than magnets are!’

  ‘No we’re not! He’s drawn to this... stuff,’ I motioned to myself, ‘but he’s drawn to every woman’s stuff, and I’m not attracted to him at all!’

  She arched an eyebrow. ‘I’m sorry… you expect me to believe that you don’t find Karol Barachiel attractive… at all? Is that what you’re truly trying to sell me on?’ She waved her hands in front of my eyes. ‘Are these plugged in?’

  I turned away from her, feeling my heat working itself up into a frenzy again as I stared down at the beautiful diamond. It was shocking to think that Karol would consider marrying me at all…but making me a princess for LIFE despite the fact that we’d barely been friends? Talk about a risk! I didn’t know if it was the most romantic thing I’d ever heard- or the most insane. ‘There’s more to attraction than physical appearance! You cannot love someone that you hate!’

  ‘But you do not hate him as passionately as you believe you do, take my word for it.’ Ora sighed sadly, as though I were the rain on her lovely, romantic parade. ‘You two were unaware of me at that dinner the other night, but I was very aware of the two of you! In fact, there wasn’t a person in attendance that was not riveted by your escapades together! What an attractive couple you made- teasing one another one moment, squabbling like an old married couple over his speech- and then forming an alliance so that you could side against Kohén together! No wonder he turned green with jealousy and stormed off! You and Karol were having a private party for two and the rest of us were just there as voyeurs!’

  ‘You’re crazy,’ I wheezed, pressing my spare hand against my abdomen and feeling a sharp pain within as I continued to stare at the diamond. It was so beautiful! ‘I barely know him, and I’m thirteen years his junior!’

  Ora laughed. ‘I am twelve years his junior, and yet you encouraged me to wed him! Surely it has not escaped your notice that a Barachiel man has never taken a spouse that wasn’t at least ten years younger than they were? They almost always choose to join with someone that have only just turned twenty-one!’ She rolled her eyes. ‘A lot of things have changed since the dawn of time- but men seeking the youngest woman possible to wed is sadly not one of them.’

  ‘But I won’t be twenty-one for four more years!’ I protested. ‘And we’re not talking about joining but… but so much more!’

  ‘You weren’t going to be free for four more years either. If he found a way to change that, don’t you think he would have found a way to marry you as soon as that ring was on your hand?’ She blushed. ‘Especially if it meant getting to the consummation part? Karol’s a dear heart, don’t get me wrong- but I don’t think he would have made it until midnight tomorrow before finding a way to marry you.’

  ‘No!’ I exploded as I whirled around, and she drew back in shock. ‘No he wouldn’t have! I’m not fertile- that would be a strike against us. I am a used whore- THAT would be another! I was his brother’s plaything- that’s the third! Shall I keep going?’ I slapped the ring back into her hand and pointed to my brand. ‘Or does this not shout the obvious for me?’

  ‘All factors he was very aware of Larkin, except the brand of course, ’ Ora came after me, looking dismayed and clenching the ring tightly. I suppose in her head we should have been in silk pyjamas while discussing this- gazing up at the stars while giggling about boys. It was a sweet notion, but only the kind of daydream that a noble girl could expect to come to pass. ‘But he worried that it might become a factor, and that’s exactly why he’s spent the last day asking the other rulers for their support in changing the rules for you! He had two younger brothers to bear heirs- so what would it matter if he opted out of trying to do the same, if the bride he chose had the ambition, intelligence and charm required to change the world for the better on her own, instead of expecting offspring to do it for her like all of the others do?’

  ‘I had the ambition to do WHAT?’ I squeaked. ‘I wanted to grow cotton, not wear a crown!’

  ‘And yet you are more than capable of doing both- and more! I’ve seen it in you, Larkin! It doesn’t matter if you believe in his love or in yourself- it doesn’t even matter that it will take time for you to come to care for him as he has for you- just say yes when he asks, and you will begin to change the world with that lovely word!’ She clasped her hands together, begging me to do what she did not know was impossible- accept a proposal from a dead man. ‘He will win your heart eventually, I just know it!’

  ‘Stop!’ I pressed my hands to my ears and sobbed as I felt my flames returning again. ‘You don’t know what you’re asking of me, but I assure you that it is all quite impossible!’

  ‘To love a man that you believe is evil?’ she asked, prying my hands off my ears and staring into my yes. ‘Yes, Larkin I do know- about the deal that you two made, that is.’

  I tented my fingers around my nose and stared at her over them. ‘What?’ She knew I’d already sold myself to the man I’d encouraged her to marry? I was mortified!

  ‘He confessed it all, all right? Told me that originally, he’d just wanted to bed you one day, but after you struck that deal, he’d contemplated convincing you to stay on as his Companion instead, should Kohén lead you down that dead-end road…’ she wrinkled her tiny little nose. ‘But on Tuesday he said that he’d realised that he’d wanted more than a tryst with you some time ago- following a fight you’d had or something along those lines when he stole a kiss? And that he’d freed you with the intention of pursuing you romantically- a secret he kep
t close to his heart, for fear that Kohén would catch wind of it and lock you in prematurely.’ She made another face. ‘As he did…’

  I slid my hands down to clutch at my throat. ‘What? But all he said was that I had to come to him at midnight tonight as pre-arranged-’

  ‘He couldn’t just blurt out the fact that he’d fallen for you, Larkin, he was certain that you’d rebuke him without him first setting a precedent for such a claim! And because he knew there was a good chance that you’d laugh in his face- an honour he’s earned with his womanising ways- and because he knew that his parents would lose their fool minds if they discovered that he wanted to pursue an infertile woman…’ she shrugged her tiny shoulders. ‘But he desperately wanted the chance to try to start something with you despite those odds- so that was why he made that birthday wish Larkin. Not to wish you beneath him, as he now thinks you suspect- but to make you eligible for a future with him! And after recent developments, he was inspired to go one better and ask every monarch in the world to stand behind him against his father in order to make you a princess! Support that they have all agreed to demonstrate- even Yael, who was the toughest sell!’

  My mouth popped open. All of this had come about after the fight we’d had in the courtyard? Was that why he had stopped sleeping with his Companions? I’d thought it was because I’d accused him of rape earlier that morning, not because he’d fallen for me! ‘I don’t understand!’ I cried. ‘When did you learn this? And when did you go from being the one he was courting, to his confidante?’

  Ora blew out her bangs. ‘Tuesday night, after all of that hoopla with Kohl and you vanishing into that God forsaken harem with Kohén…’ She made a face. ‘I found Karol in Miguel Barachiel’s cottage; sobbing as though his heart were broken! I asked him what was going on and he apologised and confessed that despite his best efforts to pursue me or keep his options open, he had just learned that you had caved into your love for his brother, and that he was too torn apart by it to show his face! All of the sordid details poured out of him after that.’ She stepped closer again, giving me a bittersweet smile. ‘I will admit that I was a little crushed to hear it all, sweetie, but not surprised. The moment I saw him look at you- well! Who could hold a candle to Liberty and her blazing torch?’ Her tentative smile morphed back into a concerned frown, and she rubbed my shoulder briskly. ‘None of us wanted to believe that you’d willingly given up your freedom, but none of us wanted to believe that you’d been unwilling to concede to Kohén more, so we both tried to get into that harem to speak with you after you vanished in there with Kohén, but were thwarted at every turn! Adeline could not even seek entrance to collect a book that she’d left behind and-’

  ‘Adeline was in on this too?’ I demanded.

  Ora smiled. ‘Apparently Adeline was the first one to bring her master’s feelings for you to his fool attention, when she claims that his pillow talk became him talking about you on her pillow about a year ago.’ She shrugged. ‘She says that she knew what was coming on Tuesday long before the rest of us did, and had already packed her things before the dinner on Monday evening, and had warned Karol’s other Companions to do the same.’

  ‘Oh no!’ I cried, remembering how solemn Karol’s Companions had looked when we’d gathered on the lawn to hear Karol’s speech. ‘She must detest me!’

  ‘Wrong again, Larkin. She adores you- as do I! Most of the people out there do, which is why you need to stop saying that you’re not worthy of being a queen, and just be one already!’

  ‘That’s not possible,’ my eyes flooded again. ‘Too much has happened, and you can’t possibly understand that right now but soon you will so-’

  ‘I know that you have been through hell and I am sorry for it, but you can’t let Kohén’s prior hold on you determine your future! Oh Lark… I’m sorry that we didn’t get to you sooner, I can see how it’s rattled you! We tried! Karol would have started smashing windows to get to you and the truth behind your supposed submission that very night, but then Kohl ran off and made a scene and Elijah put us all on lockdown- we had to take focus away from your predicament not draw more attention to it, so we were forced to tread carefully… in case something awful happened to you…’ I heard her sniffle and tentatively touch the elbow of my left arm. ‘Something like this. How did this come to pass, sweetie? Was it Kohén’s doing, or Elijah’s?’

  It was neither, and my heard burned like a coal to think of the boy that had been named for that very thing. ‘I don’t want to talk about it…’ I slid my hands back up to hide my face. ‘Please… can we stop talking about this? I can’t bear to hear another word!’

  ‘But you must hear it all!’ Ora’s fingers combed through my hair soothingly. ‘Please believe me… I didn’t think it could be as bad for you in there as some feared, because I didn’t get an ominous vibe from Kohén at all… and after Karol received several messages from Chérrine, well, from you through her insisting that you were fine and that you wanted him to butt out of your private affairs, we both began to believe that maybe you were happy after all, you know? I can see now that you weren’t, but all of the opposition forced Karol into a retreat. He even wanted to give up once he’d been convinced that a life with Kohén was all that you truly wanted, but I would not allow it!’

  ‘You should have!’ I croaked, glancing at the smouldering curtains again, but she did not follow my gaze for she was too busy trying to hold it.

  ‘I could not! Karol was dissolving over you, sweetheart, barely coherent most of the time, and to keep people from suspecting why he was so withdrawn, we pretended to be courting. That allowed us to sneak away together often and conspire over you, and it also kept girls like Amelia-Rose from pouncing him.’ She sighed. ‘I’m sorry that we did not free you from that awful place, Larkin but you have to understand that getting to you was impossible with that gargoyle on the harem door and the smaller, royal gargoyle behind yours!’ She feigned tearing out her hair. ‘We might have done something drastic, but we kept thinking: ‘Any day now! Any hour now she’ll waltz out and we’ll get to the bottom of it all…’ But bloody Kohén kept coming up with one excuse after the other to keep you locked away and make it look like it was what you wanted and needed, so when we learned that you’d had the chance to bolt but had fought for Eden instead, we were gobsmacked. That might have been the end of it all- even for me- but when Karol heard that you’d almost died on Friday night, he lost his mind! He’d already suspected that he would live a miserable life without you, but finding out that he’d almost lost you without first getting to tell you how he felt? No, he was more determined than I to get you out of there after that, and that was when he decided to make the grandest gesture of all- to the fairest of them all. He spent the early hours of this morning in a secret meeting with all of the monarchs, explaining that the outcry over you was all the proof anyone needed to launch you out of that harem and onto a throne, where you belonged.’

  I desperately didn’t want to believe what I was being told but I was starting to, and it sickened me to my very core. I looked down to see that I’d already shed a few black feathers for what I’d done to Karol and I cried softly, understanding that like trust and love- feathers were not something that could be replaced once lost.

  Oblivious to the fact that I was fading away, Ora went on. ‘… We went to storm the harem with all of your friends to liberate you the moment that we’d heard that you’d come to, but when we were told that you were coming to the ball, Karol decided to play his hand close to his chest again for fear of triggering his possessive little brother. He’d already ordered your gown months ago, and then had paid for your friends to deliver it so they would be here to see you released once he’d decided upon doing that- but he took me to select your ring the moment Kohén said that you’d be at the ball, and made arrangements to propose to you after the fireworks.’ She wriggled her eyebrows. ‘Oh Larkin, if I could show you the smile he’d had on his face this afternoon, it would be all of the proof of hi
s love that you’d need! His mood changed so swiftly- in a heartbeat he’d gone from being sad and surly, to bright and bubbly once more! And romantic…’ she shook her head, dimpling prettily. ‘Wait until you see him in the special suit he had sewn for himself just this afternoon, to strike your interest!’ she fanned herself. ‘He looks absolutely delicious in it!’

  ‘Wh-what?’ I swallowed hard. ‘What special suit?’

  She pressed her hands to her heart. ‘I cannot say, that will ruin the-’

  ‘I can’t take another surprise!’ I whimpered, knots twisting up my intestines. ‘Please just tell me… what was that costume supposed to be?’

  A line appeared between Ora’s brows. ‘You’ve seen it?’ She glanced behind her, but still she did not see the way that the charred curtains were flapping frantically through the shattered window. ‘Where is he? If he’s around, why am I the one explaining all of this?’

  ‘What was it?!’ I demanded shrilly, taking her hands now and shaking her when her eyes landed on the rifle and widened. ‘I have to know! What costume did he believe would appeal to me so, after years of me making my hate evident?’

  ‘Ow! Shit!’ Ora snatched her hands from mine and when I looked down and saw scarlet imprints around her wrists, my stomach flipped. ‘What’s wrong with your hands?’ She pressed her soft palm to my sweaty forehead. ‘Are you still ill?’

  ‘Tell me NOW!’

  Ora stepped back, looking cross and a little fearful now. ‘He’s dressed as a soldier, all right?!’ she yelled the answer at me, but it only confused me more. What want did I have for a soldier? ‘A confederate officer to be precise- like your hero, Rhett Butler-’

  My abdomen buckled, and I felt Karol’s letter to me beneath my corset crackle. ‘No!’

  ‘Yes! He wanted to swoop out of the pages of one of the closest things to a love story that you’ve ever deigned to relate to- so he combed through history books all morning trying to find out how such a man would have dressed-’