Two Stubborn Hearts

Rulryn enters the surprisingly cool white building, the sun's heat momentarily forgotten. Beautiful servants bow to Ashvaer as they enter. He smiles, " I can't believe that I just left and it already feels as if I have seen you all in a hundred years." Some of them blush, most of them modest enough to hide their expressions from the young master's wife-to-be. Rulryn sighs silently, she only just arrived and she could already feel a cheating husband. 

A woman around her thirties approaches the two, her face stern. "Ashvaer, so you have returned with your bride." Rulryn bows to her, " I am Rulryn, pleased to meet you." The woman nods slightly, " As am I. I am Ashvaer's mother, Anarta." She takes Rulryn's hand, " Come, you must be tired from the long ride, I will lead you to your room." Rulryn thanks her as she is dragged off.

"Your bride is pretty," compliements Vyvren. Ashvaer raises a brow, " How is she pretty? She is ugly if you ask me." Vyvren giggles, " You say you are a lover of beautiful women young master, yet you can't recognize the beauty in your bride." Ashvaer frowns, " I think I can see well enough Vyvren." She shakes her head at him, " She is pretty, but not in the way of the beauty you know." Ashvaer grabs her hips, pulling her close to him, " Yes, I admit I can't understand that kind of beauty, won't you marry me instead?" Vyvren pulls aways, " Young master, you say the same thing to all the other servants, try telling that to your bride." She walks off, but is stopped halfway. "Is it because you're just a servant Vyvren. Is that why you refuse me?" Vyvren turns to him, " Yes, we are not meant to be." Before Ashvaer can stop her again she is gone.

"Your wedding is tomorrow so make sure to get a lot of rest," says Anarta, "if you need anything tell the servants." "I will," Rulryn answers as Anarta leaves. When she leaves, Rulryn walks around her large room letting her fingers trail the red silk curtains, feeling the smooth surface of the white walls, sitting down on her red silk bed to check its comfort. After somewhat settling down she begins to plan what she is going to do next. She walks over to the window, staring out to the courtyard below. She sees Ashvaer talking to a servant with midnight black hair and enchanting blue eyes, her eyes popping out even more in contrast to her caramel skin. The servant is about to leave, but Ashvaer says something that makes her stop. She turns to him, sadness in her eyes, replying to Ashvaer, then leaves.

Though Rulryn did not want to love, she was happy enough to see the happiness that love could bring to others and would encourage a couple that she felt was perfect for each other. She did not want to marry Ashvaer and disliked his womanizing ways, but she did not know him enough to hate him. It was the wedding itself and being stuck with a man she didn't even know that made her unhappy. Suddenly Ashvaer looks up, surprising Rulryn who had no time to flee from the window. Instead she looks back down at him with amusement. In return he stares back defiantly as if saying: this is what I'm like, so live with it.

The next day awakened by servants Rulryn unhappily prepares for the wedding. As they dressed her in shimmering colors of red, gold, and white, she devises up many ways to escape the marriage. One of them being suicide, but that was a little too intense for her. She considered running away or refusing to marry Ashvaer, but she was bound by the fact that she couldn't ruin her father's reputation. In the end she sighs in defeat.

Ornaments of gold and silver are draped on her. A sparkling gold necklace with roses of gold, the center one made of ruby is adorned on her neck, the slight weight a reminder of what she was going to do. The servants put her hair up in an elaborate bun after brushing it to a shiny black. Two large butterflies of gold and silver hold her hair in place as they brush her cheeks with white powder, " To accentuate your light skin," a cheerful servant says. Her lips are painted a blushing rose pink, heavy black liner bringing out her dark eyes.

When the servants are done they stare at her, not exactly in awe or displeasure. "Do I look ugly?" Rulryn asks, hoping if she did, she could get away with the fact that the bride was too ugly. "You look the same," says one of the servants,  "but a little prettier." Another servant giggles, " Like a young girl after a good bath." Rulryn smiles back a little, taking it as a compliment. Okay, she looked like a child, close enough, but not enough to get her out of the wedding.

"You should smile more, young mistress," a gray eyed servant suggests, "it makes you look prettier." Rulryn smiles, "Thanks." Okay, she was not going to smile.

"Am I handsome enough for you to reconsider my proposal?" Vyvren sighs, "No, young master. Stop stalling and leave already, your bride is waiting." "Are you sure you won't regret this?" "Never," Vyvren replies, "I want a man who can stay devoted forever." Ashvaer smirks at her bewitchingly, "I am devoted-- devoted to beautiful women." Vyvren pushes him out the door, "Go already. The mistress will be livid with anger."

Bride and groom eye each other as they stand before the master. She looks okay, dressed up that is, Ashvaer thinks. Handsome as always, Rulryn thinks wryly.

"Today we all gather to celebrate the union of Ashvaer of the Wind and Rulryn of the Trees. Once they have exchanged the flowers of love, they will be forever bonded.  Though this is a union that has been made to prevent the destruction of another, I hope that the two will grow to love each other for their differences."

Ashvaer's father ties a red ribbon to Rulryn's pinky then Ashvaer's. "You are now bound by fate." He then hands bride and groom a flower, that Rulryn has never seen before. It was deep purple with wide petals that narrowed at the end. In the center a red heart shaped pistil releases a scent that overwhelms her with the feeling of sadness tainted with promising hardship and sweet love. It smelled of happiness and pain.

"Now, bride and groom will exchange the flower of love." At first the two do not move, but a stern glance from Anarta commanded they do it or else. Rulryn gives her flower to Ashvaer, he takes it with his other hand, handing her his. "Their bond is now sealed," Ashvaer's father announces. Everyone cheers, flower petals are thrown into the air, some swept away by the breeze.

Both bride and groom look away from each other, knowing that now they were really stuck together. "You know that I don't love you," says Ashvaer. "Same here," replies Rulryn. She glances at his handsome face, then his beautiful servants. I will never love him, she vows. How can I love someone like her, Ashvaer thinks looking at her somewhat not ugly but not pretty face.

There and then, on the day they were wed they vowed to never love the other, but the wind is ever changing and the trees forever shedding their old leaves for new.