The Inheritor of Light

"Political marriages remain a major part of the human noble class even in the post-feudal societies. Whether to foreign princes or resident lords, arranged marriages serve to tighten bonds within and without nations. Unlike trade agreements or alliances, the joining of a couple creates a bond that few nations are likely to sever. This means that even a weak nation may possibly, through the correct marriage, ensure that it remains protected from both internal and external threats to its sovereignty."

– Emmanuel Kafster, "Absolutist Diplomacy" (439 SA)

Sãra woke to Johnathan shaking her. Her eyes opened groggily. The sun still hadn't risen above the eastern mountain range. She looked over to see Johnathan slinging his pack over his shoulder.

"Why are we up this early?" Sãra grumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"The sooner we leave; the sooner we arrive. Let's get going."

Although annoyed, Sãra rolled up her blanket, put it in her pack, and followed after Johnathan. The only people, besides them, who were out that early were the farmers—who paid them no mind. They were busy tending their crops and animals. It wasn't until they had gotten much closer to the city that they began to see the crowds. The gates had just opened, and already there was a flood of people pushing their way through the great stone archway. By the time Johnathan and Sãra had reached the gates, the crowd had begun to disperse.

"You there! Stop!" a guard called out as Johnathan and Sãra tried to pass by.

The crowd instinctively moved away as the guard closed the distance between himself and the two travelers. "What seems to be the problem?" Johnathan asked as the guard finally reached them.

"Problem? You're armed to the teeth, and you're asking me what the 'problem' is?" the guard retorted, motioning to the number of throwing knives attached to Johnathan's form.

"I have a good explanation."

"Well, I should hope you do. Otherwise, you'd be in quite a spot of trouble, now wouldn't you?"

"Well," Johnathan motioned for the guard to lean in. "You see that woman who's standing behind me trying to be inconspicuous?"

"Yes."

"What if I told you, that she was none other than your very own princess?"

"Oh, come off it. You're pulling my leg," the guard scoffed.

"It's all true, every word of it."

"Yeah, we'll see about that. Gilbert" the guard called out to another guard standing several feet away. "Come over here and get a load of this one."

The guard tipped back his kettle before making his way through the crowd. "Alright, alright, what's all this then?" the other guard said when he finally managed reach them.

"So," the first began. "I call for this one to stop 'cause of all his weapons. Well, then he says to me 'look at that girl there. She's your princess.' Sos I says to him 'Come off it,' and then he says 'It's the honest truth.' Now, what do you make that?"

"Well . . ." the second started as he took a good look at Sãra. "She does seem to share a rather striking resemblance to her ladyship. But I ain't never seen the princess for more than a moment and only from a distance off. I really can't say one way or the other."

By this time, Sãra had grown tired of the two guards' babbling. She pushed her way past Johnathan and in front of the guards. "I don't know who you two think you are and it really doesn't matter. But by the Exalted, take me one of the lords. They'll confirm who I am."