I could see the scene unfold before me; standing there as an invisible participant in the background.
The tall, dark wooden doors were thrown open and she stormed through. Her normally free, flowing pale blond locks were twisted together in a long braid with strands of her bangs and side burns free to frame her angular face. Though her hair tied, her white gown flowed behind her with it shimmering a silver sheen in the candle lights. Her hands were curled into fists and her eyes narrowed into a furious glare, the color paling to the blue winter skies rather than the normal calm cerulean color.
She instantly observed the scene when she stormed in, her voice ringing loud and clear through the throne room. "Stop!" She came closer to those all ready in the room. There were three visible occupants but she knew at least two more where hidden in the background somewhere. One was on the ground, holding himself up with an arm while wiping blood from his mouth with his free hand. He was staring up at the man who punched him down; the man stood tall dressed in a full set of armor and his entire body language screamed to not mess or question him. The last one stood back away from the violent encounter, watching silently making no move to stop the two men.
The towering man took a step forward but the young woman shouted at him again. "I said stop it father!" Mervyn paused, finally taking note of his daughter. He was indifferent towards her anger, as he always has been when she challenged him.
"Aran-" She ignored the man on the ground, standing in front of him in a protective manner. "I wouldn't stand by and let you hurt him just because you do not approve of our relationship," she snapped towards her father.
She was furious; she knew he didn't approve of Taran but this was going to far. She couldn't sit back knowing that he was hurting Taran and probably had in mind of possibly killing him right there on the spot. She wouldn't put it pass him; killing Taran would easily take care of his "problem." He was a loving father but that didn't mean he could be cruel and merciless when he decided to be.
This time it was Mervyn's turn to snarl at her. He's tall stature and aura was intimidating; his eyes were a pale, intense blue that made want people to look away. Short, black locks and his navy blue clothing contrasted against those light eyes making them even more intense then they all ready were. "I've dealt with your desire not to be married in arranged marriage Aran but this is going to far. He is not of your status let alone worth your time. He's a mongrel!"
She could hear Taran growl at the insult but she spoke before he could speak up. "That is not your concern. It's my life and I shall decide what I will do with it like I've told you before. He's still gentry-"
"Someone's lap dog," Mervyn intervened with a mock of a laugh.
Aran gritted her teeth for a moment, angry that he interrupted her. "Enough of this. You're going to have to approve of him, whether you like it or not."
"Really? And what makes you say that so confidently."
"Because I'm pregnant."
As the words escaped her mouth the entire room went still and silent. She watched as her father's anger disappeared with a blink of an eye, his eyes wide with surprise and tense muscles relaxed into a limp position. It was as if he had been slapped in the face. She could see her brother, who was standing off to the side, reflect the same shock but he kept flickering his gaze between the three other occupants of the room, waiting to see who would speak first. She could even feel Taran's surprised eyes behind her, no one had known.
Mervyn slowly backed up until he was sitting comfortably in his throne, not breaking his stare on her.
"If you do not approve, or even kill him, then you will have to deal with a child asking why they don't have a father. Where the father is, who he is." Aran stared unwaveringly at her father, watching him mule over and ponder over her words. She knew he considered family to be important; he remembered us loosing our mother at a young age. She was still around but forced to be somewhere she didn't want to be. Her very argument of not wanting to be in an arrange marriage. To be chained down to something or someone she didn't want to be with just like her mother's current situation.
She took small, cautious steps form towards her father. When she neared him she keeled down to sit on the floor beside the throne. She reached out and took his large hand into both of her own. She affectionately kissed the top of his hand before pressing it against her cheek. She felt him move his fingers a little to caress her cheek gently. "I'm not doing this to fight against you like a rebellious child. He may seem rather course and unrefined in your eyes but I see a different side of him that you don't see. He makes me happy father."
She could hear his heavy sigh, and she peered back up at him. She could feel his fingers pressing softly against her cheek before he spoke with a tired tone. "Not really left with a choice am I?" She smiled weakly at him. "Go home. I'll come visit you soon, you shouldn't travel as often now."
"Thank you." She released his hand and got to her feet. Aran walked towards Taran, kneeling back down to meet his eyes level smiling weaker than she did towards her father. She could see some of the bruises swelling on his face from the damage he had taken, his thick mass of hair wild and untamed. There were still traces of blood dried along his skin that made her heart clench in worry. But his dark, golden orbs lost the surprise element and now reflected a mixture of emotions; awe, endearment, uncertainty and amongst many others."Let's go home," she murmured feeling tired herself.
She helped lift him back to his feet. He reached out, grasping one of her hands as she led them out of the throne room without another spare glance towards her male kin. Out in the safety of the hallway though he stopped her, twisting her around to face him. "Are you really...?" He trailed off as if the final word was forbidden to say.
Hesitantly, she nodded. "It's why I came out here... many of the healers that have worked under my father have known me since I was little. I thought they would be the best to see why I've been so sick lately. I... I just found out before I heard that father had summoned your presence."
A grin broke out on his face as he picked her up in delight. She laughed lightly as her arms automatically wrapped around her neck. She could feel herself relax, worry ebbing away. She was nervous about telling him and in no way planning on revealing that piece of information so soon let alone in that situation. But he was happy, and she felt happy as well and she decided that was all that mattered.
