章 60: Desmera IV
293AC
"Lady Desmera, your father and Prince Arthur have returned to the keep, they are asking to see you down in the courtyard."
"In the courtyard?" she asked, rising from her bed. She had retired to her chambers once breakfast was finished. "I will be down in just a moment."
The maid nodded and went back to her business as the young lady slipped into her shoes and collected herself. 'I wonder why we are meeting in the courtyard?'
She soon found out, however, as when she stepped out of the door she found herself face to face with a creature right out of the fairytales.
"Uh…" Desmera felt her breath leave her as she saw the proud creature, it's single polished horn rising to we'll above her height. That was a living, breathing, Unicorn, dimly she saw that it was not the only one, a few others were being led into the stables, all tall and proud as this one. She gaped at the ridiculous sight.
"Beautiful aren't they? I brought them all the way from Skagos for you."
She nearly jumped out of her skin and quickly flushed as she turned away from the majestic creature to face Prince Arthur, who had approached her while she was entranced.
"From… Skagos? Oh my. I'm terribly sorry my prince for not noticing you, it is just that they are so enchanting." Her cheeks burned from the breach in etiquette, what was it about the prince that made her always shove her foot in her mouth?
"Oh, it's no trouble really." He kindly smiled. "They do have an air to them that charms the eye. I think it might even be magic, albeit of some lesser form than their wild counterparts. These Studs were part of the herd of house Crowley of Deepdown. A fitting gift for a girl as lovely as you."
If her checks had been pink before they might as well have been tomatoes at the compliment. The Prince was ugly true, but still, this was so… this was like a fairy tale.
The smile on the prince's face dimmed however as he spoke the truth of the matter. "Unfortunately it is going to have to be a parting gift. I had planned to stay a few more days to know you better, but alas The Ironborn who escaped today Euron Greyjoy, who apparently is now a Kinslayer, and has come here by way of slaughtering down the coast of the Westerlands and the Reach. I must give chase before he escapes to Essos."
Desmera felt her heart fall a bit. She had only gotten to speak to the prince thrice, and he was already planning to depart? It felt unfair like she hadn't even had the chance to prove herself to him at all.
It must have shown on her face because she felt his hand come down gently on her shoulder. "This is not some fault of yours, lady Desmera, indeed, were it not for my duty because of my father's position I might leave this to others, but that is alas not the position I find myself in."
"I understand my Prince, it's only my lack of ability to do my own duty that makes me pine."
"I know that feeling, really, I do." the prince said kindly, before removing his hand from her shoulder. "But I need to go now, the wind has changed and we must make to pursue lest more innocents die to that monster's axes."
he turned to leave, but a thought suddenly came upon Desmera, 'This is my last chance.' "Wait," she said, and he did so, turning around to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Will you accept my betrothal then?"
Immediately the Prince's face became a mask of stone, his mouth forming into a thin line before finally, he shook his head, and she felt her stomach drop.
"I will not lie to you Lady Desmera, I intend to marry Princess Arianne Martell. You are equally lovely and beautiful in truth, but I find myself closer to her in thought."
"I… I see…" the defeat stung, she had failed to charm the prince. She sighed as she looked down at the floor. "Go then, go to your duty Prince Arthur," she paused for a moment before tacking on at the end. "And thank you for the Unicorns, and for being kind to me even when I've made such a fool of myself. I… I think I will retreat to my chambers now."
She did not hear his response, as she was already turning back into the door as she spoke, and before she began thinking again she had thrown herself face-first into her bed.
She tried to find an excuse, to think of the Prince as being unfair, or perhaps seduced by the carnal wiles of the infamous Dornish, but Arthur did not seem that type of man. He had been courteous and kind to her, and a bit distant. No her failure here was her own fault, she had been a fool around him, and a boar besides.
As the tears slipped from her eyes she could feel a sort of bitterness she had never experienced before, but she could still tell its name, she had been told of its ashy flavor many times in stories and tales.
For it was on that day at the age of twelve that Desmera Redwyne first tasted defeat.
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