Chapter 224
## Chapter 224
Lina bit her lips and clenched her fist tightly as if she were about to respond, but it seemed that the fear of her tyrannical brother ruining her marriage made her back down. The young woman looked at him with eyes reddened by anger, then suddenly turned around and left the room, slamming the door behind her.
As for him, he resumed signing the leather documents coldly, as if nothing had happened.
—I want Lina’s engagement ceremony to be held as simply as possible. Invite no one but the nobles from influential families to serve as witnesses to the contract.
—Your Excellency, Lady Lina is the only princess of the Duke’s family. Do you not fear that a lackluster ceremony might tarnish the reputation of the Shirkhan family…?
—The war is not over yet, and it is too early to celebrate with lavish festivities —Varkas interrupted the head butler’s advice abruptly, and handed him the signed document, adding—: Instead, I will arrange a majestic wedding for her. If anyone from the entourage expresses complaints, inform them of that.
The servant remained silent and found nothing more to add.
After Varkas reviewed the rest of the official documents, he put on his coat and went out. She was not around; it seemed she had finished her walk and moved elsewhere.
He stopped in the middle of the garden, contemplating the flowers she had been observing, and then changed his course toward the stable; he intended to go on a tour to inspect the province after a long absence.
He brought out his horse, Tork, who was enjoying a brief rest, and guided him out of the castle. As soon as he crossed the moat and descended into the plaza, his view was filled with the scene of the prosperous city. The city, which had suffered for a time from the plundering of the Zaram and the persecutions of heresy, now seemed submerged in absolute calm and peace.
Varkas scanned the streets crowded with merchants and then set off on his horse toward the north gate. As soon as he passed through the arched gate, the vast prairies stretched out before him as if opening at his pace. He crossed the extensive grasslands all at once and then stopped his horse at the top of the hill.
His eyes were filled with the endlessly stretching sky, the wind-swept fields, and the pine forest that shined with a pale white. He inspected that landscape along the hillside and then turned his horse’s head in the direction of the farm.
In that instant, a strong wind whipped the earth. Varkas heard the sound of an animal howling amidst the wailing of the shaking trees, so he turned back intently. The white-barked trees intertwined and creaked under the effect of the wind. Varkas experienced a strange and suspicious sensation, as if something were watching him from inside; he placed his hand on the pommel of his sword, but that presence that had made the hair on his neck stand on end vanished in the blink of an eye. He remained on the hill examining the turbulent forest, and then spurred his horse and departed.
A few weeks later, Lina’s engagement ceremony was held in the chapel of Raidgo Castle.
The pews of the faithful were filled with high-ranking nobles, led by the Earl Scart’s family to serve as witnesses, while at the front of the room sat the lawyers representing the interests of both families, the priests who would officiate the rites, and the entourage of the Duke’s family. An atmosphere of extreme solemnity reigned over the ceremony.
Lina remained with a sullen face in front of the future groom, who looked stiff with nervousness. The representatives of the families exchanged the engagement documents, and these were sealed with the family coats of arms. After handing them to the lawyers, the gift-exchange ceremony began.
The luxurious velvet-lined boxes passed from one side to the other, while the scribes recorded the list of exchanged gifts on leather parchments; among them was a ring forged by the most skilled dwarf artisans. The groom took the ring first and placed it on his bride’s finger, and Lina did the same on the hand of the one she had chosen as her husband. Then, the high priest advanced toward the altar and announced with a devout voice the consummation of the engagement between the two families.
As soon as the formalities concluded, the guests left the chapel and headed to the banquet hall, where long tables packed with all kinds of food and drinks were lined up in a room decorated with exquisite taste.
The guests took their respective seats; Varkas raised his glass, announcing the start of the banquet, and at that instant, the conversations of the diners, which had been contained, burst forth.
Varkas brought the glass to his lips while examining the hall meticulously. He saw Lina standing with a frown in a corner of the hall before walking up the stairs, stomping her feet against the floor, while the groom seemed absorbed in receiving congratulations with a wide smile that did not leave his face. Varkas looked at that vulgar scene and let out an ironic, low laugh. It seemed that the man did not care about the feelings of the woman who would become his future wife. And that was no surprise; with this marriage, he would lay his hands on an immense fortune and vast lands, so what did his future bride’s complaints matter to him?
Varkas let out a slight sigh and sat at the end of the long table; Earl Scart and the entourage rushed to speak with him as if they had been waiting for the opportunity. The conversation began with an exchange of greetings and then moved on to debates about the war and the future political situation. Varkas responded to the talks with indifference while sipping from his glass, until he felt a heaviness in his body and rose from his seat.
—Excuse me, I will retire now. My state of health is not entirely good.
—Ah, I remember we heard about your serious wound. It seems you have not yet fully recovered —said Earl Scart, who had been speaking enthusiastically, directing a look full of concern at him.
Varkas sketched a formal smile on his lips.
—It is not something you should worry about, but my stamina is no longer the same as before.
—In that case, go rest immediately. We thank you for attending in person to oversee the engagement despite your wound.
—There is no need to thank me, for this is a matter that concerns the marriage of my only sister, and it is natural that I oversee it myself —Varkas pronounced those diplomatic words without blinking, and then left the hall.
Upon climbing the stairs, he saw the rays of the setting sun dye the castle walls red. He contemplated the landscape for a moment and then turned his gaze toward the annex building on one side of the back garden.
She had excused herself from attending the ceremony under the pretext of being ill. Although this action could cause an inconvenience for the Duchess’s rank, he had not forced her to attend. The bad rumors surrounding her had not yet completely quieted down, and he did not wish to expose the woman who had barely just regained her stability to the cruel gazes of the nobles; above all, he feared that Reyna might cause some trouble.
Varkas suppressed a slight sigh, entered his room, and sat weakly on the bed. He felt a lethargy in his limbs and a heaviness in his head, due perhaps to the lack of sleep during the last few days. He pressed his eyelids, which were beginning to lose clarity, and then took a glass from atop the shelf. He had to sleep now, or his condition would truly worsen.
He took a large swig of the strong alcohol, then opened the drawer and pulled out an aromatic incense stick that he had previously received from the healer. He placed it in the brazier and lit it; his eyelids began to grow heavy and the headache that was splitting his skull vanished, being replaced by a peaceful mist. He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.
He did not know how much time had passed, but his consciousness returned suddenly and his eyes caught the scene of the room enveloped in a dim light. He frowned for an instant, and then saw a small silhouette standing in front of the fireplace, so he sat up abruptly.
Talia was looking at him with serene eyes; she had braided her thick hair and let it fall over her shoulder. He froze in his place before that scene that seemed like fantasy, and then lowered his legs from the bed.
—What are you doing here?
His voice sounded extremely hostile even to his own ears. And it seemed that his voice reached her with an even greater coldness, for a slight tension appeared on her face, which before was calm.
—I am sorry for entering without permission, but I have come to ask you a favor…
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