Chapter 5 First skill of being a wife

The following day Alex took his bags with him and was ready to leave. But Jordan came with King Cyrus and Carmen.

"Were you planning to leave without at least saying goodbye?" The King asked.

"Alex always does that. I am used to it now." Said Jordan.

Alex felt guilt creeping in.

"I.."

The King interrupted. Seeing that Alex had no words.

"Do not worry. I understand. I have a canoe you can use for your journey." said The King.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I do not have money to pay you when it becomes damaged as I am bit of a rough paddler." said Alex.

The king chuckled.

"I don't want you to purchase anything. The boat is yours to have." he said.

Alex was in disbelief.

"What!" he shouted, with a wide smile on his face.

Jordan was also surprised.

"Sigh this is truly an amazing thing." he said. Tears filled in his eyes.

"Come on Jordan. How long have you and I been friends?" The king asked.

Carmen walked closer to Alex and gave him a hug.

Jordan became worried a little at how the king's response would be. The king only smiled.

"I will miss you." said Carmen.

"I will miss you too my Queen." he said. Speaking the words my queen, brought a little worry to the King. He thought about how he could ever explain to Carmen one day that she was not really his blood.

"When will I see you again?" Carmen asked.

"I don't know..But I will visit every once a week."

Jordan felt a slight relief, and it showed.

Alex eyed his father for a while.

Jordan nodded.

King Cyrus led Alex to the boat. He placed his bags inside. They hugged. Carmen waved Alex goodbye, with tears in her eyes. It waas an emotional moment for everyone.

"If you play with any other beside me, I will come back just to slay that boy's hand with my sword!" Alex shouted, teasing Carmen.

Jordan and the king laughed.

"If you hold another girl's hand beside mine, I will come there in Noracia and bite both of your hands off. So that you never touch anyones' hand again!" Carmen replied.

Alex laughed.

Jordan and the King didn't laugh at the last comment. They were rather worried. Alex visited as frequently as he could, Carmen also visited Alex in Noracia as often as she wanted, with a guard of course. They visited each other every single year.

"Ahhhh" Carmen screamed. Shiandra rushed to see what was happening to her.

"What is it?" She asked.

Carmen pointed to her bed,Shiandra opened wide the sheets and she saw blood stains.

"Come with me." Said Shiandra,grabbing Carmen by the hand softly.

Carmen bathed while Shiandra helped her clean up her blankets. While explaining to her about the life change she was going through.

"Are you saying that all girls my age go through this?" Carmen asked wiping off the water from her wet body.

"Yes my dear, it means you will be a woman soon and perhaps somebody's wife"

"As in be matched to a boy?"

"Yes,but only if you are ready!" Shiandra pressed.

Carmen was slightly worried. If she was not the king's daughter by blood,perhaps she would be matched to a commoner, who might treat her badly. She thought.

The years had passed and Carmen was at the appropriate age to shed blood. But even so, Alex had stopped visiting and the King was much stricter with her. She did not allow allow her to visit, seeing that she was growing and becoming more prettier. He knew that boys would try to take their chance on her. And he didn't want her daughter marrying anyone at that time. He felt that his daughter was still too young.

Shiadra went to the King, who at the time was in his library doing what king's did. Read letters sent by the citizens with their complaints and suggestions.

The king took off his reading glasses and placed them on the table, as Shiandra entered.

"What can I do for you Shiandra?" He asked.

"Sigh! It is about your daughter.."

"What has she done now?" The king asked in great concern.

"Carmen has shed blood." said Shiandra.

King Cyrus was startled,he did not know how to react just yet.

"Is she okay?" The king asked.

Shiandra nodded.

"But you know what this means for her. She has to be matched,she is from a royal family,it is tradition to do so."

King Cyrus was not pleased to hear that suggestion.

"She is too young to concern herself with men, the right time will come as for now she will have to continue with school and then when she finishes she will be matched." The king pressed.

"Sigh, I understand your worry. But Carmen is not just any ordinary girl. She is going to be a queen one day and has to lead."

"Carmen is my daughter! She will be matched only when I allow it." The King pressed.

"Yes your highness." Shiandra bowed slightly.

Later that day, Shiandra asked not to be disturbed. The King was in his library still.

"Where is everyone?" Carmen asked.

"I told them that the dining room will be ours in the afternoons from now on. They wont disturb us. No one will."

"Not even my father?"

"Only he is allowed to disturb us."

Carmen giggled.

"Why are you placing the spoons like that, are we going to eat?" she asked.

"Because today's lesson is about setting the table correctly. Since you are going to be married one day, you might as well learn how to be set the table."

"I will never marry, unless it is someone I truly love." Carmen protested, with her hand hands on her waist and her head held high.

Shiandra smiled.

"If you don't marry. You will then have to stay here with your father until he passes on. Is that the life you really want for yourself?" she asked.

"Well no. I don't want to stay with my father that long. I want to sail."

"But even that requires constant training."

"Then I will learn how to sail!"

"And what if someone marries you and you never get the chance to sail or you have no time to go sailing and your children need you at home. Will you still learn to sail?" Shiandra sked .

"I will learn now, and go with them all on my sailing adventures."

"That seems like a though a wise plan. You are indeed going to be a great a queen."

Carmen smiled.