Page 1 of Alliance Bride
Chapter One
“Perhapstheywillacceptan alliance without us having to offer you in marriage.”
Eadlyn dropped the tent flap to block her view of the fierce Nord warriors milling about their camp near the river that marked the border between Essix and Nordra. The ache in her stomach swelled into her throat, bitter and hot, but she swallowed it back down as she turned to her brother, Essix’s so recently crowned king.
“God willing.”
She didn’t have the heart to dash Edward’s fragile hope. She had prayed day and night for such an outcome, but the fact remained—Essix was weak and broken. They had little to offer in an alliance. Unless God intervened, a marriage proposal was their only hope, and even that was a slim hope.
Edward halted his persistent pacing, his jaw clenching as reality seemed to crash in. “What if they won’t even consider an alliance?”
“They have to. You must convince them.”
He dropped into a nearby chair, his brows gathering in a petulant frown he needed to banish if he wanted to be taken seriously as king. He was a man now and far too old for such childish dramatics. “How?”
Eadlyn held back a sigh. He was not ready for the responsibility that had been thrust upon him. And how could he be? No one had bothered to teach him. Their father would surely be remembered as one of the worst kings ever to rule Essix.
“By remembering Waelon may be preparing for war, and if this alliance fails, Essix will be doomed.” She wasn’t sure how much more clearly she could stress their dire situation. The kingdom to the east had long had its eye on Essix. Like it or not, Edward had to embrace his role as king and find the strength to be what their father was not.
He hung his head. “You’re right.”
She knelt before him and wrapped her hand around his arm. The path her life might take after today frightened her far more than she would admit to him, but her brother was the one who had to carry the weight of the crown. “God will not abandon us, and we have allies who will help us see this through.”
As if summoned, a weathered figure ducked into the tent. Oswin had been around for as long as Eadlyn could remember, doing everything in his power to advise her father and temper the king’s rash behavior. His once-black hair had turned almost entirely gray, and fatigue etched deep lines in his face. Yet, despite his worn appearance and heavy-lidded eyes, a closer look revealed they were sharp as flint, just like his mind. Without his counsel and influence, Edward might never have been crowned king after their father’s sudden death, and the country would be in evengreater turmoil. He was the one Edward had to rely on once she was gone.
“Your Majesty. My lady.” Oswin gave them a respectful bow. “The pavilion is ready.”
“So this is it.” Edward’s face turned a shade of green, and Eadlyn gave his arm another squeeze.
“I have faith you will go out there and be the king I know you can be.”
This drew a weak smile from him.
While Oswin helped Edward slip into his royal robes, Eadlyn reached into a small chest and lifted the crown from its resting place. The cool brass pressed against her fingers, worn at the edges from generations of use. It served as a reminder of what was at stake. Their country’s entire history might end here if they were unsuccessful in today’s negotiations.
When Edward faced her, he dipped his chin, and she set the crown atop his head, tucking a few unruly strands of his dark hair beneath it. It had grown too long to be entirely respectable in Essix. She’d meant to trim it days ago, but time had slipped away. He needed a good wife. Someone to stand beside him and help him lead their people. If only she could be here to help him choose one.
He stepped back, holding his arms wide. “Do I look like a king?”
She smiled through the ache building in her chest. “Stand tall and proud. Then you willbeone.”
He took a deep breath, pulling his shoulders back, and Eadlyn did indeed glimpse the king she knew he could be. He just needed to work on his confidence. She prayed he would fake it well enough to convince the Nords to take their proposal seriously.
“All right, let’s get this done.”
He led the way out of the tent, shoulders square, his crown glinting beneath the overcast sky. Eadlyn followed behind, Oswin silent and steady at her right. To her left, Galen, commander of the royal guard, fell into step, tall as a tower and twice as unyielding. His grim expression rarely changed, always as though they were marching to war. Today, it suited the occasion. She took comfort in his stalwart presence. He and Oswin were two of the closest allies she and Edward had.
Ahead, the cream-colored pavilion stood as a symbol of neutral ground between the two camps, its scarlet trim fluttering in the chill breeze. Beneath the canopy, servants bustled, placing chairs and tables and arranging goblets and a cask of wine. The scene looked almost festive. But this was no celebration.
This was where their future would be decided. Her future.
Eadlyn’s stomach twisted again, uncertain whether it should settle or rise. She forced the storm inside her to calm. She had to be strong for Edward and her people.
They stepped into the shadows beneath the pavilion. Three high-backed chairs waited, with a second set facing them. Eadlyn brushed her fingers along a polished armrest but did not sit. Her legs were too restless to stay still.
“The Nord king will join us shortly,” Oswin said, glancing first at Edward, and then at her.
Edward’s throat worked. “Any last advice?”
