"How are you feeling, my dear?" King Andrei asked, putting a stop to all banter between his children. 
                          
Irina swallowed a piece of pie, looking over at her father with a smile. "I'm feeling better, Papa. Much better." 
                          
"I'm glad to hear it." King Andrei smiled, looking happy. "And have you gotten the chance to speak to Prince Antero Grimjer?"
                          
And there it was. The thing that doused her back. It was as if a proverbial bucket of cold water was splashed onto her face, bringing her back to the cold threat of reality. 
                          
"I-Yes, I suppose I have," Irina said slowly, remembering the Fjerdan prince who had been so kind to her. 
                          
King Andrei clapped victoriously. "Wonderful. I guess this is a sign that the preparations should already be underway." 
                          
Irina's eyes widened, a chill settling over her form. "Preparations? For what?" 
                          
"For the wedding, of course." Her father answered as if it were obvious. 
                          
Irina exclaimed, dropping her cutlery to look at her father in shock. "The wedding!?" 
                          
The king carried on as if he did not just drop the news that would alter her life. "Oh yes. Prince Antero has agreed to have the wedding as soon as possible. He seems to be quite fond of you."
                          
"I heard Fjerda was lovely this time of year." Oleg mused, his anger dissipated now that he could see the distraught state his sister was about to submerge herself in. 
                          
Taking a calming breath and not wanting to give her brother the satisfaction, Irina merely gritted her teeth. "Father, may I speak to you later? About all this?" 
                          
Her father nodded, oblivious to the fake smile on his daughter's face. "We will speak more about this wedding tonight. I would want nothing more than the best for you." 
                          
The problem was, no matter how grand the wedding would be. No matter how many guests would be invited, how many exotic dishes were served, how much gold is spent for the wedding. It will not be the best for her. Not when the groom waiting for her at the altar was not the man she had given her love and her heart to to. 
                          
The path her father would willingly lead her to would be a future of an unhappy man and an unhappy woman. 
                          
The ever after for a monarch in their world. 
                          
//
                          
Irina couldn't help the grin that spread on her face as she saw the beginnings of the Grisha Sanctuary. 
                          
The events of the meal she shared with her family far from her mind. She wouldn't allow the wedding to happen, no matter what. This was her life, and she should be free to choose. Given the chance, she would always choose the same man. 
                          
Vasilka had taken to napping in her chambers, leaving her alone to go meet Aleksander. She couldn't fault the little cub, after all the cakes she ate from Igor, she needed the nap. 
                          
As for her, it took almost everything in her not to sprint her way to the Grisha Sanctuary. Instead, she continued to go one her leisurely pace, observing the structure as she did. 
                          
Tall columns have already been established, and grand roofs. The walls were beginning to be built up based on the stones piled up. There was a certain art to building, the beauty in making nothing into something. Aleksander had told her about Grisha whose power lies in the art of building. 
                          
Durasts, they were called. She hoped that one day, she would have the opportunity to meet one. To meet people like her.