• It was a bright and sunny day in the kingdom of Michiko. The weather was warm, the grass was soft and green, and the birds chirped a happy melody. All seemed right with the world.

    However, for young Prince Mattheus, things were all but well. As he sat at his desk, he tried to concentrate on his studies, but he couldn’t see the math problems nor could he hear the birds. The only thing visible to his smoky grey eyes and the only thing that stumbled through his mind were the events of that morning.

    “What?!” Belmair and Mattheus exclaimed, both equally stunned at what their fathers had just told them.

    “That’s right!” Mattheus’ father, King Bartholomew of Michiko, said with cheeks bright and rosy red, eyes glistening like the morning dew, and the excitement of a small dog. “You two are to be married on the first of this upcoming May.”

    “Now, I know that this seems quite precipitous seeing as this is arranged for only two months from our current date, but it must be done,” said Belmair’s father, King Fredrick of Marriganth, bright eyed, but a little less bushy-tailed than his friend. “It’s a multi-century tradition that keeps the mutualism between our two kingdoms strong. Our generation took part in the inter-kingdom marriage and now it is your turn.”

    "But father," Mattheus protested, "I hardly know her! How do you expect me to marry someone I don't even know, let alone love?"

    "And what about my feelings?" Belmair added.

    "I don't mean to sound cruel, but think of it not as feeling love for someone else, think of it as love and loyalty for your country. You will grow to love each other after the wedding takes place," King Bartholomew replied.

    "Do you think you can handle this?" King Fredrick asked the two.

    "Yes father," Belmair nodded in agreement causing her blonde curls to bounce a bit. She was willing to do anything her father asked of her, even if it meant marrying an almost stranger. Besides, he was kind of cute so it wouldn‘t be entirely horrible. Mattheus, however, was a little more than resistant to the entire idea. Nevertheless he solemnly lowered his head in a slow nod.

    "Then it is decided!" King Bartholomew clapped with added enthusiasm.

    As Mattheus stood to close the window to block out the sounds of the chirping birds, a sigh escaped from the bowels of his 6'3" figure. He had to do something to stop this wedding, but what? That was the question.

    Suddenly, a knock at his bedroom door broke him out of his reminiscing daze. In walked Belmair.

    “May I help you?” Mattheus turned to look at the intruder.

    “Well, we are going to be married so I thought we should get to know each other better,” she replied.

    “So you decide to barge into my room without permission? Well, aren’t you a rude one.” His eyes narrowed.

    “At least I knocked. Soon you shall be my husband and you will have to get used to me entering a room unannounced. Anyways, I was thinking that since we’re going to be married we should get to know each other better.”

    “You said that already.” Said Mattheus, obviously irritated by now.

    “You didn’t let me finish. How about this. I’ll begin by telling you a little about myself then you can tell something about yourself, you know to -“

    ”To get to know each other better because we’re going to get married. I think I get that by now,” he interrupted.

    “See! We’re already finishing each others sentences!” Belmair exclaimed before going into a long speech about her life story. However Mattheus just tuned her out. Now he knew there was no way he could marry her. She was rude and vexing. He had to escape, but how? She wouldn’t stop talking. Then an idea came to him. He could jump out the window when she wasn’t looking. It was only the second story so he wouldn’t get badly injured. Or better yet, he could leave for the bathroom and never come back. Yes, that was more probable.

    “...and then I turned five.”

    “ I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute,” he said before heading for the door.

    “Now wait just one minute!” Belmair grabbed him by the shoulder causing him to stop his escape attempt. She turned him around and looked him straight in the eye. “I know what your plan is, and you’re not getting away from this princess. Many men have tried to pull the same trick on me before and I won’t let it happen again. So help me, I will tie you to that chair if I have to, I will not let you leave this room, Mattheus.”

    Mattheus felt a chill go down his spine as if her azure eyes were shooting icicles into his soul. But he wasn’t going to take this from any woman.

    Glaring back at her he said, “I don’t know who you think you are, but you will take your hands off of me this instant and I will leave this room. This is my house with my rules and you cannot tell me what I can and can not do. Now, good day princess.” With that he promptly left one shocked Belmair and headed for the stables where his black stallion, Kurokawa, was.

    Mattheus picked up the bright red horse brush and started brushing Kurokawa’s glossy coat and untangling his mane. While doing this he continued to think over his plan, hopefully without interruption this time.

    Many ideas and malicious plans came to mind as he thought it over for the two hours he was in the stable. But, finally he thought of one that suited his fancy. It was a plan. A horrible plan. A wonderful horrible plan that would indisputably rid him of his problem with Belmair, princess of Marriganth. It would have to be executed swiftly and thoroughly, without any space for errors. Unfortunately, it would mean that he would have to spend more time with the wretched creature, but it would be worth it.

    The next day Mattheus rode his horse to the castle in Marriganth to talk to Belmair. He didn’t want there to be any tension between them before he carried out his plan. That would only point the fingers to him, and we wouldn’t want that now would we?

    After things cleared up between them he pretended to like her for the next week or so just to make sure he wasn’t on her bad side, and for the happiness of his father. Meanwhile he was perfecting and working out the flaws in his plan. Belmair’s day of reckoning would soon come.

    **********************


    It was a bright and sunny day in the land of Marriganth. Exactly one week since the announcement of the wedding between Belmair and Mattheus. The flowers were blooming brightly and the grass was soft and verdant viridian. The peaks of the mountains were lightly powdered with pearly white snow that glistened with the rays of sun gleaming off it. Mattheus had ridden to the castle in Marriganth yet again, as he had been doing for the past week, to visit Belmair. However today was going to be different.

    He was clad in his full onyx armor, just like a knight, with his sword at his side. He had planned a surprise for his fiancé in Rainwater Valley, one of the many valleys that spotted the mountainous country of Marriganth.

    “Where are you taking me?” Belmair asked as she clung to the back of Mattheus as they rode away on his stallion.

    “Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now would it, my love?” Mattheus cringed at the last phrase seeing as it left a bitter taste in his mouth. The sides of his face pulled back into a wince, but Belmair couldn’t see for she was behind him.

    Riding a little further, they reached the valley that was full of Birds of Paradise, Anthurium’s, and Calla Lily’s.

    “Oh!” Belmair breathed, “It’s so beautiful here! How did you find this place?” She walked around the valley looking at all the flowers.

    “I found it while I was out riding Kurokawa one day. I just had to take you to it. I know how much you love flowers. And I wanted to do something nice for you before...” Mattheus trailed off on his thought.

    “Before what?” Belmair turned to look at him and when she did she stood face to face with the ominous blade that was Mattheus’s sword. Her eyes opened wide and her breath staggered as she looked into the contorted vicious face of her fiancé. His eyes were burning like the fire within his soul and his hands gripped his double edged sword fiercely.

    “W-What are you doing? What’s going on?” she asked with a shaky voice.

    “It’s time,” Mattheus’s face twisted into a dark smile as he thrust the sword into Belmair’s abdomen “to meet your maker, Belmair.” She cried out in pain as she slumped over the sword, slowly dying. But this wasn’t enough for Mattheus. His hatred consumed him as he continued to slash and sever Belmair’s body causing blood to splatter onto his armor and his face until she was barely recognizable.

    When he had completed his task, he stood tall and luminous over her bloody carcass, and the blood from his sword slowly pooled at his feet.

    “That should do it.” Mattheus murmured as he brushed his ebony locks out of his smoky gray eyes. Placing his sword back into its sheath, he walked over to a beautiful babbling brook near by to wash the blood off his face and his onyx armor. The cool water felt good against his hands after having slain the princess when he placed them into the brook and cupped the water in his hands. As he cleaned himself, the crystal clear water soon became tainted with the crimson blood of Belmair.

    Looking over his shoulder, he eyed the work that had been done and contemplated what to do next. Should he move the body and discard it in one of the many dark ravines that dotted the mountains? No, it would just get more blood on him and what would be the fun of not knowing how everyone would react when they saw her severed little being. So he left her to the ravens that circled above in the beautiful morning sky and to anything else that desired to feast upon her flesh. After making his decision Mattheus shook the water off his hands and mounted his black stallion who was grazing near by.

    “Giddy up!” he called out, guiding Kurokawa into a gallop. He headed away from the field of flowers and death and started his journey back to Michiko and the comfort of his home.


    The End