For weeks I've been working my way through an article on Viking marriages, and yesterday I finally finished. And arranged marriage is a theme I love to play with in my writing. It's such a fascinating concept, but I don't see it handled very often. And rarely ever played with to its full potential.

Most of the kingdom names are from the names of the Guardian's homes. Some of them kind of make me cringe, though...

This is a multi-part story, so I'll continue it tomorrow. I hope you'll enjoy the story.

For Better or For Worse

Part I

"This wasn't my idea," Jack murmured to the girl at his side.

"I know." She didn't look at him, just as she hadn't since their introduction since a few hours earlier.

"Try not to hate me." He offered his arm to his betrothed, as the servants went forward to the double doors, preparing to open them, presenting them to their combined courts.

The princess of Tootharia rested her hand on his arm, and didn't reply to his request.

Two months ago, he had been informed of his upcoming marriage. His opinion was not asked for, and unwanted. His father had heard him out (which was more than the council had done), but all his ranting hadn't gotten him anywhere.

Instead, King Nicholas had informed him that the perks of royalty came with a cost. Jack would be better off the sooner he learned that.

Eventually, Jack had given up. In part because he could see his father's point. Though that didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

Burgess wasn't a military nation, Tootharia was. With the threat of the shadowlands thrown into sharp attention with Pitch Black's intensified raids on the borders, the shaky alliance between the two kingdoms had to be solidified.

Burgess gained not only the military might to battle the shadows, but a bride for its crown prince (apparently they didn't trust him to choose for himself). And Tootharia was brought into the alliances Burgess had already established with neighboring kingdoms – Warren, and Dune.

Jack had known this would be hard going in. Tootharians were a proud people, with an emphasis on female strength. He was marrying a warrior – a warrior whose very pride was being injured by being forced into a marriage neither of them really wanted. It was made obvious by the way she wasn't looking at him.

"Just... please don't kill me in my sleep?" It was meant to be a joke. But Jack knew too much about her people's history to keep his tone light.

Toothiana looked at him, her amethyst eyes hard and calculating. She was pretty, her skin sun kissed, her hair a dark cascade with colorful streaks of blue, green, yellow and purple. The bodice of her dress was a brilliant green, the full skirt fading from the same green to a dark blue. A gold necklace and bracelets.

She looked back at the door. "Don't give me a reason to."

Jack sighed, looking straight ahead as well.

For the occasion, he had been forced into a stiff formal jacket – dark blue with silver and white embroidery – and a pair of black slacks. The pants were fine. But the jacket felt like a prison. Normally his father, and the court, turned a blind eye when he was less than formally attired. Not tonight.

By this point, he was so tired of fighting and losing that he hadn't done more than grumble when his father had demanded the formal clothing.

The Tootharians were stricter than the Burgess (it came with being warriors), and the whole alliance was still on shaky enough ground that offending them was best avoided. He was to be on his best behavior until after the wedding tomorrow, and he was to behave until her ambassadors left the next day.

The servants pulled the large, heavy wooden doors open, and Jack had to blink as the dim light of the anti-chamber was suddenly expelled by the bright light that spilled in from the ballroom.

The Tootharians, with their bright, multicolored clothing, were easy to pick out among his own people, who wore more toned down blues, reds, browns and blacks.

On the throne at the head of the room, directly across from the door, Jack looked at his father, who wore a red jacket in the same cut as his own (though it used several more yards of fabric).

Queen Tariana, Toothiana's mother, sat on a nearby throne, her eyes as hard and emotionless as her daughter's. her dress was blue, purple and red, the colors still brighter than most of those worn by his own courtiers.

The ball was the formal presentation. In a traditional engagement, it would have happened months before the wedding – before a date had been set, and before plans were made. But the raids on the borders had increased, and the wedding had been moved up so there was no time to plan both evens separately.

A herald announced them both, men bowing and women curtseying as he and Toothiana passed. His betrothed's head as high, her expression dangerously close to a glare.

He wondered how much fun he could pack into the next twenty-four hours before she killed him. He was sure she was going to. Even if she didn't, she was probably planning it.

They reached the dais, and he bowed, first to his father, then to Queen Tariana – his instructors had insisted on walking him through the customs again, though he had learned them as a child. They said he rarely ever bowed properly, so they wanted to make sure he didn't embarrass them.

His bow was perfect (he knew it). But if Toothiana's curtsey conveyed the necessary respect for her future father-in-law, or even her mother, his hair wasn't white. And it was – just like his father's.

#

Within twenty minutes, he had made his way to a quiet corner of the ballroom, near the food table, staring into a glass of egg nog. Most people were avoiding him – the Tootharians wanted nothing to do with him, and his courtiers were well aware what his mood had been of late.

"Well, it could be worse, ya know."

Some people, however, didn't realize that his glower was meant to keep them away.

"You're enjoying this way too much, Aster," he growled. He bit into a cookie with more ferocity than necessary. "But by all means, be sure and mention that in my eulogy – when she murders me in my sleep."

Aster, newly crowned king of Warren, looked ready to fall over laughing. Jack liked laughter – but not when it was at his expense.

Aster smirked. "Don't worry, Mate – she can't kill ya. They need this alliance more than we do."

Jack quirked an eyebrow (black, in contrast with his white hair), and glanced to where Toothiana was in another corner, her glower fiercer than his. Her arms were crossed over her chest, but she looked ready to tear out the throat of anyone who came within five feet of her.

"I'm not getting the impression that she cares so much."

Aster's smirk finally faded a little as he looked between Jack and Tooth. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, nodding slowly.

"Yer parents had an arranged marriage, though," he reminded. "That worked out."

Jack shook his head. "My parents didn't hate each other."

He doubted his mother had been capable of hate. And while it hadn't been a love match at first, they had been friends. His father had been retelling the story lately, trying to remind Jack it wouldn't be so bad. But as far as he could tell, the stories were completely different.

Aster didn't comment. What was there to say, after all?

Jack drained the last of his egg nod, reaching out to grab a few more cookies.

"I'm getting out of here," he murmured, so no one but Aster could hear. "The ceremonies are done for now. I'm not staying cooped up in here, in this-" he tugged at the high collar of his jacket "-my last night of freedom."

"And if your father asks where you are?" Aster asked.

Jack shrugged.

No one stopped him on his way to one of the smaller doors. He glanced at his father. Their eyes – both blue, though different shades – met.

Nicholas sighed, but nodded permission for him to leave.

He didn't miss Queen Tariana's glare as he slipped outside.

The moment the door shut behind him, his steps picked up from a brisk walk to a full on run. His fingers fumbled until they clasped the zipper of his jacket, pulling it down. He inhaled, filling his lungs to their capacity now his chest was free from the confining fabric.

He shrugged out of the garment, tossing it into an alcove just before he burst out of the door, into the gardens.

The air was sweet and cool, filled with the scent of the first spring flowers. He loved the snow, but he couldn't deny that he liked the colors of spring, as well. The flowers that bloomed, the brilliant green of the new leaves, it lasted only so long before the weather turned too warm.

He paused long enough to kick off his boots, then picked up his speed again.

He jumped the first few feet up the wall, hands and bare feet catching the thick vines that climbed the wall. It was something he had done as long as he remembered. As he had grown, so had the vines, building their strength with each year so he could continue to climb them safely.

The bark was rough even under his calloused fingers and toes, but the slight discomfort of it made him feel alive.

A few movements brought him to the top of the wall, where he crouched down on the cool stone, among the leaves that swayed in the breeze. The same breeze that rustled his hair, whispering to him of adventures to be had, pranks to be played, a world to see.

Standing up, he walked along the wall, looking between his palace and the capital city. If anyone asked, he would say it was his princely duty to keep his eye on his kingdom.

He reached the end of the garden wall, where it turned into turrets and battlements.

He was preparing to jump down off the wall, to wander the streets of the city and beyond, into the fields and meadows that surrounded the capital.

The moon was one night away from full (his wedding had been planned for the full moon as was custom), so there was plenty of light for him to wander.

He made one more glance into the garden, just to be sure all was as it should be (he didn't completely shirk his responsibilities), preparing to jump down to the street below.

But there was someone in the garden, a child, huddled by one of the fountains.

Jack hesitated, the wind calling him to run, and run, and run, until the stress of tomorrow was gone from his mind, even if just for a little while. The fields would only be in full bloom for a few days, and there was a special beauty to it in the moonlight – especially a full moon. And the odds of him getting out tomorrow night were small.

But duty, responsibility, and all those things, called him. One, there wasn't supposed to be anyone in the gardens right now – especially not a child. Two, he wasn't the kind to turn away from a child.

With a sigh, he jumped down from the wall, catching the branch of a pear tree to slow his fall enough he could touch down without breaking his legs.

As he neared the fountain he saw that it was a girl from the flare of her skirt, probably about six or seven. Even in the moonlight, as he got closer he saw that her skin was darker than anyone else in Burgess, and her dress was the tell-tale jewel tones of the Tootharians. If he guessed right, it was the same greens and blues as Toothiana's dress.

"Hey." He crouched down next to the girl, not quite able to reach out a hand to her. "Are you okay?"

"No!" Tootharian accent, too. Though it was probably the first time he had heard any of them express any kind of emotion. Her exclamation was tainted with tears.

"Are you hurt?" he kept his voice soft.

She hesitated a moment. "No."

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

She lifted her head slowly, wiping violently at her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her jacket. Tootharia was warmer than Burgess, so none of them went outside without some kind of protection, though Jack was perfectly comfortable in the thin white shirt he had been wearing under his jacket. But his cold tolerance was even higher than most of his people.

She looked over, and her eyes widened.

"You!" she yelled.

In a moment she was on her feet, pummeling him with her small fists and her feet. She was strong, but he would have been able to hold his balance if he hadn't been crouching beside her.

The attack took him by surprise, and he fell over onto the soft grass. The young girl's foot collided with his side. Her strength took him by surprise, but it wasn't quite enough to hurt.

Senses returning to him, he rolled out of the way, rising to his feet. He side-stepped away from her next few punches. Moonlight glinted off the large tears that were falling from her eyes as she continued to pummel the air.

"Hey, hey!" He managed to get a hold of one of her hands. The other managed to escape his first attempt to catch it, but he had that one a moment later.

He crouched down to her level again, looking into the violet eyes that were angry behind her tears. "Hey, whatever I did, I'm sorry. But can you at least tell me?"

"You're taking my sister away!"

"You're Barina?" he asked.

She nodded.

Toothiana's sister. She hadn't been involved in any of the proceedings, and he hadn't seen her because she had been in the guest chambers most of the time.

"I'm sorry, Barina," he said quietly.

"Why?" she asked, sniffing back her tears. "Why do you have to take her away?"

"It's not really that I want to," he admitted, before remembering he was talking to a six year old child.

He thought back to what his father had calmly explained between Jack's own rants on the situation. Once he had recalled it, he simplified it to words he hoped she could understand.

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do," he said. "There are things a prince or a princess that's a lot of fun - but it has a price, too. Because we're royal, we have to think about what's best for our people."

"That's what my mother says," she said.

Jack chuckled. "Yeah. I learned it from my dad. But our kingdoms need each other's help, and your sister and I are going to pay the price so our people can get along enough to help each other."

Barina looked at him, lips pursed as though she was thinking about what he had said.

"Why can't they just get along? Why does Tooth have to stay here?"

Jack quirked an eyebrow. This girl was smart. He wasn't sure his
sister had caught on that quickly at this age.

"Because grownups are really stupid, sometimes," he sighed. "They're scared, so they want proof that the other person will keep their end of the deal."

"But why does she have to stay here?" the girl asked. "Why can't you come to Tootharia?"

Because that was something Jack absolutely refused to do.

"Because your sister isn't the heir to the throne - your brother is. But I'm the heir here. When I become king, your sister will be my queen. It will help the alliance last longer."

"I still don't like it."

Jack smiled faintly. "You and me both, Kid. It's getting late, though. You should probably get to bed."

Barina looked around the garden, eyes narrowing.

"Do you know how to get back to the guest wing?"

Barina opened her mouth, but then shook her head. "No."

Jack couldn't fight back his grin as he stood up. "Come on."

He picked up the small girl, a little surprised when she didn't resist. But as she got comfortable on his hip, she yawned.

When she stopped fidgeting, he started across the grass, toward the steps up to one of the doors that would take them back inside.

"Do you still hate me?" he asked.

Barina considered for a moment, then shook her head against his shoulder. "No, I guess you're okay. I still wish Tooth didn't have to stay here, though."

Jack decided against saying he agreed with her completely.

She must have gotten lost while wandering in the halls or the gardens, he guessed. They were a fair ways from the guest wing.

They were only halfway there when he felt the girl's breathing shift, becoming shallower, her head on his shoulders. He had carried his sister like this enough he to know the girl had fallen asleep.

He turned down the last hall to the guest wing, the air getting warmer from all the fires the entourage probably had going to fight the dropping evening temperature.

"Barina?" The call was close to frantic, echoing off the intricate walls.

He rounded the last corner and found himself face to face with
Toothiana, still in her dress from the ball, her amethyst eyes wide.

Her expression hardened when he saw her, until her eyes landed on the girl he carried.

"Barina!" She ran the last ten feet or so between them, a hand going to her sister's shoulder.

"I found her in the garden," he explained quickly. "I'm guessing she got lost."

Toothiana nodded. "She ran off just before the ball. I assumed the servants would find her, but when I got back she was still missing."

She was talking to him - and without the venom that had filled her voice in their few brief conversations. The situation momentarily stunned Jack to silence.

Before Barina could be transferred to her sister's arm, they had to wake her up enough to loosen her grip on a fold of Jack's shirt.

"Thank you, Jack."

He had to blink, unsure if he had imagined the words. But Toothiana's expression - even as she didn't look at him - told him she had said it. It probably hadn't tasted very good, but she had said it.

He shrugged. "No problem. I've got a baby sister too. ...who I should probably go see before it gets too late."

Toothiana nodded, and turned back down the hall, toward the suite she shared with her mother and sister for the time being.

He cringed faintly when he remembered that the next day would see her things moved into his own room. But shook his head, not allowing himself to think about it. He was too tired to let that keep him up tonight.

Instead he turned toward the royal wing - on the other side of the palace, another story up - heading for his sister's room.

He opened the door carefully, not wanting to wake her up if she had fallen asleep. She had extracted a promise that he would come see her after the ball, but that promise didn't necessarily mean the ten year old girl would stay up late enough to see it fulfilled.

But he found her sitting up in her four poster bed, her eyes fixed on him as he came into the room.

"What are you doing awake?" he asked in a whisper, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I couldn't sleep!" she said. "Not tonight. I can't believe you're getting married tomorrow."

"You and me both, Em," he snorted. He leaned back on his hands, rolling his neck to ease the stress in the muscles in his shoulders and spine.

There was a moment of silence before Emma broke it.

"Well?"

He looked over. "Well, what?"

Emma huffed, and though he couldn't see, Jack knew her well enough to guess she had probably rolled her eyes. "Come on, Jack! What's she like?"

Jack tried to smirk, but it fell short. He was glad the only light was a few moonbeams seeping through the half-drawn curtain.

He didn't want to say too much – ten year old girls had a bad habit of repeating the wrong things in front of the wrong people, much as he loved her. But he didn't want to lie, either.

Finally he settled on: "Things are going to get interesting around here, Em."

"That doesn't sound good," she said.

"Smart girl." Jack kissed her forehead. Leaning back, he reached out to tousle her hair. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day."

"'kay."

He tucked the blankets around her, as he had ever since their mother had passed away. Their father always made time for them, but ruling a kingdom was time consuming, so Jack had stepped up to take care of her.

"Dad said you left the ball early," she murmured, voice growing heavy with sleep.

"Yeah. I got bored."

"You're so weird, Jack," She yawned. "I can't wait 'til I'm old
enough to go to balls."

Jack just grinned, waiting until he heard her breathing shift before leaving the room.

He went back downstairs and to fetch his jacket from the alcove he had tossed it in. With the visiting dignitaries, especially for his wedding, it was best not to leave his clothes lying around. It tended to give a bad impression.

But when he reached the alcove, he found it was empty.

Jack frowned. It was little more than a small cubby in the wall, where there were occasionally large vases full of flowers or some other decorations. Now there was no vase, and no jacket. The vases would be replaced with fresh flowers for the wedding.

He was sure this was where he had thrown it, but he went searching through all the alcoves and cubbies between the ballroom and the door he had taken outside.

Nothing.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck, looking up and down the hall in case he had missed it, but there was no sign of the blue jacket.

It was possible a servant had found it, and it was either in the laundry or had already been returned to his room.

It was also possible someone from the Tootharian party had found out – and he was acutely aware of how that could be a bad thing. The whole treaty was still on shaky ground, and he had gotten the impression that some of them would love a reason to break it. Especially a reason that would put him at fault.

Unsure what to do, he went back out to the garden for his boots (they were right where he had left them, thankfully).

By the time he got back inside, the clock tower chimed one in the morning.

He had five hours to sleep before he would have to start getting ready for tomorrow's ceremonies. He could go looking for the jacket, but if it was going to do any damage, that damage had probably already been done.

He wished he didn't feel like the worst case scenario was the one that would prove to be true.

To Be Continued