4: Ordered

Olivia looked at Simon, he had a superior look on his face as if he were gloating over something. She was sure she had heard him wrong.

"My intended? What are you carrying on about?" she asked him, frowning as she took in his words.

"Oh, your father hasn't told you yet? You and I are to be married. We are betrothed. I believe he intends to announce it tonight. I was going to propose, but seeing as how I am sure you will say no, I will let your father do it for me. It would do well if you wore this ring when he makes the announcement. You know how you women are, wanting to see the rock the moment the words escape someone's mouth. You wouldn't want to disappoint them or your father," Simon said with a smirk.

He knew that he had said the right words because Olivia looked at her father across the room. He was watching her and Simon with a small smile on his face. He raised his glass of champagne toward her and nodded slightly as if to toast her and Simon. She looked back down at the ring that Simon was holding out to her and she reluctantly took it. She knew she couldn't do or say anything to him right now that would upset her father. It was his wedding after all and she really didn't want to make another scene after the one upstairs. 

She took the ring and slid it on her finger. She looked at her father, his eyes twinkled in delight and she gave him a small, timid smile before she turned back to look at Simon.

"I will never forgive you for this," she whispered furiously, tears filling her eyes. 

"Oh, my dear, this is only the beginning. I'm sure the list of things you will never forgive me for will only get longer the older we get," he said with an evil smile. He took a sip of his champagne and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. He knew how to play the game well. From afar, it looked like two lovers had shared a sweet moment. Olivia looked down at the ring. It was obscenely large. The stone covered the entire front of her finger and the band was a thick platinum band set with many small diamonds. The entire ring was pretentious, but it fit Simon. The entire man was pretentious.

She slid the ring onto her finger as a weight settled on her chest. She found it difficult to breathe as she felt the metal band cling to her skin.

"Perfect fit, excellent, my dear. Now you won't need to take it off," Simon said as he took a sip of his drink and leaned back in his chair. "Your father wants to announce our betrothal this evening, best put a smile on your face, love, wouldn't want him to be upset on his wedding day."

Olivia looked at Simon and then glanced at her father. He was standing up in his seat, looking at her and Simon. He glanced around the tent and clicked his spoon to his glass. The dinging sounded throughout the area and the string quartet stopped playing while he cleared his throat and waited for everyone's attention.

"Thank you all for coming here tonight to help us celebrate. I can not tell you how lucky i am to count you all as friends, family, and colleagues. Susan and I are so grateful for your friendship. We are also very pleased to announce another happy event that has come to our family within the last few minutes and I am happy to be the one to announce that my lovely daughter Olivia is now engaged to Simon Karsinski. Please raise your glasses with me to toast the lovely couple. To Olivia and Simon," Richard said loudly, making sure the announcement is heard throughout the tent and beyond.

A loud murmur went up through the crowd as they all chanted together, "To Olivia and Simon."

Simon grabbed Olivia's hand and stood, bringing her up lithely with him. To see them from afar, one would never guess there was animosity between them. Simon squeezed Olivia's hand tightly in warning and pulled her close. She stood by his side and smiled, raising her glass to the toast being made to them. She sipped slowly and Simon relaxed his hold as he finished taking his sip. He raised her hand and kissed the back of her hand lightly as the crowd sent up exclamations of adoration. Olivia blushed at the attention, she preferred to stay in the background and the extra eyes on her and Simon was more than she wanted to deal with. She looked the perfect, blushing bride-to-be, and when she smiled shyly and sat, Simon let her. She had played her part in the farce that their marriage was to be. 

"Well done, love," Simon said kissing her cheek as he leaned close to her. He whispered in her ear, "I'll see you later tonight. You can show me just how grateful you are to be betrothed to the man who will take over for your father one day. You must be so proud to be fulfilling every dream your father ever had for you." He said the last part with a smirk, knowing his sarcasm would not be appreciated by Olivia. He didn't care, and his face showed it. Olivia knew that he was goading her so she stayed silent and let him leave with a flourish. She wouldn't be seeing him later, she wouldn't be seeing anyone later. She intended to stay with Maribelle once this wedding reception was over. She would make sure her sister healed and was well looked after. Then, she planned to find out what was happening with the river and the wall where the explosion had occurred. The wedding had gone on, the reception was happening as if the wall were still intact and Olivia was baffled at the response of her father. She had expected explosive anger and swift retaliation. This devil may care attitude was unlike him.

The reception would continue for several hours but after twenty minutes, Olivia determined she had entertained as much as was expected of her. She went in search of her father and Susan, hoping to bid them goodnight and find Maribelle. She walked into the arched awning and surveyed the tent beyond. The yard was enormous with fountains and manicured grounds for dozens of acres. Olivia's father was the richest man in the city and this afforded him a position of power and authority among those living within the city walls. As Olivia walked along the awning, she heard muted voices and recognized one as her father's. She ducked behind a bush and flattened herself against the pillar in the darkening night sky. She wouldn't be seen here.

"They've diverted the stream. There is nothing to be done about that now. We could attempt to fix what the wolves have broken, but they appear to have planted explosives along the path. One of our men saw one of the explosive devices and it appears as if the ground is filled with land mines," Richard said softly.

"What do you propose we do?" a deep voice asked. Olivia looked around the arch and saw the speaker was the premier, Stewart Baucher. She raised one eyebrow in surprise. He controlled the army in this section of the world and would be the one to launch any retaliatory attack the humans coordinated.

"We will need to retaliate swiftly. We can not let them think we are weak. They have troops along the river where they attacked, which means they will have fewer troops on the southern side where the wall is low and we can see their section of the city. I propose we launch a swift counter-attack toward their city centre. We can launch explosives that implode on impact and inflict the most damage to their buildings. They will know that there are consequences to their actions," Richard said, his voice dark.

Olivia was surprised to hear Simon speak next. 

"I can coordinate the attacks with the war office," he said authoritatively. Olivia peeked around the pillar to look at the men standing together and saw her father look at Simon, pride in his eyes.

"That would be wise," Richard said, nodding in agreement. "Make sure our message is clear."

"It will be clear, sir. The wolves will be sorry they ever tried to take what is ours," Simon said darkly.

The men continued to talk as Olivia flattened herself against the pillar and absorbed the words she had heard. She didn't know where the wolves' city center was. She had never ventured that far south, but she supposed now she should take a look. She took off quietly, creeping around the bushes until she reached the side door of the manor. She raced inside and up to Maribelle's room, intending to spend the rest of her evening with her little sister.

"Livie! I'm so happy to see you. How was the reception? I wasn't sorry to miss it, to be honest. Ms. Bates has been reading to me and this is the most glorious story! There is a young girl and a handsome prince and the prince falls in love with her and whisks her away to a far off land where he fights dragons to be with her," she said, prattling on about what she had been doing the last few hours while Olivia had been forced to announce her betrothal to Simon in front of hundreds of guests. The reminder made her cringe as she glanced down at her ring and shuddered.

"That sounds lovely, doesn't it?" Olivia said as she sat next Maribelle on the bed. "Dragons though, that I could probably do without. I'll take a handsome prince any day."

"Well, a handsome prince, you have," Simon said from the doorway as he walked into the room and smiled down at Maribelle. "How are you, Belle? How is your foot? I heard you hurt it at the wall today."

Olivia glanced away nervously but Maribelle picked up on the ring that Olivia was wearing. "Livie! What's that ring for?" she asked excitedly.

"We wanted to tell you together, that's why she hasn't said anything yet, silly. We are engaged. Olivia and I are going to be married," Simon said with a smile, taking Maribelle's hand in his own. "What do you think of that, Belle? Would that be alright with you?"

Maribelle looked adoringly at Simon and nodded. "I can't believe you are going to get married. That means you'll be my brother!" She looked excited at the prospect.

"Yes, indeed, it does. And we shall all live here together, forever, happy, safe and together," he said with a smile, sending Olivia a dark glance.

Olivia smiled uncomfortably but Maribelle was too young and so riveted on Simon's words that she didn't notice Olivia's discomfort.

"So, tell me, Belle, what happened with your foot. Did the wolves do this?" he asked her, frowning down at her wrapped leg.

"Yes, sort of, I suppose. They blew up the wall and the stones from the wall fell on me. It crushed my foot and trapped my dress but Livie was there and she and a nice wolf at the wall helped free me," Maribelle said with a sigh. 

"A nice wolf at the wall?" Simon asked, cocking his head to the side in question.

"Mm-hmm, he said his name was Ben and he said he didn't want to hurt us. Then, he lifted the stones that Livie couldn't lift. They were too heavy. We left right after that," Maribelle said quickly. 

Simon's eyes darkened but he smiled down at Maribelle. 

"I am glad you are doing well. I will leave you to sleep away your pain and see you tomorrow. Olivia, may I have a word with you in the hall, please?" Simon asked as he stood up and kissed Maribelle's forehead gently. He was fond of the little girl.

"Of course," Olivia said automatically as she rose and looked at Maribelle. "I'll be right back, Belle and we will finish reading until you fall asleep."

She walked into the hall and faced Simon.

"I know what you're doing," he whispered as he stepped much too close to her. "You're avoiding me. I told you I would see you later and you are hiding in your sister's room. That is fine for tonight, Olivia, but I expect you tomorrow. You are my betrothed and you will start to act like it." He grabbed her arms and pulled her violently close as he gave her a brutal kiss. She whimpered under the force of it and tried to step back. He held her firm until he was done, then let her go with a push.

She stumbled back and looked up at him with fear. He smelled of whiskey and cigars. She cringed her nose in distaste and turned away. A chill went up her spine as he stepped behind her and bent his head to her neck, licking it gently. She shivered at his whispered parting words.

"I expect you in my room tomorrow night, Olivia. You are mine now, love." He kissed her neck and walked away.