Cohen of the Rebellion-Volume 1 Chapter 13
I Have a Fiancee
Soft breeze saw the beginning of summer. Leaves glimmered charming golden light behind viceroy’s back garden. New grown grass thrived to show its liveliness. It was a greenland all over the world. Blue sky, white clouds, cricket tweeted.
“Last year’s birthday, ten bucks from Ms. Katherine, 10 bucks from Mr. Visual, Rick and Swift…” Lied on the grass, Jack muttered while counting from his coin bag, “This year got 10 bucks from Ms. Katherine… total 175 bucks, 20 to Wilder, 5 bucks to Marfa… if they pay me on this holiday then, I will have 245 bucks…”
What a miser.
“Wilder, you are the strongest among us, stronger than Moya, am I right?” Marfa leaned against a trunk, “Me and Jack are considering doing assault practice on you…” He's truly a badass…
“Hey Manta! You know I’ve been self-training my archery.” Steven stretched his wings, “I’m now able to enchant my arrow. Level 1 is a good start!” Blah blah blah…
...I settled down feeling cozy with one hand against my head, read my book and listened to my friends’ chitchat.
“Cohen!” Carey squealed, “Uncle Visual is looking for you!”
“Me?” I folded my half-read book, “For what?”
“No idea! He’s waiting in the lobby.”
“Ya I’m coming!”
“Boss you’d be hurry! We are going swimming in a moment…” Moya yelled.
“Father, you want to see me?” I walked down the lobby. What’s going on? Father’s never summoned me in the lobby!
“Cohen, here you are.” Father greeted me, “You are 14, and two years later and you’ll be titled by His Majesty, like me and your two brothers. You’ll be a registered nobleman. You mother and I talked about it. We decided to take you to DC tomorrow, along with your friends.”
“I want to go there! But do we on a job?”
“To the Royal Academy!” Mother said, “You father and I both graduated there.”
“Did you? Then what am I studying?” I shrugged, “My martial and spell aren’t working out.”
“Don’t worry, kiddo.” Father chuckled, “You could major in literature and graduate as well.”
“I see, OK.” I said, “Wilder, Winslet and the others are as well?”
“No, they are not qualified.” Father answered patiently, “Though they can settle at your Uncle Tennessee and Auntie Bellerina's, same idea, study. You’ll see each other a lot.”
“Alright.”
“Darling,” Mother flashed her eyes at father, “Are we telling him about that thing?”
“Might as well, he should know that.”
One more thing? Hurry up, mom and dad. I’ve got to swim!
“It’s… not a big deal.” Mother said softly, “You have fiancee waiting for you in DC.”
Whaaaaaat? Fi… an… cee???
“Hey, look at you!” Father grinned, “It’s been a while since the last time you gave me that look.”
“Hold on a second!” Looked at him, I tried to ease myself, “Are you sure your memory is correct? I’m too young to have a one. Could she be Rick or Swift’s fiancee?”
“Cohen Kheda!” Mother tried not to smile, “It’s yours, Cohen’s fiancee!”
“Can you… not! I don’t want one!”
“You do.” Father smirked, “She is Prime Minister’s second daughter, who’s exceptionally pretty! You can’t blame me for that. The young and famous child from Darkmoon. A black-haired, black-eyed boy.”
“But! What is it all about?” I felt extremely anxious.
“Look,” Mother explained, “His Majesty Climos knew about you when you were still young. He sent the high priest coming to check you out. While the high priest was reporting the result, the Minister’s wife was in labor. It was a girl. Then it all worked out, His Majesty Climos was delighted to announce your engagement.
An order… from His Majesty…
“She sounded like a pretty girl.” Father said, “You can start by accepting this fact.”
“By the way, you have to get ready. We are leaving tomorrow.”
I stood in silence.
“Cohen’s got a fiancee, Cohen’s got a fiancee!” Windsor was all round me riding a red pony, “What’s she like I wonder!” She giggled.
“Huh… Better be good.” Carey snorted, “More or less rough hair, clumsy eyes, crappy teeth, flat nose…”
“Lady Carey!” Wilder was already young man with a trim figure, “Fiancee of boss should be a fine noble! How could she be any ways like that? Did you even meet her?”
“No, but I just know! I just know that !”
“Sister, stop joking around.” Flynn, who wore a red robe said softly.
“She’s right, Carey.” Winslet reasoned, “Look at him, he's all blue.”
“Brother! Is big brother blue? Windsor will sing you a song!”
“Not now, Windsor.”
“What’s wrong? You don’t like my singing?”
“No, it’s just not the right time.”
My funny friends argued and laughed all the way… not a single one of them cares about my feeling. I’m merely fourteen and I don’t want to get married. What if she looks like exactly like Carey said? We are getting closer to the Divine City. Last time I was here I met Winslet. I sincerely hope that we found another group of hunters, then we’d be returning to Darkmoon again…
“Psst! Marfa, what do you think boss is thinking?”
“Maybe he’s planning a runaway… Jack, Steven, keep an eye on him!”
“I just don’t get it, what’s bad about having a fiancee? We dwarfs think marriage means being an adult!”
“There’s no point planning! As far as I think, pretty, marry, ugly, run! He’ll not get caught with my help.”
“Sandman thinks, marriage is to be treated seriously…”
Sixteen days has passed, however panic am I, we were here in DC. Grand and mighty walls could be seen far away. Shining armor and Swabian flags were fair and clear. We were at the center of Swabia, capital of the empire, His Majesty’s city, Divine City!
Children of a nobleman are titled by the king and given governing rights of a chosen land at the age of sixteen. The most common beginning title is Baron, then come Marquess, Viscount, Earl, Duke. Each title is classified into three levels. Cohen’s father, Visual Kheda is a High Duke.
