Ro's head pounded from all sides as she witnessed the distance grow between the ship and the port. Fern stood confidently against a backdrop of a civilisation she might never see again, something she had wished for, and yet… a strong foreboding cloud hung over her head.
The pleased smile impressed on his face faded away, and his slender frame was soon barely indistinguishable from the background.
A strong wind picked up, snatching the veil from her head.
"My Lady."
A large hand was extended towards her, holding the veil.
She looked up at the envoy. One of the men who had followed Fern to the pavilion. Ro paused for a moment. She had never seen a Lispan up close. Uncivilised monsters, that's what the nymphs had called them. But their behaviour so far seemed otherwise. Cultured. Relaxed. The only reason she had considered fleeing to their nation in the past had been due to the whispers she had heard regarding the freedom their women had.
His features were strong, a sharp jaw with cheekbones higher than hers. But surprisingly gentle dark eyes paired well with an equally dark straight hair, softening the harshness of his face.
"Thank you," she murmured, taking the veil and deciding not to wear it.
The Lispan envoy stared at her, his expression unreadable.
The folds of her layered dress swayed with the sudden gust of wind, but the stiff material of his cloak remained still, immovable.
They were the only ones on this side of the deck, but Ro could not shake the feeling that the envoy's piercing gaze was not the only one on her.
"You have been on a ship before."
Ro flinched at his words and looked at him. He had stated it matter-of-factly, and with such subtle conviction that she could not refute. She redirected her eyes to the waters, holding the veil to her chest.
Of course, that much would be obvious. They were at sea, and while there were barely any waves, the constant swaying of the ship would be enough to make anyone new to this mode of transportation unsteady on their feet.
Ro nodded, her brows creasing with a slight frown. "It was a long time ago."
Seconds rolled by, and he still stood there, staring at her.
She eventually spoke up, this time not sparing him a glance, "I would like to have some time to myself, please."
"I understand." He took a step back and offered a slight bow before walking towards the other end of the ship and disappearing down a bend.
She let out the breath she was holding and latched onto the polished wooden railing of the ship.
Her heart raced, her fingers trembled, and she stared at the water below.
She clenched her jaw and stopped the tremor in her hands.
The Lispan envoys, to her surprise, had consisted of only four Lispan officials, along with seven attendants, all of whom ran the modestly sized ship.
This was treachery. Utter treachery. And she could pay for it with her life!
It was one thing to hand her over to the Lispans, but it was another to blatantly lie about it. If they discovered what it meant for her to have been chosen as the token bride to be handed over, a woman her people deemed as worthless…
She shook her head, uneager to pursue that train of thought.
Her fingers curled even tighter around the railing. She squeezed her eyes shut.
And to make matters worse, the impersonation.
The emperor had to have known of this. His dignitaries had been at the port. The sly cretins. No wonder they didn't bat an eye. But what could have prompted them to make such a risky decision? Tury was nowhere as tall as Ro, and the governor's daughter had been a frequent visitor at the palace.
Ro opened her eyes and craned her neck towards the grey sails of the ship.
'I need to do something.'
The one servant she had considered bringing along with her had been denied by the Lispans.
She was to come alone.
Ro took in a deep, shaky breath and straightened, exhaling.
She stepped back from the railing and hugged her frame.
It would be fine. She had been isolated for a very long time, so this form was nothing new. She could adapt. Instead, she had more pressing issues to worry about. Like who her husband was, and why this had even been a decision. After reading the situation and spending a few days in Lispa, she could make her move.
Even if the truth were to come out, she had been unaware, and it had never been in her control.
The only issue was how they would handle it.
Depending on whether she would even be around to bear the brunt of the situation.
There have been token brides between nations, and there were large processions. Hers had not been the case.
A chill ran down Ro's spine, and she shuddered.
'I need to find a way out. I am done living like this.'
The winds grew colder and more frequent. Before long, the envoy returned, escorting Ro back into the ship.
Much to her surprise, she was treated comfortably by the attendants. There were barely any words exchanged between her and the other envoys, but they were reserved for the most part.
Still, none of them tried to sound her out or prepare her for what exactly she was getting herself into. The one thing the envoy told her in particular was that she would be guided by the house she would be married into. They had no right to carry out the task of teaching her.
The attempt to placate her fears did not go unnoticed by Ro, but the uncertainty of it all still gnawed at her. They had made it very clear without spelling it out. Their sole role was to take her to Lispa. Nothing else.
Drowsiness weighed down on her eyelids, but she let her thoughts simmer, and the unease sat with her until it became a plan. The entourage was small. She could take advantage of that when she woke up.
However, Ro's waking moments presented her with a disturbing discovery.