All Things New: Chapter Forty-one

This one might stress people out...a little...

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: MISCHIEF

“That rehearsal dinner was a headache,” Esben said, as he followed Nia into the kitchen.

“You are right about that. I think Natalia was having more fun than me. I just…think I got a little carried away with the plannin’. But what are we to do about it now? The wedding is tomorrow.”

“Hmm…I have an idea.”

“What?”

“You know Armen will be doing the ceremony, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, he is still here this evening…what if we elope?”

Nia gasped. “Esben! We could never do that to all the people who have worked so hard!”

“Yes we can. We’ll say they worked hard for a rehearsal dinner.”

“Oh Esben, I don’t know.”

“It’d be easier and quicker. And then, we can ride out to Pennybridge tonight and come back in a day or two. It’ll be fine!”

“Oh…”

“Don’t you think it would be fun?”

“Well, it would…alright. Let’s do it.”

“Have you seen Nia, Artham?” Arundelle asked, her silk gown swishing behind her.

“No love. But you look…gorgeous,” Artham said, his breath a little taken away by his wife, as it always was. Ari sighed and blushed slightly.

“That’s beside the point! We can’t have a wedding without a bride!”

“Or a groom, on your point. I can’t find Esben.”

“You don’t suppose the two got cold feet?”

“No. Look let’s just be at our places, maybe Esben has some type of surprise or game planned out. You know how he is.”

“Okay. See you in a bit, then. Oh, and Arthra is with my father.”

“No better place.”

Ari dashed away, but Artham looked a little concerned. “This better just be a game.”

But, as my readers know, it was not. The wedding party were in their places, waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting. But Esben never peeped around a corner. You never heard the swish of a wedding gown. And now, people began to worry. Search parties were organized when, after five hours during which the castle grounds had been searched twice, there was still no sign of them. Artham went out as well, his anger high, thinking his brother had been taken and that this wedding nonsense was too high profile and Esben should have done it the way Artham did. Hours passed, and slowly, search party after search party returned, empty handed.

At about two in the morning, Artham returned, drenched in water because of the rain, shivering, starving, and seething.

“I have no c-c-clue where he is,” he said, after bathing and getting in warm clothes.

“I can’t lose him too,” Artham continued quietly, sipping slowly on his warm broth. Ari sat beside him. “In the morning, the land will be dry, and you can keep looking.”

“I should be out there now. The only reason I came back is because my horse refused to go anywhere else but here, and all the other horses were gone. And I think I’m supposed to stay here. Maybe we missed something h-h-h-achoo!”

“We searched the whole castle up and down.”

“Maybe I should do it again.”

“Artham!” But the Throne Warden had his mission. He searched the grounds, searched the stables…Esben’s horse…it was gone…but there was a note in the stall.

Dear Artham, I’ve eloped! Hope you don’t mind, but I should be back in a day or two with Nia. Yours Truly,

Esben.

Artham’s eyes grew fiery red with rage…and lack of sleep. “That dumb-witted fool of a—dow!”

Artham shredded up the note. He knew it was Esben. There was that terribly annoying curly que on the E. In fact, Esben was just annoying.

“He’s a fool,” he fumed as he marched out of the stables. “Of all the stupid things to do! I’m gonna…I’m gonna…mmmm. Just because I’m the Throne Warden doesn’t mean I can’t knock him senseless. In fact, I think I’m the only one that can and can get away with it. But oh hoh, am I gonna enjoy that!”

Artham sneezed again. He was sick now too. Oh joy. For nothing. All because his little brother thought he could do whatever he wanted and left the castle, to go off and have a little honeymoon somewhere. “When he gets back, he is so. Dead.”

Yeah...Esben and his bright ideas...yay...