Chapter 156: Violet
"Guess who decided to join us!" Rhoarin announced the family barged into the hall, celebrations underway with people stuffing their faces with food and wine.
As soon as the crowd turned, there were cheers from all ends, the heir of Ironfell was finally back in his rightful place, beside his mother and father.
"See how happy they are to see you, Jacob." Elena said as she wrapped her hand around Jacob’s, while walking through the crowd to reach their high table. "Please stay a few days."
"You know I can’t do that mother." Jacob said, he had a serious expression that Elena could not ignore. She frowned her face and lowered her gaze, she knew the boy had a purpose and she just wanted to enjoy whatever time she got to spend with him.
The festivities continued as usual, the people kept bringing gifts and Rhoarin received them with wide smiles. Jacob quietly wondered why people gave them all those gifts even though they knew they were rich.
But he knew that was just how the world worked, the rich took from the poor, and then the poor turned around and gave their possessions to the rich in an effort to look rich themselves.
The Ironfell’s were not cruel people, not to his vast knowledge, but they also followed the universal rule, you can only get extremely rich providing value on the backs of others.
These thoughts replayed in his mind as he maintained a perpetual smile on his face. Eventually his mother grabbed him by t e hand and led him away from the table, he had no idea where she was taking him, but he stopped when he saw a woman, standing next to a younger woman.
This young woman was the most beautiful creature he had ever witnessed in his life, she had long-flowing purple hair, beautifully matched hazel eyes and slender curves that seemed to breathe life into him.
She had lips that were curved into a nervous smile, not too full, not too thin. Her face was the epitome of a goddess. Jacob was in awe, to see a creature that rivaled what his idea of beauty was.
Jacob’s mother reached the older woman and greeted her with a kiss on either side of the cheeks, tbe girl remained silent as Jacob stared at her.
Prior to this encounter, he had never imagined that he would be so struck by anyone, his words would fail him, and now it was happening, hard as it was to believe.
Elena introduced the older woman as the Duchess of Zanthos, a city located on the border of Daven.
The younger woman was introduced as Violet, a name well fitting of her features.
Jacob instantly knew that this was a meeting that both women had planned beforehand, to join their children together, but he didn’t protest. He wouldn’t, not when this creature was standing directly in front of him.
"She’s also been accepted into the academy Jacob." Elena said pridefully. "So you both will hopefully be seeing each other a lot from now on."
The two women cackled triumphantly as they walked away, Jacob turned, glancing at Rhoarin, who winked at him. It was immediately obvious that he was in on the plan as well.
Jacob sighed, his parents were playing matchmaker before he even turned eighteen. This was the Ironfell heritage, and according to stories he had been told, this was how they met as well.
Alaric was something of the ultimate matchmaker in his days, he not only brought Rhoarin and Elena together, he did the same for a number of the smaller family heirs.
No one rivaled his skill of sniffing out two people who should be together.
Even though Jacob had been left absolutely star-struck by her beauty, in this past life he had been known as the loser who couldn’t even get a girl to respond to him. He had been given another chance at life and he didn’t want to relive that same joke.
He stretched this hand forward at the girl who was noticeably nervous, not in a way that was easily detectable, but Jacob just knew. "Hi, I’m Jacob."
It was a simple enough line, but when compensated by his looks, and gruff voice. It was the perfect one-liner.
She looked back at him and smiled. "You already know my name."
It was as though all her nervousness vanished, and she had just been waiting for him to break the ice.
"You’re right, so tell me, were you also in on the plan that our parents just conveniently conjured out of thin air?" Jacob said as they both walked through the crowd.
Elena had rejoined Rhoarin now and they both watched as the two children walked away from the table. Elena was satisfied, even if she didn’t get to spend more time with Jacob, she knew that she had left somethin—someone—with him, that would most likely follow him his entire life.
"Plan? What plan, I know not of this ’plan’ you speak of." She said and immediately started laughing. Jacob joined in, he already thought she was funny.
"Mhm, so you say. So tell me, how prepared are you for the academy." Jacob inquired in between chuckles.
"I think the better question is; how prepared are you to have a baby brother—or sister."
They were both around the same age, with Jacob being only a few months older. Now Jacob saw why their parents had thought them to be a good match.
Not only was she extremely beautiful, she was witty, her mind worked in almost the same way that Jacob’s did. Something he found out the more the talked.
They had reached the outside now, standing directly under the stars.
Violet looked up slowly at the sky, she seemed to be in something of a trance as she took in a deep breath that made it seem like she was on a mission to breathe in all the oxygen that circulated around the planet.
"I never much cared for these kinds of occasions. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a thing of joy that your family is celebrating the arrival of a new child.
But it seems like a noisy life, I’d much rather sit in complete silence and just enjoy the mundane things of life, the chirping of the birds, the shimmering of the night sky. That’s my idea of a good time. Tell me, Jacob, what do you think of the stars?"