[daikokunyo]

Torquil hated to admit it, but he was nervous. He told himself he really had no reason to be. His future wife was a token of truce. It meant he had all the power. He could disdain her all he wanted and did not have to worry about judgement from her, because she didn't matter.
But he was nervous in spite of all of that.

He paced in his chamber, dragging a hand through his hair with a sigh. He supposed it was just the thought of being tied down to someone, of them sharing his chambers, and his bed, that made him uneasy.

Alric, the pageboy and a companion to the prince since childhood, was heard outside.
"Enter," said Torquil.
Alric walked in and handed him news deferentially, that Torquil's to-be bride, the princess Vella, was on her way in a carriage with attendees. Torquil nodded a curt dismissal. But Alric didn't take his leave immediately.

"Are you getting cold feet?"
"What?! No!" Torquil surprised himself with the vehemence of his answer.
"It wouldn't be unnatural, or even irrational, my lord," said Alric in a low voice. "She is a woman you have never met, who you may never love-"
"For Heaven's sake, Alric," snapped Torquil. "I'm not marrying for love." They'd had this conversation before, and Torquil had scoffed when Alric brought up love. He had nothing but scorn for that. It was for blinded fools and idle poets. Not for him. He was ambitious. Ambitious enough that he didn't want to be distracted by anything like that.

Maybe that was why he was unsettled? By the possibility that he might actually love this woman?
He shook his head to himself. He had enough faith in the sure stability of his own mind that he couldn't be swayed by any woman. He had been promised she was beautiful, but it didn't matter. Plenty of beautiful women had been put his way and he hadn't been swayed by any of them, so why should this one be any different?

Alric was still looking at him with concern on his face. Torquil said impatiently, "I'm not straying anywhere near love, that fool's pursuit, Alric. This wedlock is eminently suitable. The Princess Vella's kingdom is one we have wanted to bring into the fold of the empire for generations. It is bordered by Beantrich, who have always been a threat to us. This alliance would really strengthen our defense. Without going through the trouble and losses of conquering the region, we would have full scope of the whole region to survey our defenses."

"You're so stubborn," said Alric, and when Torquil turned a death glare on him like now you've really crossed the line, he added hastily, "Your Highness." Torquil turned away from him with a huff and a wave of the hand, again gesturing dismissal, which this time Alric obeyed.

He stood at the window of his tower chamber, watching his subjects prepare themselves for welcoming his bride, and the subsequent festivities.
Yes, there was no doubt this was the right decision to take. And he would treat the princess reasonably well, even if she wasn't important to him. And she would be grateful for being brought from her puny kingdom into the royal family of this great empire. Nothing would go wrong, and there wouldn't be any trouble.
"It is not befitting of a prince of your stature to be so fickle of mind," Torquil told himself sternly.