The Wings of the Beautifully Fallen

Chapter 24: Reginald

Chapter 24: Reginald

"Well you look really nervous!" My brother laughed loudly, his eyes twinkling with merriment as he walked up to me, his black suit hugging his broad shoulders but billowing out around his wrists. "Come on, brother, it cannot be that bad!"

"Oh keep quiet." I grumbled at him, my fingers twirling around with the fabric as I tied it together, tying it into a bow around my neck. "Now, how do I look?"

"Absolutely horrible!" A voice laughed and I turned to see Prince Ethan smile mischievously as he walked forward, the others filing in behind him. "You look like you are about to get married!"

"There really is not any other horror in that, is there?" Prince Paul laughed, his laughter exploding in my ear as they walked forward, amusement dancing in each of their eyes.

"Being married is not that bad, my son." Father told me as he walked around the others, his hand patting my shoulder. "It really is a good thing, especially if you are Singers."

"How can it be good to get married to a woman who is terrified of you?" My brother demanded, stepping away as quickly as he could to avoid the arm that I swung at him.

"Terrified?" A man's voice, deeper than the others, demanded and I turned to see the same king that ended up taking me away from Illiana before I was supposed to. "Why would she be terrified? From what I heard, she seems to be a rather delightful girl."

"No offense, King Dimitri, however, I am afraid that there is not much that can be done with the fact that she is terrified." I sighed bitterly, my eyes shooting to glare at my father who was obviously ignoring my gaze. Not that I could blame him after yesterday.

After mother had made her announcement and I had peeled her away from Illiana, the three of us had a very serious conversation, much like the first. Not that it went anywhere, we were still being forced to marry, forced to marry and she would continue to be terrified for a reason no one knows. I had tried very much but there was not much that I could do. Their minds were already set and Illiana and I were the ones who were trapped in my parents' desires.

"But why is she terrified?"Prince Peter demanded, his bleach blond hair glinting in the gentle light as his dark blue eyes shifted between my father and I.

"We do not know." Father sighed loudly, his shoulders rising and falling in defeat. "However, my wife and I believe that whatever it is, we cannot find out until they are married. When my son has full claim on the girl, we are hoping that she will feel safe enough to confess what it is that is bothering her."

The same reasoning he told me, but that did not matter. It could not. None of it did. The girl was terrified of me for something that I cannot understand. She even admitted that I had done nothing and she was still terrified of me.

"If she is terrified then is it not a bad idea to actually attempt to force her into this?" King Mitchel demanded, his eyes glancing between the two of us in confusion.

"Well, I have to agree myself." I admitted, walking forward towards the table and grabbing at the small coat that draped across the back of one of the chairs. "In all honesty, what ever she is afraid, whatever the reason is, she is still terrified of me." Shoving my arms through the sleeves and buttoning the suit up, I turned to my father, my eyes studying him once more. "This wedding, this marriage, may end up harming her more than anything else we could have done. I have told you before and I will tell you again, this is a mistake and both Illiana and myself will suffer for this."

"Perhaps you will get lucky and it will not be that bad." King Neal suggested, his voice more hopeful than his the doubt in his eyes. I was not surprised though, out of the four kings that I knew, he was the most idealist and optimistic. Normally, he was wise enough to realize the reality, but other times he would say something to give hope to another even if it was something that he did not believe in.