Enchanted

Chapter 3 - Betrothed

CHAPTER 3 - BETROTHED

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Prince Dylan looked out of his bedroom window. He could see some fairies just flying around and finishing off last minute chores and running quick errands before heading back to the comfort of their homes or the Enchanted City underwater. Dylan just stood, gazed at the lights and darkness. He let out a sigh and thought to himself that one day this would all belong to him. But would he have someone to share it with? His mother had banned fairies from falling in love because she couldn’t risk the kingdom being in anymore danger but could he really look after this world and the underwater kingdom alone? There were fairies that he’d had flings with and some flirted with while others took no notice hoping that he’d notice.  Dylan didn’t care. He was hoping that before his time as King came, his mother would lift the ban and everything would be back to normal. Then the tricky part would be to find a Queen…

***

Queen Clarissa looked at the portrait of her first love, King Antonio. She was a simple lady-in-waiting to his mother, the Queen and he fell in love with her the minute he saw her. There relationship was kept a secret because they where mates, and his family would never accwept her. Clarissa and Antonio had a lovely courtship and the time came for the prince to get married. However, just as the young couple had thought, his parents had objected due to her non-royal blood and arranged his marriage to someone else, the daughter of the Baron of the underwater world.  As the big day approached, Clarissa dropped the news to Antonio that she was pregnant with his child. Antonio had mixed emotions and he knew he had to do the right thing. He called off the wedding and said to his parents how he felt about Clarissa, confessing that she was his mate. His parents were disappointed about this but finally blessed the marriage. As for the Baron, he was promised that the child of Antonio and Clarissa will have no choice but to marry his granddaughter. The baron agreed as this had been the tradition of Enchanted for many years.  Queen Clarissa knew now that Dylan was 22 he would have to get married before she passed the throne on. And he would have to get married to the Baron’s granddaughter, Lady Selenita even if he objected. Clarissa loved her son, very much and she had spoiled him a lot but as fairies couldn’t fall in love, she prayed and hoped that there wasn’t someone else…

***

Dylan woke up the next day and stretched his wings before setting off for the washroom and heading down to breakfast. His mother and step-father were already seated eating sliced fruit. Upon seeing him, they turned and smiled at him and ushered him to his seat. Dylan noticed his mother seemed tense but his step-father seemed calm.  

“Good morning Dylan. Did you sleep well?” Clarissa asked her son as she poured some cold, refreshing water in for him. Dylan nodded his head as he tucked into his breakfast of exotic fruit. Dylan noticed from the corner of his eye that his mother was looking at Raphael and there was a look of sorry. Dylan looked up from his breakfast and saw his mother seemed more tense than before.

"Mother, is everything okay?" Dylan asked. The queen turned unexpectedly towards to Dylan and he could see some sort of guilt in her face.

"Dylan we need to talk about the future," said the queen. Dylan knew this was going to happen one day, his mother would tell him those words that he dreaded...

"Dylan, you're 22 years old now and before you are 30, you need to have a family of your own. Once you are 30, the throne is all yours but only if you marry. If not, then sadly you cannot be king of Enchanted or the mystical underwater city and the throne passes on to Troy, if they return. If not the Baron Erhard will take the throne, and we do not want that." The queen stopped hoping that Dylan had soaked in all the information she had given him and that he was ready for the next bombshell.

"Son, as fairies cannot fall in love, it would be wrong for me to let you choose a wife. But before you were born, your father was supposed to marry the daughter of the Baron before Erhard. However, as I was already expecting you, they couldn't just leave me out in my condition. The deal was that if our marriage happened, then our first born would have to marry the daughter, if there was, of the next Baron as this is what the tradition had been for many years. You Dylan, being our first born, are already betrothed to Baron Erhard's daughter, Lady Selenita," Clarissa explained. The queen noticed the disturbance in her son's face. 

"Dylan, are you okay? Say something," Clarissa said with a worried tone.

Dylan just looked at his mother with an expression that was hard for the queen to explain. Dylan looked down and put his fork down.

"Betrothed? I've been betrothed before I was even born? What kind of law is this? What kind of parents are you? How can you do this to me?" Dylan said as he got up from the table in anger. He knew this all along so he realised that he was over-reacting but still his mother couldn't just say something like that no, especially with everything going on.

"Dylan, sweetie, please sit down," Clarissa said desperately. She didn't want her son walking out on her now as she still had more news to tell him. More news that would disappoint him probably much more.

Dylan refused to listen to his mother and headed out of the dining room.

"Dylan, your mother is talking to you. Sit down now," Raphael said sternly. Dylan stopped and turned around. That was the first time his step-father had spoken to him with that tone. but Dylan didn't have to listen to him as he wasn't his father and even though he tried, he couldn't replace him. He heard his mother let out a disappointing sigh. Dylan loved his mother and would do anything for her so he reluctantly gave in and came back to the table but refused to sit down. He knew there was more news.

"Dylan, Lady Selenita is coming soon to spend time with you. Please, make me proud and don't let me down," Clarissa continued despite her son being distant.

Dylan let out a sigh. He had no choice now. He nodded to his mother and left the room. But he didn't go to his room. Instead he hid and listened to his mother's conversation to his step-father.

"You've given that boy everything he's ever wanted which personally I think was a mistake! If he was betrothed from the beginning, why let him have that freedom of leaving the palace when he desires and flirt with other fairies. He won't admit it but you and I both know that there is someone else that is why he is reluctant in this marriage. Clarissa, that boy is to marry Selenita whether he likes it or not. He can turn us all into frogs but we are getting them married. Now you can agree with me and keep our kingdoms; this world and the underwater city together or you can ignore me and lose everything. I know he is your only son, Clarissa but for once put him aside and think about everyone else and what is at stake," Raphael said to the queen. He sounded calm yet serious. Dylan heard Raphael get up and head for the door causing Dylan to make a quick dash to his room.

His step-father was threatening his mother? How could he do that to her if he loved her so much? And why was Raphael so concerned for him? He's never been before so why now? What is he hiding? Dylan headed for his bedroom window and went for a fly around to think and put everything in place. He had to keep his mother happy and respect the kingdom but he was determined to find out more of what Raphael was hiding...