Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Forty-Six: Ariadne

Ariadne's POV

"We are all gathered here today," the priest began as he wrapped a ceremonial cloth around mine and Prince Wilson's wrists, connecting them forever. 

I looked over at Prince Wilson and he gave me a reassuring smile. 

Then I saw his eyes fall down to my neck and his grip tightened.

"Where is the necklace?" he mouthed.

I shrugged, not sure how to explain it in front of everyone in the middle of the ceremony. 

"To protect, love, guide, and sustain..."

Prince Wilson looked confused. 

"Are you okay?" I mouthed back, remembering what Peter and Amity had told me. 

He nodded but put on a fake smile. 

"Do you take Queen Ariadne Cardwell of Glendowin to be your wife and Queen?"

Prince Wilson looked at me and grinned. "I do."

The priest continued on with the vows.

 I looked at the Prince and looked down at where the necklace had been. Was all of this fake? Was Estevan really controlling the Prince? It would make sense why Estevan wanted me to marry Prince Wilson. 

"And do you Queen Ariadne, take Prince Wilson Mears Worthington II of Credarus to be your King and husband?"

"I..." I glanced at him. Was it too late to say no? 

"Are you Estevan?" I whispered. 

All the color immediately drained from his face.

I tried to step away, but the cloth held us together. Before I could say another word, Prince Wilson pulled me to him and kissed me. Hard. 

"Umm... Your highnesses, we're not to that part yet," I heard the priest whisper.

He didn't stop. 

The kiss got more intense and I felt my strength leave me, my legs buckled under me but the Prince, or was it Estevan, held me up until I mustered every last ounce of strength I had left to push him away and I fell backward onto the ground.

"I suppose that kiss will do for now, your highness." He hissed in my ear. "It has transferred quite a bit of your power to me. And if you don't marry me then I will use it to make everyone around you suffer. You wouldn't want to hurt all of these nice people, would you?"

I looked over the confused faces in the audience and the guards with their hands on their hilts as they looked at me with questions in their eyes. I shook my head and they stood down.

"That's a good Queen."

"I apologize profusely, I'm just so excited to be this beautiful queens husband." He said to the priest. "I guess I got a little too carried away, you may proceed."

He helped me up, and I noticed the pendant on his lapel was glowing red. "It's just like my necklace," I whispered.

"What did you say?"

I stood on my feet and felt some strength returning. "Don't worry, Prince Wilson, I will free you." 

I ripped the pendant off his lapel, threw it to the ground, and smashed it under my heel.

"I will only proceed with this wedding if the Prince still wants to," I said hoping I was right about this.

The man looked terrified and confused. The real Prince Wilson turned to me, looked at the crowd and shuddered. "M...Marry... You?"