I got the extravagant wedding because I was the Princess of the nation. Guests poured in, delicacies were prepared and everyone was happy for the princess who was kept hidden for so long. They stared at me with curiosity if I was really insane or really ugly as rumors went around.
I was sitting with a dress twice as heavy as me, my head aching and heart clenched tight with the afterthought of what will happen.
"Come," Ciara said and I got up from the chair I was sitting in waiting for the sound of the horn.
"Is Prince already there?" I asked feeling unpleasant just thinking about his glare.
There was no doubt that he was extremely good looking but the coldness in his words and the hate in his eyes was overpowering everything. All the stories I heard about him seemed like a lie right now.
I walked slowly in a silk and net sapphire blue gown. The crown on my head was heavy and everything that I was wearing felt like a trap, a chain binding my soul and body to the altar of sacrifice.
I noticed Drian among the guards who was pleading with his eyes for me to run away but I just gave him a subtle smile of sadness and walked forward.
"Walk like a Princess." Ciara hissed at me and I straightened my back and looked up as bravely as I could manage.
But then I saw him, the Prince. He looked bored of this whole thing and sat there staring at the gathered crowd with eyes of a predator. His face was grim and his jaw was ticking. My eyes found a scar on his neck, prominent against his pale skin now that I had the nerve to observe me. And just he could feel my stare on him, his daunting eyes turned to me.
The hate in his eyes intensified and I blinked wanting to break the gaze I was trapped in.
Goosebumps rose all over me as I walked closer to him.
I sat down on a small throne next to the Prince trying to keep my trembling in check.
Once I was seated, the ceremony began. But I was too worried sick to enjoy any of that. Now and then I would take a peek at the Prince who was merely tolerating this and sat through the whole thing as if any moment he would burn the place down. Our seats were close enough with just a golden handle in between so I was mostly frozen and remembering to breathe.
While he was behaving like I didn't exist. Being a slave I was used to this behavior and yet I didn't know how to behave as a Princess. I tried to open my mouth and talk but I couldn't bring myself to do that.
"You are allowed to move a muscle...what was your name again?" He said in an agitated tone.
"Ermeline," I answered in a small voice.
"Yes, at least you can calm down in front of the audience, you might not like your life once we get to my Kingdom." He warned.
My life was never good, it just got better for a while.
So I decided to open my mouth and not act like a coward human.
"So you can control fire without a staff?" I asked the first thing in my head and he frowned as he turned to look at me.
I blinked and tried not to stare at his face which was crafted to perfection, light stubble on his sharp jawline.
"Are you not scared of me?" He asked in a gruff tone.
I gulped at the spine chilling glare, "Terrified," I whispered realizing I said it out loud.
"Then keep your mouth shut and speak when I tell you to."
I nodded, habitual of following orders like a slave and his frown deepened at my nod.
Then the silence followed and I realized this could have gone worse. I was in his mind the daughter of the man who slaughtered his entire family.
The ceremony was almost coming to an end with dance and I noticed Prince pull out something from his pocket.
It was a ring with something engraved on it which I couldn't read from the distance.
He clenched it in his fist and I looked away before I was caught staring.
We were made to stand up and the crowd cheered as elders from each Kingdom came to bless us, an old man with a weird auburn colored beard walked towards Prince Nazereth and murmured something and then he came to me and looked at me. He titled his head a little as if confused but then shook his head and blessed me as well. Followed by the priest and King's advisor from Udairis who also blessed us with sprinkles of water.
"Exchange the rings please." The Udairis Priest said and Ciara held my hand out.
It was shameful to see it was visibly shaking. I saw the Prince unclench his finger and pull out the ring that I noticed before. He grabbed my hand in his causing me to flinch and put the finger on my ring. As soon as it touched my skin, I bit my lip hard to stop the scream. It was burning hot. Tears formed in my eyes from pain and I looked at him in shock.
His lips lifted in a sly smirk as if he wanted to me scream and people see how he was getting his revenge on a princess while everyone else just escaped the torture. How he was taking a fragile female who was nothing but an easy entrance for him in the Kingdom while plotted against them.
But I didn't scream because I have been beaten and burned and tortured in worse ways. I just lowered my head so that my tears would be prominently visible to everyone present. It was my turn to put the ring on his finger and I did it too quickly to break any skin contact with him.
The crowd cheered and applauded like it was not a sacrifice like they didn't know Prince Nazereth probably hated King with all his heart and probably kill his daughter or torture her to the point she is a living person with a dead soul.
I had only one thought in my mind and that was to try and run as soon as I was taken to the Kingdom of hell.
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Ciara winced as she pulled out the ring which was stuck on my burned skin but I stayed silent.
I saw a flash of pity on her otherwise stern face.
I walked in the healing water and sighed as it worked miracle on my body and muscles.
Ciara left me to get me more clothes and I allowed my tears to flow freely. I dipped my hand in the healing water but I was shocked to find out that it didn't heal. I tried again and again but my finger stayed the same, burnt and horrible looking.
Suddenly the water in the bath started getting warmer and I felt a loss of breath. Something was pulling my legs like I was being sucked in a tornado. My heart was ready to be ripped out and my body was being pulled away from my soul. I tried yelling, calling for help but no voice came out. I gasped for air even though I was above water and nothing was stopping my breathing process.
And then I was pushed in the water by some invisible force.
I was somewhere else, like a hazy memory I was watching inside water.
It was Prince Nazereth, playing with his sister. She looked exactly like her brother. He was a different person, completely different from how he was right now. He was gorgeous, his hair shining under the sun, a smile adorning his face. His eyes were actually amber-colored, like burning fire and they were warm. It made me want to walk to him and smile back. His lips were not pale like it was now and there was no stubble.
His laughter boomed as his sister threw tried to hit him with a wooden sword, her little legs making her struggle to catch up to her tall brother. This was unreal and yet I knew this was his memory. Again my heart jolted inside me and I was pulled in another direction, this time the little girl's dead body was lying among other dead bodies and I heard a shrill cry of pain as I was felt a warm hand pull me out.
"What were you trying to do?" Ciara yelled at me and I realized I was in the water almost drowning.
Tears were falling down my eyes on seeing the laughing girl lifeless. I don't know how I saw the memories of if it was even a memory. But I couldn't resent Prince Nazereth at that moment.
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Sooooo......? Did it make your weekend better?
Don't expect any good times soon, it's going to be a rollercoaster, you guys!
But I promise to make it interesting.
Lots of drama and thrill to come ;)
NEXT UPDATE: WEDNESDAY