Louis and I lay together in my bed. He held me while I was snuggled up next to him, the morning sun streaming in through the windows. There wasn't anything that would make me feel more content than I did in that moment.
"What shall we do today?" He asked.
"I was thinking we could just have a relaxing day doing nothing. We've been so busy lately with royal duties, I just want to enjoy some time with you." I said, gently brushing a finger across the tattoos on his chest.
"Of course anything you want, love. My queen needs her rest." Louis kissed my forehead.
"I'm so happy." I sighed.
"Me too, baby. I love you so much." He replied.
"And I love you. I'm so happy you're with me and you'll never leave me. I don't think I could go on living without you." I said.
"You're going to have to." He responded.
"What?" I questioned in confusion, but just then I remembered how he had been imprisoned and sentenced to die. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten him out. "Lou."
When he didn't respond, I glanced up at him, but was greeted not by his face, but by Silas' face. I gasped and jerked back, but he kept a hold of me not letting me go.
"Let go! Louis!" I shouted, twisting my wrist in his grip as I struggled with the sheets which were tangled around me.
Silas smirked and didn't loosen his hold. "Don't be silly, you're my wife. Louis has been dead for ages."
"No!" I snapped out of the dream, waking up to reality. Taking deep breaths, I noticed a strand of sunlight shining through a crack in the curtains. Instinctively, my hand reached to the left side of the bed where Louis should have been, but that area was empty and cold. "Louis..."
As soon as my memory returned, I immediately felt the familiar sorrow and anxiety kick in. The ball in my honor was tonight, but I couldn't look forward to it even though I should. The purpose of my life had changed so drastically since before Louis. Before, all I was working toward was my future as queen of Verdelle. But now I wanted more than that. I wanted Louis by my side, which was a lot to ask when the entire kingdom wanted him dead. How could I stay Verdelle's princess and have Louis at the same time?
I didn't have time to try to sneak down to the dungeons for most of the day. My father had countless things planned for me and I couldn't find a single moment to be alone. Silas was lurking everywhere I went whether it was during meals, meetings with important royals who wanted to welcome me back to civilization, or preparations for the ball. Every time I turned around, he was there watching me. But thankfully since I couldn't be alone, he didn't have a chance to be creepy toward me like yesterday.
It irked me that whenever the king was around, Silas would act like a complete gentleman. That twisted smirk of his would vanish and suddenly he was treating me with perfect manners and politeness, the complete opposite of yesterday. Did anyone else notice the darkness behind the mask of kindness he wore?
Eventually, I was forced to attend the ball. I didn't feel up to conversing with strangers and pretending that I was alright. Because inside I was mourning, not only over Louis, but my mother wasn't leaving my thoughts anytime soon either. Silas of course was my escort and it had already spread around to the entire kingdom that we were going to be married, so I prepared myself for the onslaught of questions about it.
I stood beside Silas with my arm lightly around his as the doors to the ballroom were opened before us. Taking a deep breath and imagining he was Louis, I let him guide me into the grand open space were all the guests were already gathered. Every face was turned toward us and I attempted to recall my princess training and gently waved to the crowd. The room was brightened considerably by the colorful fancy suits and dresses everyone wore.
The announcer proclaimed, "Her Royal Highness, Princess Aria of Verdelle!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as they excitedly welcomed me home. I gave them a smile, because I was genuinely grateful for their love and support. I would just rather enjoy the night with my husband beside me, not this creep.
We walked forward and once we reached the stairs that led down to floor of the ballroom, music began to play. I tried to pretend Silas was Louis, but quickly gave that idea up. He wasn't Louis and could never replace him in a million years. Silas tugged me down the steps when I had hesitated, not wanting to join all the guests below. I hadn't had to be this social in months and months; and my fragile emotional state wasn't helping matters at all.
"I'm really liking the dress you chose." Silas said under his breath once we reached the bottom of the steps and people moved aside to make way for us.
"Thanks." I replied halfheartedly.
Everyone was in a large circle around us, ready to watch us begin the night's dancing with a solo dance. I was hoping we could just quickly dance for a few seconds and be done with it, but that seemed unlikely when a new song began to play and Silas pulled me into his chest, wrapping an arm around my waist and grabbing my hand with the other.
"You look incredibly attractive. The dress suits you." He smiled brightly, but I could see the malicious intent behind it.
I didn't respond, hoping he would stop talking as he pulled me around the floor. The light blue dress I wore was elegant and classy, but I found that Silas was easily able to look down the front when he got too close.
"Too bad your true love can't be here to see it. But I'm glad I'm the one who gets to enjoy you looking like this." He whispered in my ear.
"If you don't stop talking, I'm going to hurt you." I said through my fake smile, trying to hide my emotions from the spectators.
He chuckled in mock amusement. "I'd like to see you try in front of all these people."
"I didn't say I'd do it in front of them." I said, attacking him with a purposeful stare.
"It's cute how you think you could ever control me." He taunted.
Finally, the song came to an end and the crowd quickly surrounded us, taking up partners and dancing around us. We were no longer the center of attention. I took that moment to step on his foot, making sure my heel dug into his shoe. He grunted in pain and let go of me.
"You're going to regret that." He warned.
As I prepared to leave him, I said under my breath, "Don't underestimate me. Despite what you think, I've done some horrible things too."
Thinking of the night I shot that man, I struggled to contain my emotions. I kept becoming defensive whenever Silas brought up Louis or threatened him. I felt like I could cause some serious damage to this arrogant prince if he threatened my husband's safety one more time. However I still had to be careful of my actions after what he said yesterday about hurting Louis.
"Princess Aria!" A stranger came up to me and began proclaiming her relief at my safe return.
But even when I had escaped her, another popped up in front of me and then another. Everyone wanted to speak to me and I should have done my royal duty and spoke to everyone with a smile, but I was too overwhelmed. I had to get away for a moment. Where was Finn? I needed to see Louis.
• Louis' POV •
Lying on a cot and staring at the ceiling in my cell, I held Aria's shawl in my hands. Every once in a while I'd bring it my nose, inhaling the fading scent of her perfume that still lingered. With every inhale, I could imagine she was beside me when I closed my eyes.
I was cold, dirty, and hungry, but none of those things could compare to the stinging ache in my chest whenever my thoughts drifted to how much I missed her. I was depressed, undoubtedly. And it didn't seem like anything was going to change. I was going to be executed and Aria would go on without me. It's what I wanted for her. The only way for her to live the life she was meant for was if I wasn't part of it.
I had no idea what was going on out there in the world. Was Aria okay? She would get over me. After she remembered the way our marriage began, she'd forget me and realize that this was for the best. I almost wished that they hadn't extended my execution date so I could just be put out of my misery already.
As I laid there, the silence was disturbed by the sound of the dungeon doors opening. It was probably a guard bringing my dinner, but I wasn't sure what time it was as there were no windows down here. Not moving, I stayed where I was as footsteps headed down the row of cells to mine. I was the only one down here since these were more of holding cells for those who would be moved to the larger prisons or executed.
When the footsteps halted by my cell, but didn't leave, I glanced over. Aria was standing there. Sitting upright quickly, I stood to my feet, but paused in surprise at her appearance. She was wearing an elegantly fancy dress, like the kind women wear to big events. Her hair was done up loosely in a very attractive style and she seemed to glow in the soft light of the sconces on the wall. She was like an angel. She noticed my uninhibited long stare up and down her body and she fidgeted shyly.
"I had to come see you." She whispered.
I stepped up to the bars that kept me in and she wasted no time before reaching through to touch me. When a movement caught my eye, I looked over to see her brother standing a distance away like last time. I wished he would give us some privacy, but I understood why he probably didn't trust me.
"You shouldn't be down here." Was all I said, even though I wanted nothing more than to see her as much as possible before it all ended.
"Well I'm here anyway." She replied, touching my cheek.
"What's the occasion?" I nodded to her dress. I could see her cleavage easily and hoped no one out there was looking at what was mine...or what used to be mine.
"A welcome home ball for me. There were too many people though so I came down here for a break." She explained quietly.
I noticed an emotion in her eyes that she was trying to hide. When she caught me studying her, she looked at the floor.
"Something wrong?" I asked gently.
"What do you think?" She said.
"I mean outside the obvious. Is there something else you haven't told me?" I wanted to know.
The more I prodded her, the more uncomfortable she seemed. She glanced over at Prince Finn and lowered her voice. "My father wants me to marry someone right after you're... He invited a prince to stay here at the palace to 'get to know me.' Obviously I'm not going to go through with it, but it's just... My father's making it seem like I have no choice and the prince...he's a total jerk."
Worry filled me. What kind of father forces something like this on their daughter? I did the exact same thing to her and now the king thought it was a good idea to put her through it again? My fingers gently brushed aside the strands of her that were in her face.
"You don't have to do it you know. Remember what I told you on our wedding night? Speak up for yourself. Don't let people make you do things you don't want to do, especially life-changing decisions like that. I know you're soft spoken and every bone in your body is kind, but please Aria, speak up." I told her firmly.
"Louis..." Her voice cracked as her lip trembled. "I need you."
"You don't need me, okay? Now go out there and tell people what you really want." I said, hating having to tell her to leave me behind.
"I want you!" She raised her voice, stepping back and staring at me with red watery eyes. Her chest heaved as she clenched her fists. "What I want is you. And I'll have you if it's the last thing I do. I'm getting you out of here Louis, and I'm sending that pigheaded prince to hell."
"Aria!" A deep male voice boomed from the dungeon doors.
We both turned in surprise to see King Bellamy himself walking our way with two guards escorting him. A fourth blond haired man with a familiar face was with them. Aria quickly moved toward me again and reached through the bars, clinging to me. This wasn't going to be good.