"It is time."
Evelyn, already dressed for the wedding, stood at the foot of her son's bed. She reached out and pulled her son's blanket from him, causing him to curl onto himself, cold.
"Tobias, please."
Still, he would not move. Tobias poked his head up and noticed his tailor in the room, preparing his station to dress the prince. He chuckled to himself, looking away. It seems Mother figured out I was purposefully missing my fitting this morning, so she brought the tailor to me.
"Do not make me repeat myself. Get going."
Tobias stood from the bed, begrudgingly standing in front of the tailor. No matter how much he could try, he was stuck in this fateful wedding today. Forced to be Lauren's husband.
And no one stopped to hear his pleas.
The tailor carefully buttoned and adjusted his wedding suit. He stepped back and smiled, bowing to the Queen before leaving the room.
Evelyn approached her son. She reached out and held his face in her hand, sighing. "My son, how you have grown."
Tobias looked away.
She inhaled and retracted her hand, reaching instead for his crown on the dresser. She slowly picked it up, smiling at the beautiful object in her hands. She carefully lifted her arms and placed it on top of his head, stroking his hair as she took a step back to admire him.
Rapid knocks interrupted their moment. Evelyn turned and watched Zeke and Uriah, Tobias' closest friends, enter. They bowed to his mother, greeting her. She smiled and left the room, hopeful her son's friends would cheer him up.
Zeke took a deep breath as he stared at his best friend. "Who would have thought we would see you in a wedding suit before us?" he joked, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Zeke, not now," Uriah ushered as he shook his head.
How can he stand there and speak so loosely about today? Tobias asked himself as he stared into the mirror. He knew more than anyone how much I loved Beatrice. How could he find it in him to be joking around?
"I did not mean to offend," Zeke said quietly. "Truth be told, I was rather surprised to hear about your wedding. I had not received a letter from you since after the soiree we last attended."
Tobias winced. "Right. I have been rather preoccupied," he looked at him. "What with the death of the love of my life and all."
Zeke faltered. "I am so sorry, Tobias," he said quickly, bowing to him. "I had no idea she had passed."
"Did you think I was marrying Lauren of my own free will?" He muttered, shoving him in the shoulder as he walked past.
Uriah fiddled with his fingers. "Perhaps this could be a fresh start," he offered. "Remember, you do not need to spend a second longer with Lauren after your wedding. You enjoyed the idea of concubines before - perhaps you could entertain the possibility again."
"I am glad you both think so positively about today, but unfortunately, it is I carrying the burden of marrying the princess," Tobias spoke.
Zeke stared at the floor. Knowing of Beatrice's death sent shivers down his spine. He remembered all the tender words Tobias used to describe her in his letters, which made him realize just how much he cared for her.
"Is there anything I can do?" Zeke whispered, placing his hand over his heart in complete genuinity.
Tobias looked at him and shook his head.
The door opened as a servant brought a tray of champagne into the room. Uriah reached reluctantly for a glass, not feeling very celebrative. None of them did.
Zeke rose his hand and stopped the two from drinking. He rose his glass in the air and looked at Tobias. "To Beatrice," he offered.
Uriah smiled at his brother's compassionate words, raising his own glass. "To a true love."
Tobias looked at his closest friends and found himself smiling, ever so slightly. He gripped the glass and collided it with theirs.
"To the love of my life," he whispered before bringing the glass to his lips, inhaling the drink in one go.
After several glasses of champagne, Tobias felt light-headed enough to attend the ceremony.
His friends, who had fallen more or less on the drunker side, staggered by his side as they walked down the steps toward the venue. With the rapidity of their wedding day, the families decided to host the wedding in the largest banquet hall the castle offered.
Zeke and Uriah went rigid at the sight of the King and Queen walking by. They stumbled to bow, hoping they had not noticed their inappropriate state.
Tobias stared at his parents, taunting them to say something.
"Are you drunk?" Marcus muttered, clenching his fist.
Evelyn waved away the two friends.
"I have a request," Tobias announced, crossing his arms.
"A request?"
"Yes. I want to see Beatrice's body."
Evelyn and Marcus froze in shock. They glanced to one another, never having had expected such a request.
"It is your wedding day, Tobias," Evelyn said calmly. "Why ruin it with such an image?"
"Ruin?" Tobias sneered. "How dare you? I will not marry someone until I see her face one last time. Now, tell me where she is!"
"You will not go see her. You will not! This is an absurd request!" Marcus scoffed, fear laced in his voice.
"If you do not approve this request, I will make sure everyone here knows just how sane I am these days," Tobias threatened. "Is this what you want, father? For everyone to know their soon-to-be King is mad?" he laughed.
"Tobias stop this!" Evelyn intervened, shocked at such words. "What is the matter with you?"
Marcus clenched his fists. "Are you threatening me?"
"Gladly," Tobias spat.
Evelyn stepped between the two men. She glanced at her husband. "Just let him see her. We can not risk him acting out on such an important day," She might not have been mauled by wolves, but her body is still deceased.
How delightfully oblivious it was for the Queen and prince not to know Beatrice was below their very feet.
Marcus inhaled. "I had her cremated," he said blatantly.
Tobias widened his eyes as his mother gasped.
"What?!" they both yelled.
"Yes," Marcus continued. "There is no body in the coffin. She was cremated."
"You bastard!" Tobias roared, lunging at his father. Just as his hand was to reach his father's face, a guard leaped and wrapped their arm around his waist, pulling him back.
The guard stepped in front of the prince, shielding the King from any further attack. Tobias sneered at his father before whipping around, storming away.
Around the corner, another guard watched the entire scene unfold. He sighed and leaned against the wall, contemplating what to do next.
Without a second thought, he left his post and rushed toward the stairs leading to the cell.
He stumbled in front of Beatrice, who was startled by such an abrupt entrance. She forced a smile at him, offering him a small wave.
"I do believe I have found you an opportunity to escape, Miss Prior," he said, breathless.
Beatrice's eyes widened. "Escape? Are you sure, sir?"
He shook his head and prepared to enact his plan. "Please, call me Alex. There is little time left."
And just like that, Beatrice's eyes lit up for the first time in a month.