The wedding ceremony had been a blur just as I had expected. First, I had had to make use of a white gown. I thought they used white gowns to signify purity? There was certainly nothing pure about this wedding. I was cheated, stripped of my rights just because I was a lady. At that point I wished I didn't have to bare any burden and be free to make choices without having to think about how your choices impacted thousands of lives. I wished I wasn't born into a noble family, that I was one of the free ladies even though there was no much difference, I knew they were allowed to choose their groom who were from the downtown. But I envisaged their delight. The costume from earlier was horror itself as it looked like I was shooting a scene from a historical drama series. At least the makeup was alright. The major problem was the fact that a single piece of the jewelries I had on weighed a ton and they had me loaded with it.
They looked like an ancient jewelry set taking the fact that they had the same makings on them.
I frowned looking at myself in the dressing room mirror. I looked like some jewelry marque.
They had already decided the marriage. Whether or not I was stuffed in jewelries wouldn't matter, I decided as I called for the less busy maid closest to me.
"My lady?" The maid responded and i gave her a faint smile.
"Do you not you like the dress? I would quickly get the alternatives here"
"Oh, the dress. It's nice. I would have preferred black but I think I can make do." The maid shook when she heard the words 'black'. Who ever wanted to wear a black clothe on her wedding?
"But it is definitely okay. The real problem is the jewelries? Am not really sure how you can help." Immediately I said that, I noticed the girl's body quiver a little before she lifted her bent head slightly so that she was looking at me albeit in a not rude manner.
"My lady, the groom's family were very particular about the jewelries."
"Of course. They would be." I muttered, after all, they are specific about my suffering.
I heard the bell ring which was supposed to be the sign for me to walk down that accursed aisle.
I prayed beneath my breath, hiding my nervousness before standing up from the chair I had been sitting on, I took one last look at my figure in the mirror before swirling forward.
I would be okay. I wasn't princess verity for nothing.
****
I descended the stairs caring not to miss my steps. The problem was, all my life I had worn heel-y shoes but still hadn't seen any kind that were this high. Like if I mistaking-ly missed my steps I knew I would be a goner.
Maybe that was their plan? They made this shoes to make my death seem unplanned. But they surely haven't investigated me enough to think that I would be gone like that.
I scoffed as I brought out my chin, shooting my most defiant look at them. It was time.
The ceremony would start with the bride and grooms family getting to know each other before the bride was called in. It was supposed to be the bride's day yet the bride was the one treated in the lowest possible way at her wedding. I could hear instruments playing whilst the talking didn't falter. Getting to the locked door, I motioned to the bodyguard to let me through which he did after a while. Talking about my wedding were my sisters even in there?
The maids who had escorted me where not allowed and so I gave them a curt nod before they went off to where ever they were before.
Then I entered the hall. This time it looked different from the first time I was here. The decorations looked exquisitely done. I was sure they weren't made by our people. So the groom's family must have brought a planner.
How thoughtful of them to take the entire wedding in their disgusting hands.
I felt eyes boring into me but I didn't lift my head. That was when I heard people praising my father and also heard my sisters voices. Finally.
But then what I heard shook me.
"She totally stole it from me. I was the one to get married." Layla spat venomously.
"She is a wretched whore. Saying things like eyes and all but then, everyone knows that prince Adonis is more likely to like a whore than an eye modeling princess."
Even with the distance between us, I could taste the bitterness in her words, I gasped softly. She was my sister and I understood where she was coming from as she wasn't the one chosen but I didn't steal anything from her. I would as a matter of fact willingly give it back to her if she wanted. Just when I thought they would continue defaming me, she turned to me and opened her mouth when she noticed I was standing there. Immediately, guilt spread across her face as she stammered. I didn't acknowledge her but continued my journey.
Then I reached the throne were father and mother were sitting.
I bowed at them when in my mind all I wanted to do was spit at their feet and run off. But I didn't because I knew in less than a day, I would have been caught.
I noticed my legs trembled when I tried to stand straight so I took a deep breath and met mother's nervous breath. I felt sorry for her.
That she should have to live all her life beside this heartless man I for one couldn't understand and she always managed to smile no matter the circumstances. I was already planning my escape from the shackles they intend to bind me with though, I wasn't my mother. The only obstacle would be because I would be in an unfamiliar environment.
My mother pointed at a table for me to sit and I smiled not letting her catch the murderous glare behind it. The silence in the room was deafening.
After a while the groom came in and then the murmur began.
For some unknown reason, I could easily hear what everyone was saying without much ado.
It wasn't the first time so I had learnt to separate each person's thoughts and voices.
"Is that the groom? No wonder she was so bent on getting married today."
I was certainly not the one who planned to get married today.
"I bet she was afraid she was going to loose him to someone better than her. Another said and chuckled."
"What are you saying? They look like a couple made from heaven." I could totally make out my best friend's voice and so i smiled before I realized something. I was definitely not looking couple-ish with that monster.
But as he came in, I understood she was trying to praise my beauty too because come on, The man's beauty was heavenly to say the least even I with some heavy almost baseless grudge against him, couldn't deny that fact. He had a startling beauty. A kind that couldn't be placed and I felt chills in my bones when I finally looked at his face.
He was still a distance away but I could easy see his well defined jawbones and nose. His perfectly plucked and shaped eyebrows. His dark long lashes and hair. His heart shaped face, and his eyes. The weren't generic but they looked like they once held powerful emotions though right now all they emitted was dark aura.
And a dangerous one at that.
I would remember not to cross him right in his face. It would be too horrible.
He wasn't fazed with the comments as he walked straight towards the king with a surprising unwavering precision. Like he had walked down this kind of aisle before.
Wait! I hoped to God I wasn't going to be a second wife or anything?
Surely father and mother wouldn't do that to me?
I wanted to pray they wouldn't but my subconscious knew they would do anything for them to look good in the eyes of their subjects which excluded their children.
"Your highness." The prince greeted bowing slightly.
I could still hear a minute amount of sarcasm in his tone. Except he was used to it?
Then I heard the gasping. What were they gasping for? Surely I hadn't behaved in a not decent manner?
That was when I realized. Unlike other men who greeted my father, the king, He was the only one who had greeted him thus disrespectfully.
I knew I should be happy but for someone to do that to the king with much indifference then they had something backing them up. Something that made them powerful enough to be rude to a king without having their head coming off their neck.
More likely I am sure that was why the monster could have the power to scrutinize each and every lady in all the kingdoms around us. As I had heard while eavesdropping.
After a while the man turned is attention to me and I felt my heart beat hitch. And then I pinched myself I wasn't going to be nervous because of a scumbag. "I shouldn't" I continued to reassure my self but failed woefully.
Luckily, the prince withdrew his attention from me and drowned away looking unwavering at the space. I raised an eyebrow. So the empty air was more interesting than I was?
It wasn't like I cared but wasn't he supposed to at least acknowledge me or something?
"Today I celebrate my daughter, the princess of Bladinsh's, wedding to Adonis, the prince of Necrad. He tapped his wine glass before adding, therefore let the ceremony begin."
There was a loud cheer amongst the people but to me they sounded like jeers. I wanted to block away the sound of the whole people away. And suddenly it was done.
I noticed I could mute them and unmute them.
Finally some peace.
It was later I realized what I had done because mother stood in front of me tapping me.
I quickly unmuted them.
"Your highness?" I mocked.
"Your wedding is over they have gone to the chariot. They must be expecting you, dear."
"So eager to see me gone. I pouted
Mother shook her head. "I am not. I just don't want to see you so gloomy on your wedding day. You tuned Yourself out even before the end."
"My wedding? You and I both know that it could have been a different girl with another set of parent leaving in a different kingdom and not me sitting in this chair expected to go off to my husband like the obedient, dutiful bride and daughter i should play.
But you know why i am here? You know what would have been our similarity?
Probably my eyes or maybe my golden blood.
Which is it mama? Which?"
My mother stiffened. "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I am saying. We know that, I have a very special blood and my eyes are a rare kind. You must know what they plan to do with me or for what reason would you lie about the state of my eyes?"
"I really don't know about that, verity."
I eyed her. "Like I would believe you. You and father just sold me for you and your subjects security. I don't doubt it would come at a high price."
Mother narrowed her eyes in anger. "Watch your tongue lady."
"And now I can't even speak my mind." I contended.
"You would not speak to me like that."
"Or what?" I challenged raising an eyebrow.
"Look at you acting all high because you are about to go off with a powerful man."
"Are you jealous?" I chortled, "you have taught me to make myself happy. At the expense of others and I plan to do it. I just need to know what it is with my eyes."
My mother suddenly had a look of worry on her face. "Wait here," she commanded before she strode forward. I waited a while then I followed her as it was the way to the chariot.
Apparently she had gone to meet the queen as I heard their conversation which was held in hushed tones.
"She knows you picked her because of her eyes."
"Really?" The queen said but it certainly didn't sound surprised.
"Of course. you do not think her as stupid as the both of you are?"
"What are you going to do with her?"
"None of your business" she replied sharply. "Now be gone before she comes and starts doubting." Footsteps resounded before they came to a halt
"Please don't harm her."
I snorted. That was even the same response the queen gave.
My father's other wife, the second queen passed me, shooting me an unpleasant look. I glared back at her and laughed at her surprised expression. She wasn't expecting that was she?
"So you care now?" After a while she spoke up again. "I am just going to returning her to were she belonged."
She added nonchalantly.
Mother's panicky voice followed. "No, no... Keep her but don't, don't take her away. Don't take her back there."
"And what do you know about her home?" She snickered.
"Nothing. I, I... I have heard stories." She replied meekly.
So my home had been written in stories? I questioned extremely confused on what was happening.
"They are all fake. Even if they aren't, it would be better for one soul to perish than the whole world. You and I know she is just a ticking time bomb. As long as she is still in this world, disaster looms around us. She would never forgive us for what we did to her in her previous life."
What did they do to me? And why are they talking as though I had died before?!!!