"Well… this must have some silver lining," Serein muttered.
"It's probably lost in the overwhelming black cloud…" Elira leaned back in the chair.
"Can you not refuse?" Amara asked with worry etched on her face.
"I cannot… you know what would happen if I were to even try." The girl shook her head.
"At the risk of sounding shallow…" Ayla stood up, "At least he is handsome."
"Oh, Ayla!"
"Ayla!" They exclaimed shaking their head.
"That is no consolation. Had you seen his face you would know how disappointed he was. It was as if someone had slapped him really hard… on his face."
"Maybe someone did…?" Amara shrugged but was ignored.
"Listen, darling… things will be okay. Okay? Prince Ragnar has chosen me, and that means that I will be with you in this palace. You will not be alone." Serein knelt down in front of her and placed her hand on the girls shaking knees.
On the other side of the castle, prince Ragnar was watching his brother pace the room.
"Do not fret brother, she is very beautiful." He shrugged, but Cassian simply rolled his eyes.
"A brute like you would not understand. I didn't want to marry her! I wanted to marry…"
"Do not speak her name," Ragnar warned with a voice that told Cassian that he was not amused.
"This is unfair, I did not do anything that was worthy of such a punishment." He kicked a chair over in frustration.
"Well… you went to bed with the minister's daughter... in the throne room.... on the throne." Ragnar pointed out, "And I do not understand why you find this to be a punishment… you are forced to marry a beautiful princess from the Blue Vale."
"Forced being the word I focus on. Also, the minister's daughter wasn't that good in bed for me to be punished." Cassian waved him off, "My hair is just…" He tried messing it up after Ragnar had forced him to slick it back.
He despised wearing it that way and loved making it messy as if he had just left the bed.
"Ah, nice to see my street rat brother once more." Ragnar chuckled with a soft amusement in his voice.
He had a lot of affection for his brother but knew that Cassian only tolerated him. He despised their parents as well and generally everyone around him. The only thing he seemed to be good at was manipulating people and bedding, married women.
However, it was strange to Ragnar that he didn't want to marry princess Elira. Had it been under other circumstances, Cassian would have definitely attempted to bed her.
"Something about her scares you…" Ragnar remarked, "Or puts you off."
Cassian looked up at him with a slight pout on his face and Ragnar knew that he had hit the nail on the head.
"She despises me. She thinks I am handsome… which I am but … nothing else." He admitted, "she also seems like…"
"Like she wouldn't listen to you…" Ragnar smirked, "Well..." He stood up, "then this truly is for the best."
Cassian shook his head as Ragnar walked away, chuckling to himself.
Standing up, he walked out of his room, deciding to walk around the palace as he often did.
"So someone is to be married…" A sultry voice caused him to smile.
"Demetra…" Cassian turned to the girl who stood leaning against the wall, her silk red dress barely hanging on to her luxurious curves.
"Will you miss me?" Cassian asked, walking up to her with a smirk etched on his face.
"Maybe… who says marriage will keep you out of my bed?" She asked.
This caused him to laugh, "It will not." With that, he pushed her into his room and slammed the door behind him.