Ellena rode through the woods, her mind filled with her grandmother's words. "If he doesn't want you, make him want you," she had said, giving her a small vial of powder. "A little of this will do the trick."
Confusion flickered in her eyes as she examined the mysterious powder. "What is it for?" she asked, wanting to understand.
"Well, my dear... Just put a bit of it in his drink. I won't tell you exactly what will happen, but be ready for anything," her grandmother replied mysteriously.
She sighed, unsure but determined. If Regan had agreed to marry her willingly, she wouldn't have resorted to this. But now she had to do whatever it took to marry him. She wanted to prove to the woman who had become his wife that Regan belonged to her, even before they were married.
She planned to take away everything she cherished and make her suffer. From the moment she saw her, she despised her. The fact that she had married the man she loved only fueled her hatred. She couldn't stand her, and even though she smiled in her presence, it was just a way to control her urge to kill her.
"Just wait until tonight, Princess," she whispered, an evil smile creeping across her face. "Your husband will be mine forever."
****
The castle was abuzz with activity as maids hurriedly moved through the hallways, busily preparing for the moon ritual tonight.
I sat on the bed, looking out of the window, wondering what Regan and Ellena had talked about yesterday morning. Were they planning to get married? Did Regan agree to marry her? These thoughts kept swirling in my mind, and Regan refused to give me any answers. He acted like the betrothal and upcoming wedding didn't bother him, but I couldn't stop worrying about it. I was tired of constantly thinking and just wanted everything to be over. If he was going to marry her, so be it. At least then I would know where I stood, even if it meant living with a broken heart for the rest of my life, I don't mind. I was exhausted.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door, and I turned my attention to it. Ellena walked in. Marrying my husband wasn't enough, and now she kept disturbing me with her unwelcome present.
"Good afternoon, princess," she said. I could hear the sarcasm in her voice.
"Good afternoon, Ellena," I replied, trying to sound kind, and I stood up. "You can have a seat."
She smirked and stepped closer, standing right in front of me. It made me uncomfortable, and I had a strong urge to slap that evil smile off her face.
"No need to sit. I just came to tell you that your husband and I are getting married. Soon," she said, taunting me.
My heart skipped a beat when I heard her words. "Well, good for you then. It's nice to hear such pleasant news," I said, almost bitterly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.
Her smile grew wider, reveling in the pain she knew her words caused. "Indeed, it must sound pleasant to you. After all, you did your best to persuade your husband against this marriage even after we were betrothed. How selfish of you princess."
Her accusation stung, and anger mixed with confusion clouded my expression. "Excuse me, what do you mean?"
"It doesn't matter what I mean, princess. What matters is that he agreed to marry me," she said, her smile growing even more sarcastic. "I'll leave now. Take care, princess." And with that, she left the room, leaving me feeling hurt, confused, and with even more unanswered questions.
****
As night fell, Lisa arrived to prepare me for the ritual. I sat in front of the mirror while she gently brushed my hair.
After she finished, she chose a beautiful white dress for me, and with a nod of approval, she left the room.
Moments later, Regan entered. He positioned himself near the door, his gaze intensely scanning my body. Sensing his presence, I stood up, intending to leave the room. However, he swiftly caught hold of my hand, pulling me back and firmly shutting the door.
"What are you doing?" I fired at him, but he remained calm, his expression unruffled.
"Is something wrong, Nora?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Nothing is wrong, your highness," I replied calmly, freeing my hand from his grip. "I'm leaving," I said, gesturing for him to step aside.
Yet, he gripped my shoulders, leaning closer until our eyes locked. "You seem upset. Is there something you're not telling me, Nora?"
I exhaled softly, torn between confessing the troubles that plagued my mind or keeping them buried within me. But the weight became unbearable, and I couldn't bear the burden alone. I met his gaze, gathering my courage. "What about you, Your Highness?"
"What about me?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"You never told me that Ellena was betrothed to you. I heard it from someone else. And you never shared anything about it with me, not even when you agreed to marry her," I spatted out, my anger surging. "You kept me in the dark as if I wasn't important to you from the beginning. So be it. You can marry her, for all I care. I was never important to you anyway," I said, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and sadness. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I refused to let them ruin the makeup Lisa had painstakingly applied.
His grip on my shoulders tightened, as if he was trying to control his own rising anger. "Who told you that, Nora?"
"It doesn't matter who told me. You can do whatever you want. Go to her, marry her, because I truly don't care anymore. And please, can you stop bothering me and let me go?" I pleaded, though inwardly, a part of me longed for him not to let me go. I wanted an explanation, for him to assure me that I was really important to him. Yet, to my disappointment, he released his hold on my shoulders and left me standing there alone. How could he be so cold?
I fought the urge to chase after him and demand an explanation. My nails dug into my palms as I clenched my fists tightly.
I will make him regret everything he was doing to me.