**Chapter: Fate**
I sat in my royal room, where the afternoon sun painted golden streaks across the floor, and my reflection in the polished mirror stared back at me. My green hair was perfectly in place, yet my face looked calm, even though I felt anything but calm inside. Across from me stood my father, the king, whose expression was as impassive as ever, and he had summoned me to remind me, once again, of my role in the upcoming marriage. My fate had been sealed long ago, and today he seemed determined to hammer the last nail into the coffin of my freedom.
"Aaron," he began, his voice firm and unwavering, "tomorrow, you will be married, and you must not misbehave or cause trouble during the ceremony. Remember who you are and what your duty is to this kingdom."
I nodded, though the words tasted bitter on my tongue, and duty was the single word that shaped my entire life. As a royal Senirips, my path was not my own, and I was to be married off to secure an alliance with another city. My partner could take many spouses, as was the custom, while I, the beautiful prince, would have only one, forever bound to him.
"It is not my choice," I said softly, the weight of my words hanging in the air, and I felt my future was not in my hands.
Father's face didn't change, and I wasn't surprised. "It is the way of things, Aaron," he replied, and we all have our roles.
I sighed, knowing that nothing I could say would change my fate.
As soon as Father left, there was a soft knock on the door, and Mark and Jail, my most loyal servants, entered. They were both tall and strong, and they were as handsome as they were kind. They had been with me for as long as I could remember, and if anyone could lift my spirits, it was them.
"Your Highness," Mark said, his voice calm but laced with concern, while Jail stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "But perhaps your future partner won't be as the rumors say. They say he's cold, distant... even devil-like, but that may not be true."
I looked at them, grateful for their attempts to comfort me, even though their words couldn't undo the knot of dread tightening in my chest. "Thank you," I whispered, managing a faint smile, and I hoped they were right.
Later that evening, my mother, Queen Mandy, called me into her private chambers, where she was the only person who ever saw me as more than just a pawn in the royal game. But even she was bound by the expectations of our lineage.
She touched my cheek, her smile soft but sad, and she said gently, "You must remember your duty, Aaron. As a Senirips, you are bound to be loyal and obedient to your husband. You must provide him with heirs—healthy children who will continue the royal bloodline."
Her words struck me like a cold wind, and I nodded, feeling the weight of her hand, the weight of my duty pressing down on me. I would be loyal; I would do as I was told, but in that moment, I wondered how much of myself would be left when all was said and done.
-
The next day, the palace was a flurry of activity, and guests filled the grand hall, where the air buzzed with the anticipation of the marriage to come. I descended the long, winding staircase, and each step felt like the last before I reached a point of no return.
I wanted to cry, to scream, and to protest, but I couldn't, not here and not in front of everyone. So, I held my head high, swallowing the pain, and no one would see my tears—not today.
Halfway down the stairs, I froze, and there, standing beside my father, was a man I had never seen before. His posture was strong, and his expression was unreadable, while he spoke with an authority I rarely saw directed at the king. His voice carried a quiet power, and each word was measured and precise, the kind of tone that demanded attention.
I felt my breath catch as our eyes met—his, a cold and frosty blue, like the depths of an icy sea, and there was something both magnetic and unsettling about him. I wondered who he was and why he was speaking to my father in such a way.
For a moment, I could not move, and our gazes locked, making me feel a strange current pass between us. Who was he?
Gathering myself, I continued down the stairs, though my legs felt weak beneath me, and my thoughts swirled with the intensity of our silent exchange. In my distraction, I stumbled, and in an instant, I felt myself falling.
Before I could hit the ground, strong hands caught me, and my eyes shot upward, meeting his once more. Those deep, frosty blue eyes, like the ocean at its darkest depths, bore into me.
"Careful," he said, his voice low but steady, and his hands still held me firmly.
I flushed, embarrassed by my clumsiness, but I was unable to look away from him. "Thank you," I managed, my heart pounding in my chest.
For the first time, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and just like that, he let me go.
The evening wore on, and my father announced that it was time for me to perform the tóu ceremony, a tradition that symbolized respect and elegance to honor my new partner. I was to play the piano, a skill I had honed for this very moment.
I sat at the grand piano, where my fingers trembled slightly as they hovered over the keys, and I glanced at him—my future husband, the man with the frosty blue eyes. He was watching me, his expression unreadable.
The melody I played was soft at first, gentle like the lull of waves against the shore, but as the music built, so did the emotion behind it. I played not just for him, but for myself, for the pieces of my soul that I feared I would lose in this marriage.
When the final note echoed through the hall, I stood, and my heart felt heavy once more.
After the ceremony, I needed air, so I excused myself and made my way to the terrace, where Mark and Jail were waiting for me, just as they always had.
"We'll miss you, Your Highness," Jail said softly, his voice betraying the sadness he tried so hard to conceal, while Mark nodded, and his eyes reflected the same sorrow. "Things will be different now, Aaron, but we'll always be with you in spirit."
I didn't trust myself to speak, so I simply nodded, knowing I would miss them too—more than they could ever know.
The car was waiting at the city gates, its wheels already prepared to carry me to my new life, while my family stood nearby—my mother, tears in her eyes as she hugged me one last time, and my little senirps brother , still too young to understand the full gravity of what was happening, clung to me with his small arms wrapped around my waist.
I couldn't bring myself to hug my father, so I simply bowed my head in respect, and he nodded, his face as unreadable as always.
As I turned toward the carriage, my heart sank, and my future husband was already seated inside, his frosty blue eyes meeting mine briefly before turning away, making him seem cold and distant.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead, and I climbed into the carriage. The doors shut with a heavy thud, sealing my fate.
And with that, we rode away, leaving everything I had ever known behind.