All my life, all I have ever done was to prepare for this day the day I will get married. To whom? I don't know; I am getting married to a stranger.

All my life, I received lessons upon lessons on how to talk and please my husband. No one asked if I wanted to get married, and I didn't even get to choose my husband the man I was supposed to spend my life with was a stranger. I don't even know his name.

I begged and pleaded with my parents to not marry me off to a stranger, but all I got was, "Our kingdom defense is weak and we need to ally with a powerful family so our enemies won't attack, You are the only princess of Aurea, Aurora and it is your duty as a princess to marry into a powerful family to save your country," my father, King Maximus, said. No matter what I said, he never budged the marriage still stood.

On the day of my wedding, I woke up to find myself surrounded by scented candles, my dress already prepared, and the only thing remaining was me the bride. My maid, Madelyn, who had been like a mother to me since my stepmother never really cared about me, helped me slip out of my nightgown and into the tub filled with fresh, warm water. As Madelyn scrubbed my body, she asked, "Are you ready for your big day, Rory?"

"No, what if he is an old, ugly, fat man?" I replied.

"Rory, I am sure he's not," Madelyn reassured me. "I heard you are getting married to the youngest prince of Eldoria, Sebastian."

"What? You mean the masked prince?" I asked.

Rory's heart started racing at the mention of Prince Sebastian's name. She had heard stories about him, how he was known as the masked prince because he always wore a mask to hide his face. Rumors had it that he was ruthless and cunning, and killed without mercy. No one knew the reason Why he hid his face behind a mask, most people said he was once very handsome, and some said he got a scar in battle so he covered his face.

"Yes I mean the masked prince, I don't think we should judge him just because of the rumors". Madelyn said as she helped Rory out of the bathtub and went to wear her wedding dress.

With Madelyn's assistance, she slowly slipped into the gown Embroidered with intricate lace, the gown shimmered in the dim candlelight, its bodice tailored to bring out Rory's curves.

Madelyn then applied scented oil to her skin and put on her jewelry. As she made her way down to the grand wedding hall, she caught sight of her father and stepmother seated on their thrones, all eyes fixed on her. With grace and poise, she entered the room, causing everyone to rise to their feet in respect. Standing across from her was the groom, his face still concealed behind a mask that veiled his identity.

"Why is he wearing the mask? Won't I get to see his face?" Rory thought to herself. The royal priest began the wedding procedures and they were faster than expected. Although Rory thought they would exchange vows and say 'till death do us part', the priest simply declared them married. The wedding was over and the after party started, it was time for the groom and bride to dance.

As Prince Sebastian stood up, his commanding presence filled the room, capturing everyone's attention. Rory's heart skipped a beat as she felt his piercing gaze locked onto her.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, his voice sending shivers down Rory's spine. Without hesitation, she reached out her trembling hand, intertwining her fingers with his strong, yet gentle grip.

They moved onto the dance floor, their bodies swaying in perfect harmony to the enchanting melody. Rory couldn't help but get lost in Prince Sebastian's mesmerizing green eyes, as if they held a thousand untold stories.

Rory couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with the prince, despite the mask concealing his face. His touch was firm yet gentle, leading her through the dance with grace and ease. As they twirled and swayed, she found herself lost in the moment, captivated by his presence.

With each step, Rory felt a growing curiosity about the man behind the mask. His deep voice resonated in her ears, his green eyes holding a mysterious allure that drew her in. She wondered what secrets lay hidden beneath the mask, what stories those eyes could tell if only she could see beyond them.

As the dance came to an end, Prince Sebastian bowed gracefully before her, "Thank you for the dance, my lady," he said softly.

The after-party came to an end, and Prince Sebastian and Princess Aurora were escorted to their royal carriage, beginning their journey to Eldoria. The atmosphere inside the carriage was filled with an awkward silence so profound that it seemed deafening. Sebastian sat beside Aurora without saying a word, prompting her to think, "Not only did I marry a stranger, but a bore as well." Rory sighed for what felt like the fifteenth time.

Sebastian noticed Aurora's repeated sighs and cleared his throat. "My name is Prince Sebastian, but you can call me Bash when we are alone," he said softly, trying to break the tension between them.

Aurora managed a small smile in response. "Nice to meet you, Bash. I'm Aurora, but you can call me Rory," she replied, not knowing what else to say.

Sebastian just nodded and their journey continued, Rory slept through the rest of it.

Finally, they arrived at Eldoria, the palace was so big, bigger than the one she grew up in, she expected a crowd of people to welcome them, but no one of the guards stood their ground and no one came to welcome them "The hell is happening". Rory thought she didn't want to ask Bash because he didn't seem surprised.

They came down from the carriage and went to their room, the hallways I was filled with servants who bowed when they saw but the maid kept giving different looks as if I was going to make it through the night, Sebastian's room was dull the interior matched his attitude and reputation."What kind of person did I marry".

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