Adelaide sat in front of her mirror as she watched her maids comb her hair.
"Princess, are you sure you don't have any complaints about getting married to Prince Ethan? You know you can always talk to your father," One of her maids, Marie, tried to convince her.
Adelaide let out a sigh.
"Marie, this is something I need to do, my country needs me, and you should know that as a member of the royal family, I cannot choose who I can get married to, and since I can save my country by getting married to Prince Ethan, then I should do it," Adelaide smiled, but one could see the pain in her eyes.
Marie exhaled. As a maid, she had no say in this matter, but she hoped Princess Adelaide could speak up, and perhaps, throw a fuss.
"But Princess, Prince Ethan has a bad reputation, it is said that his previous brides all died, he is ruthless, what if you end up dying?" Marie could not be blamed for thinking that way.
Prince Ethan did have a bad reputation. He is considered ruthless, and unforgiving.
"If I die, then so be it," Adelaide resigned to her fate. There was nothing she could do, and she could not go against her parents' orders.
"Is she ready?" Adelaide's mother, Queen Georgia, walked into her room.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," the maids greeted with their heads bowed.
"Leave us," Queen Georgia instructed, and the maids scurried out of the room.
"Adelaide," Queen Georgia called as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, looking into the mirror.
"Mother," Adelaide replied with a forced smile. She could not blame her parents. The war had been going on for a long time, and this is the only way it could be resolved, an arranged marriage.
"Do you know why you are doing this?" Queen Georgia asked.
"Yes, my country needs me, and as the first Princess of this country, I need to make sure my citizens are safe," Adelaide answered with a monotonous tone.
"Good, remember, mother and father love you, but our hands are tied, this is the only way the war between both countries can be stopped," Queen Georgia sighed.
"Mother, you do not need to worry, I will play my part properly, it is just a marriage, I will try my best to stay away from Prince Ethan," Adelaide placed her hand on her mother's hand which was on her right shoulders.
"I know you will do just fine, Marie and Kael will accompany you to the country, they will be your servants, although, you will be provided with maids, do not argue with those maids,
And if possible, make friends with them, if Prince Ethan wants you to fulfill your wifely duties, then you must not resist," Queen Georgia instructed her daughter.
"I understand Mother, but I would like to ask a question, do I have the permission to ask?" Adelaide had always treaded carefully with her parents, and that was not changing.
"Sure, ask," Queen Georgia gave her permission.
"I have not asked this previously, but did you and my father have an arranged marriage?" Adelaide asked as she lowered her head, thinking about something.
Queen Georgia removed her hands from Adelaide's shoulders as she exhaled.
"Yes, we did, I was the Duke's daughter, and to strengthen the relationship between the two families, our parents decided to get us married, but we fell in love with each other along the way," Queen Georgia responded with a smile on her face.
She always had a blissful smile on her face when she thought about how she got married to her husband, the King.
"Oh," Adelaide drew out.
"You don't need to be worried, you only need to survive, who knows, you might melt Prince Ethan's heart," Queen Georgia said to her, but it sounded more of a consolation.
----------------
"Sister, do you really have to go? Can't you just stay with me?" Prince Alexander, Adelaide's younger brother who was just seven years old held on to Adelaide's gown, unwilling to let go of her.
"Alexander, behave properly," King Kaiden warned, his chest reverberating.
"I won't behave, Father, you are letting Adelaide leave, if Adelaide leaves, I would follow her as well," Prince Alexander was adamant as he held on to Adelaide tightly.
Adelaide let out a sigh. She had a close relationship with her brother, and he was not to be blamed.
"Alex, listen to me, I would return, I just need to do something quickly, wait for me to return home, now, be a good boy, and go to mom," Adelaide consoled the young boy.
"Do you promise to return home?" Alexander asked innocently.
"Of course, I will return home, this Palace would always be my home, and you know I love you so much, I can't bear to part with you," Adelaide replied.
And although her words were meant to console the boy, she meant her words.
"I love you, Adelaide, and I will miss you," Alexander cried as he sniffed.
Adelaide crouched to his level as she smiled at him.
"I will also miss you, and of course, I love you," Adelaide smiled as she pulled him into her arms.
Queen Georgia secretly wiped her tears as she watched the siblings' interaction.
"Everything would be fine," King Kaiden wrapped his hands around her, as he assured her.
"Do you think we did the right thing?" Queen Georgia asked as she sniffed.
"We did, and I know Adelaide understands why we did this," King Kaiden replied, and the Queen nodded, although her heart felt stifled.
"That's enough, Alex, if I cry, I will smear my makeup, and I will look like a ghost, I know you don't want that for your sister," Adelaide joked as she pulled herself away from Alex's embrace.
"Princess, the carriage is ready, we should set out now, we would rather not arrive late," Kael, her bodyguard, informed her.
Alexander reluctantly parted with his sister, before he walked to his parents, standing in front of them.
"I will return," Adelaide mouthed to him, before she walked to the carriage.
"She will return, won't she?" Alexander asked with a sad smile as he watched his sister step into the carriage.
For some reason, he felt that it would take a long time before he gets to see his sister again.
"She would," King Kaiden replied as the entire family saw Adelaide off.
Adelaide exhaled as she felt the carriage move. She felt that her life would be about to change with this marriage.