Dark spots momentarily danced in the corner of my eyes as I fell down to the ground. The brutal sting of my father's slap hurt my cheek but I made no sound at all, not even the tiniest whimper. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me vulnerable, he doesn't deserve that.
Pulling myself up from the ground, I stood on my feet, bowing my head down and offering him the total submission I knew he liked and would get me out of this situation quicker.
My father huffed out a breath as he yelled at me, "You had one job," He said, wagging a finger at me, "Just one fucking job and yet you still couldn't it. How useless, just like the day you were born!"
I blinked at the statement but still kept my head down and said nothing. This wasn't the first time I was going to be hearing such words. In fact, I think I've been hearing it ever since I could speak my first words.
It was no secret my father wanted a boy and the gods granted him his wish. Bjorn, my older brother was born.
Bjorn was the apple of my father's eye but yet he wanted more, thinking the gods would favor him the second time, my father tried again and I was born.
The hatred for me began then, I was seen as nothing more than a hindrance in his quest for an heir. So he decided to try again but the gods had already turned his back on him, for he bore another girl, Evie, my little sister and he tried again and gave birth to another girl, but she died at birth and took my mother with her.
I was seen as the problem and the one who had cursed all of it, for it all started with my birth. My birth had sealed the door of my father ever having more heirs. Since he couldn't give birth to more heirs, he focused all his attention on his only heir Bjorn, while I was just raised to fulfill his needs whenever it arises.
The opportunity presented himself when he made me marry the bravest knight who was known for conquering other kingdoms. My father made me marry Reagan to strengthen his place among the kingdoms. He never even asked me if I was okay, all I got was just a note and a wedding dress and before I knew it, I was getting married. Even though, it was meant to be a sad day, it was the happiest because it meant being free of my father but unfortunately that wasn't true and staring at him now, I wondered if I truly will ever be free of him.
My father's tirade intensified as he continued accusing me. "You know I never expected much from you and I never gave you anything hard to do. Now, I give you one job, a duty for you to prove yourself to me and you fucking failed at that, like how stupid are you?" He yelled no longer caring if anyone heard him, not that anyone would be brave enough to try it. "I mean gods above, how hard is it to keep a man happy? You had to go ahead and make him humiliate me by bringing in a fucking concubine from nowhere when I gave him a princess? Do you have any idea how huge of a slap to the face that is to me?" He yelled, his anger evident.
Of course, make it all about you and put all the blame on me! I thought to myself and stood there as he drones on and on about how humiliating it was for him and how he will never be able to show his face at court because of the embarrassment he faced today.
He continued about how it was going to be me who ruined his legacy and I clenched my fist at my sides, forcing myself to listen to his hurtful words when all I wanted to do was reach inside the dagger hidden in the garter beneath my gown and stab him with it. But I couldn't do that, there were too many witnesses around and it was going to be a hassle, one I wasn't ready to deal with.
Through it all, I steeled myself, forcing myself to keep quiet when all I wanted to yell at him was for him to get off his high horse and take a closer look at me. Does he have any idea the sacrifices I had to make? Did he ever care about me at all? But I didn't say any of those things because I know he wasn't going to listen, he never does! So I learnt the hard way to not speak and simply just keep my mouth shut.
"You are nothing but an embarrassment to me, girl!" He yelled not bothering to call me by my name, "I am going to give you one more chance to fix this so do everything in your fucking power to make sure he falls in love with you. You will not be replaced with some damn concubine, you are a princess, and it's time for you to act like one!" He yelled at me and I refrained from rolling my eyes at him.
"What's going on here?"
I raised my head up and turned to look at the owner of the voice only to find Reagan standing behind us, leaning against the wall with arms folded across his chest as he appraised us with a look of boredom in his eyes.
"Reagan!" A smile suddenly appeared on my father's face as he turned to look at Reagan, "Oh, nothing much. I figured it's been a while since I've seen my daughter so I brought her here to spend time with her cause I've missed her so much." My father turned to look at me, his gaze softening.
I couldn't believe the words coming out of my father's mouth and one look at Reagan's face told me he didn't either. He had always been calm and composed but now his dark eyes burned with the same disbelief and anger I felt coursing through my veins. For a moment, I was worried he was going to do something but he remained rooted to the spot, his gaze landing on me.
My father awkwardly cleared his throat, "Alright then, I'm going to leave you two lovebirds to talk." He said with a laugh before he walked towards me and gave me a pat on my shoulder, lancing me with a look that means I shouldn't forget all he said, he left the garden.
A small scoff escaped me at the audacity but I just swallowed down my anger and began adjusting my clothes. I felt eyes on me and I raised my head up only to see Reagan staring intently at me but I was sure he was staring more at the angry red handprint that had already formed on my cheek.
Before I knew it, Reagan approached me. "Are you okay?"
I nodded my head not trusting myself to speak because I was a little surprised by the question. Reagan then slowly approached me, his six feet figure dwarfing my frame as he raised a hand up to cup my cheek where my father hit me.
"Did he do this?" He asked me but all I could focus on was how surprisingly gentle his touch was, compared to how he was with me earlier today.
For some reason, I had the strange urge to lean towards his touch but I moved away from him, not willing to be fooled. "Don't act like you care." I retorted sharper than I intended.
Reagan snorted in response, "I do not care about you, but watching you stand there while you allow your father to hit you was pathetic!"
"Excuse you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Do you truly want me to repeat how pathetic you were?" Reagan sneered at me.
An angry scoff escaped my lips, "What are you even doing here?" Did you come here to gloat? To remind me how much you despise me?" Because that is the last thing I need right now!"
He chuckled, low and menacing. "I don't need to remind you of anything. You already know exactly where you stand with me."
"You know all I've ever done is try to fulfill my duty as your wife." I said my voice laced with a vulnerability I loathed, "Even when you were away, that was all I devoted my time to!"
Reagan rolled his eyes at me, "Oh spare me the martyr act Dahlia. You are only here because of convenience, nothing more."
"And I do not even dream being anything more." I replied with my throat tightening with emotion, "I do not expect anything from you Reagan and I certainly do not need your approval."
His laughter was sharp and biting. "Good. Because you won't get it."
Right! I thought to myself as tears of indignation blurred my vision. Deciding, I've had enough for one night, I chose to retire to my bedroom.
"Excuse me my lord but I'll be retiring for the night early."
Not bothering to wait for a response, I turned on my heels and left the garden without so much as a backward glance because I was simply tired.
I was tired of everything, tired of everyone treating me like I was insignificant but that ends now. I have no intention of losing myself in the shadows of my husband or my family. Though my father was right about one thing, I was a princess and it was high time I acted like it. So from now on, I was going to forge my own path and it doesn't matter whether or not Reagan stands beside me or not.
Besides, a woman never knows her true strength until she faces the storm alone!