"Edwyn at last, we will be united for eternity!" the bride whispered softly beneath her delicate veil, the fabric gently framing her face and the words were intended only for her ears.
Today, she would leave behind the name of a fallen noble's daughter and step into the arms of her future—the royal family.
Her eyes drifted to the altar, where Crown Prince Edwyn stood beneath the towering statue of the divine. The same man who had captivated her attention for as long as she could remember.
She had dreamed of this day a thousand times and was uncertain if it would ever come true.
Her steps were slow and deliberate as if each one was pulling her deeper into the past that called to her, unravelling the moment when it had all begun....
****** (FLASHBACK)******
"Papa, where are we going so early in the morning?"
Meribella's tiny fingers curled around her father's calloused hand, her voice carrying a child's innocence laced with curiosity. Her light honey-brown hair was braided neatly, and her blue dress swayed slightly as she walked.
Her father, Harald Faye, looked down at her with admiration glinting in his eyes. His finest white shirt was pressed neatly into black trousers, his black shoes making noises against the cobblestone.
"We're going to the Willowmere Square, Bella. The Crown Prince is coming today."
"The Crown Prince?" Her brows furrowed with more questions. "Why?"
Her mother, Sigrid, answered. "To honour his late mother, Queen Ardelia."
Meribella turned back to see her mother holding six-year-old Melina in her arms. She was a little jealous of Melina being carried in her arms. She, too, wanted to be carried and walk away. Why did the youngest one get all the privileges, she always wondered.
"Queen Ardelia, who went far away a month ago? The same queen, mama, you told me about?" she asked before looking ahead and began walking.
"Yes, my dear, the same queen."
They were walking downhill. Meribella saw a tall clock tower in Willowmere Square. It struck 8 a.m., and bells rang all around the place with 8 clear chimes.
Her Brindlewood village was encircled by valleys, green hills and ancient forests. Cobblestone paths crisscrossed the village, linking cottages with thatched roofs and walls covered in ivy colour.
Birds sang soft songs every day until evening. One could hear the rustling of leaves and the gentle flow of the nearby brook wound through the village.
At its centre stood Willowmere Square, the heart of Brindlewood. At one corner, a thousand-year-old willow tree spread its twisted branches like a guardian. Villagers gathered there every day to trade goods and share stories, and festivals took place that brought colour and laughter to the square, which could easily accommodate 3,000 people.
At the far end of the square, the Fountain of Four Horses stood, each stone figure facing a different direction, its waters shimmering in the light.
Behind it stood St. John's Chapel. The chapel had a white stone spire that reached up to the sky. It was a place of worship and had a hall where council meetings took place.
"And how is he going to honour his mother?"
Meribella came with another quesiton. She was a curious girl and more mature than the other kids of her age.
Harald's lips curved into something soft yet distant. "I have heard that his highness has made a heartfelt decision to visit select villages each year, bringing food and clothing to share with the people."
Meribella's almond-shaped greenish-blue eyes grew wide, her excitement breaking through the morning mist that surrounded them.
"Papa, that means free food and free clothes?!"
"Yes, Bella," Sigrid chuckled, stroking Melina's back as the little girl rested against her shoulder.
For families like theirs, extra provisions were a rare blessing. Meribella's father, Harald, worked the farmlands owned by one of the wealthiest men in Brindlewood. His wages provided for their basic needs—nothing more, nothing less. Their mornings often began with a thin broth made from vegetable peels or meat bones, accompanied by a single piece of bread. But today, today was different. Today, their bellies would be full.
They were overjoyed at the thought of receiving extra food and clothes, and today felt like a festival.
"The Crown Prince must be very kind." Meribella's mind raced to the crown prince. Having never seen a royal before, she began creating her own painting of his features in her innocent mind.
"Is it true, Papa, that he is the next chosen one for the throne?"
Meribella's voice carried the thrill of excitement. The idea of meeting the Crown Prince and receiving free food and clothing felt like something out of a story. He must be the chosen one by the god! Meribella thanked the Crown Prince in her mind.
"Indeed, Bella. Crown Prince Edwyn earned his title at the age of thirteen by proving his skill in politics and strength in combat. He fought his own cousins to prove his worth."
Harald's voice held a note of pride. Being ruled under the reign of such a strong bloodline was indeed a blessing.
She frowned. "What if his cousins got jealous and never wanted to play with him again?"
Meribella's words caused both her parents to laugh gently before Harold pondered her question earnestly.
"There is no playing when it comes to the throne, Bella. The strongest take it, and the rest must accept it. That is the way of rulers."
She absorbed his word, her tiny fingers flexing. Though she did not understand its profound meaning, she grasped a few things from her father's wise words. Strong and intelligent. That's who the Crown Prince was.
Her curiosity only grew to see him—not just as a ruler but as the one who had survived a battle against his own cousins. The cousins were not allowed to feel jealous but to play with the crown prince, unlike her, who was still sour about not being carried in her mother's or father's arms as her little sister Melina did.
As they arrived at Willowmere Square, many people in their best clothes were already there, and everyone looked excited.
Their family stood at the very back despite leaving early. There were too many people, and there was too much noise.
A trumpet's call split through the air. Silence fell upon the square as two royal carriages, flanked by soldiers clad in gleaming grey and iron armour, rolled through the entrance.
The crowd created a thick wall, obstructing Meribella's view. She craned her neck and rose on her tip-toes but all she saw were the unfamiliar backs and occasional annoying glares when she bumped into people in her futile attempts to get a better view.
Frustration pulled at her.
'I want to see the Crown Prince. It is perhaps my only chance and I may never get another to see him.' Meribella thought with a frown. Her gaze flickered toward her right and her eyes sparkled with a hope- A willow tree.
She let go of her father's hand. Her small frame slipped unnoticed through the crowd. She stopped near the tree, her mind busy with calculations. Once sure, she pursed her lips in determination.
With quick hands and nimble feet, she climbed and perched on one of the sturdy branches of that tree. She finally saw what the others couldn't. It brought her joy to have the perfect view while she swung her legs one after another in excitement.
The soldiers moved as one, their formation tightening around the two royal carriages, keeping the eager crowd at bay.
Sunlight glinted off their polished iron armour, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, ready for anything. Their faces were unreadable—trained to show nothing, to feel nothing.
A soldier stepped forward, his voice steady as he announced,
"By the will of the Crimson Crown and under the divine grace of the gods, we present His Highness, Crown Prince Edwyn the Crimson Crown, and Her Highness, Princess Morgana the Crimson Crown. They have graced this land to bestow upon you the blessings of food and clothing. However, as is tradition, they shall first enter the chapel and receive the divine benediction before extending their generosity."
The priest, draped in flowing black and silver robes embroidered with sacred symbols, stood at the chapel's entrance alongside a few disciples, waiting in solemn reverence.
The soldier opened the carriage door.
Meribella's breath hitched.
A polished white leather shoe embroidered in gold touched the stone pavement first. The crowd held their breath, straining their eyes to witness the moment they had waited all their life. None of them had ever seen the royals before, and today, it would change all.
And then, he emerged.
Crown Prince Edwyn the Crimson Crown.
He was only fourteen, but he moved with the quiet command of someone much older. His waist-length golden hair flowed down his back like liquid sunlight, with strands beautifully moving in the breeze. His flawless pale skin reflected the morning light. His blue eyes were as sharp and steady as the frozen lakes of Frosthearth.
His lips pressed together as if he were holding back something unspoken. A hesitation so brief, so subtle, only someone watching closely would have noticed.
Meribella watched him in awe, and that's when her infatuation began. Meribella's father's words echoed in her mind while she watched the Crown Prince alongside Princess Morgana disappear inside the chapel.
"So, this is what the strong and intelligent Crown Prince looks like… absolute perfection!..... And to rule one must have your quality!"
She had watched him over the years, returning to their village every spring, distributing food and clothing in honour of his late mother.
He had won the affection of the people, and his presence symbolised kindness, unlike his father—the tyrant king whose name inspired fear rather than devotion.
**************
All these memories from the past flashed before Meribella's eyes before she blinked, falling back into the present.
Her heart pounded as she stepped into the grand cathedral with hope and exciting nervousness, ready to embrace her future.
But the heavens had other plans for her.