Slowly I glanced at the door as my heart hammered inside my chest and almost gasped when the groom entered.
Wait!
This was the man from earlier with the golden eyes. He couldn’t be the groom, could he?
The guests stared at him surprised as well and began to whisper hysterically into each other’s ears. They must have been expecting someone with black horns to enter the room and not some tall, elegant looking man.
Not the least bothered by the whispers or stares he walked gracefully toward my father, taking each step with confidence.
“Your Majesty,” he said bowing slightly.
I dropped my jaw, so did the guests. No one bowed slightly to the king. This man was truly fearless and being disrespectful toward my father. I already got a bad feeling about him. Not because I thought my father deserved any kind of respect but because he was so daring with his actions already.
He must have noticed people’s reactions; it was so obvious, but he didn’t seem to care. My father, on the other hand, didn’t react, he just gestured toward me.
As I saw him turn to me I looked down quickly, then heard the clicking sound of his footsteps as he neared before sitting on the other end of the table, facing me.
He didn’t utter a word. Wasn’t he supposed to greet me or at least tell me his name?
I don’t think father ever told me his name but I don’t think I gave him the chance either. I had fought and cried the day father told me he was marrying me off to some stranger, but my father was stubborn and had already made up his mind.
“Today I gather us to celebrate my daughter’s wedding to the prince of the Decresh,” Father spoke once everyone was seated. He raised his golden wine cup,
“Let the ceremony begin, and enjoy yourselves.”
People clapped while dancers and musicians walked in to entertain the guests.
People seemed to enjoy themselves. I, of course, couldn’t see since I was supposed to keep my gaze down, because ‘that’s what a lady should do’. Well then, I hate being a lady.
“Don’t you like the music?” He finally asked breaking the awkward silence. I peeked through my long lashes, but once I gazed into his eyes, it was hard to look away. They were captivating.
“I do Your Highness,” I replied.
“What do you have in store for the tea ceremony?”
Oh no! The tea ceremony! That was the traditional part of the royal wedding where the bride has to show one of her talents to entertain the guests and impress the groom. Hell with impressing. I didn’t want to impress anyone, especially not this man.
“It is a surprise, Your Highness,” I said, sending him a staged smile.
I was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, everyone’s attention directed at me. It was time for the tea ceremony. The guests would sit and enjoy their tea while I would have to entertain them.
I took up my flute before lightly putting it on my lips and started playing. Soon my nervousness disappeared. I loved playing the flute, loved the sound of it. Closing my eyes, I let the sound take me far away, to a peaceful place. Now and then I would hear some people praising me through my haze and then they applauded when I was done.
Opening my eyes, I found him staring directly at me. He wasn’t applauding but there was a hint of a smile on his face.
Now it was time for the gift exchange. We exchanged our gifts, and then it was time for me to go to my new home. The knot in my stomach returned with such intensity that I felt like throwing up.
Mother came up to me while father spoke to my husband. Husband? The word sounded strange in my head. She took my hands in hers. “Everything will be fine,”
she said, “just remember what I told you”.
Yes, I remembered very clearly our mother and daughter talk. To be a good wife, to listen to your husband and to not make him angry.
“Yes, I will,” I said, enveloping her in a tight hug. I wasn’t supposed to, but right now I didn’t care because I might never see her again.
The carriage was waiting outside. The prince, or should I say, my husband led the way. I looked behind me one last time and found Lydia and Ylva standing on the balcony, their cheeks wet with tears.
“I will miss you too,” I whispered.
*****************
Married To The Devils Son.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
We rode home in silence. I hated it because it made me nervous, and gave me time to think of what was waiting once we arrived. The wedding consummation. I had never even touched a man before, father made sure of that, and now I would… I shook my head. You’re scaring yourself, I scolded myself. Maybe he would spare me tonight if he had someone else to be with.
“Your Highness?”
“Yes?”
“Do you have another wife, Your Highness?” I asked.
I shouldn’t have. It was none of my business. Mother had told me to be careful not to ask a prince such questions, but I didn’t care. I needed to know what was waiting for me once we reached home. 1
He turned his gaze to me and narrowed his eyes. Did he get angry?
“No, I don’t.” He answered slowly.
I was surprised that I felt relieved when I shouldn’t have. This would only mean that I would have to spend the night with him. I shivered at the thought.
“But I have many mistresses.” He finished.
Oh, of course. Why didn’t I think about it? He was an attractive man and a prince. I wanted to curse, but he suddenly laughed.
“You don’t seem to like that,” He drawled.
Why would I? But I couldn’t say that, indeed.
“It’s not for me to like or dislike, Your Highness,” I stated simply.
He didn’t say anything to that.
I wondered what his name would be.
“Your Highness?”
“You may call me Lucian when we are alone”.
Lucian. I repeated the name in my head. I liked the sound of it.
After a while, the carriage stopped, and then a guard informed us that we had arrived. Lucian stepped out of the carriage and offered me his hand. I took it, and he helped me down.