Xenia and Prince Zod journeyed to the Kingdom Havilah. Xenia had no idea why Prince Zod decided to move the wedding day today.
“Do you mind explaining to me why the wedding day has been shifted?”
Prince Zod looked at her and smiled.
She sighed. It was no surprise that he didn’t explain anything to her-he never does.
They got to the palace and surprisingly, there was no one in sight.
“Where did they go?” he wondered.
“Maybe if you had told them about your arrival, they would have been in position, waiting fot you.
The prince got down angrily and went into the palace. Kim noticed his presence first and rushed to meet him. “Your highness, what brings you here?”
“Where is everyone?” he demanded.
“And who wants to know?” a voice asked from behind.
The prince kept quiet as he waited for the voice to reveal himself, coming out of the palace was Prince Edward, Lucas, the priest, the queen, and Phoebe.
Prince Zod was surprised to see the prince in the palace.
Lucas looked around and he found Xenia standing next to the chariot, he ran to meet her and hugged her.
Xenia pushed him away.
Prince Zod had a smile on his face as he walked towards their direction. “Xenia belongs to me now,” he told Lucas, but Lucas wasn’t convinced.
“No, it is not possible. Xenia would never stoop so low to be with someone like you,” he argued.
“It’s true, Luke… I am with him now.”
“Tell me that you love him and I believe everything you just said,” Lucas looked into her eyes, awaiting her response, but Xenia was silent. She never loved Zod; she has never loved him; and will never love him.
“It doesn’t matter if she loves me or not, what’s important is who she is with now.”
Lucas smiled. “I will make sure to take her from you, ‘cos she was never yours in the first place.”
“Let’s see how that’s going to be, and for your imformation; we are getting married today.”
Everyone was shocked.
“Np, that’s not possible.”
“You can ask her if you don’t believe me.”
Lucas looked at Xenia and she nodded.
One of the guards came to whisper into the Queen’s ears. “Really?”
The guard nodded.
“Mother, what’s wrong?”
“The people are here,” answered the queen.
“Let the party begin,” said the prince.
The people gathered around the palace, murmuring, and grumbling. The palace became as loud as a market square.
“Where is the queen?” a voice arose from the crowd.
The queen was about to attend to the people when her son pulled her back. “Let me handle this, you can come afterwards.”
The queen nodded as she watched her son matched into the crowd.
Every eye shook in fear as the saw the prince, Lucas, and a strange girl.
“Could that be the girl?” asked a voice in the crowd.
“I had no idea the prince was back…did they keep this a secret from us?” asked another.
The prince sensing their complains, asked them to direct their questions to him. “Murmuring amongst yourselves won’t get you the answer you desire, throw your questions to me,” demanding the prince.
A hand was raised in the crowd and the prince gestured her to speak. “Who is she?”
Prince Edward looked at Phoebe and smiled. “She is the one that’s going to restore the Kingdom.”
“Does she have any idea what she is going to do?” a husky voice asked.
This was a part he never got to explain to her. He looked at her and all of a sudden, his excitement he had before disappeared.
Phoebe noticed his sad look and approached him. “I will take it from here,” she assured him. She stood in front of the crowd and started her speech. “When I was coming here, I had no idea what I was coming here for. I knew I had a kingdom to save, but I had no idea how.
“It was recently I got to find out that I have to die to save the kingdom,” she paused as she thought of how the scenario would be. “I was scared and I hated coming here, but when I heard the cries of the people, my heart wept bitterly for them.”
There was silence as the people paid attention to her words. “So, yes, I know what I have to do to save the kingdom.” The prince looked at her and went closer to her as he held her hand. “The people have suffered too long and if my blood can end everything…I will gladly breath my last,” tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. “So please, do not hate them anymore. I know even my death can’t restore back all the years that you have wasted in grief and sorrow, but at least, with my death, we can prevent further damage,” she bent on her knees as she pleaded with the people. “Please, find it in your heart to forgive the royal household…I beg of you.”
“Why would you save a kingdom that killed your parents?” an old man asked.
“It’s obvious she is in love with the prince…only a crazy being would do something this stupid,” another voice arose in disgust.
“I owe no one any explanation as to why I choose to do this.”
“Tomorrow, we will gather here with the guardians and the rites will take place. You can all go home now,” ordered the prince.
“Not so fast!” Prince Zod appeared as he decided to make his own statement. “Good day, people of Havilla, today is a great day because I am getting married today.”
The people became confused as they murmured among themselves.
Lucas turned to look Xenia wishing that she would turn him down and come back to him. Xenia did everything she could to avoid his eyes.
“Now isn’t a good time to discuss this,” the prince whispered to prince Zod, but he shrugged him off.
“Xenia, dear,” he called as he stretched forth his hand and Xenia grabbed it as she stood before the people. “People of Havilah, I hereby pronounce I and Xenia, man and wife. Whoever is against this should keep their thoughts to themselves,” he pulled Xenia close and kissed her forcefully.
Lucas was so heartbroken that for a few seconds, he felt his spirit leaving his body.