- mistake of a marriage.
"Let me go!" I yelled once more, eager to break free from the firm grasp that held me down, but it was helpless as we were escorted through the village by the guard. And I, without a doubt, already know about rumors going around the crowd. Seeing mother and Ethan being dragged, causing all of this for them-I would never recover from the shame.
My refusal to surrender made me grew tired as every attempt to expel myself out of the vigorous clutch was nothing but deadbeat. Still, I couldn't just walk with my head down like the others. I had something to fight for.
The castle wasn't too distant from home and we arrived earlier than anticipated. From the outdoors, its years of existence was viewed through the castle's ash grey walls and the exterior's deteriorating structure, and it wasn't at all comparable to what it was upclose. We were brought to the front garden, where I met the eyes of the soon-to-be king, Liam.
Well technically that wouldn't be possible if he couldn't find a queen, and what contradicted to that happening was my people's religion, that strictly forbid any marriage of diverging statuses. The only reason the royal family had went on for this long was because of power, cruelty and brutal force that caused many to go against their beliefs unwillingly-and nobody had enough courage to stop them.
Marching towards him, I exchanged Liam's skeptic expression with a scornful one and sneered him dead in the eye until I could access a closer look.
"My family has nothing to do with this! Let them go!" I demanded, wincing in pain and tugged my arm hard when a guard tightened his grip on my wrist. "Get off of me!"
With that, I was finally let go and fell straight onto the grass' splintery surface with a thump. I ignored the minimal pain it induced because I had felt something greater-something worse. I looked up to the prince with ragged breaths, my vision dark and my head spinning with rage.
"Is it her?" he questioned one of the guards, deflecting my gaze. The guard nodded obediently and he directed his attention to me as he surveyed my condition. "Take them to the chambers,"
"No!" I chastised shakily, my body regaining posture to stand up. My family didn't do anything. They deserved none of this. "Take me! Just leave them out of this-" I trailed off as soft sniffling invaded my ears from behind. My heart broke once I turned around to see Ethan's face covered in tears, wiping them off of his swollen eyes while mother held him tightly in her arms. My eyes began to moisten, the sight of my only family distorting in the background from the tears building up.
"Don't hurt them," I faced the prince, securing defeat, "please."
I wasn't afraid of him, but I would never want my family to suffer the consequences of my irresponsible actions. I would never forgive myself if that were to ever happen.
Knowing the royal family's current situation, the prince hadn't gotten a single woman to agree to marriage. So, I took the chance to save my family of being locked away from the world.
"I'll marry you."
The words came out of my mouth despite every voice in my head telling me otherwise. I had no time to regret my decision and didn't have a choice, and neither did he. We both knew clearly that I was his key to the throne. "Just free them. I won't resist,"
