The Marriage Contest

Chapter One - Show Me Mercy

~(A/N)~ This is the edited and better version of the first chapter of The Marriage Contest. And this is dedicated to the girl that commented on like the second chapter of the last book and told me that I should include this or something like that, but I'm pretty sure you know who you are lol! Enjoy!! :D

UPDATE: If you like Paranormal/Romance stories then go check out my other book The Other Side!

Chapter One - Show Me Mercy

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You got me begging you for mercy

Why won't you release me?

You got me begging you for mercy.

Why won't you release me?

I said release me

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I woke up at the crack of dawn like always and dressed in a worn-out, tan-colored dress and pulled my brown hair back into a bun. I walked into the kitchen to help Mom clean it.
I am a poor girl if you haven't already figured that out. I don't really like all the work I had to do, but I never complained. Mom taught me decorum and I know how to be a lady if I need be. I knew how to help Father outside on the farm with the chickens, cows, and crops. That's why I had tan-colored skin, but at least my skin isn't as dark as my father's. It would only be logical if his skin was darker, considering that he is outside all day for as long as he can.

"What do you want to eat?" Mom asked.

"I'm not all that hungry to be honest."

There was a knock on our door and I figured that it was one of our neighbors here to ask for something. When I opened the door it was the complete opposite. Two officers were standing outside of my door way.

"Is this the Melrose residence?" One of them asked. He was tall and thick. I could tell he was strong and his voice was very deep as he spoke.

"Yes, Sir," I said politely.

"Are you Belinda?" The other officer asked. He wasn't as tall as the other officer, but he was just as thick and he had a deeper voice than the other officer.

"Yes, Sir," I said cautiously. The two officers looked at each other for a moment and then turned to me. In perfect unison they grabbed my arms and started pulling me outside. I screamed and my mom was right next to me in seconds.

"What are you doing to her?!" Mother screamed at them.

"Taking her to the castle to get what she deserves." The shorter officer said.

"What did Belinda do?" Mom asked.

"She is under arrest for stealing money from Nobleman Trymond."

"Stealing money? Belinda would never do such a thing!"

"That's right! I wouldn't even begin to know how!" I said.

"This is not your time to speak, Miss."

They dragged me away with tears rolling down my face and my hair had slipped out of its bun and was now sticking to my cheeks because of the sticky tears. As we approached the castle I was truly terrified. The sun had seemed to disappear behind the clouds and set a dark shadow on the gray-stoned castle. It made the castle seem like terrible things were awaiting me inside and the way the two officers were jostling me around to try and get me to stop crying seemed like they were just going to throw me into the moat. They might as well. I'm going to get accused of stealing money anyway because our king shows no mercy. I will have my head chopped off tomorrow and I didn't even get to say goodbye to my parents and I wasn't able to tell them that I love them. I wasn't even able to say good-bye to Jacob. The drawbridge opened and we walked over the water and the doors to the castle opened up for us. We took a left and walked down the longest hallway and finally ended at the last set of double doors on the right. Those doors opened and I saw a huge room made of marble and nine thrones set at the back. Down the middle of the room was a deep purple carpet. I ran my eyes along the carpet and up to any empty throne. The king wasn't in here yet. I scanned my eyes over the rest of the thrones to only multiply my fear by one hundred. Sitting in the second tallest throne was a dark brown haired guy. He looked my age and was very handsome, but he was scaring me senseless. His eyes looked like they were angry. The way he was sitting in the chair told me that he already hated me. He looked like he wanted to kill me. This is it. This is where I die. I'll die on this very floor.

The officers walked me closer to the man and I had to look away from him. He was too terrifying to me. Tears were still rolling down my cheeks and I was shaking in fear. We came to a stop and the two officers pushed me down making me fall to my knees. I knew if I looked up right now into the eyes of my killer that I would pass out from fright. I knew that if I looked up at all you would tell in the blink of an eye that I was terrified as if the tears and shaking didn't display it enough.

"Do you know what you are here for Miss Melrose?" I heard a silky, smooth voice ask me. I knew that I didn't know the voice because it didn't belong to either one of the officers so it had to be the man in the throne.

"I know what I am accused of, yes, but I didn't do it," I said, barely above a whisper. I wasn't sure if anyone heard me or not because they didn't speak up.

"You may leave now." The silky smooth voice said. I can leave? I started to get up, but his voice quickly said, "I wasn't talking to you, Miss Melrose. You have to stay here." He was talking to the officers I guess. I looked up to see that the two officers were now gone and I quickly looked back down when my killer came into my vision.

"Miss Melrose we have plausible evidence that you committed the robbery. Do you have anything against the evidence?"

"When was the robbery?"

"Two days ago."

"Two days ago I was helping my mom clean the house from top to bottom very thoroughly, therefore I couldn't have committed the crime."

"It was during the night."

"I was tired from cleaning the house all day I crashed at eight o'clock that night and I didn't wake back up until the sun rose the next morning."

"Mr. Trymond described a girl with brown hair and was tall for a woman. That seems to look a lot like you. Do you have anything to say to that?"

"Anyone can randomly say that to describe someone."

"Mr. Trymond described you to a T."

"Well then I must have a twin that I don't know about because I didn't do it!" Note that I was still looking down the whole time so my words weren't as effective and strong as they might seem.

I heard footsteps coming toward me and I saw the guy bend down in front of me. He took my jaw in his hands and whipped it up so I'd have to look at him while saying hatefully, "Look at me when you are speaking!"

Our eyes met each other's and I was taken aback when his expression and gaze softened. His grip on my chin was now un-clenched as he lightly held my chin in his hand. My eyes no longer showed fear. I'm not really sure what they show now seen as I have no idea what I am feeling at the moment.

"Why should I let you go Miss Melrose?" His warm breath brushed across my face.
"You know I am innocent," I said. I'm not really sure why I said that, but deep down I had a feeling that he knew I was innocent.

"Why should I believe you, Miss Melrose?"

"Because you know it's the truth."

His gaze held mine for what seemed to be the longest time. He started slowly inching toward me. It seemed as though it would be years before our lips finally met. I closed my eyes waiting for his plump lips to meet with mine, but it never came. Instead his hand left my chin and I heard footsteps retreating to a door. I heard it slowly creak open and he said, "You may take her back to her dwelling. She is proven innocent."

"Yes, Sir, Prince Andrew." I heard the taller officer say. My eyes flashed open when I heard him say Prince Andrew. Everything makes more sense now. If the king had investigated me, he wouldn't have shown any mercy, everyone knows that. I wonder why the prince had to fill in for the king today?

I snapped out of my thoughts when I was lifted up off the ground by the two officers that took me away this morning. When I looked back at the castle now it didn't look as scary. The sun was out and shining bright as if rejoicing that I'm still alive.
When I arrived home I was swallowed in hugs from both of my parents. I had just beat the kingdom's power. I had just shown whoever framed me that they saw my innocence and let me go. I was just shown mercy by the prince.

It only occurred to me when I was going to sleep that the prince and I had shared a connection. Why else would he have let me go? All royalty is the same. No ruler shows mercy on a peasant. I could only describe the reason that he let me go is through a connection that we had. I mean he did almost kiss me. I guess almost is the keyword.