You (Solangelo AU)

5. A Letter Changed Everything

Knocking.

Someone was knocking on my door. I groaned and waved my arm, trying to motion to this person to keep it down. Only when I put my arm down and they continued to knock did I realize that they couldn't see me wave my arm. I groaned again and got up to open the door. Reyna stood on the other side of my angry glare. "What?"

Reyna's hands were gripped behind her back. She wasn't excited about what she was sent to tell me. "His Majesty is asking for you. Immediately."

"What for?"

"An urgent letter arrived from Vindectae."

I stopped short of telling her I'd be there in a moment. I knew what this meant. This was the long-feared letter sent to inform us of Queen Nemesis's recent death. I had been dreading this since the word betrothed had left my father's lips and had become a common word in our daily vocabulary, along with engagement. This meant that a little more than a month from now, I'd be married to Ethan. I didn't want to be there in a moment. I wanted to stay here, away from that hated letter and Ethan. I wanted to stay away for many moments.

"Nico?" Reyna matched my expression of foreboding with one of worry.

My face quickly rearranged itself into a frown. "Tell him if he wants to speak to me so desperately, to come here himself."

Reyna knew if she didn't want me to get snappy, she should leave and do as I asked. She had many years of experience after all. She left. 

She knew how much of a sore subject it was for me. It was for her too. Recently we realized that if I were to leave it meant leaving her behind. Neither of us wanted that. I closed the doors with a frustrated yell. I really didn't want to leave. I didn't want Ethan. I didn't want to move to Vindectae and live with him. I didn't want to marry him and be expected to do things with him. Ever.

I was pacing when my doors flew open. Hades entered, angry. Reyna wasn't with him. Good. I didn't wish his anger to explode on her during this discussion. "I asked you to come to see me."

"You're the one who wanted to see me."

"You would do well to learn to listen to your father and your king. Show some respect."

"Says who?"

He glowered at me. As a child, I would have cowered behind my older sister's skirts at a stare like that but now, I would not back down. "Your father."

"The man who wants to marry me off to some Prince I'd never met until I turned sixteen four months ago after being engaged to him for six years? The same man who wishes I'd have died instead of my sister? Because if it is this man, I do not owe him any respect."

Hades clenched his jaw. "I am still your king and I demand your respect."

"I do not believe this king deserves it."

He glared for a good five minutes before he lifted his left hand in the air. It held a letter. "Queen Nemesis has passed away."

I said nothing. I was expecting this.

"You are to leave a week from now to attend the funeral and following the next day, Prince Ethan's coronation. You are to stay there until your wedding. The day after you will have a week for your honeymoon. After that, you both are to return here for political matters. When that is settled you are to officially move to Vindectae with Ethan."

I worked my jaw and turned away. This was unfair. Completely and utterly unfair. 

And yet, I had no other choice.

♛☠♛

The next week I was packed and ready to go. I hugged Hazel goodbye, who looked like she was going to cry so I turned around after the hug. If she cried, I would too, and I refused to cry in front of Hades. I ignored my father as I said goodbye to Persephone and Frank and Gwen, who was nice enough to come to see me off and made my way toward the carriage awaiting me. I climbed in without looking back. I was afraid I'd see Hazel there and run back inside, dragging her with me and locking myself in my room so I wouldn't have to leave behind my dear sister. I took a good guess and assumed Reyna did the same thing. Hazel, Frank, and Gwen were her friends too.