—
Waking to the sounds of bustling servants, I rose from my bed and walked to the window. I stared outside, watching as the staff hurried about, busy with one task or another. The wedding was only a week away, and I felt utterly exhausted—drained from the constant appointments with the seamstress, the shoemaker, the jeweler, and an endless stream of others.
My father’s desire was clear: to make this the most extravagant wedding the Eldoria Empire had ever witnessed. A fortune had been spent, and the day was fast approaching. Since the party two months ago, Aleron and I had neither spoken nor seen each other. Perhaps it was for the best. I personally preferred seeing as little of him as possible before the wedding.
I sat in the chair near my bed and picked up the small silver bell on the table, giving it a ring.
**”Clang clang.”**
Moments later, Ben, my butler, entered the room. I kept my gaze out the window, my thoughts distant.
“My Lord, you called for me,” Ben said respectfully, bowing with his left hand pressed to his chest.
I turned my head slightly, giving him my instructions. “I’d like a warm bath, with rose-scented candles lit in the washroom. I need to feel somewhat relaxed before facing yet another stressful day.”
Ben smiled kindly. “As you wish, my lord. I will also have the maids bring your breakfast once you’re done.”
I returned the smile. “Oh, Ben, what would I do without you?”
“You’d probably starve to death and forget how to dress yourself,” he quipped, and we both burst into laughter. Ben had been with me for many years, and though he was a beta, he always made my heat more bearable, taking care of me like no one else could.
Once the maids had prepared the bath, I stepped into the warm water, feeling instant relief as it soaked into my tired muscles. I let my mind drift, and of course, it settled on him. Aleron.
Did he hate the idea of marrying me that much? I mean, I didn’t want this marriage either, but there was no escaping it. Surely, we could at least try to be civil. Yet something told me Aleron had no intention of being so.
Yes, he was undeniably handsome, but his arrogance grated on my nerves. Did he think I was like every other omega who would simply submit to an alpha’s will? He was wrong. Even after this marriage, I wouldn’t bow to him just because he was a prince—or because he was an alpha. He would soon learn that I was not the type to bend so easily.
—
“Lucian.”
“Yes, Father?”
We were dining together, my sister seated across from me, happily munching on her food, while I stared down at the plate of chicken and salad in front of me. My father’s voice carried a certain weight, as it always did.
“You are to be on your best behavior today. With the wedding only a few days away, His Majesty, the Emperor, has suggested that you and Prince Aleron meet before the ceremony. You two must begin to form a bond, seeing as you’ll be spending the rest of your lives together.”
Of course. My father had made plans without consulting me, as usual. To say I was angry would be an understatement, but defiance was not an option.
“Lucian, you will answer when spoken to.”
“I’m sorry, Father,” I murmured, realizing I’d kept him waiting too long.
“I’ll return to my chamber after breakfast and select a suitable outfit for my meeting with the prince.”
“Good. You should know how proud I am of you, Lucian, for agreeing to this marriage. You make me happy, son.”
His words rang hollow, and I nearly laughed at the sheer audacity of it all. **Agreed?** As if I’d had any choice in the matter. I forced a tight-lipped smile, my appetite thoroughly gone.
Excusing myself from the table, I headed back to my room. I had to get ready for my audience with the prince. Wouldn’t want to disappoint the dear Crown Prince now, would we?
—
After a few hours of mentally preparing myself, I found myself in front of the grand doors leading to the palace gardens, where my meeting with Prince Aleron was arranged. I sighed, adjusting my jacket one final time before stepping outside. The sun was bright, casting long shadows from the palace’s towering walls, and the air smelled of freshly bloomed roses—no doubt the work of the royal gardeners preparing for the upcoming wedding.
Aleron was already waiting by the fountain, dressed in a crisp, royal-blue tunic that clung to his broad shoulders. He was talking to an attendant, but the moment I stepped outside, his gaze found me. For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes, but it was gone before I could place it.
I approached, my face impassive. **I can do this**, I thought. It’s just a meeting.
“Lucian,” Aleron greeted, his voice smooth but formal. “I trust you’ve been well.”
I raised an eyebrow. “As well as one can be under the circumstances, Your Highness.”
His jaw clenched slightly at the title. “Aleron will do. No need for formalities when we’ll be married soon enough, don’t you think?”
I stared at him, unimpressed. “Right. How could I forget?”
The tension between us was palpable, but before things could escalate, Aleron turned to the attendant and dismissed him with a wave. We stood in awkward silence for a moment, the fountain’s gentle trickle the only sound between us. I didn’t want to be there, and neither did he.
“Shall we walk?” Aleron suggested, gesturing toward the garden paths that snaked through the palace grounds. “We might as well make the most of the time we’re forced to spend together.”
I shrugged, already bracing myself for a tedious and uncomfortable conversation. We began walking, side by side, neither of us speaking for the first few minutes. The air hung heavy with unsaid words.
Eventually, I couldn’t take the silence any longer. “So, is this how you plan to spend the rest of your life? Barely speaking to the person you’re marrying?”
Aleron chuckled, surprising me. “Would that be so terrible?”
I glanced at him, not expecting the humor. “For some, maybe not. But for me? Yes, it would be.”
He stopped and turned to me, his expression softening. “Look, Lucian. I get it. Neither of us wanted this. But since we’re stuck with it, I thought perhaps we could at least attempt to be civil.”
I crossed my arms. “Civil, huh? Does that mean no more backhanded compliments about how ‘dashing’ I look at public events?”
He smiled, but this time, it wasn’t mocking. It was genuine. “I’ll try to restrain myself.”
A small, reluctant smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “Good. Because I don’t plan on tiptoeing around you just because you’re a prince.”
“And I wouldn’t want you to.” His gaze met mine, and for the first time, it didn’t feel like we were enemies forced into the same room. It felt like… two people trying to understand each other.
We continued walking, and surprisingly, the conversation flowed more naturally. Aleron asked about my hobbies, my interests—things that no one had ever cared to ask me about before. I found myself talking about my passion for art and travel, and to my shock, Aleron didn’t seem bored. He listened, actually listened, and even shared his own experiences.
“I’ve always wanted to travel,” I confessed. “To get out of this empire and see the world. Not to be stuck in one place for the rest of my life.”
Aleron nodded thoughtfully. “I understand that. I’ve never really had the chance to go anywhere either, being the crown prince and all.”
“You? The almighty Crown Prince, trapped in a golden cage?” I teased lightly, surprised at how easy it felt to joke with him.
“Believe it or not, yes. I have responsibilities that keep me tethered to this place, just like you do.”
We walked a little farther before he added, “Maybe, once the wedding madness is over, we can travel. Together.”
I stopped, staring at him. “You’re serious?”
“Why not?” He smiled again, that same sincere smile I had seen earlier. “We may not have chosen this marriage, but it doesn’t mean we can’t try to make something out of it. You want to see the world. I want some freedom. Maybe we can find both together.”
For the first time since this whole mess started, I felt something other than frustration or dread. A flicker of hope, maybe. The idea of traveling, of actually being able to live a life beyond the palace walls—even with Aleron—didn’t seem so terrible.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden hue over the garden, I realized something else. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as I thought. We might not have chosen this path, but it didn’t mean we had to walk it in misery. Maybe, just maybe, we could learn to enjoy it.
By the end of the day, I found myself laughing at one of Aleron’s stories. We had started off with tension and coldness, but somehow, we had ended up here—laughing, talking, and enjoying each other’s company.
Perhaps there was more to Aleron than I had first assumed. And perhaps there was more to this betrothal than I had dared to hope.
—
Getting home, I felt a surprising sense of happiness bubbling within me. My day with Aleron hadn’t been as dreadful as I had anticipated. Maybe this marriage could work after all. Even if we didn’t become romantically involved, finding a way to coexist as friends shouldn’t be so terrible. As Aleron had wisely suggested, we should strive to be civil, especially since we were bound to spend the rest of our lives together, whether we liked it or not.
“Knock knock.”
The gentle sound of a knock interrupted my thoughts. Iris entered my room, her presence a welcome distraction. She walked over to the bed and sat down beside me, her expression softening as she took in my relaxed demeanor. “I know this might not be what you want or what you hoped for, and I realize you may not be entirely happy,” she began gently, her voice laced with sincerity.
It was rare to see Iris talking to me in such a comforting manner since this whole arranged marriage had begun. Her usual busy demeanor had shifted, revealing a side of her I hadn’t seen in a while. She had only comforted me a handful of times; typically, she was preoccupied with her own life and responsibilities. But deep down, I knew she was a good sister who genuinely cared about my well-being.
“I just wanted to tell you that even though the marriage can’t be stopped, why don’t we try to make the best of it? You could attempt to find happiness with the prince. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, you’ll have your own little bundle of joy running around,” she suggested, her voice imbued with a hopeful warmth.
“Ewwww!” I exclaimed, scrunching my face up in disgust. The mere thought of Aleron and me having children was absurd. It meant we’d have to… well, you know. No thank you.
Iris looked at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and soon she burst into laughter. Her laughter was infectious, and despite my initial discomfort, I couldn’t help but join in, the sound filling the room and lightening the weight of my thoughts. It felt good to share a laugh, especially about something so ridiculous and far-fetched.
As the evening wore on, I realized how much I appreciated her support. That night, I drifted off to sleep with a light heart, holding onto the hope that maybe everything would be okay after all. Perhaps, in this unexpected journey, I could find a way to create a life that, while not what I had envisioned, could still hold its own kind of happiness.
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