Chapter Four

SERAPHINA'S P.O.V

Silence...

There was absolute silence; save for Leana's scandalized gasp alongside that of the court.

The silence hung in the air and time seemed to still, stretching into an eternity. It was no hidden fact that my statement had stunned the occupants of the room into quietness.

I stood before the imposing figure of Jaxon Grimshaw, King of Shadowmoor kingdom. In the grand throne room of the castle, it dawned on me that I must have seemed like a mere speck of dust to the stately King as he looked upon me from his seat on the magnificent throne. This realization furthered the errant pounding of my heart in likeness to a wild horse's hooves against the ground.

Finally, after a seemingly endless pause, the King leaned forward with his fingers steepled beneath his chin. His eyes narrowed as he regarded me, while his voice was measured and calm.

"What do you mean by that, young woman?" He asked, "Who are you?"

The weight of my revelation hung in the air and I stole a quick glance at the King. He sat regally on his equally imposing throne, his sharp eyes trained on me as he awaited my explanation. My palms were moist with anxiety, but I refused to let the unease, which I felt, show.

I quickly dipped into a curtsy while raking my mind for the most polite way to tell the King of Shadowmoor and his court about the sudden change of the wedding arrangements. While collecting my thoughts, I wondered how they; the King especially, would take the information.

"I await your answer, woman. Are you unaware of how unmannered it is to make a King wait? Speak!" The King commanded, his voice resonating in the quiet room and seeming to bounce off the walls.

Behind me, I could hear Leana let out a barely suppressed gasp of fright and I had to resist the strong urge to look at her.

"Your Majesty!" I said, lowering myself further into a deep curtsy in respect, "I am Princess Seraphina Lyonheart of Ravenscroft kingdom; I am the second daughter of King Leopold and Princess Olivia's younger sister."

"The second princess of Ravenscroft kingdom." The king said, "What are you doing here, in Shadowmoor? Where is your sister?" He asked.

At his question, my breath caught in my throat. I could hear Leana's quiet squeaks of fear and my hands trembled slightly. It was my duty to represent my family well and so I deliberated on the most appropriate way to reply the King as I could not afford to provoke his anger. I was at a cross roads; It would be a slight to lie to the King of Shadowmoor's face and play him for a fool in the presence of his court, but it would also be undutiful of me to speak of my family's shame and put my father at a disadvantage.

After reaching a conclusion, I took in a deep breath of the room's cool air, squared my shoulders and began speaking.

"Your Majesty," I started, relaying my explanation in a gentle and docile voice which was very much unlike my persona, "I must confess something of great importance."

"Tell me...what is this important confession? I am all ears." He enjoined.

"As you and the general public are aware of, my older sister, Princess Olivia, was intended to be the prince's bride..." I said

"Did you say 'was'?" A voice cut through my explanation.

I looked to see the owner of those enchanting green eyes staring at me, his emerald orbs blazing with an expression that I couldn't quite read. I felt them draw me in, making me lose all sense of time and belonging once more.

"Why do you refer to your sister's impending marriage to the Prince as if it had passed?" The King's gruff voice drew me back to the state of things.

"Your Majesty! My sister's impending marriage to the Prince, indeed is nigh, however, due to some unforseen circumstances, she is unable to make the journey to your Kingdom."

I saw a flicker of curiosity pass in the King's eyes, but his expression remained unyielding.

"She is unable to journey here for the wedding, you say?" He asked, "So why are you here? Have you been sent by the King of Ravenscroft, your father, to deliver such an undesirable news to me?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty. My father has not sent me here to be a bearer of bad news; on the contrary, I have been sent here to fulfill his end of the arrangement." I replied.

"And what might that be?" He asked.

I took in another deep breath of air before straightening my stance and raising my head up high.

"I, Princess Seraphina, second princess of Ravenscroft, now stand before you as my sister's substitute."

I pressed on, my voice unwavering although my inner turmoil raged fiercely.

"I understand that this situation is unusual, and I am unsure of how you will react. But please, your Majesty, understand that I am here, not to deceive you or cause any harm. I come in the spirit of diplomacy and unity between both of our Kingdoms."

A long and tense silence filled the chamber, and I feared that my boldness might have overstepped the boundaries of respect. I could hear my own erratic heartbeat in the quiet court room. I spared a quick glance at the familiar stranger who stood just a few feet away from the King. As his eyes locked onto mine, he regarded me with an air of indifference- one that sent shivers down my spine.

I averted my eyes from his and turned back to the King. I could not help but feel a pang of dread, unsure of what his reaction might be. Would he disapprove of this deception, or worse, consider it treason?

Leana, who stood a few feet behind me, muttered what I could only assume as prayers. I watched, from the side of my eyes, as she intertwined her fingers nervously while her eyes darted between the King and I.

My full attention was once more returned to the King whose expression remained unreadable. It felt like an eternity as I waited for his response, and the seconds stretched into minutes.

Unexpectedly, the King let out a loud chuckle that startled me. As he continued his boisterous laughter, chills of fear ran down my spine. His laughter soon subsided into mere chortles.

"Oh, Princess." He said, staring at me with sparkling eyes while his voice carried a tinge of amusement, "I applaud your bravery. It is rare to find anyone so upfront."

At his words, I felt my knees wobble and my stomach sank as a wave of trepidation ran through my body.

"Whether it be you, Princess Seraphina, or your sister, Princess Olivia, it matters not. You both are King Leopold's daughters and your identity does not concern me as long as you are a princess of Ravenscroft. Frankly, I do not care whether it is you or your sister that gets married to the Prince. As long as there is a strong alliance between my kingdom and yours, I have no problem."

My shoulders nearly sagged from the weight of my relief and I heard Leana mutter a quick appreciation to the Moon Goddess.

Relief washed over me lIke a gentle wave, and I leg out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I curtsied, gratitude flooding my heart.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding and kindness."

However, it was too early for us to celebrate as the King's amused face soon melted to give way to a serious expression.

"Now to pressing matters" He started, "Princess Seraphina! I and my court have awaited your presence for a while now. Do tell us why you are so tardy."

I dipped into a graceful curtsy, my pulse quickening as I offered my apologies.

"Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness. I was entranced by the beauty of your palace grounds upon my arrival and couldn't hold back the urge to check it out; it was then that I lost track of time while exploring." I said.

A delighted smile tugged at the corners of the King's lips, and his piercing eyes sparkled.

"Ah, a true expert who is able to appreciate the beauty of the Shadowmoor Kingdom; just as I have heard. It brings me immense pleasure to know that my palace has left such an impression on you." The King said.

"I can not take all of the credit, Your Majesty. The palace is so enchanting that I couldn't help but marvel at it's beauty upon my arrival. Your Majesty himself has such a splendid taste in the fine things of art." I complimented.

"Ah!" He said, chuckling, "flattery will get you far in Shadowmoor, princess. Allow me to introduce your husband to be, Prince Xander."

As he spoke, a figure stepped forward from his side. The man had an air of regality and reserved aloofness. Turning towards the prince, I felt my heart flutter as my eyes met those beautiful green eyes once more. My breath hitched as I recognized the prince, my husband to be, as he stood at the King's side, but before I could allow myself get lost in those eyes once more, and completely forget my surroundings, I quickly gathered my thoughts and, once again, curtsied gracefully.

"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Xander." I said as I slowly rose back up.

I met his gaze with a polite smile, desperately hoping that the emotions that whirled in my mind would not be given away by my eyes. The prince's gaze was guarded as he gave me a curt nod and muttered a formal greeting.

After watching our interaction, the King's jovial voice filled the room again.

"Why don't the two of you take a stroll through the palace gardens? It will give you a chance to become better acquainted with one another."

My face lit up with delight at the prospect. Ever since figuring out that the mysterious man in the woods was the prince, I had longed for a moment alone with him in hopes of forging a connection with him; a connection that went beyond our arranged union. As I looked at the prince, I saw that his expression remained impassive.

In the gardens, the tension between the both of us was nearly suffocating as we made our way through it. Tired of the awkward silence, I decided to engage him in conversation.

"The palace's gardens are truly a beauty to behold." I said, turning to him with a smile on my face.

The prince merely gave a curt nod, much like the one he had given me earlier in the throne room, in reply. I thought of other topics that I could bring up as conversation with him, not because I could not take a hint, but because I really wanted to get to know the Prince more. But while I continued to grill him with questions, he only gave me short and curt answers in reply, frustrating my efforts at wanting to be properly acquainted with him.

After a few minutes of strolling, we soon reached a secluded spot. The prince paused there and suddenly pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket which he then placed the item on my palm.

"Take this," he said, his voice devoid of any form of emotion.

Stunned and bewildered, I opened the box to see an exquisite engagement ring sited in folds of satin. I looked up at him, confusion painted across my face.

"What is the meaning of this, Prince Xander?" I asked.

He met my gaze with a cold expression on his face.

"This is a sign of our betrothal and a gesture to honor our tradition. I must leave you now as I have other matters to attend to." He replied.

And with those curt words, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the garden. As I watched him leave with his back turned to me, the weight of the ring box suddenly became heavy in my palm.