Chapter 4 : Rejected

And with that, the peace treaty was surely over.

Everyone at the table gasped as Prince Leonardo strode out of the dining hall, but nobody, not even Queen Regina, dared to stop the prince in his tracks. The man I presumed to be the prince's Beta ran out after him in a frenzy.

The queen's venomous green eyes pierced directly at me. I tried to avoid her eye contact, but I felt her gaze puncture my forehead.

Someone would need to pay the price for ruining the dinner and I had no doubt that someone would be me.

My heart sank and I couldn't breathe.

I was useless to the queen, and I might have also become the reason that resulted in the end of my sister's life. I sat there stunned and I couldn't even pay attention to people murmuring around me.

Why did he reject me?

Did he know I wasn't the real princess? Was I not elegant enough for his liking? What did I do wrong?

I couldn't understand this whirlwind of emotions, this chaos of anxiety.

I was scared of the prince, but when he rejected me, I felt somewhat…disappointed?

Surely the only possible explanation was because I let my sister down, right?

However, none of those feelings mattered now because my life was surely over. This was the end of it.

I tried persuading myself to accept my bitter fate while still figuring out a way to beg Queen Regina to spare Lily's life.

Then I heard Queen Regina interrupting the murmuring in the dining hall by clearing her throat, trying to quell the disgruntled guests who traveled all this way only to be left empty-handed.

She turned to look at the official who spoke earlier and said with a forced smile, "I'd like to apologize for the princess' behavior tonight. She didn't do enough to win Prince Leonardo's heart. Please, give us two weeks to make things right."

My eyes widened. Two weeks! Maybe there was still hope…

However, what could I possibly do in two weeks that would melt this monster's frozen heart?

The official nodded in understanding, "Of course, your Majesty! The engagement party is planned in two weeks, and this would be a good time for us to finalize the details of the treaty." Then he matter-of-factly added, "However, please allow me to remind you, Your Majesty, the marriage union is a mandatory component of the treaty, without which, the treaty would be permanently off."

Queen Regina maintained her smile and replied, "Please rest assured. The young couple just needs a little time to get to know each other…"

Prince Leonardo's evergreen scent still lingered in the room, overpowering the uneaten food. It wriggled its way through my nose and into my lungs, causing my chest to burn at the thought of him.

Hoarfrost's official stood resolutely from his seat, and his action spurted a chain reaction, as all the chairs not-so-subtly screeched along the hardwood flooring and everyone hustled out after him.

The guests started to exit the dining room and Alpha King Stephen followed, but first interjecting, "We'll see to it that your pack has proper accommodations."

The dining hall emptied with the food largely uneaten, and the only ones left were Queen Regina and me. She grabbed my wrist tightly and ordered, "Back to the princess' room we go."

We?

The queen rapped on the door and two servants swung the golden doors open wide. The queen led the way back through the hall of mirrors. Due to the chandelier lights and their reflections from the mirrors shining directly in my eyes, I felt a migraine forming.

I didn't know what was waiting for me, but I knew it wouldn't be good.

When we finally reached the room, Queen Regina ushered me inside forcefully and twisted the deadbolt shut behind her. By now, the palace was quiet, and the only noise was of a few Mclarens speeding off to the guests' living quarters. Clearly, they were vexed by the inconvenience of coming here without a solidified deal.

The queen released my arm as she sat down on the princess' bed. The room had been cleaned up, and one could never tell that horrifying scenes ever occurred in here.

"You had one duty, and what was it?" The queen was waiting for me to answer the obvious question.

It was to be the princess. That was the deal.

However, I couldn't force a man to marry someone he didn't want? But, I knew the answer she was looking for and I had to appease my queen. "Get the prince of Hoarfrost to marry me."

"Again, smart girl," she rolled off of her tongue sarcastically. "So why didn't you do it!" The queen posed an impossible question to answer.

I stood in front of her, shivering. In the darkness of the princess' room, I wondered if the queen would shift again and end my life right here. And worse, now she knew I had a sister who she could use as collateral.

"I…I don't know how to be a princess, Your Majesty. It all happened–"

I tried uttering but Queen Regina, as she was rubbing her temples in clear frustration, interjected, "Well, you have two weeks to find out how or else your sister will be served to the wolves!"

I was used to being belittled by Miss Verla thousands of times, but the chiding and threats by the Luna Queen were much more egregious punishments. However, with Lily in danger, I had no choice but to fulfill my duty.

"Yes, your Majesty," I replied softly.

My reply obviously pleased her. "Good girl."

I had only two weeks. I didn't know whether I would be successful or not, however, even if I failed to win the prince's heart, I was determined to figure out a way to at least save Lily.

"Your Majesty!" I was in no place to make a request, but I couldn't hold back the temptation to ask, "Your Majesty, may I see my sister to make sure–"

Again she cut me off. "To make sure what? Make sure she's still alive? You really think I'm that ruthless?" She cackled a laugh as she looked down at the marble flooring where a few hours prior the tiles were laden with blood and severed flesh.

Luckily she didn't force me to feign my response and she added, "Make some progress with Prince Leonardo, and then maybe you'll have a better chance of making requests. Got it?"

I simply nodded my head as I clutched my fingers, now white-knuckled, on the dress holding back the trepidation coursing through my veins. Any tighter and my nails would have ripped the gown.

Queen Regina scolded, "And lighten up before you ruin another dress…For f*ck's sake, what young, attractive prince wants to marry an anxious marm?"

I forcibly tried to relax my grip.

Her eyes traced my figure from head to toe, taking in every trace of sweat puddling on my forehead to the goosebumps around my ankles. She had her pointer finger resting on her chin as if trying to solve a riddle.

She spoke.

"I offer him a beauty like you and he says no. He must love being miserable. You have your work cut out for you. I'll be back in a few days to check on your progress." With her final words, she turned for the door before freezing in place and emitting an 'ah' like she had a revelation.

From the breast pocket of her gown, the Luna Queen took out a cell phone, which we maids were banned from owning in the palace, and tossed it at my chest. I had rarely even seen one before and I fumbled with it to understand why she gave it to me.

"Touch the screen," she directed, and my thumb trembled as it met the moist glass. A sinister smirk on the queen's powdered face unsettled my empty stomach. Audio came rippling off the speakers as I heard a very familiar voice, one that I hadn't heard in many weeks.

"P-p-please (static) Amber, you (static) they're holding (static) I'm scared (static) but I know you (static) my sister (static) I love you." Her words trailed off as the recording cut, and she let out a large scream as the sound of metal ricocheting was the last audible noise.

"Lily!" I gasped, and quickly covered my mouth. A bead of sweat trickled down the bridge of my nose and saline water pooled in my tear ducts. I bit my tongue as I tried to close my lips before I wallowed in complete agony.

My heartbeat made loud thuds as they seemed to reverberate off the walls of the bedroom. The queen seemed to be enjoying this philharmonic of terror.

My only hope was in Prince Leonardo, the man who wouldn't change his mind for anyone. The man who had allegedly killed the last three wives he had. The man whose presence alone could suffocate a whole kingdom.

Prince Leonardo, the man who decided my sister's fate.

"Two weeks, my dear, two weeks!" And the Luna Queen giggled her way in bliss as she waltzed out the door.

I sat on the princess' plush canopied bed wearing makeup that was foreign to me, her ball gown covering my broken soul. As I sat across from the princess' vanity, my mascara was smeared from the overwhelmed tears I cried since the queen left.

The Luna Queen truly had everyone in the kingdom under her watch. If she was able to locate my sister in mere hours, what was the extent of her power? My stomach twisted at the thought of Lily suffering in some discreet location for two weeks while my result to win the heart of Prince Leonardo decided her fate, our fate.

Although the last thing I wanted to do was sleep, I forced myself to lay down to get some rest. I needed it to save my sister.