Chapter 2

Walking next to the future King and my future husband is quite intimidating that I thought it would be.

He didn't say a word as he led me  away from the other royalties who seemed to stare at me with the same disgusted look he had on his face before the Kind had turned to look at him.

It doesn't take a genius to know that I am not welcome here.

Other than the king, who seemed to have taken a liking to me, the others didn't look pleased at all.

Even the queen- Sity Great- tried to smile at me and keep an elegant appearance. But I could tell she was disgusted. The constant twitch of her eyebrows and the fake smile was too hard to see past.

I glanced at Prince Barlion for a mere second before I looked ahead. 

Mirra used to describe how the royals looked like from the rumors she heard from the streets. From what she had told me, Prince Barlion Great looked like a man painted by the best artistes in all the five kingdoms.

High cheekbones, sharp jawline, a straight nose, tick long hair that falls down his back, a face that can drive any woman insane... those were the rumors. But none of them did him any justice.

The Prince does look like he's a painting that came to life. But his expression makes me want to hide from him.

The disgusted look hasn't left his face since he silently started leading me to my chamber.

Mirra silently followed after us. After what seemed like hours, we finally reached my temporary chamber and I stopped to bow my head in gratitude and thank him, but his harsh voice forced me to freeze.

"Felisha, is it?" He asked, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"Frost, My Lord." I corrected him.

"Sure..." He started before he turned around to look at me. "I assume you already know why you're here."

I nodded my head and waited for him to continue.

"You're here to get me the crown. The old man thinks a King should have a queen by his side and I couldn't agree with him more. A man of power needs to have a submissive woman waiting for him to release his stress and frustration on her. Though it would be unsettling to use in my chambers, I'm sure we can sort out a way."

I couldn't believe my ears.

I stared at him as he looked down on me. 

Unlike some people I've met, the Prince doesn't even try to hide his repugnance for me. It's almost as  if he wants me to see how much I was repelling him.

But still, to actually go out of his way and mention his chambers even before we are tied? It lets me know that he was going to make life hard for me.

"I... I..." I tried to come up with a reply but my throat was tight, forcing me to swallow back any comment.

Prince Barlion tilted his head to the right and stared at me as if he was waiting for me to answer.

"My Lord, I apologize for upsetting you." I whispered as I looked down. "I'm just here on the king's request."

"And why did the King chose the  sorrowest creature of them all?" He asked as he tilted his head to the left.

My throat bobbed and I bit my lower lip as hard as I can.

The sorrowest creature? I haven't heard that one in years. It was a coincidence that my family name is sorrow, but it is another thing when villagers twisted the nature of my name and made me into a scary tale to tell visitors that would stroll through our Kingdom.

They'd tell sailors that a creature lived in a castle, trapped behind closed doors and would never come outside. But when it's hungry to feast, it would cover itself, shielding the true monstrous terror of a face it has with a tick cloth and mingle amongst the villagers.

They say anyone who crossed path with the sorrowest creature would be held by an incurable illness. 

If one was to rip off the cloth away from the creature face, the outside air would suffocate it until it is at the brick of death...

Prince Barlion's face shone with a nasty smile as he realized that he got to me. He stared at me with his brown eyes as if he has already won.

A chuckled vibrates from his chest before he moved his arms behind him and clasps his hands together.

"It seems my betrothed is tired. Why don't you take a much needed rest." He smiled before he stepped closer to me.

"Listen." He leaned closer to my ear and whispered in a low voice. "You need to understand that you are here for one thing and one thing only. You are just a means to an end. Never think that you are anything else. Just because I will take your hand in marriage, it doesn't mean that you will have the right to be my wife."

He pulled back and I saw that his smile had disappeared. Barlion stared down at me as I looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.

The harsh look in his face softened for a second before it came back even harder.

He fully stepped back, turned around and walked a few steps away before he stopped and looked at me over his right shoulder.

"Oh, and Felisha, be a darling and keep the mask on at all times. I do not wish for you to scare my people."

I watched as he proceeded to walk away. My chin wobbled as I recalled his word.

He doesn't think I have a right to be his wife. I get it. 

"What did he say, My Lady?" Mirra asked but my throat was too tight for me to give her an answer.

***

The last two days had been the worst days of my eighteen years of life. 

While the preparation for our wedding was taking place, I had to face the royal family. But to my absolute luck, I didn't have an encounter with any of them.

The royal ladies were busy with the dressed they would be wearing and the royal men were busy with the Prince.

No children were allowed to be near me. I assumed they were warned by their parents to keep away from me as villagers had done great deal in spreading false rumors about me. One of which was that my illness was contagious. Or the hideous face I hide behind a mask can easily be transferred to another person. 

I don't blame them. I really don't.

But it still hurts.

I'm still cursing the day my father received a letter form the King and came to the main castle to talk to him. It was then that they had reached an agreement that I would be given to the Prince a few days before he is named king.

Everybody knows the rumors about Prince Barlion Great. 

They say he was such an immature and selfish teenager that the king- his father- refused to give him the crown before he finds a sense of responsibility. They said that if Prince Barlion was named king when he came of age, the Gold land Kingdom would be ashes by now.

For ten years, Prince Barlion was trying to convince the king to pass the crown down to him. And I thin this, taking a wife would be the last step to get the crown.

He said it himself. I'm here to get him the crown.

What I don't get is why my father would agree to this. Why would he give his only daughter away just to be used as a barging chip?

The more I think about it, the more it hurts my head.

Prince Barlion was insulting me on the very first day we met. I have no doubt in mind that he would be worse once our hands are tired in the bond of marriage.

"Are you alright, My Lady?" Mirra asked.

I turned my head to look at her before nodding my head.

Mirra was in the middle of spreading white flower dust on the inside of my face cloth. The cloth is thick enough to block out dust and the white flower helps clean the air that enters my nose.

Mirra closed the small bottle before she picked up the white cloth and walked over to me. Holding the cloth to my face, Mirra tied the ribbons tightly so it would fall off and took a step back.

"You look beautiful, my lady." She commented with a big smile on her face.

The big smiled on her face made me miss mother and father.

"I wish they were here." I said with a sad, gloomy voice.

Mirra's eyes soften as she looked at me. "I know they wish to be here with you too. But they are doing this for you, Lady Frost."

I know they are.

 The wooden door of my chamber opened and the king walked in. Bowing my head down, I greeted King Viper Great.

"How was your night, my darling?" The king asked.

"It was pleasant, your grace." I answered, proud of myself that I didn't stutter.

The King looked down at my dress before he shot me a soft smile. 

King Viper has been the only welcoming person in the castle. But I could sense darkness in him, like he is holding on to a very dark secret.

There are times when his eyes would look a bit fera and he would look at Mirra in an uncomfortable way.

Yet, he always managed to shine a smile for me.

"I know you want your father right now more than ever. It is customary for a father to hand his daughter to her husband. But since Lord King is not here, he's asked me to do the honors."

The King walked closer and offered me his arm.

I stared at his arm for a few seconds before I locked mine with his. 

I feel like the King and the walls of the castle hold a lot of secrets, ones that might destroy lives l. But if my father trusted the King enough to give me to his son, then I trust my father's intentions.

Even if it means suffering at the hands of my future husband.