"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." Thistle snickered, straightening her back in the chair.
"A runaway Princess, who decides to throw away her duty because of a man," Lunaria added, her lips were as blood, if I didn’t know she was a fae I would have thought she was a vampire, or a witch.
I rolled my eyes inwardly at them, I steadied my steps as I walked to the center of the courtroom.
My gaze t with my mother’s, and I almost let out a grimace from the expression on her face. The air in the room was tense and suffocating.
I held the side of my skirt, raising it slightly to bow to the King. "Your Majesty." Cold beads of sweat trickled down my back.
He didn’t utter a word, which made continue bowing in greeting. His gaze burned through like a scalding spear.
"Your majesty," I greeted again. My legs wobbled slightly. ’I’m the one who should be mad right now, why do I feel like I’m getting gaslighted?’
Thistle and Lunaria’s mocking chuckling made my blood boil, both in anger and frustration.
Although the king wasn’t very nice to , he was reasonable and respectful, cutting so slack to throw a tantrum now and then.
"Where have you been?" He finally said, his voice was cold like ice and sharp like a blade, cutting through the last resolve I had left to speak about my dissatisfaction with the betrothal.
My heart missed a beat, his magic filled the air, it was a warning, reminding not to spin a wheel of lies.
My throat tightened, my veins popping out slightly. "I spent the night in a Cabin." I straightened up my back, my eyes t with his, and a wave of pressure shot through my skull.
I swallowed the groan that almost escaped my lips, it felt like my head was a second from exploding. Blood drained from my face, and I quickly averted my gaze from his.
My heart pounded in my chest like a war drum, and the hair at the back of my neck stood on end. My mind was unable to comprehend what had just happened.
I couldn’t believe my uncle just used his magic on ... he only did that with his subjects... my lips quivered as I swallowed nervously.
"Who did you spend the night with?" Silence fell on the courtroom as everyone strained their ears for my answer.
"She must have spent the night with the man from last night, Father." Thistle’s voice cut through the silence, and a faint smirk ford on her lips.
"Silence!" The King’s voice thundered through the room. "You will not speak unless you are asked!" his blue eyes turned into a deeper shade.
"Forgive , Father," she said in a ek voice.
He turned to , "Answer !"
"I spent the night with my friend." My voice suddenly felt dry.
’It was actually friends.’ I bit my lower lip.
"You spent the night with a man?" He tilted his head to the side in disbelief.
’n. If he knew that, he might explode in flas.’
He scowled at my silence, then turned to my mother. "Liora, is this how you train your child?!"
My eyes unconsciously moved to my mother, and she looked disappointed, her hands clenched tightly into a ball.
"Your majesty, this was not how I brought her up. I have made extra efforts to teach her the way a princess should behave, both privately and before the people. But my daughter has grown a stiff neck, and I am more disappointed than you, because it feels like I’m casting pearls before swans." Her words were colder than winter.
My heart shattered hearing her words... she didn’t even speak up for , even if I am wrong, is she not supposed to stand up for or plead for rcy?
My eyes welled, but I blinked them away. A sad smile ford on my lips. "So you feel like being my mother is like casting pearls before swans?" My voice cracked, how could my loving mother say such a word?
She looked straight into my eyes, her gaze softened before rising from her chair, and she made her way towards .
"You spent the night with a man, when you know you are getting betrothed, is that how a princess should act?" Her tone softened.
’So that was it? My mother would rather protect her seat at court than ?’
"Even if she isn’t getting betrothed, it is not moral for her to spend the night with a man." the crown prince, a carbon copy of his father, snickered. He looked at with disgust, as if my re presence was a stain in the room.
"If the King was so magnanimous to announce my betrothal out of nowhere maybe I wouldn’t have left last night." My voice ca out harsher than I intended.
"Are you saying it is the king’s fault? Shouldn’t you be happy that he has made a marriage arrangent for you?" Thistle scoffed, crossing her arms against her chest. "Who would want to marry a Fae princess with wings?"
A burning sensation rushed through my chest to my throat, and my hands clenched tightly in anger and disgrace.
My eyes scanned the faces of my family but they all looked at with disdain, even my own mother could not et my eyes.
All this while, I was the one who had been living in an illusion that I was wanted, but in reality, I was nothing more than the disgrace that they wanted to discard away not to hurt their reputation.
A chuckle escaped my throat, one that carried pain and betrayal. "If you all think I wasn’t good enough to carry the title of princess, WHY DID YOU ALL PRETEND I WAS FAMILY?!"
I turned to my mother. "Why did you lie to that I would get my wings when I find my mate? Why did you lie to ?!" Tears trickled down my cheeks.
"I didn’t lie to you. Once you get married, you will mate with your husband, and you will get your wings." She said softly, reaching for my hand.
"Your wedding is a week from now." The King’s announcent was like a dagger plunged into my chest, stealing the breath out of .
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