Sacrifice for the Crown

Chapter 2

Yes I know that this playlist doesn't seem relevant at first but the pieces of music are just what I was looking for.
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For a better experience use the dark mode to read this.
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The gates of the palace were finally visible. After the long ride Andromeda was exhausted.

She rode her tall white mare, Lilly, whilst the brute right next to her had a plain brown stallion. Her hands held tighter on Lilly's bridle feeling a strange gratitude for having her own horse and not an unfamiliar one. She appreciated this gesture.

Well, that's odd I went there without a horse and I could swear that it was way less than two hours away.

She kept ridding until she unfortunately arrived at the gates. Her mother would be furious, not that Andromeda cared, she was used to ignoring her outbursts.

She dismounted the horse and promised to come back latter with a fresh apple.

A young servant gave her a sympathetic look. What a humiliation, even the servants were feeling bad for her. As she was walking through the halls decorated with the portraits of her ancestors she could hear her mothers squeaky voice yelling.

"Where is this damned child of mine? Is she here? Has she arrived? Well then why are you still here looking at me like a fool? Go fetch her at once!" Her yells could now be heard to the whole palace.

The big, heavy engraved door open with a loud noise and a boy white as a ghost got out, when he saw her the look on his face became worried. As he approached she signaled him letting him know that she would go by her self in that room and he needn't worry any longer about his queens fury.

The doorman opened the door for his princes reluctantly, as she stepped foot in the room she felt a stinging pain on the right side of her face. It was caused by the queen's hand and now as Andromeda put her hand on that very spot her eyes wandered with surprise on queen Kassia's face. The fury and the wrath unveiled on her face.

" You my child are in big trouble. How could you do such a thing ? You have responsibilities you are not a little girl anymore." The queen said adding " I hope you husband will be able to put some sense in that naive mind of yours."

" You see mother that's the reason I tried to leave this place, I...Don't...Want....To....Marry." Andromedas voice now had a coldness that impressed her, it was her first time sounding so confident and strong. Her mother stood silent for a moment, a piece of her blonde fine hair fell on her face.

"Oh young lady that's not an option, you will do as I command you." Kassia said undeterred. " Now get out of my sight. I have a royal wedding to plan since the bride herself doesn't want to get involved."

Andromeda opened the big door at once and vanished from that awful room. Running through the stairs desperately wanting to just go into her room. The stairs were wide and there were too many steps all covered with a red carpet.

She had now arrived to her room and she immediately rushed over to her bed no longer being able to hold her tears. They were warm, they were the sign of her weakness and she despised them but at that moment she didn't care. She put her head on her silk pillow and her eyes looked at the blank ceiling daydreaming about living free. Maybe having a small house in some Godforsaken village, growing crops and having some farm animals, perhaps she would have some children and a husband of her choice, a peasant but goodhearted man.

She fell asleep with these thoughts that would latter become dreams.

Her eyes opened with pure horror, her forehead and clothes soaking wet with her sweat. It was caused by the nightmares that troubled and tortured her half of the night. She noticed that everything was dark and a storm took place outside, making the windows howl from the wind.

A sudden thunder caught her by surprise, forming goosebumps on her skin.

Tomorrow isn't going to be a good day. That was certain...