The Sacred Bride (Rewritten)

Chapter Three: nice to meet you, my queen

Bloom's standpoint

   I fiddled with my fingers nervously, my heart ramming against my chest as I tried to calm my breathing. It was finally time, the day I would meet the man I would be engaged to, to cover up for the family. There was no other option, I had to pretend. I didn't blame my ancestors for their mistakes. About two hundred years ago, before the supreme king appeared, a strange race of demons rose and exposed the supernaturals, going after the lives of all that breathe air. It was a war that almost wiped out humanity and cripple the unnatural. My ancestors were desperate to protect their families like most people then, and so, they found a powerful god called the keeper and made a deal with him. While at that time, it was a good deal for their protection, it was a snare they fell right into. If they had just waited a year more, they wouldn't have fallen victim for the dark god that now had every member trapped.

   Honestly, no one except my nuclear family cared. Why would they care? It wasn't their daughter or sister dying to renew the covenant, it wasn't their offspring that needed to remain a virgin until she dies for them to keep their magic. It was me. Though I couldn't blame my ancestors, I hated how greedy and selfish the present families were. And if it wasn't for my family who would pay the highest price, I would have done something stupid.

   You'd think it's a dangerous idea to marry me off to a man, but it wasn't that much. I was born with a mark that repelled men and lesbians. No matter how attracted they are to me, no matter how gorgeous and breathtaking they think I am, they never come out. I was almost twenty-eight but I was still a virgin with no record of even going out on a date, let alone a kiss. I'd never gotten horny. It was pathetic.

   Luckily, dad said he made arrangements to marry me off to either of the three men who would rather follow Rick around than be in the same room with me. Their families weren't okay with their choices and needed to cover it up with a woman. It was perfect because they would never dream of coming close to me. My repellent aura and their sexuality was the perfect match. The plan was to make it official in the king's mating ball. Either of them would pretend to try to talk to me, and then I'll make my choice among the three.

I was not looking forward to it.

   “Relax, chipmunk,” Leila whispered, taking my trembling hand in hers. Goodness, I hated it, I hated the fact that an arranged marriage was now part of my pitiful existence. I hated being alive as a whole. I dreaded how they would look at me. I can swear they would give anything to be with Leila, but will take one look at me and look at Rick instead. I hated it. I hated feeling less of myself because Leila is better. I hated it.

   I looked at my sisters and their gowns. I almost sighed out. Leila wore a red backless layered bottom mermaid gown. The handless dress was so tight I wondered how she was breathing with that thing on. Of course, her boobs were almost spilling out of the bra cup and she dared wear crawler earrings and a collar necklace that almost seemed suggestive to dominant men. Her updo hair exploded her long, tattooed neck and shoulders. She looked smoking and mom couldn't be prouder.

   Bernice, on the other hand, wore a rose gold fish cut silver pearl embellished gown. Her hair was styled upward as well, her make up thicker than Leila's and to dad's dismay, almost exposing his daughter's big breasts. I couldn't dare take that step because I wasn't confident with my body when in the midst of three of them. So I hid my shame under a blue lacy embellished taper gown. Of course, it had an illusion neckline with long lace sleeves. Mom made me wear chandelier earrings since I was also spotting an updo hairstyle. I missed my scrunchies already.

   The limo was parked in front of a red carpet. It was the first time I was going to a formal event with my family, the first formal event as a whole. I knew it was going to be a long night.