Royalty Overnight

34: Sweet Sugar

Tears flowed down her face while she laid still on her bed. Her maid busted around, preparing for the wedding. A marriage she never asked for.

Her bedroom door opened and the room fell silent. Footsteps found its way to the bed. The mattress dipped slightly, but she refused to turn to talk.

"Sweetheart, please talk to me."

A warm, gentle hand touched her back, but Neith remained silent.

"Fine. Go take a shower and come down to eat."

This time, she spoke. "Mama, why did you do this to me?" She decided to get up and sit to look at her mother.

Her mother let out a sigh. "Neith, you're 33 years of age. You can't stay young or stay here forever."

"But I don't want to get married like this. How can you force me? I'm too old for that."

Her mother was growing frustrated. "Look, the man you're getting married to is someone your father and I cannot say no to. And honestly, why won't you at least be a bit cheerful that there's one man that likes you enough to marry?"

"I don't know him! I've never met him before, you even refused to tell me his name."

"You'll know who he is at your wedding." And with that, her mother stood up.

As her mother was leaving, Neith spoke up. "What does he gain from this and what did he offer you couldn't refuse this?"

Her family was rich but not wealthy, they were barely noticed. Her father was a well-known architect and her mother owned a beauty salon.

Her mother looked back at her. "Nothing. You being married to him is more than enough."

•••

Neith sat quietly in the vehicle; she was on the way to the wedding venue. She looked beautiful in her blue dress and veil; it compliment her blond her and green-brown eyes.

She kept fidgeting around, and if she wasn't alone in the car, her mother would have told her to stop several times.

Was her future husband a good or a bad person. She hoped he was at least good looking to compensate for his unpleasant character. She had to find him somewhat attractive to tolerate the marriage. Maybe somewhere down the road, Neith could run away once he let his guard down.

She looked out the window with cars and people passing by. She felt so alone.

Then she remembered the napkin she got a week ago. She brought it out from its hiding place; it was in a prim and proper condition. Neith didn't know who the person was and why he was kind. Did he witness what transpired? Had he done this out of pity?

She held the simple piece of cloth. It didn't matter that he did so out of pity; he was the only man that didn't pretend to like her but always leaving. Perhaps when they cross paths again, she would give it back to him.

Neith pulled herself from her thoughts when the car and the driver came to her side of her seat and opened the door.

"My lady, we are here."

Anxiety bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she stepped out. She was the only one outside, which means everyone was inside waiting for her. Even her soon to be husband.

Taking in a deep breath, she climbed up the stairs in the building.

As she walked toward the altar, a man stood at the end. She couldn't see him clearly through the veil, but she knew that was the man she would spend her life with. Or waste rather.

The man that her parents couldn't reject. The same man her mother said that it was an honour to be married to him.

Neith rolled her eyes to that sentence. Thankfully, no one can see her face. What kind of man was he to influence her parents to marry against her wish?

For the 33 years of her life, no man barely had an interest in her. Her parents set her up on blind dates after another, but it went nowhere. Neith gave up after the age of 25, she did long for a partner but decided to accept her single. She only went to satisfy her mother, as it never cost her to agree.

But here she was heading to a marriage to a man she didn't know and most likely never met. Had he seen her? Did they ever interact with each other? Every man she had met looked at her with disinterest and boredom, much less a wedding.

Who was this man?

Eventually she reached the end, she sensed the man looking at her but the royal blue veil obscured her view.

The wedding started with the officiant saying a series of sentences. She couldn't take heed, as her heart was beating erratically. Neith was getting married to a man she hadn't seen.

"Gelson Unetch, Crown prince of Svingsta, please unveil the bride, Neith Unetch and take her hand as your wife and future queen."

She finally jerked from her trance when she noticed her veil being gently lifted. It was time for the bride to be revealed to the groom.

She watched as her now husband did so, and she met with the kindest, softest brown eyes she had ever seen. It was like staring at a man who already loved her dearly.

He was the same man she met a week ago who gave her the money to pay for the unsuccessful date and the handkerchief she used to wipe out tears that later came.

The future king was now her husband?

He smiled subtly down at her. "We meet again, Sugar."

And with that, he took her hand and kissed it before he guided her to face the crowd. Neith couldn't really focus on the cheering as he led her out of the place with the audience soon followed.

•••

There was laughter, singing and dancing with lovely, delicious food. But Neith sat down quietly by her husband. She hadn't spoken a word to him. Her mother would have been watching her from a distance if there wasn't a navy blue curtain separating the wedded couples from the guests for privacy.

"Neith."

She almost flinched when her name was announced. She turned her attention to him and he smiled.

"I apologize for...well, doing things the way I did. Although I don't regret it, I still have to acknowledge your feelings on this matter."

She shyly nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you have questions?"

She thought for half a second before asking. "Why me?"

He let out an understandable hum. "I knew you'd say that. A completely reasonable question. Well, I like you and I want to know more about you."

Neith blinked slowly. "But that's possible through a date or some kind of meet up. You could have even come to know me during this week period before the wedding."

Gelson nodded. "That's true. But it would just be another forced encounter. I'm sure I won't be able to know the real you and you would be there only because your mother told you so. And by the looks of it, it seems you have already given up on the thought of marriage."

She let out a sigh. "You are right."

Gelson then poured two cups of the beverages for both of them and handed one to her. "So, cheers to hopeful years on which we figure out how to cohabitate."

Neith clinked her glass with his. "Yes. I've never been in bed with a man before."

He shrugged. "Neither do I. I've never fucked a man, either."

A blush rushed to her pale skin by his bold statement. "N-no. What I meant is that I...I've not shared a-"

He then let out a hearty laugh. "You're so adorable. I was teasing you, no need to be flustered."

Gelson leaned in her kiss on the cheek, watching as the blush spread to her neck and chest.

He chuckled to himself, sipping more of his wine. This is going to be a very exciting marriage.