Pen & Sword

Chapter 2: Penelope

Penelope was about to murder the Crown Prince, and she was certain that she wouldn't regret it one bit later on when she would be sitting in her prison cell, no doubt awaiting her execution.

She saw her own shock mirrored in Damien's eyes, and it gave her a confusing sense of comfort mixed with mild insult that he found the idea of them marrying each other as shocking as she did.

"I'm sorry, but just to be clear... I am now supposed to marry Damien instead of Marcus? Is this some sort of joke?" She was aware that her voice had risen towards the end of her sentence, but right now she was past caring.

She saw Damien wince, though she wasn't sure if it was because of her words or the high pitch of her voice. Although she was sure her parents, as well as the King and Queen, had winced because of her words.

Her father's hand squeezed hers, and she tore her gaze away from Damien's dark eyes to her father's green eyes, the same ones that she had inherited and loved. She saw her own anger reflected in her father's eyes, but underneath it all, she saw only concern and understanding. 

She knew that if she refused right then and there, no power would ever be able to force her to marry Damien, be it the King's or even the Goddess. And if her father was to fall in her defence, then Theo would stand in his place to defend her.

She squeezed her father's hand back in response and reassurance before she took a deep breath to get rid of the confusion in her mind, and squaring her shoulders, she looked at the King and his Queen.

Frail was the only word that came to mind when she looked at them. A small wave of pity rose in her heart, but she quickly squashed that fleeting feeling in its birth when she remembered the absurd idea that had been proposed. She had the sudden urge to look at Damien again, curious about the expression he was making now that the shock had settled somewhat. But she resisted, and instead focused her gaze on the Queen, who was looking at her with such hope as if she was the answer to all her prayers. 

A prayer that she suddenly didn't want to answer.

"I know that it's not an ideal solution, but it's the only solution we have right now." The Queen spoke in her soft voice, as if she was trying to calm a trapped animal. "Damien and you are closer in age than you are with Marcus, and I'm sure Damien and you will make a beautiful couple."

She smiled as if all the problems had been solved, and she had single-handedly found the solution to ending poverty, hunger and every disease. She smiled as if she had not ruined the carefully laid plans of Penelope's life, and Penelope had to look away from that saccharine-sweet smile so she wouldn't ruin her teeth by clenching her jaw too hard.

Penelope had the sudden urge to scream, or throw something. She would preferably like to throw a dagger at Marcus, the bastard, if he had been here. But he had conveniently left with his lover, and she wasn't sure if she should be grateful or not that he wasn't here right now.

She looked to her mother for guidance, because she felt herself to be at a loss for words. Her mother, bless her soul, probably sensed the turbulence in her mind and got up from her seat while pulling her up along with her and giving her father a look that had him getting to his feet as well. She watched as her mother gave a polite smile to the royal couple.

"I think this is something that my husband and I should discuss with our daughter, as a family in the privacy of our own house.  Wouldn't you agree, husband." Penelope watched her mother with a morbid fascination as she turned her polite smile onto her husband, and Penelope turned her head to look up at her father. 

Her father seemed to shake himself out of a daze, and his eyes shifted from her mother's face onto hers. Something on her face made him blink, and a brief flash of something unrecognizable passed in her father's eyes as he placed a hand at her lower back while his other hand gripped her arm. He turned towards the King and the Queen, who had both risen when her father had, and bent slightly at the waist to give them a small bow with his right hand in a fist over his heart. Her manners kicked in, and she gathered her skirt of her dress in her hands as she curtseyed next to her mother, while her brother copied their father.

"My wife is right. It would be best if we were to go home and discuss this among ourselves and explain everything to our daughter. If you'll excuse us, we will see ourselves out." Her father gave a quick bow and grabbing her arm with one hand, while placing his other arm on her mother's back, he led them out of the room, with her brother trailing behind them.

As she was being led out, Penelope felt the back of her neck prickle in awareness, and she turned to look, her eyes locking with Damien's. His black eyes locked with her own, something intense and indescribable passing through the black depths before he blinked, and gave her a curt nod as if in goodbye. 

Or as if to say, 'Everything will be alright.'

And it comforted her, this small nod of his, because she knew that whether she liked it or not, they were now engaged. 

Even if her father refused because she asked him to, it would cause a scandal from which the Langston name would never recover. And more than that, her own reputation would be ruined and dragged through the mud. After all, it was she who had accompanied the Crown Prince Marcus in every ball and soirée, every celebration. And now, even if Anne would accompany him in any future events, her name would always be linked with Marcus and the royal family no matter what Marcus, the royal family, or even her family did. 

And marrying Damien was the only recourse left, like putting a bandage to a wound that won't stop bleeding. It was not the best of solutions, but it would have to do since it was the only option left. 

She gave him a small nod in return and turned away, letting her parents and her older brother lead her out of the room. From her father's firm grip on her arm, she knew he was furious at how things had turned out today. But she also knew that he was already planning ahead, trying to find a way to make the best of the situation in order to be able to further his own agenda. She knew that her father would make it so that she was on the throne as Queen, no matter what.

And she couldn't wait to see it through.