"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
"̶I̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶,̶ i̶t̶ i̶s̶ f̶a̶r̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶n̶ t̶o̶ s̶h̶a̶t̶t̶e̶r̶,̶"̶
The words echoed in Emrys's mind, each word pounding like a drum that made it impossible to focus, impossible to breathe. They clawed at him, tightening his chest with every repetition. His mother's voice, cold and commanding, refused to let go.
Emrys's throat tightened as he struggled to hold himself together, his gloved hands trembling slightly around the roses he clutched. His heart raced in his chest, matching the harsh rhythm of his thoughts. He dared to glance up, locking eyes with Hadeon, and the beast's cold, piercing gaze hit him like a blow. It wasn't comforting; it wasn't kind.
Hadeon's dark blue eyes were empty, devoid of anything warm.
Their gazes were locked in a tense. Neither flinched, neither blinked-just bare, intimidating eye contact. Emrys could feel the weight of Hadeon's stare pressing down on him, trying to break him with its coldness. No words passed between them, no stutter of breath, just the heavy silence that filled the space.
Emrys, the fragile rabbit, and Hadeon, the relentless beast. The air around them crackled with tension, a dangerous electricity that made Emrys's skin prickle. Hadeon's gaze was predatory, cold and unwavering, like a wolf sizing up its prey. The silence stretched out between them, heavy and suffocating, as if time itself had come to a standstill.
Emrys felt his breath quicken, a flutter of panic rising in his chest. He was terrified yet captivated, caught in the magnetic pull of Hadeon's dark blue eyes. Every second felt like a confession, a silent admission of fear and desire, and Emrys couldn't look away, even as the rabbit in him screamed to escape.
The priest, uncomfortable with the thick tension between them, cleared his throat softly, a polite but pointed cough to interrupt the moment. Both of them broke their gaze at the same time, turning their eyes away from each other and toward the priest.
"We are gathered here today to witness the union of Prince Emrys Rosenwald and crown prince Hadeon De Vaurac," the priest declared, his voice echoing off the marble walls.
Every vow, every promise of obedience and unity sounded hollow, like prayers whispered to an indifferent god. The grand hall, with its high ceilings and stained glass, felt less like a place of worship and more like a tomb-a place where something sacred came to die.
Emrys swallowed hard, his heart still racing as the oppressive atmosphere settled between them once more. He glanced at Hadeon out of the corner of his eye, but the prince's face remained emotionless, a stone wall that Emrys couldn't penetrate.
The sense of unease crept back into his chest as the priest began to speak, but Emrys's thoughts remained with the intensity of that silent confrontation, lingering like a shadow.
Hadeon stood beside him, tall and unmoving, like a dark statue carved from stone. His presence swallowed the room, suffocating. Emrys felt fragile, a rabbit caught in the jaws of the beast, his delicate frame drowning in the heavy silence between them.
His eyes flickered to the cross hanging behind the priest, its shadow cast long and cold across the floor. How cruelly fitting, he thought, that he should stand beneath a symbol of sacrifice when he was about to offer his life, his body, his soul, to a man who would destroy him whole.
The priest's voice broke through the heavy silence, turning the focus back to Emrys, who stood clutching the bouquet of roses tightly in his trembling hands. "Emrys Rosenwald," the priest intoned, his voice steady and clear, "are you willing to take his Crown Prince Hadeon De Vaurac as your wedded husband?"
Emrys's heart raced, the weight of the question pressing down on him like a leaden cloak. He swallowed hard, his throat dry as the bitter truth seeped into his thoughts.
Oh, how he loved Hadeon-truly, madly, deeply. He had worshipped him from a distance, dreaming of their union, imagining the warmth of their shared moments. But standing there, surrounded by the grandeur of the ceremony, the reality of Hadeon's cold demeanor sent icy tendrils of fear curling around his heart.
He could still remember the way Hadeon's eyes turned hard as steel, the chill of his voice that could cut through the warmest of moments. The prince's actions had always been measured, calculated, and Emrys found himself trembling under that scrutiny. He was captivated and terrified, a moth drawn to the flame of a fire that could just as easily consume him.
In the depths of his mind, Emrys wrestled with the conflicting emotions that twisted like a storm within him. What would this marriage truly mean? Would Hadeon see him as a partner, or merely as a vessel for power, an extension of his will? The shadows of doubt crept into his heart, making it hard to breathe.
As the priest's voice echoed in the solemn hall, Emrys could feel the weight of the moment. The room seemed to close in around him, and he fought to keep his composure.
He wished desperately to find courage in his love for Hadeon, to believe that beneath the prince's icy exterior lay a heart that could love him in return. But fear held him captive, chaining him to a reality that felt more like a dark fairy tale than a dream come true.
When he finally managed to respond, his voice trembled, the confession slipping out in a whisper. "I do."
The priest nodded, then turned his attention to Hadeon. "Hadeon De Vaurac," the priest continued, "are you willing to take Prince Emrys Rosenwald as your wedded wife?"
A suffocating silence filled the grand hall, the air thick with tension. Every eye in the room seemed to bore into them, yet for Emrys, there was only Hadeon. The dark prince's gaze fell upon him, heavy with a force that made Emrys feel small and fragile. It was like staring into the eyes of a predator-a beast.
The intensity of Hadeon's stare was unnerving, sending an icy chill down Emrys's spine, yet there was something intoxicating in the way those piercing eyes held his.
Emrys's breath hitched in his throat, uncertainty swirling within him. Would he accept him?
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Light { 𝓑𝔁𝓑 }
Romance"You're hurting me," Emrys breathed. Hadeon's grip on him tightened as he leaned in. "Good," he whispered. ──────────── Emrys Rosenwald, the fragile and obedient second son of the Rosenwald family, has lived in the sign of his own quiet loyalty, hop...
