"As I stood before the ornate mirror, the golden light of dawn casting an eerie glow on my reflection, I felt the suffocating weight of my crown. The delicate lace of my wedding gown seemed to choke me, each intricate stitch a reminder of the prison I was about to enter. The words of my mother, Queen Lirien, echoed in my mind: 'A princess's duty is to her kingdom, not her heart.'
But my heart rebelled against the fate that had been sealed for me since childhood. The arranged marriage to Prince Kaidën Valorian of Eldrida, a man I had never met, felt like a betrayal. The alliance would secure peace between our kingdoms, but at what cost? My freedom, my happiness, my very soul?
I turned away from the mirror, the sound of my ladies-in-waiting bustling outside my chambers a stark reminder that time was running out. Today, I would take vows to a stranger, binding myself to a life I did not choose. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
'Calantha, are you ready?' my mother's voice called from beyond the door.
I took a deep breath, the weight of my duty settling upon me like a shroud. I would don the mask of a willing bride, but my heart would remain a rebel, forever trapped in this gilded cage."
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The Reluctant Bride
Fiksi Sejarah"When duty demands sacrifice, can love conquer all? In a world of royal politics and ancient alliances, Princess Calantha Valtania is forced into a marriage with Prince Kaidën Valorian of Eldrida. But Calantha's heart rebels against the arrangemen. ...
