Leah, the bold and determined princess of Sylvanar, has always known her duty: protect her kingdom at any cost. When her father arranges her marriage to the dreaded King Ignatius of Juvelia, the fire king feared by all, Leah accepts her fate, believ...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The wind tugged at the edge of my cloak as Andreas and I distributed loaves of bread to the huddled masses before us. The sky had been threatening rain all morning, but the poor still gathered, eager for even a crumb. I kept my gaze steady, smiling as I placed another loaf into an old woman's trembling hands. This small act of charity was one of the few things that kept me sane amidst the storm brewing inside me.
"Thank you, Princess," the woman croaked, bowing her head low.
I gave a tight smile, my heart heavy. They called me "Princess" with such reverence, yet it felt hollow. Soon, I wouldn't just be a princess—I would be Ignatius's wife. The thought made my stomach churn.
As I reached for another loaf, Andreas sidled up beside me, his brow furrowed in thought. "You've got to find a way out of this," he muttered under his breath, glancing at the crowd. "Marrying that tyrant... it'll be a death sentence, Leah."
I handed a loaf to a young boy with wide, hungry eyes. "Do you think I don't know that?" I hissed, lowering my voice. "But Father—he's made up his mind. I'm just..."
"A pawn?" Andreas finished, his voice bitter. "You deserve more than this."
I glanced at him, feeling the weight of his words. He had always wanted me to be free, to make my own choices. But Father had other plans. I was to marry Ignatius, the king of Juvelia, for the kingdom's sake. "How do I stop it?" I whispered. "How do I make him change his mind?"
Andreas thought for a moment, his blue eyes scanning the horizon. "Maybe you need to make yourself... less desirable." He shot me a look, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
He handed a loaf to a man with a crooked cane before turning back to me. "Do something. Something that will make Ignatius change his mind about wanting you. Make him think you're... disgusting or improper."
A laugh escaped me, the sound bitter on my lips. "So, embarrass myself in front of the court? Publicly disgrace myself?"
He shrugged. "It could work. If he sees you as unsuitable for a queen, maybe he'll call off the marriage."
I considered his words as I passed a few more loaves to a group of children. The idea was absurd, yet there was a kernel of logic to it. If Ignatius saw me as unworthy of his status, maybe he would choose someone else. But... what if the scandal spread? What if the entire kingdom knew?
I bit my lip, the wind whipping strands of my hair into my face. "Would it go public?" I wondered aloud, my voice barely a whisper.
"Does it matter?" Andreas asked. "Better to be single and scandalized than married to a tyrant."
He was right. I'd rather face the scorn of the court than be bound to Ignatius. But the thought of it, of everyone whispering about me... I shook my head, shivering slightly as the winds shifted.
