The Prince

Prologue

"They just keep coming!"

Sorting through letters, it finally begins to sink in. You were nothing but currency to the royal family, expendable to royal intermarriage for the sake of forming an alliance; an act that would bond faraway kingdoms together; a kinship of sorts. And it wasn't like you had a choice, your fate had already been sealed at conception. So as you flick letters upon letters, red candle wax and cursive compliments, into the fireplace as if you had a choice between contenders, one familiar looking letter catches your eye.

Clumsily ripping apart the familiar letter, tethers of it fall aloof and into the hands of your maid.

Holding up the piece of fragranced paper, she reads. " ...you see y/n, your last letter we received was most intriguing. Some claim the history of Danielle de Barbarac to be false. A story fabricated by lies, whilst others insist the shoe were in fact made of glass ...perhaps her granddaughter would like to come to our kingdom again and set the record straight...."

Rolling your eyes, you snatch the paper out of her hands and throw it straight into the embers. "They can't fool me with this Cinderella crap Marlene. They were not forced to marry. They were in love, and no way in hell will I ever marry Park Jimin! I'd rather fall on my father's sword. I don't understand why they keep sending me these letters, I thought I made myself clear Marlene."

Kneeling beside you, her soot covered hands reach out to hold your freshly manicured fingers. "Stop with the theatrics child, he is a lovely man." but this was no exaggeration, marrying Park Jimin would be just as good as a sword through the gut.

You snarl at the grin across her moonlight face, pushing her hands away. "You only say as much because you did not hold a single conversation with the man. He is possibly the most foolish prince I have ever had the misfortune of crossing paths with."

Marlene takes a moment to wipe her running nose. Returning her gaze to you, she raises her voice to speak with undeniable passion. "Child, love is love, but it is not fair. It would do you a world of good if you simply remember the good in him-

"Love?" you scowl, watching her hand travel through her messy brown locks. "What would you know about love?"

She stills, her body growing rigid as her brows furrow. Memories of love flicker across her face, happiness emanating from the way her lips upturned so ferociously. You wondered what she was thinking about to trigger such a response. "The kind of love that makes you go crazy, I know that love," the memory fogs as do her eyes. She did not want to have this conversation with the princess when it regarded her father, that story was for another day. "Now, let's go get you cleaned up okay, tomorrow is a big day for you."

Grasping for her hand as she leads you towards the tub full of heavenly scented roses, you bite your lip. An apology sits at the tip of your tongue. "I didn't mean that, I-I'm so-

"-don't princess, I know what you mean."

Smiling as her hand turns to hold yours, she pulls you through the wooden door and into your bathing chambers. "You were 17 years old when you met the prince, you ought to give him another chance. Perhaps, he has matured."

Stepping out of your white cotton dress, the cold night licks down your bare body as you tentatively step into the hot bath.

"The prince," you begin, sinking your body underneath the rose petals. "Doesn't even know it was me, meeting with him under the pretense that I was Margie ... I saw and understood his real character and that was enough for me."

She begins scrubbing your back as you push your head over your chest. "Child, you're 18 now. You should consider it. Maybe he has matured. The ladies downstairs could only gush about their prince. He isn't here for much longer. You can't keep ignoring the poor boy, it's been a month!"

"Okay, I have not been ignoring him. He has been off with the stars exploring our beautiful kingdom. It is not my fault that our people are happy and at peace, and that makes him curious as to why." You furrow your brows. "Also, he is a ladies man so that wouldn't surprise me. I won't fall for it, I swear by it. I will not see him until the very last minute of his stay."

"Well," She grins down at you. "I assure you m'lady, you will and you will grow to love him as much as everyone else in this kingdom. Are you sure you do not wish to speak to him before you wed?"

"Absolutely not. I refuse to wed such a shamble. I'd rather marry the Park pig, at least in that way I know what I'm getting myself into."

She laughs loudly. "You're in for a wonderful future my dear, and I'll be there at the end of the aisle telling you I told you so. You'd look marvelous in a dress and oh my lord, he'd look dashing. I can see it in-" And as she attends to your long hair you sink through her hands and lay within the water where you can hear nothing of your betrothment to a royal brat.

You will not marry Park Jimin.

"I will not."