The Tattooed Prince| New Edition

2.

"We want you to marry Sebastian," King Carlos smiled as if offering his son off was a common thing to do.

I was speechless; my brain had processed what they were asking from me however my mouth still wanted to yell out 'what?'.  "Thank you, but I have to decline. Marriage isn't something I am prepared for,"

"Adalyn, we understand this is a lot to process but we are offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity," Queen Rachel confessed.

My life is not a Hallmark Movie they can't possibly make me believe this is going to end in a happily-ever after. Call me stupid, but I am going to have to pass on the 'once in a lifetime opportunity'.

"How about we give you a few days to think it through?" King Carlos offered.

"Listen, I do not need a few days to think it through. I am not marrying Sebastian," I stood up from the couch and bowed. "I am going to leave now, have a good evening,"

Sophia was waiting outside of the door; by the looks of it she had listened to the whole ordeal. "I would like to be taken home, please,"

"Of course, follow me,"

♛♛♛

Sophia accompanied me on my ride home and as we pulled up to the drive way she decided to speak up.

"Adalyn, if you change your mind this is my phone number," she hands me a piece of paper.

I wasn't planning on calling her anytime soon, but I took the piece of paper out of courtesy. "Okay, have a nice evening,"

"You too," she smiled.

As I entered the house my mom was waiting patiently for me in the living room as soon as she saw me she rushed over to bomb me with questions about how the dinner went. It dawn on me she knew what the dinner was about and she agreed for me to attend.

"you knew they were going to ask me to marry Sebastian?"

She nodded, "Of course, Sophia explained the King and Queen found you suitable to be Sebastian's partner,"

Had I entered into the twilight zone and not noticed? Everyone around me seemed to have all of sudden believe forcing someone to marry another person against their will was still appropriate. Not even a week ago my mom was talking about how one of her clients had been force to marry a man at the age of sixteen; she was horrified by the parents decision. All of a sudden arranging a marriage isn't repulsive because it is the King and Queen wish?

"I am not marrying Sebastian,"

She frowned, " yes, you are. If you marry him you are set for life,"

"I would be setting myself out for misery. Don't I deserve to be happy?"

"You would learn to love Sebastian," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "honey, they chose you to fill out the King's dying wish,"

"The man isn't dying!" I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "I am not going to continue this  talk, it is nonsense."

"When your father arrives we will have a thorough talk about what is going to happen," I heard her say as I walked up the stairs.

I was in the twilight zone; my mom would find their wishes unacceptable. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder centers around her family. She is constantly checking on my dad and I, to keep her at ease we follow a strict set of rules made by her so she knows we are safe. Her therapist suggested the idea and it worked for a while yet she managed to turn the coping mechanism into a form of entrapment for me in particular.