Bride to the Dark Lord

Three

The Dark Lord wants MY hand?

Opal blushed, wondering to herself what in the world he was thinking. Her father argued several minutes with the Queen. She seemed it worth considering it could potentially bring about the connection of the light and dark kingdoms United once again. "It's at the very least a good excuse for us to meet and discuss a peace treaty."

"We have a peace treaty. They stay on their side of the fence and we stay on ours!"

"There's more to it than that."

Opal felt caught in the middle. "May I say something?"

Both barked at once, "No."

She slumped.

By the end of their discussion, it was decided the Dark Lord would be invited to a quiet dinner to discuss the 'matter.'

I was to be there to play as a bargaining chip. Lovely...lovely.

The dinner came in a fortnight, and the Dark Lord arrived by horse and company. Shrouded in a bluish black cloak, noone was permitted to see his face. Rumor went that since the lord had been cursed anyone who look upon him would be stricken with a fatal illness. Noone even wanted to risk a glance. Heads remained bowed, eyes lowered.

But curiosity came to me and I immediately became intrigued. Who was this man? What kind of life had he lived? There was no way of knowing his age, but he sounded young. Maybe my age.

Father greeted him from the throne, awaiting the typical bow of respect

He did not give it.

I found myself smiling.

"We've not come to a decision as to our daughter's marriage." Father had to play it carefully or he would never be listened to.

"I've come for one thing and one thing only." The Dark Lord replied.

I bristled.

"You can understand our hesitation," Father insisted. "My daughter isn't a bargaining chip."

I threw him a slight scowl. I'm not just ANY bargaining chip I'm THE bargaining chip. I can be used for a significant purpose.

"I've come for an answer." The Dark Lord insisted calmly. "If that answer is no, we have nothing more to discuss."

"It's been nearly a century since our kingdoms came to any meeting ground." Mother is also insistent. "Won't you join us in a feast to talk?"

The Dark Lord shifted. His shroud rustled, and I felt him peering at me curiously. My heart seized.

"No." And he whipped around to leave.

My parents were appalled. Mother grabbed her husband's arm. "Do something!"

My Father held up an arm. "Guard!"

They attempted to snatch the Dark Lord, but with a whip of his cloak, the hood came off. A young man with dark hair and piercing silver eyes gazed at us from up the aisle

Screaming. People cowered in fear and looked away.

"Surely you didn't think my brother would send himself." He smirked.

I gasped.

Father bellowed, "Seize him!"

But in another flash, a whirlwind of purple and blue light enveloped the dark prince. He takes, "A shame. I thought we could be civil."

"What do you want!" Mother sounded as if she'd lost her nerve.

"What I came for." He looked to me. "Your daughter."