"Till Your Brother Do us Part": The Return Of The Forbidden Prince

The Release Of The Forbidden Prince

Princess Liasa's Pov

The wedding has been abruptly halted. King Edrick has summoned all his councilmen and closest king allies to the throne room. They all look quite troubled after poring over the parchment containing my “vows.”

They say that the words written on the partchment might be incantations meant to free the forbidden prince, Prince Hezron’s brother, from his accursed prison. Prince Hezron is fuming as he sits next to his father.

We are all waiting in tense silence for the arrival of the kingdom’s high seer, who has been urgently summoned.

But now as I think of it, if what they are saying is true, what would really happen if the infamous prince is freed? Would this dreadful marriage be put to an end? I am terrified of what I have done, yet there is this thrill inside of me that wishes that what they say is true.

"I wish to express my deepest regrets for the disgrace that my daughter has caused this ceremony to turn out to be. Remember that the bitterness you feel mine is twice as much," My father expresses his groveling apologies to King Edrick and his son before pulling me roughly to the side.

"Do you understand the shame you have brought into what should have been a moment of honor for our family?" his voice is low but sharper than I had ever heard. “You should be glad his highness still wants to marry you. You better kneel and apologize to him later."

"Yes, father. I will kneel and apologize." I say painfully. Why, in god's name did it have to be me in this situation.I would have been more grateful if I were born of a freaking peasant.

He faces away when queen Izzadra strides into the throne room accompanying a tall man in black robes. They walk to where King Edrick and his son sits.

"Seer Ordin at your service." The seer respectfully bows to the king. "My apologies your majesty for keeping you waiting, I hear the matter is of paramount importance."

King Edrick steps forward, his face seems to have aged twice in minutes due sudden fear. “Seer Ordin, the situation is as troubling as you have heard.” He extends his hand, passing the parchment containing the dubious vows to the tall man. “These words were read aloud by my daughter in law, Princess Liasa, moments ago during the wedding ceremony. What we discovered is it was beyond a mere mistake, we believe that they are incantations."

The seers face immediately darkens as he scans the parchment.

“Majesties, you are right, the words inscribed here are more than mere vows,” his voice is ominous “This… this is an incarnation of a spell, designed to free anyone held prisoner in another realm.”

For several terrifying moments, the kings are rendered speechless, struggling to comprehend the monstrous truth the Seer has just delivered.

Prince Hezron becomes the first to find his voice. "You mean to say that these words, spoken here—now—have . . . might release my brother from his imprisonment?"

“Yes, your highness,” Seer Ordin’s voice is grave. "If they were spoken rightly to the end, yes, they might have actually already released your long imprisoned brother. I'm afraid."

Silence shatters into gasps. Among the gathered kings and councilmen, murmurs of sheer horror ripples. Vibrating clicks can be heard from King Edric's metallic decorations on his robes as he shudders.

What did I do? The thought is a scream in my mind. The chaos I was wishing for are now turning into a catastrophic reality.

"What shall we do? Can it be reversed?" Queen Izzadra questions with quavering lips and everyone's attention return back to the seer.

"A spell that has already been cast, especially from a mouth of a kin of the old kings cannot be undone, my lady" The seer says casting me a glance. "You can only hope her highness did not speak the words rightly."

Everyone's troubled face turns to me before their voices clamor all at once, questions bombarding me like arrows.

“Did you complete reading the incantation, Princess?” one king demands.

"Do you think there might be a part you missed? Or words you didn't say correctly." Queen Izzadra's voice questions anxiously.

“Tell us, Princess, do you think there is something you didn't say as it should be said?” yet another shouts.

“Wait! the Princess never finished reading the text!” One of the kings point to Prince Hezron. “You snatched the parchment from her!”

Yes, he did that!

“It is true!” King Edrick tells eyes wide. “My son interrupted before she could read all of it. "Will that help us?"

The seer seems hesitant to answer that.

"Yes, that might have worked. But you must understand!” the seer insist. “A half-spoken spell is unpredictable. It may have partially taken effect or not."

The throne room erupts into murmurs and kings begin to rise, exchanging hurried whispers.

“I must prepare my entourage. It’s no longer safe here,” a northern king announces grimly.

“You want to flee?" Prince Hezron’s rage flares his gaze snapping to each restless noble. "Flee if you wish, but beware we are all into this, we all took a part.”

King Edrick’s grave voice cut through the mounting noise. “Can we not rush into conclusion here? Just as our good Seer has said, there is a probability he’s been freed, but there is also a big possibility that he hasn't. And our unity is more crucial now than ever. I know him more than any of you....he's my son. If he were freed, he would be here by now. So my guess is he hasn't been freed.”

Loud murmurs follow as the kings and councilmen nervously debate this possibility.

"We will continue with the wedding while we consult deeper with all our seers to see if indeed there is what we are all fearing," King Edrick suggests.

A ripple of agreement spread through his councilmen but the kings are hesisitant.

"And if anything new comes up we better be informed immediately." One king demands and others nod in agreement.

"You have my word," King Edrick promises and they finally begin filling out of the throne room.

I know I should apologize and comfort my husband, just in case his brother has not been released . So, I wait for Prince Hezron by the door and reach out to him. “My prince, please don’t torment yourself, we will endure this together.”

His eyes darken fury, "If you don't give me an heir soon," he says his gaze boring into mine as if piercing my soul, “I will have you stripped naked in the public square, chained, and beaten daily until you beg for death. Perhaps then the gods will take pity on our land.”

A cold wave of paralyzing dread rise in my belly even as he storms off. That is the threat of the man whose bed I am meant to share tonight!

I no longer just wish his brother is freed, I pray for it, he is the only thing they all seem to fear like death.