The Royal Agreement

Chapter Twelve

My voice was firm, but there was an undercurrent of hurt that I couldn’t mask. How could they expect me to go along with this? To give up my freedom and my future for something I didn’t even fully understand.

Without waiting for a response, I stood up, turned, and bolted out of the wide room, my heart racing as I ran through the palace corridors. The grandeur of the palace only heightened my sense of being trapped. I am already trapped inside of my mind and now they want to trap me even further?

I pushed through the heavy doors and out into the open air, but even the freedom of the outdoors couldn’t calm the storm inside me. I stopped when I heard my parents calling my name, their voices full of worry and urgency.

I spun around to face them, the anger boiling over. I was so mad I could spit venom, and for once, I didn’t care.

“Ciella… hear us out, darling,” Mom said, her voice soft as she stopped a few steps away from me. Her eyes were filled with a mix of sadness and something else—something that almost looked like guilt. “This was your grandfather’s last wish before he died. Please, stellina. Consider this.”

“Consider this?” I echoed, incredulous. My voice rose in disbelief. “How could a dead person argue with his last wish? I wouldn’t marry a stranger, Mom!”

“Ciella!” Dad’s voice cut through the air, stronger and more commanding than I had ever heard it before. I was taken aback, momentarily stunned into silence. He had never spoken to me like that. “The royal family of Denmark helped us in times of great need. You might not know, but we owe them a lot.”

My anger flared again, sharper this time. “And you make me your payment for the transactions they made on us? Is that it?”

“Ciella, mockery won’t solve this,” Dad replied his voice firm but tinged with something that felt like desperation. “This is your grandfather’s wish. His image, our family’s friendship with Denmark—it will all be damaged if this wedding doesn’t go through. Victor is already facing immense pressure as the next in line for the crown. People expect him to be married when the time comes.”

“And you expect me to be his wife? An amnesiac at that?”

My voice cracked as I spat the words out, the bitterness of my situation seeping into every syllable. How could they expect this of me? To tie my life to someone I barely knew, in a world that was still so foreign and confusing to me?

“Amnesiac or not, Ciella, you are lovely,” Mom said, her voice gentle but insistent. “Please. This was expected. We didn’t see it coming so soon, but we knew it would happen eventually. Please think about it.”

“What does that even mean? Are you really giving me away that easily?” I asked my voice barely above a whisper now.

The fight was draining out of me, replaced by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. The trip, the discussion, the sheer weight of everything that had been thrown at me—it was all too much. My head was throbbing, a sharp pain that pulsed in time with the frustration and helplessness I was feeling.

“We don’t want to, but this is a promise we have to keep,” Dad said, stepping closer and wrapping me in a tight hug. His voice was softer now, but there was still that desperate edge to it. “Our word is as strong as paper. This marriage will unlock a lot, Ciella. It’s not just about us, or even Denmark. This is about your future, too.”

I didn’t know what to think anymore. The fight had left me, replaced by a numbness that settled deep in my chest. I returned Dad’s hug, clinging to him as if I could somehow draw strength from his certainty.

I could hear the desperation in his voice, and feel it in the way he held me. I didn’t remember much about our past, but it was clear that whatever bond we had with this family, was strong. Strong enough that they were willing to make me part of it.

With rage still simmering beneath my surface, I pulled away from my dad and stormed off, needing to clear my head. My feet led me to a garden-like place within the palace complex. I stopped there, staring up at the beautiful sky, trying to find some semblance of peace in the chaos.

“Wonderful,” I whispered bitterly to myself, my voice thick with sarcasm.

They really wanted me to marry Victor, a man whose existence I’ve only known for a few weeks. I couldn’t believe it. Did they plant Victor in Seattle so we could get to know each other? Have they had this all been some grand scheme? And did Victor know about this agreement all along?

The questions swirled in my mind, each one more painful than the last. My head began to throb, a dull ache that threatened to consume me. I tried to push the thoughts away, to stop thinking about this agreement, but the whispers in my mind wouldn’t stop.

I looked around, watching as people went about their work, completely oblivious to the turmoil inside me. They were all so busy, so focused, while I was left standing there, helpless and desperate for answers.

I didn’t know whether to pity myself or steel myself to face this impending marriage. The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became with Victor. Had he known about this all along and just not told me? But then again, how could he have known?

We had shared the same expression of shock and disbelief when they announced our wedding. What if he had someone else—a girlfriend, someone he actually loved? What if he was just as trapped in this mess as I was?

I couldn’t bear to think about it any longer. The more I did, the more I felt like I was drowning in a sea of uncertainty. I needed to escape this spiraling nightmare. With a heavy heart, I stood up and walked back inside the palace, retreating to the only place that still felt like it belonged to me—my room.

Maybe, just maybe, marrying Victor would unlock memories I didn’t even know I had. Maybe it would tie me to Denmark in a way that would finally make sense of all the confusion. Or maybe it would lead to more questions, more pieces of a puzzle that I still didn’t know how to put together. But I needed answers, and this seemed like the only way to get them.

“Maybe I need to talk to Victor first,” I whispered to myself, my voice resolute despite the turmoil churning within me.

And with that, I knew there was no going back. My life was about to change in ways I couldn’t even begin to imagine. But for now, all I could do was take one step at a time, starting with Victor.