The Eternal's False Bride

‎For centuries, the Kingdom of Edoria had wed its first daughter to a god named Cassian. According to historical accounts, he was the God of Light, and the women offered to him were little more than sacrifices. In return, Edoria won every war, enjoyed fruitful harvests, and prospered in blissful peace. It was a favourable bargain for the people, and when the majority stood to gain so much, they never seemed to consider the fate of the one being offered as their sacrificial lamb. ‎ ‎The title had been reserved for my older sister, Sabina, until my father decided to put me in her place. His reasoning? We were twins, and although we looked nothing alike, he believed the difference was something easily overlooked. Sabina was their precious daughter and the rightful heir to the throne, while I was merely their spare child. ‎ ‎It had never bothered me. After all, I had been given the freedom to do as I pleased, while she remained sheltered beneath their watchful eyes. My parents rarely spared me a glance, much less treated me as though I existed. But now, I supposed, I would finally be of some use to them. ‎ ‎My hands tightened around my bouquet as I willed my rebellious body to remain still while the maids worked to ensure I looked nothing short of perfection. My long blonde hair had been braided, with golden flowers scattered throughout the intricate arrangement. My wedding dress was a dazzling vision of white, featuring a low neckline, an embroidered corset, and a flowing skirt. ‎ ‎As the maids adjusted the sleeves of my wedding dress, the door to my bedroom opened, and the people I had never considered family walked in, wearing false smiles. ‎ ‎"Father. Mother," I greeted them coldly, deliberately ignoring my twin sister. ‎ ‎"You look beautiful, darling," my mother said, hurrying over to fuss over me. ‎ ‎I tilted my head away, avoiding her touch. Her expression darkened, and she shot me a glare. It was almost laughable how easily I could see through their charade. ‎ ‎"I can't believe you're all standing here, watching me go through with this," I said. ‎ ‎My father waved the maids out of the room. Sabina sighed as though I were about to throw a childish tantrum before plopping herself onto my bed. ‎ ‎"Enough of this, Serena. I've already explained the situation to you. We are not sacrificing you," my father said. ‎ ‎I couldn't suppress my mocking laughter. ‎ ‎"You would marry me off to a stranger to save your precious daughter. Have you ever listened to the stories about what happens to the women of Edoria in that monster's hands?" ‎ ‎"Sere—" ‎ ‎"They die, Father! They suffer unnatural, agonising deaths. You're all sending me to my death!" ‎ ‎My voice cracked as I struggled to contain my tears. I could pretend that their treatment of me meant nothing, but deep down, every cruel word and careless action had carved another wound into my heart. ‎ ‎Of course, I didn't want Sabina to be married off either. But why did it have to be me? ‎ ‎"And would that be such a bad thing?" my sister asked. ‎ ‎I turned to her, incredulous. ‎ ‎"Then why don't we put you in this dress, dear sister?" ‎ ‎My father's hand struck my face before I could say another word. ‎ ‎I gasped, stunned by the sudden blow, and instinctively clutched my cheek. ‎ ‎"About time," my mother muttered. ‎ ‎"I will hear no more complaints from you, girl!" my father bellowed. "You will marry Cassian and fulfil your duties as his bride. If you dare speak of this to anyone, you had better pray that you die by his hand!" ‎ ‎I flinched as he stepped closer, his anger radiating from him. ‎ ‎In that moment, whatever love I might have once claimed to feel for my family burned away. There was nothing left but hatred. ‎ ‎I no longer bothered trying to reason with them. There was nothing I could say that would change their minds. All I could do was swear to have my revenge. Even if it were the last thing I ever did, I would make every one of them pay. ‎ ‎That, I vowed, with every fibre of my being. ‎ ‎A knock at the door signalled the beginning of the ceremony. ‎ ‎--- ‎ ‎My arm was linked through my father's as we walked down the aisle towards the altar, where my husband was supposed to appear and claim me as his own. On either side sat the people of Edoria, eagerly awaiting the spectacle of their princess marrying a god. ‎ ‎My father led me towards the altar, where the priest stood waiting. ‎ ‎"Today, we celebrate a thousand-year-old tradition: the union of a god and a mortal, as our ancestors have done before us. At this hour, I call upon Cassian, the God of Light!" ‎ ‎The priest chanted the words, his hands moving mysteriously over a golden bowl. ‎ ‎The silence that followed was deafening. ‎ ‎Minutes trickled by, yet nothing happened. ‎ ‎I stared at my feet, acutely aware that my husband wasn't coming. Perhaps he had seen through my family's deceit and decided not to appear after all. ‎ ‎Murmurs spread among the onlookers, and the priest began chanting once more. He abruptly fell silent when a blue flame sparked to life inside the bowl. ‎ ‎The flame grew, rising into a towering blaze that sent me stumbling backwards in fear. ‎ ‎It spilled over the edges of the bowl, consuming nothing as it swept across the floor and came to a halt a few feet in front of me. I watched in astonishment as the flames twisted and contorted, gradually taking the shape of a man. ‎ ‎Then he emerged. ‎ ‎A man with long, white hair that flowed around him as though gravity itself held no power over it. He wore flowing white robes, adorned with golden ornaments around his biceps, wrists, and ankles. ‎ ‎His golden eyes found mine, and I felt as though they had pinned me to the spot. ‎ ‎The room fell silent. Every person present stared at him in open wonder. ‎ ‎He was ethereal. Beautiful. ‎ ‎So beautiful that my heart skipped a beat, and for one fleeting second, the thought of being married to someone like him didn't seem so terrible. ‎ ‎"It is an honour to have your presence amongst—" the priest began. ‎ ‎"What is your name?" ‎ ‎Cassian's voice was deep, carrying an authority so absolute that I found myself compelled to answer. ‎ ‎"Serena." ‎ ‎Cassian paid no attention to anyone else. His gaze remained fixed on me, and for a moment, I almost forgot why I was standing there in the first place. ‎ ‎Almost. ‎ ‎He vanished in an instant, leaving behind nothing but a flicker of blue flame where he had stood. ‎ ‎"Interesting," he mused. ‎ ‎His voice came from behind me. ‎ ‎"Of all the women bestowed upon me, you feel... different." ‎ ‎The entire room could hear him. ‎ ‎I caught sight of my father shifting uneasily on his throne, exchanging a worried glance with my mother. ‎ ‎Tell him he's being deceived, my conscience urged. ‎ ‎But no one dared to speak. ‎ ‎Cassian continued his assessment of me, circling slowly until his gaze settled on my face once more. When he reached out and grasped my chin, I shivered at the warmth of his touch. ‎ ‎His skin was hot, like the fire he represented, yet he didn't burn me. ‎ ‎I felt like an animal caught in a predator's grasp. My body stiffened, and although every part of me wanted to scream, I remained silent. I couldn't tell whether it was his doing or simply my fear. ‎ ‎He turned my head slightly to the side, his perfect brows drawing together in a frown. ‎ ‎His gaze had settled on the spot where my father had struck me. His thumb brushed over it absently, as though examining an unexpected blemish. ‎ ‎For some reason, that small gesture seemed to bring me back to my senses. ‎ ‎I stepped out of his hold. ‎ ‎"Can we just get this over with?" I asked the priest, who appeared to be just as dazed as everyone else. ‎ ‎My question sent a wave of gasps through the room, likely in response to my audacity. Cassian, however, didn't appear offended. ‎ ‎In fact, he chuckled. ‎ ‎"Different indeed." He turned his attention to the priest. "You may begin the ceremony, human. I grow tired of your realm." ‎ ‎His tone was condescending, laced with unmistakable mockery. ‎ ‎"In honour of the promise between the God of Light, Cassian, and the people of Edoria, we offer our daughter, Princess Serena," my father declared. ‎ ‎"In honour of my promise to your people, I accept your daughter as my own," Cassian replied. ‎ ‎A small flame erupted inside the golden bowl, and a ring materialised above it. A brilliant blue gem adorned its crest. ‎ ‎Cassian took the ring and slid it onto my finger. ‎ ‎The moment it touched my skin, a jolt of electricity surged through my body. ‎ ‎"You may seal the bond with a kiss," the priest announced. ‎ ‎I stood motionless as Cassian closed the distance between us. He gently lifted my chin, guiding my face upwards until I was looking directly into his eyes. ‎ ‎As he leaned towards me, I closed my eyes and felt his lips press against mine. ‎ ‎It was a brief kiss. Nothing particularly noteworthy. ‎ ‎I wasn't sure whether I should feel grateful or disappointed. ‎ ‎Around us, my people erupted into cheers, celebrating what they believed to be a glorious union. Meanwhile, my heart constricted painfully, and my mind struggled to process the reality of my situation. ‎ ‎I was now married to a god under false pretences. I would no longer live among my people but among the gods themselves. ‎ ‎And my own family had delivered me into this fate. ‎ ‎My father, mother, and sister clapped and cheered with the rest of the crowd, their happiness painfully evident. ‎ ‎"Look alive, dear! You're the wife of a god!" Sabina called out, laughing at my expense. ‎ ‎Cassian appeared to grow bored with the celebrations. He raised one hand, and the entire hall fell silent. ‎ ‎"Come, Serena," he said. ‎ ‎I placed my hand in his. ‎ ‎The flames from which he had emerged returned, this time enveloping us both. ‎ ‎I cast one final glare at my parents and sister, renewing my vow to make them pay, even if it were the last thing I ever did. ‎ ‎The fire consumed us. ‎ ‎It didn't hurt, but my vision blurred, the world around me dissolving into darkness until everything went black. ‎