The Made Queen

“I am calling off this engagement, Daphne.” Prince Ivan’s voice was cold, flat, and dispassionate as he faced me. Spilling out words from that stupid mouth of his. I won’t lie, he definitely has a flair for drama. To call me out of the banquet hall where we are supposed to be celebrating his eighteenth birthday, to be surrounded by rain just to tell me this?... yeah, very dramatic. His face was serious, his stance slightly defensive. From head to toe, he had the image of a wronged, tragic hero. I have the strange urge to applaud. “I know this is a terrible shock.” “Is it?” I said, trying my best to suppress the urge to laugh. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice my reaction, seeming intent on proceeding as dramatically as possible. “I have fallen in love with another woman. My heart has been completely swayed, and I cannot have another. She is all that I need in my life,” he sighed tragically, staring off into the rain. “So, unfortunately, Daphne, I have to call off our engagement and end whatever you think we had. You are not the woman I need, and you do not have the qualities to stand as my wife and queen, to rule this great Kingdom. I trust you understand”. I nodded quietly, wondering when this would be over so I could go back and enjoy the food inside. My family decided to come for this moron’s birthday party, but I didn’t want to be there. Unfortunately, as his fiancée, I didn’t really have a choice. The only thing I was looking forward to was the food, which looked delicious. But there wasn’t a chance to try it before I was pulled for this “important talk”. “I know you’re heartbroken, but try not to cry. I tried my best to love you, but I couldn’t help it when my heart belonged to another.” Seriously, is he talking? There should be a memo on how long engagement breakups take. -_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I stood on a balcony in the rain, facing the man who refused to marry me, crying as my heart broke into multiple parts. “What will I do without you?” My whole life has been custom-made to be your bride.” Prince Ivan’s face was stony. “That’s not my concern.” “BUT I LOVE YOU!” __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I pushed away the memory of my previous lifetime with a sigh. This is much easier the second time around. “Do you need to be alone? I know you must be sad, and it’s a lot for you to take in,” Ivan said, misinterpreting my expression. “No, I don’t need to be alone,” I held out my hand towards him. “…” with a confused pause, he pulled out a handkerchief and placed it gently on my stretched palm. Did he think I needed something to clean my tears with? I wasn’t even crying! I dropped the handkerchief on the ground, grinding it into the dirt with my shoe, and held my hand out again. “… what do you want?” “Compensation” “I beg your pardon,” he said, looking shocked. I smiled at him, “It’s simple. I am the daughter of a duke. My time is valuable. This marriage was an arrangement intended to benefit both my house and the royal family. By breaking this engagement, you have essentially wasted my time and good intentions. I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket and started calculating what this i***t owes me. “But…” “Shush, I am thinking.” I kept writing on the paper. “Let’s see, I have been forced to visit the palace twice a week for several hours at a time to further our relationship. Add in the eight hours a week that I spent with your mother and your staff in ‘ future queen training’, which is now useless to me….” I started adding the figures and nodding to myself. YOU DARE…” his face was turning red with anger. “Not to mention….” I stopped him, tapping my chin in thought. “I had to purchase gifts for you on each of the major holidays and your birthday, which I would not have done if I had known this engagement would be called off. Also, adding all the formal attire I had to purchase for royal functions, and let’s not forget to add 20% for pain and suffering…” I looked at the total with absolute happiness. “Here’s what you owe me,” I handed him the paper. “This is Preposterous! Whoever heard of compensating someone for a broken engagement?” Ivan crumpled it in his hands. “Let me remind you, your highness, that I am essentially ruined in the eyes of nobility." I shrugged, “Who will offer marriage to me, now that I have broken off the engagement? I am going to be tagged as the Prince’s cast-off fiancée. You have destroyed MY life because of YOUR selfishness, and you don’t want to compensate me….?” “This says FIVE THOUSAND CROWN!” The way he shouted, you will think he is poor. “… several thousand crowns is how much I spent and time wasted on you,” I chuckled, “or can we take this matter before your father, the king? I’m sure he would love to hear about how you’re cutting ties with the influential Duke of Greenland’s Daughter.” With a frustrated groan, he searched his pockets, pulled out 5 golden notes, and handed them to me. I took it from his hands, smiling, and the extra money I had just received. Nothing is more profitable than a transaction. With that, I turned and walked away. “Daphne!” he called out my name. I stopped and turned. “We are no longer acquainted, your Highness. Do not call my name so familiarly”. The air seemed to freeze from the coldness of my tone. Ivan was obviously shocked. “…but I thought you were in love with me?” Is this really coming from the man who just dumped me because he loves another woman? I laughed. “Love? What is that? Can I eat it? Will it keep a roof over my head?” I rolled my eyes. “No, your highness. Compared to such flimsy emotions and feelings, I prefer the solidity and dependability of money”. I spoke and walked away with a grin on my face. And this time, he didn’t stop me. It was finally done. I felt so relieved. After all, if he hadn’t broken it off, I would have had to do something about it. I was never going to marry him. Especially since this was the second time he had broken off this engagement. He just didn’t remember the first. “Now the real work begins." I muttered, walking back into the banquet hall with my head held high.