The Winter King's Bride

CHAPTER4

Princess Elohra

I heard Queen Helizah marvel when my mother began the Winter Benediction ritual.

She stood before the altar in front of the hall where a crescent shaped marble dais etched with ancient sigils.

A silver bowl filled with melted snow from the streets of Veloria, rested at the center of the dais.

"The Benediction marks the turning of the year," She began the ritual, as confident and commanding as the Queen that she was.

"It is the hour where Veloria transcends to more greatness."

She dipped her fingers into the bowl and began tracing them on the symbols on the dais, singing the ritual song in Velorian native tongue.

The water began freezing in the symbols, forming crystals,

"May the land endure."

"May the land endure." We all repeated, also in Velorian.

"May the crown remain steadfast."

We repeated her prayer.

"And may sacrifice never be forgotten."

I froze, unable to say the last prayer.

I was the sacrifice, the one giving away her happiness for her Kingdom.

"Your Highness, this is the part where we step out." I told Cassian.

He held my hand as we walked to the front of the hall where my mother stood.

"Princess Elohra of Veloria." My mother smiled with pride when she called my name.

"Prince Cassian of Solara."

One of my mother's special advisors stepped out with our cord and wrapped it around our joined hands.

It was threaded with both Velorian's frost silk and Solara's gold.

"One future," My mother held our joined hands.

"One purpose."

Cassian turned to me and took my other hand in a firm and reassuring grip.

"I vow to honor Veloria as my own."

"To protect its people, to protect its Princess and uphold the bond between our Kingdoms."

His vows were heavy with responsibility, nothing about loving me.

"I vow to stand beside you." It was my turn.

"For the good of our people and the future entrusted to us."

I changed my mind last minute about the love vows I had written, when I heard his dutiful vows.

We exchanged rings and the hall erupted in applause.

Cassian leaned in to kiss me and when his lips met mine, I felt cold, violent, unforgiving pain gripping my neck.

The emerald at my throat yanked tight as though an unseen hand had seized it and I struggled to act normal.

My breath seized and I almost started choking in front of the entire Kingdom.

When Cassian pulled back, the cold and the yanking stopped like it had never happened.

"I'm sorry if I was a bit too harsh." I watched the Prince as his ears turned pink.

He probably thought I was panting because he had kissed me too harshly.

Unable to really explain what had actually happened, I simply nodded.

"Behold, the Prince and Princess of Solara." My mother announced.

I was no longer just Princess Elohra of Veloria, I was now a Solarach.

And not just any Solarach, I was the Princess of Solara, the Prince's wife and the Kingdom's future Queen.

More responsibilities,

More sacrifice.

Queen Helizah stepped forward, along with a few of her maids.

She hugged Cassian and I, kissing us both with tears in her eyes,

"I am so proud of you both."

Her maids presented a lacquered chest of Solarach gold and the royal family's heirlooms.

"From tonight, Veloria will only ever get richer." She spoke her promises for my Kingdom aloud for the entire hall to witness.

King Elion followed with a ceremonial blade wearing Solara Kingdom's banner.

"From tonight, Veloria becomes stronger. From tonight, Veloria's protection becomes Solara's responsibilities."

The King and Queen of Solara blessed our marriage and with that, the right of binding was completed.

Solara had officially claimed me.

My mother and the Solarach rulers returned to their seat while Cassian and I stood to receive the gifts from my people.

Velorians brought different kinds of gifts- from fabric to gold, to jewelry, to flowers, to charms and wine.

My eyes lit up when I saw Edna walking shyly to the front of the hall.

Even with her pink mask on, I could recognize her hair and the hairpin I had gifted her.

"You're here!"

I left Cassian's side and rushed to her.

"For you." She held out a small bracelet strung with mismatched charms and silver beads.

"Please don't forget us. Please don't forget me." Her teary eyes mirrored mine.

I accepted it immediately and wore it before pulling her in for a hug,

"I never could."

We returned to our seats after the gift giving before the music started.

Velorians danced, alongside the nobles.

It was beautiful seeing people whose faces I couldn't even see, dance with each other care freely.

"Do you dance at parties in Solara?" I turned to my husband.

I saw the excitement in his eyes even when he tried to restrain himself,

"Veloria is more lively than Solara."

"Then we should celebrate and dance as much as we can right now, right here."

"What?" He stared at me, confused.

Before he could say no, I had dragged him to the dance floor.

We danced with nobles, with children, with Edna and her siblings; with my people.

I laughed when he spun me around.

In this moment, I forgot the weight of the two crowns I now wore, existed.

In this moment, I almost felt free, until I collided with him.

Strong arms caught me before my body touched the floor.

They were cold, almost freezing, but strangely, felt so familiar.

My eyelids suddenly felt heavy and I was beginning to close my eyes because of how comfortable these arms felt.

"The future Queen falling asleep in a Noble's arms will be a story told for centuries to come."

His voice slid over my skin like ice wrapped in silk then moved all the way down my spine, making me shiver.

Not from cold but from recognition.

I could have sworn I had heard this voice before.

But where?

My eyes snapped open and I quickly stood upright.

I could not have my people speaking about me in such way, especially on my wedding day.

He took two steps back before bowing with his left hand fisted to his chest and stretching out his free hand.

I took it and we started dancing.

"Bloodstones." He murmured.

The word was not Velorian.

"What?"

There were sixty languages spoken in our country and I understood every single one of them before I turned sixteen.

This language that this noble had spoken, was not spoken by any of the Kingdoms in the country.

He must have come from a different country.

But why journey so far for my wedding when you were neither a Velorian nor a Solarach.

"Bloodstones." He repeated but this time, in Velorian.

"Wrong. They're firestones." I laughed.

"Is that what you call it now?" His expression remained serious as he twirled me.

He pulled me to his chest, wrapping one strong arm around my waist, dangerously close to my buttocks.

Up close, his beauty was devastating- the type writers used as inspiration for their novel characters.

Pale lashes, ice bright eyes.

He was the ice prince character in human form.

My eyes dropped to his lips and I wondered what they would taste like.

"Prince Cassian will behead me." He smiled.

"What? Oh!" My face grew red as I looked away.

Behind us, Cassian was still dancing with Edna and her brothers.

Guilt burned through me like wildfire when I realized that I had been conveting a noble while a Prince's ring was wrapped around my finger.

"This union will not bring you joy," He glanced at Cassian before looking at me again.

"You know it, Princess. You feel it."

I was so stunned by his words, I almost stopped dancing.

Had I looked so sad?

Had I looked so lonely that even a distant noble could easily see right through me.

I forced a smile to hide the pain I felt from being so bare, even to a man that was only seeing me for the first time today.

"You never mentioned your name."

"The time has not come for you to know my name, Princess. But patience, you will. Eventually."

"I'm sure you're not from around here. So tell me, noble, where are you from?"

"If I told you, Princess, you wouldn't believe."

"I am a Princess, noble. And a future Queen now. I know villages whose existence haven't been made public."

I was starting to get offended by his tone.

He sounded almost..... condescending.

I had never been around someone who attracted me but at the same time annoyed me like he did.

When he bent me backward in the dance, I fell.

The chandeliers disappeared and was replaced with dark grey clouds.

The sound of celebration melted into the loud sound of the wind rushing past my ears.

"No!" I screamed as I fell.

I pushed my bloodied hands in front of me, trying to grab something, anything.

I felt strong arms grabbing my waist and pulled me back up.

Back into the hall.

"Is everything okay, Princess?" I heard the noble ask.

I couldn't speak, still too stunned by what I had just experienced.

Just a second ago, I was not in this hall and I most certainly was not in Veloria.

I was falling from a cliff and for some reason, my hands were covered in blood.

"Princess Elohra?" This time, it wasn't the noble who spoke. It was Cassian.

"C....Cassian?" I was too distorted to even address him properly.

"Good evening, Your Highness. Congratulations on your wedding." The noble bowed but only earned a glare from Cassian.

"Let's step out." Cassian gently guided me through the crowd until we were standing outside the hall, at the balcony.

"Hey," He pushed my hair out of my face.

"What happened in there? What did he do? One word is more than enough to put him under my blade...."

"No," I placed my hands on his chest to stop him.

"The noble did nothing but dance with me."

He did not look like he believed me but he did not press any further.

I turned around and held the cold marble balustrade, staring down at Veloria.

I felt Cassian wrap his arms around my waist and hugged me.

"I promise to protect you, Princess. I mean every single word."

"I know that, Your Highness. Forgive me for ruining our wedding ceremony like this." I exhaled and shut my eyes.

When I closed my eyes, I still saw Veloria but in a different state.

There were no silver ribbons or children freely and happily running around.

No.

I saw Veloria in a pool of fire, I heard my people screaming in pain.

I blinked rapidly.

When I looked again, Veloria laid below, peaceful and beautiful.

What was wrong with me this evening?

I could feel the dread in the pit of my stomach.

The air felt ominous and it made me so uncomfortable.

"Your Highness?" I turned to Cassian who was still holding me.

"Princess?"

"Something is coming."