Marriage mark
1639 Words
This story has been reproduced exclusively for free reading purposes. I make no claims of ownership or authorship—all rights remain with the original creator.
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As they left the city, the guards used a teleportation scroll to reach the Kingdom of Cosset.
This was April’s first time experiencing teleportation magic. The moment they arrived, she felt as if her entire body had been torn apart and pieced back together. A sharp dizziness overwhelmed her, leaving her gasping for breath.
When the guards opened the carriage door, they found the young princess slumped over in pain. They didn’t ask if she had ever traveled using teleportation scrolls—they simply assumed she had, given that she was a princess.
The first time using teleportation magic could be exhausting, but painful? They had never heard of such a thing. They assumed she was pretending and ignored her discomfort.
"Please step out, Princess. Do not keep His Majesty waiting."
Despite her dizziness and aching limbs, April was forced to leave the carriage. She could barely stand, her legs weak beneath her, yet they pushed her forward. She walked almost crawling, her breaths ragged, but no one offered her help.
They led her to a grand temple. Every step was agonizing, her exhaustion weighing her down, yet she was given no chance to stop. As she entered, she noticed the temple was beautifully adorned with flowers, the air filled with the scent of fresh petals. The hall was packed with people, all gathered before a towering statue of Juno, the goddess of marriage.
The guards urged her forward, their grip firm on her arms.
At the altar, next to the statue, stood a man. April’s vision was blurred from exhaustion, and it wasn’t until she was close enough that she could make out his features.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and strong. His black hair framed a face with sharp, noble features, and his emerald-green eyes were strikingly intense. The closer she got, the more imposing he seemed.
But his expression was clear—displeasure, cold and undisguised.
"He must be the groom," April thought, realization settling in.
This was her wedding.
She stopped in front of the king of Cosset—Alessandro Veriatte.
April neither bowed nor greeted him with any formalities. She simply said,
"Hello."
Her voice was empty, devoid of emotion—no fear, no anger, no pain, no hatred. Just nothing.
The king frowned. Annoyance flickered across his face, not just at her insolence but at her sheer lack of respect. Speaking so casually in front of him, in front of the entire court, as if declaring, I will not bow to you. You do not deserve my respect.
What Alessandro didn’t know was that April had never been taught royal etiquette. She had no idea how a princess was supposed to behave in the presence of a king.
Irritated at having to touch the daughter of his sworn enemy, Alessandro extended his hand. He wanted this ordeal over with as quickly as possible. Without wasting any time, he spoke the final words of the ceremony.
"In front of the goddess Juno, I unite my life to yours. From today onward, we are husband and wife."
April didn’t say anything. She simply remained silent, unsure of what to do or say.
The king handed her a glass of wine and said,
"Drink."
April obeyed without question. Alessandro did the same, then placed his cup on the table. Taking a dagger that rested nearby, he made a small cut on his hand, allowing his blood to drip onto a parchment. He then handed the dagger to April.
Without hesitation, she followed his actions, letting her blood mix with his on the parchment. The moment their blood combined, the parchment glowed, and a mark appeared on both April’s left hand and Alessandro’s.
It was a binding mark, an unbreakable symbol of their union. The mark could not be erased, and it would only disappear when one of them died, releasing the other from their vows before the goddess.
April examined the mark on her hand. It shimmered like a golden tattoo against her pale skin, intricate and luminous.
Alessandro spoke, his tone cold and authoritative.
"You are my wife now. I expect you to behave as one."
He did not kiss her. He did not take her hand. Both were customs he was expected to follow, yet he deliberately ignored them. April understood the message clearly—Even if you are my wife, I will not treat you as such.
Accepting this, she gave a small bow and said,
"I will be in your care from now on."
Alessandro turned abruptly and walked toward the exit, his steps heavy with frustration. April followed in silence, aware of the countless eyes filled with hatred watching her every move.
A carriage awaited them at the temple entrance. Alessandro climbed in first, leaving April standing outside. Without looking at her, he said,
"Aren't you coming?"
Wordlessly, April entered the carriage. The coachman set off immediately.
Alessandro closed his eyes, willing himself to remain composed. Just the sight of her filled him with rage. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around her delicate neck and snap it.
The Kingdom of Cosset had suffered immensely at the hands of the King of Laios. Years of war had left deep scars. Then, one day, the tyrant had sent a messenger with a proposal—an offer of truce through marriage. Cosset, battered and desperate for peace, had no choice but to accept.
This marriage was nothing but a bitter necessity.
When they arrived at the palace, Alessandro was the first to step out. Without a glance at April, he turned to a nearby servant and ordered,
"Take the princess to her chambers."
There were no celebrations, no grand feasts or dances to honor the wedding. But instead of feeling sadness or anger, April felt relief. There was no need to endure long ceremonies or force smiles. She could go straight to her room—somewhere she desperately wanted to be.
A maid led her through the grand corridors of the castle and stopped before a large door.
"This will be your room, Your Highness," the maid said. "Please do not leave on your own. If you need anything, pull the rope beside your bed, and I will come immediately."
April glanced around the luxurious chamber. It was nothing like the cold, abandoned palace she had lived in before.
Before the maid could leave, April made a simple request.
"Please bring me something light to eat and a basket of fruit."
The maid nodded and left.
Alone, April explored the room. It was beautiful, worthy of a princess. She removed her veil and the heavy ornaments from her hair. They had weighed on her all day, and her head throbbed from their burden.
She reached for the laces of her dress, but they were too tight—impossible to undo alone. She would have to wait for the maid’s return to help her. With nothing else to do, she slipped off the painfully tight shoes and threw them aside before collapsing onto the bed.
It was the softest thing she had ever laid on. The plush mattress enveloped her, a stark contrast to the hard surfaces she had grown accustomed to.
Staring at the ornate ceiling, she allowed herself a small thought.
"I think I might have a good life here."
April eventually fell asleep, her stomach empty and her body weary. The maid never returned with her food.
So, I won’t be getting three meals a day here either? she thought with a sigh of resignation.
Resting a hand on her stomach, she whispered,
"Stomach, why must they always punish you like this? I’d rather take a beating if it meant getting three proper meals."
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone at the door instantly lifted her spirits. Perhaps it was finally time for her first meal.
"I hope they brought the basket of fruit I asked for."
She placed a hand on her grumbling stomach.
"Be patient, stomach. It's finally time to eat."
April hurried to the door and opened it, only to find the same maid standing there—empty-handed.
Her brows furrowed in frustration. Do I not even have the right to a single meal here? Are they planning to starve me?
"Where’s my food? Why haven’t you brought it yet?" she demanded.
"Apologies, Your Highness. I forgot," the maid lied without hesitation.
April folded her arms. She’s not even trying to make it convincing.
"Then go bring it. Immediately."
"That won’t be necessary. His Majesty has requested your presence for dinner."
April’s eyes lit up, and the maid mistook her reaction for excitement at dining with the king.
In reality, April couldn't care less about dining with Alessandro. She would have eaten in the stables if it meant getting a good meal. Even if she had to sit across from a man who looked like he wanted to kill her with his gaze, it didn’t matter. All she wanted was food.
The maid escorted her to the royal dining room, where the king was already seated.
The moment Alessandro saw her, his grip on the knife in his hand tightened. His emerald eyes burned with so much hatred that it seemed like he was debating whether to throw the knife straight at her head.
Anyone else would have trembled in fear under such a murderous glare.
But April didn’t even notice.
Her entire focus was on the grand feast before her. Without hesitation, she took her seat next to the king, picked up her spoon, and took a mouthful of the warm soup in front of her.
Food had her full attention.
Alessandro might as well have been invisible.
- Writer
