The Crown Prince's Unwanted Bride

Chapter 3: Wedding Day

Sometimes she wished to give them the royal bracelet given to her which signified that she was the chosen pride.

She stared at the bracelet in her hand and sighed….she was told never to pull it off until she gets married.

She looked out the window and saw that the place had beautiful flowers from this view, she heard a knock on the door and sighed, she knew it was about time.

Come in" she said calmly and the maids came in with all the needed things to prepare her for the big day according to them which was a sad day for her. This was certainly not how she wished to get married someday.

"Milady, you have to take your bath so we can get you prepared for the marriage rites".

She walked towards the washing room and they followed behind her, she didn't understand why, so she turned and looked at them. " What are you following me for?.

The maids looked at each other confused. Milady, we have to prepare you.

Starlight sighed and allowed them to follow her to the bathing room, they were to help her take her bath. A royal pride was never to bathe herself or do any other thing herself on her wedding day. Sometimes she wonders about the many other royal rules and regulations she would have to follow soon.

Her father, Fredrick Hale, thought it was an honor and the best thing for the family to be associated with the royal family through marriage. Fredrick Hale's never heard of a male child, but Starlight's marriage to the prince will bring great achievement worth more than ten sons to the family. 'Funny how destiny offered a drink that gives bitterness to one and sweetness to another', Starlight thought.

After bathing her she walked into the room and sat down, they started preparing her. She was dressed in a long, shoulder-length gown that has long hands. The gown was designed with crystals, it was a very long gown that would require 5 maidens to hold it at the back for her to walk. She couldn't deny the fact that it was a beautiful wedding gown as she stood in front of the mirror to stare at herself.

Since she had been chosen by the deities of the East Kingdom at the age of 12, Starlight had been prepared by different tutors for the prince. She had been taught how to eat like royalty, how to bow before the king, how to walk like a princess, etc.

Starlight always listened absentmindedly and trembled with fear whenever she thought about her wedding night. She was expected to always please and never complain. All these years she longed for someone to ask, ' Starlight, how do you feel about this?'.

Many years later she still struggled with the fact that the decision had already been made for her and there was no turning back. The laws also demanded she won't appear in front of the prince or castle until the appointed time. Now she is finally here dressed in her white gown to get married to the prince in a few hours. Sometimes she wonders if the prince is against this too or is eager to make her his.

A knock on the door brought her back from her thoughts. She turned to see her mother looking at her, she was already dressed in a beautiful gown that befits her.

"Oh my dear, you look so beautiful, you are the perfect bride ever," her mother said as she approached her.

Her mother caressed her hair. " I know you don't want this my dear, but trust me when I say that this is your destiny. You are destined to be the crown princess and the future queen of the East Kingdom. Her mother faced her as she held her hand and further said. "The deities never mistake my love".

Starlight couldn't help but shed tears. "Mother I don't want this please".

Her mother smiled and wept her tears.

'Soon my love….you will realize that this place is your home and the prince is your rightful husband….so stop crying okay, you have to be strong and brave, I know you as a brave girl, not a cry baby.

She smiled amidst her tears.

"With your status as the crown princess, you can offer the Orphans in the valley and many other Orphans a better life.

Her eyes sparkled at the thought of the orphans since she was worried about getting married to the prince without even thinking about how the orphans are faring, If they have eaten or not. Now she begins to think that getting married and helping the orphans will not be a bad idea.

She looked at her mom and nodded her head in agreement, giving a small smile. "That's my girl," her mom said, caressing her hair.

………………………………………………..

On the same morning

Feet that had tread and conquered many battles stood by the royal palace, willed by consecration to duty and an oath to protect the East Kingdom. Silent winds gently caressed the bare chests of guards and knights who guarded the palace. In an instant, the movement of a hand cut through the silence, and the prince's tenth spear hit the circle. Heads turned and eyes connected in silent wonder.

Alexandre struggled to quell the feelings of anger and betrayal that were at fault inside him. He picked his 11th spear and gathered the momentum to throw, heart pumping and eyes calculating the distance ahead. Suddenly, unable to bottle up his frustration, he threw his spear down in one defeat motion and cursed loudly, eyes red in rage. The guards immediately turned their backs, knowing better than to get in his way.

His right-hand man Nathan stands ten feet away from him and is not daring to say a word. He noticed the queen coming and bowed his head in greeting.

'Alexandre what is the problem, why are you acting this way?' the queen asked as she walked closer to him on the training ground. Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready…..today is your big day son.

'Today, you will be a complete man….first as a husband, and later as a king.' The queen raised her hand and dismissed everyone.

'Mother, you and father know I don't want that girl as a bride….. whoever she may be. How can I live a lie when my heart belongs to someone else? Alexandre asked.

His mother moved closer to him and raised her head to look him straight in the eye, 'You better make sure you treat her right, else you'll never be able to rule right'.

Alexandre quietly picked up the spear and threw it down with all the strength he could muster. He bowed before the queen and walked away, making up his mind on what to do.

His mother turned and looked at him as he walked away.

Nathan the prince's right-hand man stood outside the training ground waiting for him. The prince walked past him in speed and he hurried his step to meet up.

'So what information did you get?' Alexandre asked his right-hand man without looking at him.

Well, nobody in the palace has seen her face yet, but I was able to get her name.

'And?'

'And her name is Starlight'.

The prince stopped on his track and looked at his right-hand man. 'Star what?

'Starlight my prince, that's her name.

The prince laughed mockingly and started walking towards his chamber. He couldn't understand such a name.

He had promised his love that he would go against the deities and the royal family's judgment, but his promise weighed little in the light of his present situation.

He would marry this Starlight or whatever they called her, who has been chosen for him, and make life unbearable for her until she left him. Then he would bring his love in, his smiles at the wedding today would come from the foresight of his plans coming true, not from the bubbling joy of acquiring a bride who he was neither in love with nor had ever met.

………………….

2 hours later

Inside the wedding hall, the prince stood on the altar waiting for his bride to arrive. Everyone was already seated waiting patiently.

He was putting on a white royal garment with his crown on his head. He stood impatiently waiting, he just wanted to get this done with.

The wedding song started playing and his eyes went to the door as it opened slowly.

The prince watched from where he was standing as his bride approached the altar from a distance. He was the groom, but there was no doubt that the center of attention today was his bride in white.

He wondered what she might be thinking. She must be overjoyed to be marrying him, to someday become the queen of the East Kingdom. As she came closer, Alexandre could not tell her facial expression because she was wearing a veil. The only thing he noticed was her very fair skin and the fact that she is tall, although not taller than him.

Her father smiled at him before he handed her over to him. He held her hand and she looked up at him through the veil, he held her till she climbed to where he was standing.

He looked at the girl standing close to him but couldn't tell what she looked like because of the veil that covered her face. The priests started in no time, but he wasn't listening at all, he looked at his bride in front of him and saw her head was still down. He wondered what she was thinking or if she was listening.

The priests started the vows. ' Do you, Prince Alexandre Lancaster the 3rd, take Starlight Hales as your lawfully wedded wife. "Yes I do," He said it in such a hurry not because he liked her or wanted this marriage but because he wanted everything to be done with.

He noticed his bride raised her head and looked at him. 'Do you, Starlight Hales, take prince Alexandre Lancaster the 3rd as you lawfully wedded husband',

Starlight was completely blank, she wasn't listening at all. She held the audience murmuring and looked up to see the prince looking at her, he had this disgusted and frustrated look on his face which she couldn't see properly.

The priest coughed slightly and looked at her. She looked at the priest and knew immediately that the question was for her. "Do you Starlight Hales take Alexandre Lancaster the 3rd as your lawfully wedded husband?". The priest made it clear this time around.

It's a question she can't escape, she held her dress tightly and mustered a lot of courage before she said the word 'I Do'.

They exchanged rings in no time. "With the power vested to me I pronounce you, husband's and wife, you may kiss the bride"

'Kiss?' Starlight widened her eyes when she realized the prince would have to open her veil to kiss her.

She noticed his hand coming to her face and she held her breath.