The Crown Prince's Unwanted Bride

Chapter 2: Journey to the Castle

A royal guard is right outside the door to make sure she doesn't run, and another royal guard is working around the house.

Since she was chosen to be the prince's bride, the royal guards have been protecting her. Even when she goes out they follow her from behind but stay a few miles away. To not draw people's attention they sometimes disguise themselves.

Someone knocked on her door and she immediately told the person to come in. A maid came in and dropped a tray of food on her room table. She looked at the food and saw it was her favorite, but right now she didn't feel like eating.

You can leave now,' she said to the maid. The maid then walked out of the room.

She went straight to her bed and laid down to sleep without eating the food. She didn't sleep well last night because she was busy thinking about how to escape.

A knock coming from outside her room suddenly woke her up from sleep. Milady, milady! You need to get ready for your departure to the palace,' the maid outside said.

She immediately got up and opened the door, 3 maids got into her room and laid clothes, shoes, and jewelry on her bed.

Milady, you didn't eat the breakfast I kept for you, it's already 3 pm and you haven't eaten anything, one of the maids said to her.

She went into the washing room without saying anything to the maids. After some minutes she got out and they immediately started dressing her up. They dressed her in a blue silk gown and wore her very beautiful sandals. They did her hair and applied perfume to her.

After that, the maids packed up her important stuff, and then they left the room with her following behind them.

She came down the staircase slowly and sat down on one of the couches.

Milady, I just served your lunch, you have to eat something, the trip will take hours.

She got up from her seat and went to the dining table. She sat down and started eating her food, after she finished eating she pulled off the table napkin and went back to the sitting room.

There was the sound of horses outside, which proves that the royal carriages were there. Starlight's heart started beating fast, she couldn't believe that she would be going to the castle and living there for the rest of her life.

Her parents made their way to the sitting room, meaning they also heard the sound of the horses.

Her mom started instructing the maids to be fast with what they are doing. Few maids will be coming along with them to the palace.

Her dad still didn't talk to her and went straight outside to check if it was indeed the royal carriages that had arrived.

Would you guys hurry up, we are late', her father shouted from outside.

A maid immediately came to her. Milady, we need to leave now. She sat down in the seat lost in thought. The maid called her the second time and this time she looked up at the maid. She swallowed hard, got up from her seat slowly while holding her dress, and started walking out of the house. She got outside and was signaled by the guards to enter the middle carriage. She walked slowly and entered with the maids holding the tips of her gown.

She went in and sat down, two maids entered the carriage with her. Her parents were going to make use of the first carriage, while the third carriage was used to carry her belongings. The guards on the other hand would make use of horses.

In no time the carriages started moving, she looked through the window and looked at the house she grew up in, at that moment she was about to cry but held it in. She knew if she successfully married the prince she would never visit her parent's house or see the orphans. She struggled to hold the tears that were about to fall out of her eyes. She looked at the house she grew up in till it was out of sight.

They journeyed to Lancaster the capital where the Castle is, they had to pass many several towns before they finally got there. When they got to the capital it was very big even Starlight was awed by how beautiful the place was she brought her head out of the window and admired everything she saw when they draw closer to a market, she saw women dancing, people singing, selling and buying, the whole market was filled up and roads were blocked.

The guards riding in horses immediately told everyone to clear the way. People started looking at the carriages, they waved and shouted in happiness because they knew it was the soon-to-be crown princess that was inside because only she could arrive at this hour with three carriages and royal guards on horses.

"Milady, you have to close the window, they must not see your face until after the wedding is over '', A maid sitting close to Starlight said to her. She looked at the maid and then closed the window in distress, looking at the views outside was the only thing that was preventing her from thinking about the fact that she is about to get married to someone she doesn't know.

They passed the market area but were still hearing the chanting of people. They passed many business and residential areas before they finally started their journey to the palace, the palace was far away from the town.

In no time they approached another town that is bigger than the first one. Starlight brought her head out of the window and could see the cattle far ahead. She was a little bit confused and then turned to the maid "I thought the town we passed was in Lancaster?

Yes my Milady, the town we passed is in Lancaster, but this second town is more beautiful than the first" the maid said smiling, this was the first time the lady spoke to her since she was assigned to serve her and the entire Hale's.

Starlight nodded at her and faced the window again.

They got closer to the town and indeed the town was more beautiful according to the maid. But unlike the first townspeople, the people in this town were more elegantly dressed, although there were both poor and rich merchants. But it was a town for the elites.

As she saw they were approaching the crowded market, she brought down the window cotton to have a little bit of a view of the market. The market was crowded, it was as if there was a festival, but she knew that all they were doing was celebrating on behalf of her and the prince's wedding tomorrow.

People shifted away from the road as their carriage drove past. Unlike the first town, people sang, danced, and shouted in joy as they passed. The people in this town only stood and waved to them while smiling

They were indeed acting like elites......She said in her mind and rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand why there should be a separate town for the rich and poor…..she signed slightly and rested her back on the chair, shooting her eyes.

She stopped hearing the voice from the market which proved they had left the market. She opened her eyes and drew the window cotton only to see the castle that is a little bit away.

Starlight sighed loudly making the maids look at her, they knew the journey was making her frustrated. People in the valley gossiped that the capital is very big, but big is an understatement because the capital she is seeing is very large. She closed the window completely and decided not to look until they were in the palace.

The ride took another 10 minutes and the carriage suddenly stopped. She opened the window and looked ahead, her eyes widened in shock and her body shivered.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing, their carriage and even the horses were like an ant in front of the giant gate. She couldn't believe that behind this gate is the place she will be living for the rest of her life. What if the prince was the brutal and abusive type, how would she escape from him when there is such a giant gate? She shivered when she thought about that.

The maids noticed how shocked she was and then smiled. Milady, the castle is in a very big place, which is why there is such a gate".

Starlight became scared and sweat fell from her head. After the gate was opened, the carriage started moving again. She looked inside and opened her mouth in awe, the castle in silver color glittering in the moonlight and with the lights around the castle courtyard, it was really big, she couldn't see much of the surroundings because it was nighttime. She never spoke to the maids or asked questions, which is why she doesn't know what the palace looks like.

The carriage stopped and the maids came down first before taking her hand and helping her down too. They covered her face with a veil and supported her in walking by placing their hand on her side by side. They walked into the cattle, through several corridors and stairs before a door opened and they got inside it. She was seated in a chair and they removed the veil from her head.

She was covered with a Vail because according to their laws, the bride of a prince shouldn't be seen a day before her wedding day.

She looked around the room and saw that it was as big as her old room.

"Milady you need to freshen up", one of the maids that accompanied her said while standing in front of her. She got up and allowed them to do their job, afterwards she wanted to freshen up, ate the dinner they brought, laid down on the bed, and drifted to sleep.

Next morning: wedding day

Starlight woke up to the realization that the dreadful day had started already. The memory of that morning she tried to escape flashed before her, and like the deities would watch humans live their lives; she relieved the memory of herself as she tried to escape and failed.

Her heart felt like breaking through the invisible prison bars of the castle and East Kingdom entirely to escape the life sentence which awaited her.

Getting up from the bed, she examined the room and saw that there was no one there yet. She walked close to the window and opened the cotton as she was welcomed with a bright light that almost blinded her. The sun which normally smiled at her seemed to have lost its joy.

Starlight knew that by this time her father would already be with the king to discuss his new role as the king's representative of 'Pent' town, a small town that was conquered by Alexander Lancaster, the crown prince, and warrior of the East Kingdom.

…..oh we forgot to mention that the capital was named after the royal family.

Now her family would leave Valley the place she grew up and move to Pent town, making them farther away from her. This made no difference to Starlight because their daily proximity never filled the emotional distance she had always felt like the odd one out.

She remembered how the girls in her town looked at her after she had been chosen. Whenever they see her alone they would wonder aloud how the deities had chosen her instead of many other girls in the East Kingdom.