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2087 Words
-You are to marry the king!
The king's wife did not seem too fond of the idea of losing all her privileges to this newcomer, who was younger and beautiful.
What? She is to marry the king? No way!
No way she will marry that awful man who enslaves the women! She will not marry him!
How could he ever think of that?
-I am not!
While the king was smiling so proud of himself that he announced his decision to everyone present, Moon's decided voice covered the applause of the crowd.
-I am not! Moon shouted lauder, to make sure she was heard.
Of course, she was head. Everyone opened their mouth in surprise.
Who would dare to oppose the king? And a woman? The women obey, they do not speak in front of the crowd.
They were looking at her like she was some kind of a freak in a circus.
That she was actually. She was out of their world. She could not accept their way of living.
She was denying it and even doing it in public. Offending the king in front of them all.
-What did you say?
The king could not believe his ears. It was an honor for any woman to be chosen for his bed.
Was this one stupid? She did not look stupid. How could she not appreciate that then?
-I said...
-I did not ask you to answer in front of me!! Is not that you have a choice here! You are nobody here!
The king was clearly angry at her.
What could she do now? She did not want to marry that man!
-I am a Warchild princess...
-Then act like one! You are given the honor to marry the king...
-But I do not wish to marry the king! And as a princess, I can choose who I can marry...
-Not here! No woman is capable of choosing for herself as you are helpless...
-I am not helpless... I can take care of my own! I do not need a man to take care of me!
-What are you talking about?? Of course, you do!
The king sounded even angrier.
She did not mean to make him angry. But she would not agree to marry him. He was old and she did not like him.
-With all due respect, king!
Moon realized she should play this smart.
Making him angry would not help her escape the situation. It was a dangerous situation as well.
She did not need to get herself killed because of some stupid union.
-Please, give me some time. In our world, we find our mates and we marry accordingly.
-What?
-Mates?
-Do they have mates there?
The people were already gossiping and they were all in awe. The king frowned his forehead, trying to understand what she just said. Mates? Whoever heard of mating?
-I am almost 17! I only need one year and if I find my mate here, I promise I will marry him and I will obey your laws! But I need this time, please! Allow me this?
-You are a danger...
-How can I be a danger if you are helping me go back home someday? There is no one who can give me what I want, only you!
-What do you mean?
-I only want to go back home! While you give me what I need to build here, a replica of the portals, just like Kaion was given the chance back in my world... I am no danger to you, but I will protect you! No one can offer me that but you!
That was a dangerous move too, Kaion must admit.
He was shocked to find out his father's interest in this princess. Why did he need another wife?
His heart did not feel at ease and he could not tell what was he feeling but there was something not right.
His father wants to marry her... there was something wrong with it, but he could not tell what it was...
He just did not like the idea of his father taking her as his second wife.
There would not be going to be any peace in the house if she would become his other step mother?
No, he could not think about that.
He could just not be able to think about this princess in his father's bed. He was brutal, and she was so fragile.
She could not be pleasing his father in bed. He would not go easy on her.
And she wanted to go home just as he wanted to go home while he was trapped in her world. But now, why was it that it was bothering him? He was not bothered when his father chose to marry again, after their mother's death.
He had the right to take another woman. Why was it bothering him now?
Kaion's eyes fell on Moon's face. She was not happy at all.
Being here was nothing kind to her.
She spent her first nights and days in the dungeon, in a small, dark, cold cell. What was there for her to like in here?
She did not see any of the beauty of his world. All she could think of, it was to go home, and he could understand that.
Why did he ever grab her when the portal opened, he asked himself hundreds of times and he could not find an answer.
Now his father wanted to take her to his bed, and everybody was just murmuring that she was not interested. It was known that it was an honor for any woman to be in the king's bed. But that was not what she was interested in.
Some could say that being the king's woman could bring advantages, such as wealth, expensive gifts, and influence.
But it looks like this woman would not appreciate this. Of course, he knew she did grow up with such favors, so why would she need them now?
What did she want then?
Well, except for going home. And he knew exactly how that felt. The others, could not know.
Kaion looked at her, standing her ground in front of the king, heads up, unafraid. Her eyes were not shining like the second time he saw her. Her smile was not warming up her face.
It was like a porcelain doll, moving as the wind was blowing. She had something missing.
His heart stopped for a second every time he looked at her. His heart hurt now, and he did not know why.
If she would not accept his father's order, she would probably end up executed.
There was no place for a Warchild princess, one that was not his sister.
That was what the women were for, in the first place. Unions to gain political influence.
Why did he take her away from there, where she was felt that happy and alive? The guilt was eating him alive, looking at her now, standing in front of his father and trying to convince him that she would not marry him.
-It is true, Your Highness. They gave me all the support I needed to get back home.
Kaion stopped all the gossip with his firm voice, making all the eyes turn on him.
Even she, the goddess, for one split second, changed the shine in her eyes, who had been given life for such a breath moment.
-Of course, they have helped you, you are the Crown Prince, and they needed...
-We did not need to do anything... Moon just stopped in the middle of her sentence.
-But of course, everyone knows that my son will be the next king so your people just saved their lives by sending him home.
The king was insisting but he had no idea.
-No they did not. They just feed the snake from their breast, and now they know better. We could have just killed him.
-Yet, you did not! Your king must have probably thought about the consequences...
-No, she is right, Your Highness. They chose to keep me alive. They did not think about any consequences.
-How do you know about how a king thinks, prince...
-Because I found out about what has happened to Baka there.
While the king put his right hand to his heart, people's gasps could be heard.
Moon's heart stopped for a second, as she was sure she would be executed now, as Kaion was ready to share the information with his own.
How did he find out about his brother? She did not know, and it did not matter anymore.
She was dead for sure now.
-What?
The king could not believe his ears. Baka was his favorite son, and he was born ready to take the crown.
He was a fierce prince, always hot-headed and yet so smart. Ready to be a leader, yet one day... one day he was just lost for them, and they never found out what had happened to him.
And now, Kaion was just speaking about him, like that, out of a sudden? Why? Why could he not let the past be past?
-They executed Baka. They are not to be taken lightly, Your Highness.
-What? How come they executed him? He was the Crown Prince of Zicon!!
-It does not matter who you are if you insult my king! He was given the chance to live in our world, by our lows! He rebelled against the king, thinking he was better and he had to pay with his life!
Moon tried to explain better, but all she did was set up a bigger fire. The king was angry with her before, but now, he was just furious.
-What are you saying, female? That your king has killed my son?
-No!
-Yes! Kaion came in contradiction with her word.
-He was executed for disobeying a direct order and for insulting my king. He had ashamed the kingdom of the shadows in my world, the Warchild house too!
-Oo...
-He would never do that!! Not Baka!!
-Well, I am sorry to inform you, Your Highness, that, this is what your prince did! And that was why he was executed. Prince or not, it matters not, if you shame our House!
-You will shut your mouth in my presence now, female!
The king was trying to keep his anger inside, holding the handle of his sword so tight, that his fingers were already white.
Moon saw it and she thought that it was better to die by his sword, than marry here someone she did not want.
She could not go back to her world, anyway.
-I would keep my mouth shut, princess, if I were you, now, Kaion grabbed her arm and pushed her down to his father's feet.
She was standing on her knees, but he was only trying to defend her. He thought that, putting her in a vulnerable position, would not get his father angrier, and he would not feel so much challenged by her again. So maybe he would not kill her. He did not want her dead.
He wanted her alive.
But with her speaking her mind like that, in contradiction with the monarch who was the ultimate power here, that could become just a dream. She knew how to push other people's buttons and she was doing it so well...
But now it was not the right moment to do so and also stay alive.
Indeed, he knew his father well.
His Highness, seeing the female weak, at his feet, with her eyes on the ground, he did feel almighty and he just took a moment of silence to calm himself down.
She was no danger to him, but she could become one, if he would so allow it.
-Your Highness, if I may?
Kaion just kneeled in front of his father, trying to find the right way to keep her alive.
The king moved his attention to his son, who apparently had something to say. And if it was in favor of this female, he would not take it very kindly, he was thinking.
He did not feel very calm, finding out about Baka.
That was opening a wound in his chest, and he did not know why, but he could just feel the empty spot that he left in his heart, ever since he was gone from Zicon.
His late wife, has never been the same after that.
Not even after she gave him Kaion and Senere.
- Writer
