My Cursed Alpha Prince

CHAPTER 8

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Diana had to move to the palace a day before Caspian was set to arrive at Avarel. King Stefan sent a royal escort to bring her to the palace, and when she woke up that morning to find hundreds of armed guards outside her home, she almost couldn't breathe.

“What the hell is going on?” she asked when Fiona burst into the room with her face flushed and Diana’s bathrobe in her arms.

“His majesty sent them to escort you to the palace,” Fiona said, panting because she had just flown over three flights of stairs to reach Diana’s bedroom.

“And why am I being escorted to the palace?” she asked. “Did i do something wrong? Has prince Caspian finally come to his senses and called off this ridiculous wedding?”

“On the contrary, the prince should be arriving either today or tomorrow,” Fiona said as she pulled the curtains shut once again. “His majesty wants you at the palace because that’s where you’re supposed to meet your future husband.”

Diana winced at the statement. Already, she knew this was going to be an awful day. Any mention of prince Caspian was enough to put her in a sour mood. And seeing the guards outside her home only made the reality of her situation even more jarring. It made her realise that this marriage was indeed real, and in a few days time, she would be married to a werewolf prince with whom she would spend the rest of her life.

Fantastic.

The door suddenly swung open, and her mother walked in with her face flushed as well. Her gaze immediately fell on Diana, and she frowned in a very familiar way.

“Why are you still in bed?” she shrieked. “The guards have been outside since dawn. It’s rude to keep them waiting.”

“Good morning to you too, mother,” Diana said sarcastically, sliding forward and letting her feet dangle over the edge of the bed. She was still sleepy, but she knew that even if an asteroid was to fall and strike the earth, there was no way that she would be allowed to go back to sleep.

“Do not start with me this morning, Diana,” her mother said with a stern expression. “Heaven knows today is going to be hectic enough. Please don’t make it even more difficult by giving me any attitude.”

“When have I ever given you attitude before, mother?” Diana said.

Lady Mildred turned to face Fiona, and she snapped her fingers in her direction, whispering a simple command.

“Control her.”

By the time they managed to get Diana out of bed, and hour had passed. And by the time they managed to get her to take a bath and her clothes were laid out for her, another hour had passed. Diana seemed to be doing everything even slower than usual, perhaps in a bid to delay as much as she could until the exact moment when she would be forced to leave for the palace. She moved at a leisurely pace, while her mother and Fiona were moving so fast that they sometimes only appeared as blurs to her. They were busy packing up her clothes, which seemed to take an eternity to do so. Diana wasn’t even aware that she had so many clothes. She had never stopped to count, and now she was genuinely surprised by how many she had. They filled every inch of her bedroom, and her mother looked like she was going to have a panic attack.

“Maybe Diana should go ahead on her own,” Fiona said. “We can finish up with the rest of her clothes and send them to the palace afterwards.”

“Now that’s a woman with a plan,” Diana said, munching on her toast. She was standing by the window and staring down at the guards who were gathered outside. They were already drawing attention to themselves, and people were starting to gather across the street and watch them. They had brought a bright blue coach, drawn by two magnificent white stallions. The rest of the guards were on black horses, and they idled about and whispered amongst themselves as they waited for her, having refused her fathers invitation to come inside and wait for her.

“Will the king approve?” her mother asked, biting her lip apprehensively.

“Mother, I’m sure his majesty has no issue with when my clothes will arrive,” Diana said, turning to face her. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting.”

“Right,” lady Mildred said. “Yes, of course. I suppose we can do that. But that will mean that Fiona has to stay here and help. She’ll have to come to the palace afterwards when the rest of your clothes are brought over there.”

“Remind me again why exactly I have to go to the palace to await my beloved husband,” Diana said sarcastically. “Why can’t I just stay here and wait for him? It’s not like I’m going to be a different person if I’m in the palace rather than here.”

“Because your husband is a prince,” her mother replied. “This isn’t just an ordinary wedding, Diana. It’s a royal one. And your husband’s status dictates that you must be accommodated in the palace before he comes to meet you. Your marriage is not just a union between our house and the royal family of Xania. It’s a union between our two kingdoms as well, so it’s as much a political union as anything else.”

Diana didn’t know how she felt about being used as a tool for King Stefan’s political ambitions. She still remembered his speech on why the marriage was essential, but she still didn’t feel good about it. Why couldn’t she just have a normal wedding and live a normal, boring old life with her partner?

But there was no point in arguing about it. The decision had been made, and there was no going back now. She would just have to learn to live with it, and perhaps find a way to one day think of her marriage as just another normal, boring union.

But today wouldn’t be that day. Because when she was escorted out to the carriage by her parents, Fiona and a few other servants, a thunderous cheer went up from across the street. Diana wasn’t even sure how or when the people had gathered in droves. But they cheered for her, and she was so stunned by the outpouring of affection that she froze for a moment and couldn’t even move or think.

“Just breathe,” her mother whispered in her ear. “Everything will be alright.”

They led Diana to the carriage, and all the guards bowed before her as she was helped onto the carriage. A few of them she recognised, and she smiled faintly at them even though her stomach was in knots. She wasn’t sure how to feel exactly, but she promised herself that she wasn’t going to cry.

“We’ll be right behind you,” her mother said once she was seated, cupping her cheek fondly. “We’ll be staying at the palace as well for the remainder of the wedding.”

Diana merely grimaced, because she had a sneaking suspicion that if she even tried to speak, she was going to throw up all over the plush leather interior of the carriage.

Her father didn’t say anything. He simply took her hand in his, squeezed it gently, then turned back towards the house and walked away.

“Be good, dear,” her mother said as the carriage tumbled away. Fiona and the other servants all waved, and the crowd continued to cheer as they drove away. There were a few kids who began to chase the carriage as it moved, and Diana felt obligated to do something. So she stuck her head out of the window and waved at the crowd, which drew another thunderous cheer from them.

“My lady, I wouldn’t advise that,” one of the guards said. “You never know who could be lurking in the crowds.”

“I doubt there’s anyone trying to kill me, sir,” she said as she continued to wave. “You’d have to be a very sad and s******c person to even decide that of all the people you could kill in this kingdom, it would be me.”

“There’s no telling where the enemies might be lurking, my lady,” he said. “You’ll be surprised by how many people envy your new position, and would stop at nothing to see you dead.”

Diana hadn’t really thought about that. Cautiously, she withdrew her head into the carriage and sat back down, sighing to herself.

“This is ridiculous,” she whispered to no one in particular. Her life had been turned completely upside down, and she had no idea what was going to happen next. All she knew was that however Caspian may turn out to be, he better be worth all the trouble and headaches he was putting her through.

They arrived at the palace shortly afterwards, and Diana was led into the main hall by two maids who kept smiling at her like she was an old friend they hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“The Queen mother has asked to see you personally, my lady,” the taller one said. “She’s just finishing up a meeting and she’ll be with you shortly.”

They led Diana into a drawing room on the first floor, where they left her to her devices once they served her a cup of tea and some crumpets. Even after they left the room, however, Diana still remained exactly where she was and continued to stare at the tray before her with the knot in her stomach tightening even more. She wondered briefly why the queen mother would want to see her. Could there be another twist in this political union that she was yet to be informed of?

Queen Alicent joined her shortly afterwards. She was a portly old woman with pale, almost translucent skin and a sharp gaze which always put people off. She was a terrifying woman to behold, mostly because of her steely exterior. She was known to make servants cry just with a simple look. And her cold glare would terrify even the bravest of men who dared to cross her path.

“Don’t stand up, dear,” she said as soon as Diana tried to ride from her seat. “All that nonsense should be reserved for any formal setting. When we’re alone, there’s no need for all that ridiculous curtsies and incessant displays of insincere respect and admiration.”

Diana blinked, not really sure what to make of this. She had never been alone with the queen mother before. She had met her on certain occasions, but it was always with other people in attendance and usually in a formal setting. Being alone in a room with her was like dangling over the edge of a perilous cliff, with only a flimsy rope holding you back. One slight mistake would be enough to throw her to the ground so fast hat she wouldn’t even see it coming.

“You’re even prettier up close,” the old woman said. “I remember when I used to have a pretty face as well, with cheekbones that stood out prominently just like yours and t**s which sat so high up my chest that men could never pull their eyes away.”

She chuckled to herself, then hobbled forward with her cane tapping the floor heavily. She moved slowly, and the years had hunched her over so much that she looked like her spine was curved down to form a hook. But she still looked like a powerful figure. And when she sat down, she did so with an air of importance.

“You haven’t touched anything,” she said to Diana, gesturing to the plate in front of her. “Is the palace food perhaps not up to your standard?”

“Not at all,” Diana said quickly. “I’m just not hungry.”

Queen Alicent didn’t buy that for a second. She gestured with her cane towards the tray, and told Diana to eat. Her voice alone broached no argument, and the latter pulled the cup of tea towards herself and brought it to her lips.

“So, you’re the girl they’ve chosen to wed that werewolf prince,” the queen mother began. “I was honestly surprised when I heard about it. I would have thought they were saving you for my grandson.”

Diana said nothing. She knew she was supposed to say something, at least, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she took another sip of her tea.

“So what do you know of the boy so far?” the queen mother asked.

“Not much,” Diana replied truthfully. “I’ve heard rumours, but I cannot judge him based on what others have said.”

“You would be wise to do just that,” the old woman said. “There is never smoke without a fire somewhere, dear child. If I were you, I would listen to every single rumour I can about him. There is no better judge of character than the public eye in this day and age. And if the rumours are to be believed about the boy, then you will surely have a lot to deal with once you get married to him.”

She leaned back into her seat, then took a deep breath before she continued.

“I’ve heard the rumours you are talking about as well, dear child,” she said. “I’ve heard them say he’s a cruel man, incapable of loving anything except his sword and the rage of battle. He’s a wicked soul, and yet he has the face of an angel. It’s a dangerous combination, if you ask me. People are quick to accept anything if it’s nice to look at. We think with our eyes and not with our minds these days. I hate to admit that this is a sad reality which unfortunately cannot be changed. If the man is pretty, he could be stabbing you right in the chest and the only thing anyone would focus on is how his eyes are shimmering in the sunlight.”

Diana felt a chill run down her spine. It was one thing to hear rumours about Caspian’s nature from others, but to hear it from queen Alicent somehow made it even more real, and she was confronted with the reality of what her life was about to become.

“I’ve met the boy once,” she continued. “Back when he was a little cub. He was magnificent to behold, and back then he wasn’t the man he is now. He was polite and respectful, and he showed signs of being intelligent and intimidating; traits which a boy his age was not meant to possess. He turned out very different to what I was expecting. Pass me a crumpet, will you?”

It took a second before Diana realised that she was talking to her. She immediately reached for the tray and brought it to the old woman, who took a single crumpet and bit into it slowly.

“I told them not to put too much sugar in these,” she snapped angrily. “I’ll need to visit the kitchen again and remind them of the proper way to make crumpets.”

She turned her gas to Diana once again, and asked, “So what are you going to do about your werewolf husband?”

“I-I don’t understand,” she said.

“Don’t play dumb with me, girl. You and I both know that you’re not just going to sit back and take whatever he throws at you. You’re a fighter. And you can be damned sure that he’s going to put up a fight. So what are you going to do about it.”

“I-I haven’t really thought about it,” she said. “I guess I’ll make up my mind once I see what he’s really like.”

“Nonsense,” Queen Alicent said. “You’re a clever girl. You should already know what you’re going to do if your husband gives you a tough time. Men are cruel by nature, but the s******c ones learn to embrace this cruelty and channel it towards he people around that. Caspian will be just like that. So what are you going to do about it?”

She fixed her cold and steely gaze on Diana, who felt like the old woman was seeing right through her. She wasn’t sure what exactly the queen mother was playing at, but she could sense in her a determination to gauge her thoughts, and see if she was as smart as many people said she was.

“I won’t let him,” she said. “I know what he’s like already, so that gives me an advantage. I’ll be able to see him coming from a mile away, and I’ll be prepared for whatever he’s going to throw at me.”

“And what happens when you realise that he’s a man, and that his people will always pick his side over yours? What happens when you realise that you cannot get your way because the man is always presumed to be right.”

“Then I’ll go to the one person who is more powerful than him,” she said.

“The king?”

“And the queen If I have to.”

“Clever girl,” the old woman chuckled. “You’re on the right track. Whatever happens in Xania, you must realise that you need allies. Powerful allies, no less. You must ensure that no matter what Caspian gets up to, there will be those who can put him in check and keep him honest. He’ll try to oppress you at first, and make you realise that you’re beneath him. But if you can make him see that you’re under the protection of his parents, then he’ll never be able to dominate you completely. But you mustn’t stop at that. Once you get to Xania, you must pick your people wisely. These are dangerous times we live in, and it has never been more important to know who has your back and who doesn’t. Never let him believe that you do not have anyone on your side. I will speak to my son about giving you a handful of trustworthy guards who will go with you to your new home. But even after that, you must see who you can trust and who you can’t. I trust that you are clever enough to figure that out on your own. And once you figure that out, then you must remove the untrustworthy ones immediately. Do not let them get to you, otherwise you will have only yourself to blame.”

Diana nodded, and the queen mother stood up slowly. She tapped her cane on the floor once, then turned towards the door.

“We shall speak some more later, dear child,” she said. “Keep your head up, and don’t ever allow yourself to sit and sulk over anything. You’re a lot stronger than you think. And if anyone can make the best out of this situation, then it will be you.”

As she made to leave the room, Diana stood up and said, “Your Grace, what makes you think I can do this?”

Queen Alicent turned to face her with a knowing smile, and she pointed her cane directly at Diana.

“Because you’re just like me,” she said. “And girls like us are not so easily defeated.”

And with that she walked away, leaving Diana with more questions than answers in her head. But one thing was for sure.

She was going to make this marriage work.

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