We do all the general ceremonies there, always preferring the large hall because it's more spacious, but this time we have a lot fewer guests.
Although my nerves are high, I keep my body afloat. The trims of the dress fall down to dangerously close to the floor. With a clip and small movements, the dress looks stunning. A true pride to the seamstress who helped me seam it.
According to local tradition, I meet my future husband once before the wedding night. During the gift-giving ceremony, the bride gives her virginity, and the husband gives the bride a gift of his choice. My heart fluttered warmly along with the soft music, then drops realizing the tune.
Did they mess with the funeral music?
I'll tell Dawn to fire the musician. I stood next to Dawn. He was going to be right by my side, helping me through the whole thing. I asked him, "Where is he?"
Dawn replied, "Don't worry. He'll be here in a second."
An old man with a long beard entered the room, his gait was unsteady, he needed a cane, he had the sign of the Holy Mother.
The people around me fell silent, standing up bowing towards the old man. He stood by the podium of the master of ceremonies. "We will begin the ceremony now," his voice filled the room.
Again, I asked this time near whisper, "Where..?"
Dawn huffed, motioned for me to be quiet. Rude, I was only asking.
It was only when the old man opened his mouth. The room went silent his voice filled the room, "We have all gathered here to witness the union of these two people." These two people?
He turned to Dawn he said, "Pietr von Bogandon II of the Star of Tiegen, Son to Vilna Fri and René Maren."
What was he talking about?
I tried to say something, but Dawn still glared at me to silence. "May this union be blessed by the Holy Mother." Those present in the room repeated, "May this union be blessed by the Holy Mother."
My heart raced, something was wrong here. Could it be that Maya was right?
I struggled to say, "Dawn, what is going on here?"
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you," he tried to approach me but I backed away. I turned pale. What's going on here?
I'm supposed to marry the prince. Where is he?
I tried to form the words, but my mouth was dry. I wanted to scream and cry but I had no voice.
It was never excitement, it was fear.
The dawning admission of what I had to recognize now was clear. He had tricked me. Dawn was the prince.
Not only was the man decades older than me, but he has been my teacher, my most trusted, and only man that I've known for years now.
No family, no friends. And he tricked me into agreeing to this life.
The other daunting, more terrifying truth was he would kill me for fun if he wanted to.
He offers me a shy smile glinting some of his teeth. And I suddenly realize that his canines are protruding. Was it always there?
It can't be, I would have seen it.
Pietr turned to the host, who had brought him a pearl-encrusted box. "I brought you a gift." He opened the box, it contained a dagger. "I give you this dagger to represent our love, which transcends rivalry and works together to unite all our nations."
My only chance.
Little did he know that the hope, currently shaped like a small dagger, would ever be given to me. It's either him or me because I know that I won't survive this. I won't be this. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't take the chance now. I took the knife, inspecting it in my fingers. He offered me an incredulous smile, and in return, I hurled the dagger into his chest.
A sharp yelp sounded, and people were running around ordering to do all sorts of things that I didn't really pay attention to. Because my eyes were only on him.
It was shock that was first to appear in his features.
I was shocked too because he knew the moment he met me that I would never give out without a fight, that I wouldn't be one of those girls.
I warn you at the beginning of this story. It starts with his blood flowing around my fingers.
Pietr stumbled into my arms, both of us falling. I grabbed his waist to steady myself, but I just ended up clattering on the floor with him. A desperate sort of plea was on him. I sucked up a sharp intake of breath when his hand brushed my cheek. I recoiled, but he held me steady. "I suppose if it had to be anyone."
He managed to finish the sentence because his eyes glazed into a daze and then went adrift.
His very cold body was pressed into mine, and I wanted to push it out of me, but apparently that was the only thing protecting me from the many guards now circling me.
I looked up, sharp points of swords and spears were all pointed towards me. Apparently I was fretting and required enough guards to have a battalion.
Then I looked at my hand. I was still clutching towards the dagger because… because I hadn't surrendered yet.
Right there and then I knew that there was a decision to be made. Could I live beyond this moment and gods's damn stars?
I wanted to see more than this because I've been a fool and blind, and now I'm wide awake.
I did the only thing I could do because I wanted to live. I want to live, I want to see my home again, and I want to see my sister.
So I surrendered.