Page 6 of Hands Off
Artemis taps the door and I return my attention to him, kind blue eyes paired with a soft smile looking back at me. “Princess, we’re here.” He opens the small door and offers his hand.
I take it and roughly jump down, Artemis chuckling at my lack of elegant movements. “I can see why she’s smitten with you, princess.” I don’t know how to respond to his comment so I just don’t. Ophelia only truly let her guard down when we were alone so I have no idea how her brothers will react to my desire for their sister. Especially when their task was to bring me back to get married to someone else.
“Thank you for the ride, Artemis.” I offer him a small bow and then reach into the carriage for my bag before stomping toward the entrance. My royal temper tantrums never get me anywhere but they make me feel better. Each stomp allows me to channel my anger before I blow up at someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Artemis follows behind, Blaise taking up my side. He’s more stoic than Artemis is but he still grants me a tight smile as if he knows how hard these next moments will be. We pass the path to the stables, Ophelia’s auburn hair disappearing around the corner. Tears gather in my eyes that she won’t even be here to hand me back to my father.
Blaise leans closer, careful not to touch me in public. “As much as she wanted to be here with you until the end, your father would immediately assume something. The stars in both your eyes are not so easily hidden.”
I open my mouth to say something but he shakes his head.
“Princess, I know you want to live in a world where it caters to your will. One day, it will. Today, it could. But you must stand steadfast behind your decisions and be ready for the consequences. All of them.” He straightens up, effectively ending the conversation.
The brothers guide me inside, clanking metal following their steps as I fold my hands in front of me as I am supposed to. My head bowed and my back straight, I fall into my practiced royal personality that has been forced down my throat for the last 25 years. I hate the rigidness that comes with ruling Smunia and it shall be the first thing I change when I become queen.
Our walk through the halls fills me with shame and regret as we near the room that Kusovania lent us for the yearly gala. One weekend a year, countries from all over attend to find their mates, royals and nobles alike. The entirety of Kusovania is invited although some remain in their towns and hold their own celebrations all weekend.
This is my first gala since my mother passed away and without her, my father wants me married off immediately. My coronation is set for next year but Smunia will not allow a queen to rule alone. Blaise clears his throat as we slow to a stop and I angle my head up slightly to see what has blocked our way.
A cheeky smile spreads across my face at the two entangled against a wall, Duchess Evie and her husband, King Theodore. I met them just before I took off a few days ago and the stories surrounding their marriage are both fun and exhilarating. Especially since I learned that the duchess is married to a king and a queen. She pioneered a new relationship with the royal hierarchy and I love that for her.
I wish I could do the same.
Duchess Evie chuckles, stepping back from her lover and apologizing before dragging her husband down the hall, no doubt to continue their shenanigans. When another giggle sounds from the room they dip into, I can only imagine that Queen Valentina has received them both. My heart burns with jealousy but I do well to hide my emotions as we make our way to the end of the hall and take a sharp left, right into the waiting presence of my father.
“You both can leave. I need to speak with my daughter.”
A command with no room to disobey. Blaise and Artemis bow and then disappear the way they came, clanking metal sounding the end of my freedom. I keep my head bowed and hands clasped, waiting for my father’s discipline.
“Look at me, Juliette. Juliette!”
A whimper tears from my throat as I obey, my body starting to tremble beneath the anger pouring from my father. His brows are furrowed with rage, his royal robes somehow fiercer than they usually are. He’s drowning in rubies and emeralds, showing off the riches that Smunia possesses. He always has to be the richest man in the room until it comes to who I marry and then he can step down to find someone richer.
My father steps closer, breathing into my face. “You disrespected our kingdom, Juliette. I did not raise the next generation to act like a child, nor did I think that you would try to exercise what little power you had to undermine mine. You have greatly disappointed me, Juliette. Your mother would be appalled at your behavior.”
My bottom lip trembles as I stare into his brown eyes, laden with a fire I haven’t seen in years. He’s always hard on me but it’s never been this bad. “Mother would-”
“No, you’ve lost your chance at discourse. You will spend your day with the suitors I have picked out for you. There will be no complaints. You will choose one of them and then they will be presented as your mate at the gala tomorrow. I will not hear any argument from you and if any of them report back to me that you were anything other than the regal woman I have trained, there will be consequences.” His hot breath fans my cheek and I do well not to cower in his presence. As soon as he sees that I will not fight, he points to the room I am staying in. “Stay until I retrieve you.”
I step inside, the door slamming shut behind me and the twist of a key telling me that I have been locked inside. “I’m not a dog,” I mumble to myself as I let the tears fall. How has it come to this? Being forced into a marriage? My mother would have never allowed this.
It’s painfully clear that she was shielding me from so many things before her death. I hate the world that no longer has her in it. I’ll hate this world even more if I can’t have Ophelia.
I fling myself onto the bed, disregarding the faint knock on the door from the maids, and fall into a fitful sleep to pass the time.
Chapter 5
OPHELIA
The goddess must enjoy playing cruel jokes on me. First, by sending me to Hellingser to fetch Juliette and now, her father, King William, demanding my services just after I finished washing down the horses by the stable. Our goodbye was bittersweet but Artemis had been right. It would be impossible to cut ties with the beautiful woman who had stolen my heart at first sight.
It’s even harder now, walking just behind her. Her regal form is nothing like the woman in my bed last night. She’s clothed in that cream gown from earlier, her shoulders pulled back, her hands settled in front of her and clasped at the waist, a small crown resting on her head. Despite all that, I can still sense the lingering fear and the desire to return to those special moments in Hellingser.
I steel my voice, catching myself before I call her sunshine just as we step into a small lounge offset from the gala. Royal blue and purple velvet adorn every space of this room and while it shows off the regal nature of the kingdom, I find that the colors clash terribly. Juliette makes her way to one of the lounge seats facing a small table, an identical lounge on the other side.
An older woman sits there, leaning back with one leg crossed over the other, her guard standing behind the seat. Juliette shifts uncomfortably, shooting me a terrified glance before fixing her expression. My body yearns to rescue her but without compromising her position and risking my own life, there’s nothing I can do. She blows out a deep breath and then plasters on a fake smile as I stand by the entrance, watching as the woman across from her breaks into a monologue about how she’ll be the perfect addition to Smunia.
I can’t watch this.
