1 THE MARRIAGE

——

Abstract memory ~

My father forbade me from leaving the castle but being quite stubborn, I wanted to explore the wild.

At the age of thirteen, I decided that I would leave the castle only for ten minutes and return back without being noticed.

As planned, I waited till it was close to dusk before heading out. I knew that the guards would not let me out so I skillfully climbed up the rough palace wall which was just behind the dungeon.

My plan was going accordingly and I was very happy, little did I know that I was making the biggest mistake of my life.

While wondering in the wild land, the atmosphere suddenly felt eery and awkward like I was being followed. 

I looked around but found no one and I knew that there were no wild animals in this particular forest. I looked forward and saw a tall figure of a man, only for me to blink my eyes, he was gone.

Maybe I was just seeing things.

Bracing myself, I moved forward but it still felt as if I was being watched, the gentle wind became more fierce and the sound of the wavering trees filled my ears.

I suddenly stopped, hoping that who ever was following me would give up but, there was no one. I decided to return home.

Turning around, I was greeted with a huge wild animal with bright sunny eyes, big sharp canines and fur all over, almost looking like a frightful werewolf. My heart little jumped out of my mouth.

"Oh my gawd!!" I yelled and moved back but I fell, the huge figure towered over me and hovered, while staring into my soul with those bright scary eyes. 

I cried my heart out, I had never cried as I did, I could feel my head beginning to hurt because of too much crying, but I could not stop because I was scared nearly to death.

The next thing I saw, the creature leaned down towards me and that was where I lost consciousness.

I opened my eyes only to find myself inside my room in the castle. 

I was no doubt surprised as to how I returned back home, I quickly sat up and I could swear I saw a shadow which faded right before my eyes.

——

AMIRA~

My name is Amira and my parents are the rulers of our kingdom.

It was my wedding day and I was getting married to someone I knew absolutely nothing about. He was a total stranger to me.

I had cried and pleaded that I wanted to marry Jake who was the first son of a Minister because I loved him but my parents payed no heed to my crys, they wanted me to marry a king so that I would be a queen.

I understood their plight but what was marriage without love?

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I sighed then stood up and headed out because everyone would be waiting for me already, I had already stayed for too long and if I continue to delay, they would begin to worry so I had to leave now.

Walking gently and slot down the wide stairs to meet everyone, my eyes looked down from where I was and the first person they landed on was a tall figure with long jett black hair reaching the waist line, the one who was to be my husband.

Just like he had sensed my presence, he turned around and his bright gold eyes greeted mine and I felt my heart squeeze.

I quickly averted my gaze not because I was shy but because I was scared. Those eyes somehow brought back an old memory which I so much dreaded, a memory of a frightening event that happened over five years ago.

Even the first time that I had seen him making plans about our wedding with my father, our eyes had locked and his eyes still brought back the same old locked up memory that it did just now.

Bracing myself, I took the final step of the stairs and walked down towards my father while everyone stared at me in silence.

On getting there, I went down on my knees as our tradition demanded, my eyes traveled towards my mother and I saw a bright smile on her face like she was encouraging me but I wasn't at all encouraged.

After a few seconds of kneeling down, I felt a strange presence beside me and my heartbeat doubled in pace as my husband to be stood beside me, my nostrils were filled with his scent, a mixture of citrus and vanilla, it was so Divine.

My father then began to speak some words which I couldn't hear, not because I did not understand him but because my mind had wandered away.

'its happening ' I said to myself.

'im getting married to this stranger, there's no way out of this '

'And why does he remind me of that day?, I so much do not want to remember that day but those eyes... those frightful eyes…' goosebumps appeared all over my skin as I recalled that fateful day.

The sound of my father clearing his throat brought me back to reality and I raised my head only to see that my husband's hand was stretched out to me.

'Do I really have to hold his hand, I can get up on my own ' I sighed inwardly and looked towards my mother. She mouthed some words which I read as "go on, give him your hand"

I gulped nervously as I placed my shaky hand on his cold and calloused one before he gently pulled me up on my feet, our eyes locked and I suddenly heard my heartbeat in my head, I quickly looked away and slowly withdrew my hand from his.

"King Zoriel, I give you my daughter to take as a wife and Queen, promise to take good care of her and keep her happy for the rest of her life" my father said.

"I promise..." His deep melodious voice drew my attention to him, making me to stare back at him and I could swear that his eyes were twinkling as he stared deep into my eyes.

"I will make her happy" he declared to the hearing of all that were gathered before us.

"You may have your bride" 

The final words from my father left me feeling like a disowned child, he had now handed me over to this man who made my heart squeeze with fear. Whose eyes alone reminded me of a traumatic scene that happened years ago.

Without any delay, my stuffs were quickly transported to another kingdom while I journeyed together with my husband in the same carriage. We had traveled for hours and yet I still wished that we would travel for some more hours before I would get to my new home in a strange land, before I would be surrounded with new people and also, live with new people too.

It took me a lot of time to believe and accept that I was this man's wife and that I would spend the rest of my life with him, he really freaked me out with those eyes and that face of his.

What scared me the most was the thought of what would happen in the night. My mother had taken her time to lecture me on what happened during the night of one's wedding day.

To be honest, I wasn't ready for that at all, not when my own husband freaked me out and made my skin crawl just like it was crawling at the moment due to our closeness.

Slowly I tried to shift a little bit away from him but trying not to be noticed. Unfortunately, he noticed and I think he got angry.

"What do you think you're doing?" His cold chilly voice sounded.

I felt his strong arm come around me and pull me much more closer to him and my heart sank into my stomach in fear of my beloved husband.