Unloving His Majesty

Her castle

“Welcome to your castle, My Queen.”

The princess turned to look questioningly at the man sitting beside her.

“This castle is now named after you,” he told her while she looked at him with confusion written all over her face. He continued to shock her.

“This is your home. My people shall be yours and yours, mine, but if I ever falter, you have the authority to banish me from your castle.”

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, unable to keep quiet any longer. She had her own castle and he knew it. His gesture was unnecessary and risky for him. She could not understand his angle. They had agreed on a coalition to save lives, nothing more.

“Because I must, and my queen is enchanting. Shall we?” he said charmingly and offered her his hand to hold as she mounted down.

“Why are you doing this?” she pressed on, ignoring his breathtaking smile.

“I have fallen for my wife.”

“No, you never…” she halted while he gazed lovingly at her.

“I never what, my Queen?”

“Nothing,” she responded quickly and looked away to avoid his eyes. Her eyes almost popped out of her skull when she saw the reception decorations.

“Celia,” she said and shook her head. She was certain that no one else knew what colours, flowers and set up she liked except for her best friend. Everything was just perfect. Her favourite snacks and meals were all so delicious. It all felt surreal, but the man sitting next to her with a huge grin on his face, was making her doubt what is real and not.

The reception speeches were done with when he offered her his hand for a dance.

“We don’t have to dance,” she firmly objected, but careful not to attract attention. They had agreed to present a united front to their people.

“I know, but I would like to dance with my queen.”

The princess had no choice but follow his lead. There was no dancing at their last wedding. There was not much talking either between them. She, somehow, wished it was like that this time too. She had emotionally prepared herself for it, not this.

Her heart raced when his hand landed on the small of her back. He was too close to her, making her panic. His strangely alluring eyes were glued on her, making her cheeks burn.

“Why is he doing this?” the princess asked herself and let out a sigh when the song ended. That’s when she spotted Lady Mary, who seemed to be hiding at the corner.

“Please excuse me, Your Highness,” she said and quickly approached the woman trying to avoid her.

“Lady Mary. I have no friends in my husband’s tribe. I want to learn more about your traditions and hope that you will be kind enough to serve as my helper in this regard.”

The guests exchanged looks wondering if the princess knew of the relationship between Lady Mary and the prince.

Lady Mary was about to respond when the prince joined them and lovingly wrapped his arms around his wife.

“I…I…” Lady Mary stuttered while the princess raised her eyebrows. They had spoken about this, and Lady Mary was thrilled yet she looked perplexed now.

“Accept my apologies, Your Highness, but I cannot.”

Princess Zania tried to make eye contact with the woman in front of her to no avail.

“My family’s nobility status is on probation, Your Highness. I cannot serve the castle at this time,” Lady Mary announced before hurrying away.

Princess Zania watched the woman disappear before turning to the man holding her.

“What did you do to her?”

“Me?”

“Yes, she seemed terrified of you,” she pointed out while he grinned and pulled her closer to him.

“I know that you are aware that she is my ex. I will execute her and her whole family if she ever steps her feet here again. You can choose any other woman to be your helper, not her.”

Her face immediately got flushed.

“You are really hot when caught out, my queen. It is time for our consummation.”

“What?” she asked with her heart already beating like a drum.

“Come on, the elders are waiting, and the nation eagerly awaits their heir,” he said with a voice laced with amusement before she had full blown panic attack.

It would be her first time and he was not gentle with her. She conceived the last time, and he did everything in his power to stress her out until she miscarried that baby and the four after that. She did not want to go through the pain of losing a baby again.

“Zania?” he questioned when her face paled out. He whisked her off her feet and rushed out while the guests cheered, not recognizing the emergent state their queen was in.

“Zania, please breathe. Yes, like that, just breathe,” the prince urged his wife.

“I know that this is scary. I also know that it will be your first time. I will be gentle,” he continued to reassure her.

“I…I need a moment alone,” she managed to whisper. He could only nod before leaving the room, his heart chattering into tiny pieces.

His friend found him pacing outside.

“The elders are waiting,” Sir Luke informed the distracted Prince.

“Let them wait.”

“Is everything okay?”

“She had a panic attack. She is terrified of being with me. I am a monster who used her body and killed our babies.”

The devastation in the prince’s voice was unmistakable.

“All the plans she had with Mary were to avoid being with me,” he added.

“Max. You are being hard on yourself. Yes, you messed up previously, but you are making things right. If anything, that never really happened if you went back in time.”

The two were disturbed by the princess, who came out with a stoic expression.

“I am ready,” she said with an expressionless voice. She tried her best to avoid marrying him and this, but it seemed that some things were unavoidable.

“Are you okay?” the prince’s gentle tone got her really frustrated. A mean, evil, monster, she knew was better than this. She did not understand why her body was even reacting to him the way it was.

“This coalition is for our people,” her response made it clear that all she was doing was for the people. He wanted to pull her into his arms and beg for forgiveness, but he had no idea where to begin. He was not completely sure that she knew about their past marriage and did not want to freak her out. He led her to what was to be their chambers instead.

Princess Zania was taken aback by that. She had never been inside his chambers. Their previous consummation was across the hall in a suite that was her chambers their entire marriage. She held her breath at the familiar sight of the elders eagerly waiting to witness their union. The presence of her own elders was the difference. They were completely left out the last time.

“I will need privacy to help my wife get ready,” the prince snapped her out of her thoughts as he dismissed the elders out of the chambers and leading her to the massive bathroom. He quietly helped her change into a golden silky gown.

She could not help feeling self conscious and anxious as he also changed into a similar male gown and leading her to the bed.

“I know that this is uncomfortable, but it is a very important custom to our people. I also know that it will be your first time, I will be gentle.”

His words did nothing to calm her down. Her heart raced when he unexpectedly kissed her. As if under a spell, electric bolts spread through her body.

“Lord, you are gorgeous,” he murmured before burying his head on her neck, kissing her hard until she gasped. She could not mask her mourns when he dropped to her breast, kissing and sucking, until she could feel the dampness between her legs. Why did he have so much effect on her still? She could not analyse her own response to him because he called out for the elders to come back in.