In a familiar room, Lucia sat in front of her mirror with a satisfied expression. Her lush red hair hung in beautiful curls down to her waist. She was most proud of her hair—proof of her birth right. Her mind wandered to the long, red braids on her older sister’s head and she couldn’t help but pout. She was sure he would never be attracted to Anne; he had told her she had the most beautiful hair in the kingdom, and such wild hair could not compete with hers. From the moment she was born to a barbarian, she was unqualified to compete with her.

Pearls were carefully placed with a string along her head, and her neck was adorned with beautiful emeralds, like the colour of her dress. Keeping her back straight, she walked through the hall of the castle, determined to be the belle of the ball. Her every word and expression would be watched critically by the aristocracy, hoping to get in her good graces. Her milky skin glistened under the light of the chandelier as the banquet came to a gradual halt upon her arrival. She was, after all, the most beautiful girl in the kingdom.

Her eyes swept the ballroom, searching for her beloved, before setting on a tall figure with long blonde hair flowing down his back and piercing blue eyes as he drank from a gold wine cup. Excitement welled up in her as she wanted to just run to him, but a sudden announcement drew her attention behind her.

“The first princess! Adanne of Celestia!”

The music had stopped as the crowd collectively gasped at the sight of her skin, a barbarian. Anne stood straight, unwavering, despite the rude gazes fixed on her. Her eyes looked down at the crowd with a sneer, as if she remained unfazed by their blatant rudeness.

“I would have never imagined the princess to be of Barbian birth.”

“Was her mother a seductress? How did she get on the king’s bed?”

“Just look at her looks!”

“The royal family has strong genes! Despite the barbarian blood, her hair is red!”

Anne’s smile did not leave her face as she descended the stairs. She wore a fitted ivory dress that flowed freely behind her, with gold shoulder plates and gold anklets adorning her skin.

Her eyes fell on the man with long blonde hair as she walked through the parting crowd to him, her fiance.

Upon seeing her, he bowed, and she curtsied; after all, he was a king.

“Your Highness.”

“Your majesty, If it’s alright with you, can we have a private conversation?” Her eyes stared up into his blue eyes, compelling him to nod slowly. His pupils fixed on hers as he felt he was unable to look away from her calm brown eyes.

“I-” He found he could not think of anything to say as his mind went blank as he looked down at her lips, which were turning into a sly smile.

“Follow me, your majesty.”

The two walked through the large open arch with two fully armoured guards at either side into the large corridors laced with moonlight that led to the open gardens at the centre of the courtyard. He followed close to her until she came to a halt next to one of the large pillars that help up the corridor.

“I’m surprised you called me with no chaperone; rumours can be rather nasty at court.” He was the first to break the silence. His voice was unexpected; despite his sickly appearance, he had a rather calm, deep voice that engraved itself into her soul and made her feel instantly at peace.

“There’s no point for me to be afraid of rumours; they’ll follow me regardless,” she said with a shrug as her eyes looked around their surroundings to make sure no one was watching them. 

“What did you want to talk about then?” He asked as he stood in front of her; he was very much taller than her and so had to bend his neck to see her scrunched-up face that was forced to look at him. He noticed her fidget and could tell she was anxious. 

She fixed her unwavering eyes on his. “Did you have sex with my sister?”

“What?” Her straightforward manner caught him immediately off guard; his eyes revealed confusion, which made her anxious heart immediately settle down. 

“Word gets around,” she replied calmly.

“No I do not have any relations with your sister,” he said defensively. His red ears gave him away; it seemed like despite his aloof appearance, he was rather innocent. 

“Then why do I keep hearing all these rumours?” She pushed on, unwilling to leave without solid answers. 

His eyes no longer had the confidence to meet hers; they darted around nervously as he began to fidget. She found his appearance rather cute. “She was confessing her feelings to me," he said quietly under his breath. 

She found herself feeling like she wanted to push his buttons a little. “Why don’t you take advantage of the situation then? If you marry her your kingdom will benefit a lot from it.” She said, taking one step closer to the already nervous man who took one step back. 

“I don’t yearn for it”

“Oh?” She took another step forward, causing him to take another step back and find himself cornered to a pillar by a girl who was only at most five’ five. 

As Anne closed in on Aiden, she could see his face turning a deep shade of red, his eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and desire. She couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest, a thrill at the effect she was having on him. She had expected him to deny the rumours, but she hadn't expected him to be so vulnerable and honest.

Leaning closer, her voice was a seductive whisper. "So, you don't yearn for my sister, but what about me?" Her lips curled into a mischievous smile, her heart pounding in her chest.

Aiden's breath hitched, and his eyes locked with hers. His voice caught in his throat, and he was unable to say anything coherent. 

 "Anne, I.." His voice was barely above a whisper, trembling as she stared at him intensely. 

The sudden sound of shattered glass snapped them out of their trance. 

Lucia, who had been observing from a distance, watched in disbelief as her wine spilled all over the floor, staining her expensive robes. Her envy turned into a seething rage, her hands clenched into fists as she found herself in disbelief. She had always been the centre of attention—the one who held power over men's hearts. But now, it seemed Anne had stolen even that from her.

Anne, sensing Lucia's jealousy, pulled away from Aiden and turned her attention to her sister. "Oh, Lucia, is everything alright?”

She played coy, her expression holding back the delight she felt in her sister’s suffering. “Don't be upset. There are plenty of men who would fall at your feet. But Aiden... he's mine."

Lucia's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with venom. "We'll see about that, sister."

“Your Highness, It is best if you return.” Aiden interrupted, his voice cold. “Your fiance is waiting for you.”

The feeling of being drenched with cold water rattled Lucia as she looked at Aiden in shock. Her eyes stung, welling up with tears, but she said nothing. She turned promptly and left.  

Anne let out a sigh of relief as she watched Lucia storm off, her jealousy evident in every step she took. She turned her attention back to Aiden, a small smile on her face. "Thank you; I appreciate your support."

Aiden's stern expression softened slightly as he reached out to gently brush a strand of hair behind Anne's ear. "I don't want you to face any harassment or discomfort because of me."

Anne's heart fluttered at his touch, a warmth spreading through her veins. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and something more. "On the bright side,. If we do get married, I know I'll be safe with you."

Aiden's eyes held a flicker of emotion, a hint of something deeper. "I will take full responsibility for you. We may not be a love match, but I deeply admire you. And as your husband, I will always protect."

Anne's breath caught in her throat, her heart swelling with a strange feeling of satisfaction. His words were polite and tender but that was all. In that moment, she realized that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to marry such a man. After all, he was rather handsome. 

With a newfound sense of hope, Anne took Aiden's hand in hers. "Walk me back to my room, Aiden. I have no desire to return to that banquet. Besides, I doubt anyone would even notice my absence."

Aiden nodded with a determined look in his eyes. "Then let's go, your Highness."

As they walked hand in hand through the moonlit corridors, Anne couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope for a future she never imagined possible as his grip tightened around her hand.

“Is it too unreasonable..." ‘to want this to work?’ She muttered in a quiet voice.

“Your Highness?”

“It’s nothing.”

Alex’s eyes watched Lucia storm into the banquet hall, her eyes watery and her fists clenched. He brought his wine glass to his lips finishing the last few sips as she walked out of the banquet shaking. Dropping his cup, he walked out after her with a grim expression. He wasn’t a fool, he could guess what had happened to upset her so much, and the idea of another man having such power over what was meant to be his upset him so much. 

Lucia leaned against the cold stone walls in the shadows as she choked down her sobs. Her eyes stung fiercely as she collapsed to the floor. Hugging her knees, she let her emotions run freely as she felt hidden and alone. 

Her cries were interrupted by a cold voice filled with anger: “Get up.”

Her heart leapt out of her chest, and her eyes searched around the corridor only to land on the man standing in front of her, looking down on her pathetic appearance with disgust in his eyes. She held back her fear and scrambled to her feet, wiping her face with her sleeves. 

“Your Highness.” She said bowing her head in courtesy. Alex’s eyes glossed over her as he felt rage rise within him. 

“You are rather slow; I'm sure you haven’t forgotten what happened this morning... How are you already drowning in tears?”

She fiddled with her skirt in agitation; she wanted to shrink and disappear at that very moment. 

“Did you wet the bed again?” This time, his words were laced with amusement.