Ray of hope

She slept for a day. When her eyes opened, her mother's worried gaze was the first thing she saw.

"My dear!"

The marchioness hugged her in tears.

"What happened?"

Ariana asked, still a little dazed.

"You fainted at yesterday's ball. The doctor said you were under too much stress. "

"Oh… yes… I already remember…"

Ariana recalled the events.

"Did the Crown Prince really choose me as his fiancée?"

She asked in a trembling voice, she knew what the answer would be, but she still trusted that it was all just a bad dream.

"I'm sorry, my treasure."

The parents knew perfectly well, that their daughter did not want to be queen, and they did everything they could to fulfill Ariana's desire… but this time they were helpless.

"I'll tell your father, you woke up and get you some soup."

The marchioness got up from the bed.

"No. Please… I want to relax a little more. "

"All right."

She leaned over to her daughter with a bittersweet smile, kissed her on the forehead, covered her, and then left the room for the marquis.

'So I can't change the course of the book. Damn it! I had a chance to kill that asshole… if I knew he was Jerome… I would have let him fall down, and now I could live happily! '

She tossed a pillow angrily.

'Was my betrothal also revoked on the king's instructions? After that, it wouldn't surprise me either if they were playing with me… I was lika a stupid all along. '

"What should I do now? I do not want to die… is it maybe such a sin? I want it to live in a happy family… with my children… maybe it's such a big request? "

Tears streamed down her face.

She kept thinking all night about how to avoid the gallows. She only managed to fall asleep at dawn when she finally found some hope.

"The fact that I saved his life can't be ignored. Maybe this way I can make a deal in return… since he doesn't need a queen… that position will be filled by Jürgen. He needs a surrogate mother to give birth to a child. If I manage to sign a marriage contract with him… I can escape! If we divorce after the child is born, I can still live happily even abroad… I feel sorry for the little prince, but he will be raised in love by the gay couple… and I would only be with him for 3 years anyway… he won't even remember of me. I better disappear after giving birth. Ariana's wedding was at the age of 19 and she immediately became pregnant on her wedding night. So I could be free by the age of 20. Yes, this is a good plan. This has to work! I just have to wait for the two main characters to fall in love with each other - then he will be happy to sign my offer. "

Ariana's dramatic departure from the ball gave rise to juicy rumors. There was a rumor that the prince is forcing himself onto the most beautiful flower of the kingdom, whose former love has been exiled abroad… Others have seen it as a romantic union, that the two lovers can finally be together after much struggle.

In any case, none was confirmed, as Ariana had not left the Vanderberg estate for months.

After the incident in question, the prince tried to visit the girl several times, but never made it farther than the salon. Ariana didn't even want to see him. Thus, after some waiting, he returned to the palace unsuccessfully with every formation. Fortunately, after a month, the visits stopped.

'He finally gave up! Does this man seriously think I want to see him more than I have to? '

Months passed and the hunter ceremony arrived again. For the first time, 17-year-old Ariana did not take part in the competitions, although everyone expected the royal couple to dance together at the closing ball.

"If my destiny has become unchangeable, Jürgen and Jerome must have met by now. Two more meetings before Jerome realizes he loves him, and that Jürgen is actually a man. "

Ariana looked at her calendar, calculating the perfect time to face her ancestral enemy.

"Yes, the Winter Greeting Ball! It is there, that he shows openly his interest for Jürgen in front of an audience, and that is where my real humiliation begins. I have to sign the contract with him before Jürgen can feel threatened by my position… and ally with the aristocrats in connection with my execution. "

By this time, the family's lawyer had prepared the official document, which he had taken to the palace in the company of Ariana at the right time.

They were meeting for the first time, since Jerome asked for her hand. Ariana pinned her hair to a tight bun, and put on a simple black dress. She looked like she was going to a funeral, and she actually felt like she was going to her own funeral.