chapter 31

Princess Eleanor's gaze soften and her tension gradually reduced on seeing this prince charming. His cheek bones was perfectly carved. His acute nose and red lips made it too difficult to imagined that such beauty would be on a man.

His shoulders never relaxed. They complied inside his white coat accordingly.

"Eleanor your husband". The king said in a whisper and squeezed her hands subtly.

Prince Raymond was tall and gallant. If he was not introduced has a prince and her husband, she would have mistook him for a god.

" So says the king" The princess said with difficulty.

The king invited the prince to his side. He held their hands. He joined Eleanor's hands with that of prince Raymond.

Duke Williams presented the king with a golden mantle which the king used to wrapped around the joined hands.

Prince Raymond and princess Eleanor were sharing gazes as their hands was wrapped together with the golden mantle.

Eleanor was breathing deeply. She knew she would have gotten married someday but she didn't know it would be this sudden and with this stranger.

"As a father and king of this great kingdom. I there by pronounced you both as husband and wife". He looked up to the crowd.

"Behold the man and his wife" Applaud broke in again.

As it was ongoing, princess Eleanor gaze shifted from her husband who was staring at her right in the eye.

Her gaze traveled to the crowd applauding. It landed on Francis who was among the crowd.

Her breath skipped. Their eyes met. Francis was all emotional. She couldn't help but felt sorry for him.

Prince Raymond noticed something was not alright with her. When he followed her gazed to see what she was looking at, Francis had already withdrew and left the gathering.

He returned his gaze on his wife. Her lips were parted. She gulped. Still not comfortable with the happenings around her. She was in an illusion.

Thousands and hundreds of eyes from among the crowd tried to tore their kingdom apart. The looks of disdained fuming at her father made her nervous and stiffed.

The king was too happy to noticed. She held on to her prince, her husband's hand and rotated following their stares.

"Eleanor" the prince called out to her. She quickly conformed. She couldn't help but fear for her father. All this stole the lovely smile she came out with.

She saw other young princes too in their royalty aura. Some winking at her and throwing kisses in the air when their eyes locked. She heaved.

The next thing she heard was her father's call. She saw him unwrapped the mantle and stretched forth his hands to her. The king requested for a dance.

How would she do this, when her body is stiff and her nerves numb with shocked. They now stood face to face. They courtesy and the dance began.

Her father put his hand around her slim waist and his other hand held her left hand. She placed her right hand on his shoulder.

She stepped forward, carefully not to stepped on him. "Father, you didn't make mentioned of this to me".

He step backward "it was meant to be a surprised"

They slide left. "A surprised marriage father. Marriage is for a lifetime and not some surprised package".

Then they went right. Back and forth and they aligned. "You shall be fine with him. He would protect you now and in the future from the wrath of the emperor after you returned the stone".

They spoke in such a way that only both of them heard what they were saying. Everyone surrounded them as the dance like the fishes in her pond.

He held her right hand up and she spinned around. She was now breathing heavily. The spinning didn't caused it but the burdens in her heart.

"Father you didn't considered my choice, my emotions, my consent".

"it doesn't matter now child. You shall come to love him. His kingdom has immunity. They are immune to magic. He shall helped you to fight against…"

"Enough father…" she stopped dancing and stepped backward. Her heart was panting loudly.

"All what you think of is fighting and… protection and… your kingdom…". Her hands were squeezing her skirt by both sides.

"What about my happiness?". She lowered her voice. " What about love. What about me?". Tears popped up. She bite her cheeks to send them back. She can't let them out here.

"Nonsense. You shall grow above that. Enjoy your father while you can. You shall be following your husband home. To your new home".

The princess gulped at her father's word. He was not regretting saying them. She was forced to believed that she was looking at another Being inside her father's body.

"Won't you missed me father".

Eyes were looking at them why they stopped dancing. Other people stepped on the danced floor.

King Ephraim's blinked and break the gazed. He was not ready to show any form of weakness.

"This is the time to begin another phase of your journey. I love you child. I will missed you dearly but I must let you go and live your life. All what I'm doing is for your own good".

"For my own good you say. A thing you do without considering how I shall feel turned out to be for my own good. How would I fight against the enemies from another kingdom?".

"Leave fates to fate".

Prince Raymond came towards them. He introduced himself to the king but most especially to princess Eleanor as though they just met.

"I am Raymond, the crown prince of Mistletoe kingdom, your husband". He emphasized the husband looking at Eleanor.

She tried to tamed her emotions and let her lips formed a smile.

"May I have this dance with her... your majesty". He said without bowing to the king. His voice was plain and confidence.

"Let my daughter not wants or whined. She is an asset. Take care of her like yourself".

Prince Raymond left hand was in the air waiting to receive princess Eleanor's thin hand. And his right hand was behind his back.

King Edward of the Mistletoe kingdom talked his son into sending a proposal letter. King Ephraim had invited him like every other prospective suitors after he received his letter.

Raymond declined. He had told his father that he was not interested in marrying the princess but his father insisted he gave it a try for his political gain.

King Ephraim was patience enough to secretly host the prospective suitors. He needed a person whom he can entrust his daughter to. Not just his kingdom.

Prince Raymond happens to be that person. Though he is mean and arrogant. He had qualities that earned king Ephraim's affection.

"Take care of her" the prince repeated. " I hope you didn't give me a burden as a wife". The prince said.

Eleanor gave him her hands and a glare.

The king marveled at his adamant and fearless nature. So outspoken without restrain. Princess Eleanor hated him for that. "How can he called her a burden"

"My child is an asset?. A thousand of you were in line for me to make a choice for her. I choose you, so don't abused such rare privileged". King Ephraim tried to schooled him.

He knew he was arrogance but he picked him because his kingdom was immune to magic. Meaning his daughter shall be safe from the emperor within the walls of the Mistletoe. Then what happens to Golden Hill, his kingdom, her paternal home. The king never thought of that.

" I do not compete with my fellow man over a woman. I get what I wants". Prince Raymond spoke taking a few step closer to the king. Abandoning the princess to dance with the shadow.

Bernard went to the king side immediately. He reached out to the hilt of his sheathed sword. The king gave him an order to hold.

Queen Charlene and the Duke were conversing when they saw prince Raymond and their king in what seems like a confrontation. Other royalties started peeking through.

The dancers slowed down. Princess Eleanor was sweating in hidden places.

"I don't get picked, I won the task. If I didn't choose your daughter, I would have simply walked away. I choose whom I choose". He said in what seems like a challenging tone.

Eleanor walked and stood by both their sides.

"I like your daughter" the prince said turning to look at her. She gulped. It was the lines his father, king Edward begged him to used.

"I must say", prince Raymond eyes soften as he stared at her.

"She is as beautiful as your kingdom... your majesty". He bowed to king Ephraim.

Princess Eleanor quickly understood that this prince was mocking her father.

"The king has made a terrible mistake by marrying her to him". She thought.

She contemplated on what to do to remedy the situation. She quickly suggested prince Raymond walked with her in her garden.

The prince and her father were still sharing gazes when she made the suggestion.

"father" . She called subtly.

The prince turned to her. Giving her a sign to lead the way. They moved. The king turned around to watched them.

Duke Charles of mistletoe who came with prince Raymond was whispering something in to his ears. The prince lagged behind to attend to it.

Eleanor jostled into the crowd. She was giving a path to cross over. The crowd covered up the space behind her as she went. When she turned around, she didn't see the prince again.

She did not know what was keeping him. If he had gone back to stirred up another ill conversation with her father. She wanted to go back and stop him. After seconds of consideration she turned around only to bumped into the emperor.

"You should watched where you are going lady".

She stepped back. Her lips parted not knowing what to say.

"So...sor... sorry..emm" she shuttered. She composed herself and bowed before him. She diverted to leave his presence but the emperor blocked her way.

She stepped back again. He was giving her a wicked smile and he tried to closed the distance between them but she kept stepping backward.

The emperor had seen when they were about leaving the crowd. He hurried up to catch up with them. Eleanor had not noticed that mostly men. The emperor's men covered up the path when she walked through.

The eyes around which saw the little drama looked away. None could dared challenged the emperor to leave the princess alone unless they don't valued their heads.

"you have what I need. I would advise you give it to me or I shall have it my way". He told Eleanor.

Eleanor who was so overwhelmed by his intimidating presence became deaf and mute. She didn't know what he meant and as such didn't have an answer for him.

The emperor was graceful in his gothic. He let his eyes run from her head down to her hands. Where he saw her trembling hands. She quickly hid them behind her flowing skirt.

He held her wrist and pulled her to himself. Eleanor gulped and shut her eyes. Her head went blank. She thought of nothing.

He crouched to her ear. "I shall killed your father if you don't behave like a good girl and vomit the Kings' stone to me"

Her eyes opened wide immediately. " How did he know I am the king's stone?". She thought.

Prince Raymond came from behind the emperor to behold what was going on.

"let her go. I wouldn't want you using those cursed hands to touched my wife". Prince Raymond challenged the emperor.

All other royalties stepped aside. They were all scared of what the emperor might do. They were not a matched to contend with him. He held the highest power in the hall.

Most of them were watching the door where they would run out within seconds if anything goes wrong.

King Ephraim came a little close to see for himself what the emperor was doing with his newly married daughter.

Every guards and knights of the different kingdoms present had their hands against their sheathed swords.

The emperor had let go the princess's hand. He was facing the prince who dared looked him in the eye and talk without blinking.

"keep her here and escape my wrath. If you take her with you. Then be sure to dined with me". Emperor Cassius told him.

Prince Raymond closed the distance between them.

"I don't entertained threat. If you think you can intimidate me with your vain blabbing, try visiting my kingdom and I shall feed you to my wolves".

Prince Raymond didn't flinched at all. He was ready for anyone and anything who could dare stepped on his toes.

The emperor laughed at his courage. King Ephraim was smiling to himself at the turned up of event.

"I made the right choice. He whispered to himself and left his last gaze on Eleanor who was behind prince Raymond breathing heavily.

"A stubborn head always follows the body to the grave. Be careful of the choices you made. You don't know which one might take you to the grave. Because your kingdom has immunity does mean I can't invade it. It has immunity against magic. Not swords".

The emperor delivered to the prince sternly. He hate it when he is being challenged. And he considered prince Raymond an insignificant pair.

"Don't think because you go about to defeat every kingdom that you shall have your way in mine. I would destroyed you before you have the time to act".

"I shall let you have your honey moon with her". He points at the princess who now recovered herself and stood firm like one of the pillars in the hall.

"while you do. Watched your back. I might not be patient enough to keep to my word". The emperor said and left.

Prince Raymond turned to glared at Eleanor. She quickly looked away and lead the way.

"I heard you were a warrior and brave but what I saw there is a scare little kitten who was waiting for her mother to come right in and fight her battled. Is that how you always look?. You looked so disgusting staring at the emperor. You think mere stare can scare him" He laughed.

They were walking through the corridor. Eleanor had issues trying to keep up the pace with the prince which made her wondered if he knew the way.

His long legs gave long strides. she was jog-walking. Her hands lifting her skirt up so that she wouldn't stumbled. Eleanor wanted to talked to him to slow down. He shushed her to be quiet.

"You can run if you wished but make sure you are beside me".

Eleanor stopped and heaved. She dropped her skirt and started walking like the lady that she is. She used a hand fan which she just realized it had been with her long before now and she was fanning herself as she goes.

Prince Raymond stopped still backing her. With his hands behind his back he waited for her to meet up with him.

"There are a lot of ways to punished defaulters. 'princess' is not an exception. You are my wife. Get that into your thick skull". He turned to look at Eleanor who was now beside him

"You would not disrespect me again or you face my wrath". He started walking. She wondered where she got it wrong that he would be threatening her. The were barely married for less than an hour.

" I saw the looks in your eyes I'm convinced your father never mentioned me to you. Poor thing". Eleanor kept mute as he spoke.

Princess Eleanor was pained. This first day of her adulthood seems as a cursed to her.

First the party she expected and prepared dearly for turned out be her wedding day.

"I'm married. It's hard to believed. Why would men always treat women as nothing. Why would father not let me make a choice of my own. I hate it that I have to be treated like I'm a thing".

She said in her head as she kept walking. She remembered the daggered stares channeling at her and her father. She couldn't explained or tell why. Her father might be in danger. She sighed.

Coupled with that, this prince that her father willingly dashed out her hand to without a rethink. Seems like a sadist to her. How does father know him?.

"Is this how adulthood would be?. I'm I going to begin mine like this?". This and many more kept flooding through her mine.

"Eleanor" he called her with a high commanding tone. She flinched. He had been talking to her and she was not responding. She was occupied with her own thoughts.

He glared at her. She walked faster boiling within. They where now in the garden. Her anger bubbles like the storms.

First to her father for matching her with such a proud prince and then the prince for his many words. She stared at the prince in anger.

Prince Raymond gazed was thrown around the garden. Cobblestone directed his feet.

Variety of flowers and trees. A large maple tree at the side was home to many birds. There was a lawn were the carpet grass were bruised from princess Eleanor's practice. small lawn bothered by flowers..

He saw over a distance a flat rock and what seems like a pond. When his gaze met princess Eleanor, her glare soften.

"Your garden is ample and exotic" he said. She didn't expect him to say that. And in such a low tone.

Not the previous mocking exaggeration he showered her with. He was staring into her eyes. He held her hands and took her under the maple tree for shade.

Prince Raymond pulled Princess Eleanor nearer. Eleanor stiffen. He let her be. He was looking at her with a wicked smile.

Then again he let his fingers command her arm slowly to himself. It was sending tingling sensations down to her spine. Things so strange was happening to her body that she couldn't explained.