Dear Agreement

"I have a place for you here" I tell him as he continues to stare deep into my eyes. "But only if you truly want it" I offer as he nods his head and I continue.

"I need your alliance in the most crucial way, through marriage" I admit as his eyes flicker to mine with surprise.

"Are you competent?" He ask me as I chuckle, choosing to find humour in his words rather than insult. "I'm serious, I tried to kill you!" He reminds me as I fall silent and wonder.

This was my life on the line. A life I could have with someone and the power they could hold that would cripple me. I had no other choice. If I did not marry I faced assassination attempts at every corner and maybe one day by the call of my own council. But with marrying someone who's power would not be recognized I could win.

"But you didn't" I recall, standing. "You had the chance to kill me but instead you killed your own accomplice. You could have killed me and instead you choose to spare me. And I am choosing to spare you, so, marry me?" I ask him as he squirms in his standing. I bring myself closer to him, until I can feel his breath on my shoulder. The warmth arising from his nose onto my neck.

"You don't know why I spared you, and perhaps it was a moments hesitation, one that most likely won't ever happen again" He ask me as I take a deep breath and start again.

"Your hesitation had nothing to do with me. You know Narvyia is beyond repair and with it's ruler it is of no importance for you to show loyalty to a kingdom that is failing it's people. The very people it was designed to support." I stab at him, looking into his eyes, showing me a large, empty field of flowers. "So I ask you again, do you want to be apart of a kingdom that stands with it's people, or go back to one that destroys them and may very well destroy you in the process?" I wait. I tried to mask my desperation but this man's hand in marriage was perhaps my last chance to secure my kingdom and it's peace. The very thing my uncle would have wanted.

"I'll do it" he quietly admits as I take a breath of relief.

"Then you have my protection" I promise him as I back away from him and out of the cell. My hand on the cells locked door, "Tonight we runaway, I will prepare the seamstress make you a suit. Your agreement was not made in vain, I assure you" I tell him as I walk back up the stairs into the castle and began my duties for my elopement.

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"I'll do it" I answer her, those words finally leaving my lips.

My brother was dead, I was his killer. When I was to return home I would meet the same fate, I had no choice. But now I had a place of safety. I hadn't known of one king or queen to fetch their new spouse from a dungeon.

And somehow she knew about my doubts, she is very smart indeed.

"Good, sir?" I hear someone refer to me as I look up from the floor ridden in hay. Through the railing handing me a suit. Black suit with a white button up shirt under it. The woman leans in close to the bars, "The queen will fetch you a quarter past ten, hold onto this." she whispers as she then retreats back though the door.

Now all I have to do is wait.

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"You cannot do this!" Gaverns shouts as I shush him.

"Do you really wish the whole castle to know about my plotting?!" I tell him as he looks to me with such disgust.

"You are betraying your kingdom! Do you really think that Ophela will support you with a Narvyian as your husband?" Gaverns ask me as I truly see he doesn't understand

"BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A WOMAN!" I yell, taking out every morsel of my anger. "You don't know how it feels to be powerless. I may seem like I have the world to you but the moment I marry it all belong to my husband" I rant, his eyes still painted with the look of uneasiness.

"My husband would be your king, inheriting the thing my bloodline has worked so very hard on, to secure would belong to him within the day! My child if I bare a son would have more power than I would ever be allowed to have in my whole life within his first years. Maybe I am doing this out of selfishness but I have seen the other candidates for my marriage. Prince Ivan, a incompetent man and Prince Wildfowl? The very man the killed his first and second wife! And if I wait the council will look to me and make a decision, like a animal I will be sold into the slaughter of marriage beyond my own means, is that really what you want for me Gaverns?" I take a breath, trying to calm myself.

"No, your highness" He answers as I see fear in his eyes.

Correcting my posture and walking closer to Gaverns, looking down to him, "You may not agree with my decision but you will respect them, that is a order" I command him as he nods his head.

Turning around and leaving my chambers and back to the dungeons to prepare for my marriage.

"Bring the prisioner to Father Catherns" I order the knight as he scurries off and I walk to my carriage.

There I waited. In a fine silk dress, wearing my mother's jewels with a smile on my face. This would not grant me happiness but it would satisfy my fear of losing my power and my throne.

Finally seeing him opening the carriage door, his shackles still on his hands as he walks to me.

"The key" I ask the knight as the prisoner stops in front of me.

"But, my queen" The knight questions me.

"Did I stutter?" I ask the knight as he hands me over the key and I unlock the shackles as they fall to the floor. "This is a marriage of your choice, not forced" I whisper to him as Father Catherns stands before us.

"Are you sure this is what you want, your highness?" Father Catherns ask me as I nod my head. "Then let's begin" He starts.

The many words of marriage began. I don't remember anything but the promise. "To love one another in sickness and in health" I was afraid I did not know what that meant.

"I do" He answers the Father as I look to Catherns, waiting.

"Do you, Queen Evania Anah of Ophela?" Father Catherns asks me as I ignore my beating heart and answer.

"I do" I answer back as I finally hear those words.

"I now pronounce Queen Evania Anah of Ophela and Gabriel Dukes of Narvyia, husband and wife." Father Catherns declares as my heart drops looking to my now husband.

"Gabriel Dukes, Prince of Narvyia?" I ask aloud as he looks up.

"Pleased to be your husband, Queen Evania" He smirks as my eyes want to clammer shut but I force them open.

"Announce it, Father" I ask of him as he nods. Pulling the bell as I hear the chiming of the bell I knew it was too late.

And with the proclamation of that name I knew, certainly that this was the biggest mistake of my life.