Chapter 6: Marriage proposition

Cassia’s POV

I looked at him, “Who… who are you?” I asked him in doubt and trembling all over, I felt like I was so vulnerable at this stage being in his presence like his, and I was only wearing what I wore when I was home. All I was wearing was my princess dress, it was white with gold trimmings on the side, customed like this only in Aspire and my country was known for clothing such as this. It was a long white dress with a V-Neck at the top that showed a little chest but not too much. The atmosphere was tense but somehow soft at the same time.

I kept my gaze on the shadow King as I swallowed a breath, waiting what he had to say to me.

“It has only been a week since we met on the battlefield, have you forgotten my face already?” he questioned me. I looked slower coming to the realisation that what I thought it was true…. I grasped, “Your…. Your…..” I said, “Forgive me my manners, my name is Derek, I am the Shadow King as you know me by, at your service…” he said to me kindly yet charmingly motioning his hand as he bowed tenderly to me in a kind and formal manner. I swallowed a breath as I took a deep breath to ask him; “How did… I end up here?” I questioned him confused covering myself with the blanket.

“Your… captain… well, it’s a long story, I will let your commander tell you the rest when you do eventually go back to your Kingdom… well… I don’t know how long that will be so I may as well tell you myself…. looks like you’ve got some problems going on in your Kingdom that you need to seek refuge…. your own council is trying to kill you, future Queen of Aspire….” He told me. When he told me this, I remember vaguely what the captain tried to tell me, but I didn’t believe it, I just went along with it because I was afraid of what he said to me. I went quiet for a moment trying to process what was going on.

“That still doesn’t tell me how I ended up here in your Kingdom, your Majesty….” I said to him cautiously.

He looked at me and grinned placing his thump on his lip in intrigue.

“I happened to be in the tavern where your commander brought you and… I took you under my wing to seek refuge in my Kingdom as a refugee…. You have nothing to fear here…. the People of my Kingdome does not need to know you are here… you will be held in the safety of the compounds of my palace should you so desire but you are not allowed to return to Aspire until… things settle down for you….” He told me with a serious expression on his face as he folded his arms and leaned back in his chair still keeping his gaze on me as he took a deep breath.

“Looks like we both have some problems going on in our Kingdoms, young Princess…” he told me.

I went quiet as I looked at him. I swallowed a breath as I tried to move. “Why can’t I move, what did you do to me?” I questioned him in fear and suspicion. “I never done anything to you, it was your captain, as to why he put you to sleep is beyond me, it’s not my way of treating women” he winked at me with a smirk on his face. I blushed for a moment. “Forgive me for accusing you, your Majesty… I am in your refuge, and I accuse you like that… I am just confused now so please do pardon me….” I said apologetically, knowing I am in the hands of my enemy, but right now he is the one giving me refuge and if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already, is what I thought. I must tread lightly.

“I understand, young Princess…..” he said simply as he stared at me.

He took a deep breath for a moment. “How old are you?” he asked me. “20 years old.” I responded simply. “No boyfriends or lovers, fiancé?” he asked me. “No of course not!” I blushed.

“Good…. Because I have a proposition for you” he said to me. “What sort of proposition?” I questioned him.

“I need to expand my empire and I need allies and resources… I need more men in my army, seeing that you destroyed 20% of my army that time we battled, I now need more men and resources… and you need to be married to become queen according to your own law….” He leered at me. “Yes and?” I questioned him.

“Marry me, and become Queen of your Kingdom, and in return you give me what I need, and you get what you want” he told me. I went completely blank for a moment at such a proposition. Me, marry the Shadow King!!?” I questioned within myself.

“I can’t marry the Shadow King…. What you are asking me is to hand over my empire to you on a silver platter I can’t do that!” I said to him passionately in self-defence, trying to hold and protect the people of my Kingdom.

“I don’t think you have much of a choice, princess… you never heard what I said, I am not taking over your Kingdom…. You can keep your Empire and your Kingdom for all I care…. All I want is soldiers and resources….I want us to join alliances and side by side, we could conquer distant lands, I need soldiers and resources and you need protection and a Husband King to become Queen. Marry me, and you become Queen and we both get what we want, princess….. What do you say?” He asked me.

I was shocked at his proposal. “But…. there will be no love involved, purely political….” I said to him. “In times of war, there is no such thing as love as you put it, princess…. At least I am being honest with you in what I want from this arrangement” he said to me as he drank his wine.

I got up out of the bed and leaned against the desk to hold my stance as I looked at him, “Well, I have a couple of my own conditions for this proposal if I do accept this” I told him.

He looked at me, “State your case” he grinned.

“Since there is no love between us, just a mutual trust and respect for what we both want in our interests, I do not want any physical relations if there is no love involved… I don’t see the point in us doing any marital duties since there is no love between us…. Secondly, I want to become Queen and rule my Kingdom as I please to ensure the peace and safety of my people….” I told him.

He chuckled evilly at me, “Is that all?” he questioned me. “Yes” I responded as he got up and walked towards me, I leaned back against the desk as he placed his hands on the desk whilst I was between his hands on the desk. “You don’t have to worry about me targeting you for my physical needs, princess… I have many women who are capable of such demands” he winked at me. “You are disgusting” I told him. He smirked, “do you think I care what you think?” He smirked at me, I never said a word as he leaned in and was about to kiss me when the sun had set and it turned into evening. His lips were so close to mine that I felt his warm breath against my lips. I felt like he was no threat, but still I was still cautious…

He moved back suddenly, “I will instruct my servants to take you and prepare, we wed by morning light. Get some rest” He told me suddenly as he left the room.

“So soon!?” I questioned in shock.

“We need to move fast… your own council wants you dead and you need to become Queen to authorise commands and rulership.” He told me walking out the bedroom. “And you? What will you do?” I questioned him. He stopped for a moment and turned around to glance at me, “I have my own plans” he smirked and left the bedroom. “After we wed. stay with me for one month before you return to Aspire, so that I could teach you how to run a Kingdom.” He told me. “Why are you doing this?” I asked him. He stood there for a moment and glanced at me, “you saved my life on the battlefield that day, at least, I let me repay you a kindness that you showed me…. I’ve… had many enemies that has tried to kill me, but you were the only one who spared my life, even though you didn’t know it was me, but you showed honour and integrity on the battlefield, and for that, I thank you” he smiled tenderly as he embraced my face tenderly and left my presence.