A Tearful Reunion (I)

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"F-father, please don't let me go, I-I really want to stay." In the dimly lit study for the king, Genevieve's petrified voice echoed.

"Nonsense!!" the king, however, smacked his cane on the table, "You have been married to the king of Darkshire, and as his bride you must go with him!!"

The wedding ended and all the guests had left, but so did the king of Darkshire who mysteriously exited the room without a word. Nevertheless, Genevieve knew she would soon be leaving the castle, as there was nothing left to be done.

But she didn't want to go. She wanted to stay. Going with a villainous king to a kingdom she knew nothing about made her feel hopeless. She would eventually be despised by them, as everyone did to her. Only her father's change in heart could save her now.

Even though he had previously turned deaf to her pleas, she hoped he would listen to her this time. She had pleaded to see him as her last wish, but here he was now looking at her with that familiar hatred in her eyes.

"H-he doesn't love me f-father. I don't l-like him, too." Genevieve solemnly uttered.

However, King Tobias responded heartlessly, "Marrying him was never your choice, Genevieve. Of all people, you should know that a Princess' duty comes before love. Marrying him is your duty."

"B-but father, he's a tyrant. He'll kill me." She reminded her father of the king's nature, yet he remained unfazed.

Contrary to her pitiful state, the king's face twisted in disgust. "He won't kill you if you decide not to irritate him like you do to everyone else."

"F-father, I-I–"

The king cut her short, "He is the most powerful man in the entire continent. He alone can help me achieve my goals."

Genevieve knew her father's heart was like a glacier which could hardly be melted. She decided to be more open to him.

"Why do you never understand me, father?" she asked, as tears filled her eyes.

"Who would understand a rebellious child who never listens to her father?" The king cruelly responded, his fists clenched in anger at her repulsing state.

"H-have I-I not always l-listened and done e-everything you a-asked of me?" A series of sob escaped Genevieve's lips.

"Well, since you always listen to everything I say, why don't you listen to me and leave with the king and stop making things harder for everyone."

"What about Princess Annabelle and Isabelle, father? You never let them get married to the king, W-why m-me?" in her sorrowful state, she asked the king the one question that filled her mind. However, Genevieve ended up triggering the king's anger.

He yelled at her, "You are not qualified to even utter their names, Genevieve. If only you were beautiful as them….no, if only you were half as proper as they are, this Kingdom would be a better place."

King Tobias' eyes glared at his daughter, who dared to question his decision.

"Please, father just this once, l-listen to me, p--please." In desperation, she begged her father, however he only turned disgusted.

He authoritatively struck his cane one more, "No repulsing tears of yours will ever make me change my mind. You must go with him, Genevieve, else you face the consequences!!

"Should I had known you came here to earn my pity, I would have shoved your request to see me under the carpet."

C-consequences?

Hearing that word, Genevieve shivered. It made her recall how she punished by the king when she first refused his demands to marry the king of Darkshire.

She had been locked in a completely dark room for three days, without any food or water, which made her almost pass out. And when she was forced to accept, her father constantly stationed guards at her room's door for the fear of her escape before her wedding day. She would never want to experience such torture again.

Silently, Genevieve moved to a corner of the room, sobbing profusely.

Seeing this, the king's brows furrowed at her tactics. This defiant child of his sure had numerous tricks up her sleeves to buy people's mercy. However, contrasting his thoughts, Genevieve got so lost in her saddening thoughts, and she didn't realize when she moved to the corner of the floor, weeping

The king sighed, placing his cane on the table. He really needed to talk some senses in her resistant head. He Imposingly moved towards Genevieve. When get close to her, his hand lifted her jaw to carefully look at him.

The king said, "Genevieve, for this time, why don't you listen to me and just go away with him. Or do you not want to see your father conquer other kingdoms?"

However, in her subconscious state, Genevieve shook her head in a 'no' but when she realized what she had done, it was too late.

The king's eyes narrowed, glaring aggressively at her.

"You ungrateful brat!!" He yelled, almost smacking her face with his palm, making her whole body shiver. "I knew you were stupid and good for nothing."

Her body curled up in fear, "F-father, I-I'm sorry. I d-didn't mean t-to–"

"I should have known you were like your mother, an ingrate constantly wanting to bend others towards her rebellious desires."

However, at the king's words, Genevieve felt like her heart had been ripped open. At his words, he suddenly made her recall the memories of the person she was trying so hard to forget.

"N-no, not mother…" she said with a disbelieving voice as tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes.

Once again, the king reminded her of her status in the palace, the reason he never cared about her and honored her wishes. Instantly, her desires to be free from her marriage was melted away.

She was but the king's illegitimate daughter.

Growing up in the castle, Genevieve noticed how she was constantly mistreated and isolated by most of the members of the royal family. She always thought it was because she wasn't beautiful and proper as the rest of the princesses. Not until the night she stumbled into two gossiping maids who addressed her as the king's illegitimate daughter and that her mother was only a maid.

It turned out her mother, Melissa, was a peasant who dreamt of working in the castle to earn a living. However, the last thing she expected was instantly catching the king's eyes, and King Tobias became infatuated by her beauty.

He compelled Melissa into giving to his unlawful demands, but she constantly resisted, however after the king's unbearable pressure, she finally gave in.

Unfortunately, she was discovered pregnant with the king's child six weeks later. The castle had been in an uproar, the furious queen sought to kill her, but with the help of other maids, she escaped from the castle.

Two days after Melissa gave birth to Genevieve, she died due to loneliness and heartbreak of what the king had done to her. When king Tobias discovered the child, he had no option but to take her into the castle since he had nowhere else to keep her, and from then onwards she was declared the king's daughter.

After several years of curiosity, Sarah disclosed this truth to her on the day she turned 18.

Why do you hate me so much, father?" drawn back to the present, she asked king Tobias, to have him hiss.

"Who on earth would love such a despicable child?" The king responded. However, the memories of her mother hurt her than his words

The king furiously moved back to his seat, with failed attempts to make her sensible. It seemed like this child of his would never be as his two other princess'.