Seven Lords Wife

The more Meribella thought about it, the tighter dread coiled in her chest like a serpent squeezing the breath from her lungs. Never once had Raze called her his bride—not at the church, not before the crowd, and certainly not now. He had only ever referred to her as the

'Ravencrest bride.'

She recalled with growing horror that Ravencrest was divided into seven large towns—not mere villages but sprawling territories ruled by lords. Together, these seven towns formed the whole of Ravencrest.

The moment the realisation hit her, she stopped breathing. A hot flush crept up her neck and face. Her eyes widened in shock. Her heart thundered so loudly that she could hear it in her ears. She felt a wave of nausea and sickness in panic.

"Breathe," Raze said, but his words barely registered in her mind. All she could think of was that this man—this cruel madman who had swept her away without mercy or explanation, had sealed her fate in a twisted way after crushing all her dreams.

Her vision became blurry, and the edges of her surroundings darkened as her chest grew tight. It felt as if she was drowning under the weight of her situation. She was unable to catch her breath or escape the intense despair that was closing in on her.

Raze moved quickly, and in one swift motion, he was beside her. His hand wrapped around her waist, turning her to face him as he grasped her jaw, gently but firmly forcing her mouth open.

She gasped!

The air rushed into her lungs, which were desperate for oxygen. She was pulled back from the brink of collapsing and returned to the present moment with a harsh jolt.

When he saw that she was stable, he reluctantly let go of his hands—one that had snaked around on her waist and the other that held her jaw.

Their eyes remained locked. Raze did not step away. He stayed close, his gold-flecked eyes burning with an intensity that sent a prickling sensation over her skin.

For a split second, the golden flecks in his irises flared into a bright, molten orange, almost forming a complete ring. This radiant band pressed the darker ring, circling his pupils; it flickered to test its boundary. Then, just as quickly as it had come, the orange ring faded, and his eyes returned to their usual glow, making her wonder if she had really seen the change at all.

For a heartbeat, she could have sworn she saw a flicker of concern creasing his brow. But as soon as it surfaced, it was gone, replaced by the same unreadable calm that had haunted her since the moment they met.

This man was a mystery to her.

The carriage lurched to a stop, and the door swung open. A figure in red stood at the entrance, handed Raze a wooden canteen without speaking, and then disappeared just as swiftly.

"Drink," Raze offered Meribella the canteen, which contained water.

Meribella stared at the canteen for a brief moment before reaching out for it with her trembling hands. Her throat felt dry, and her mind was still reeling, but she obeyed. She lifted the canteen to her lips and took a few small sips.

The water was cool, but it did little to calm her racing heart. She still felt nauseous and dizzy. Her chest felt tight, making her breathe harder.

"I...I need some air," she whispered in a barely audible voice before moving to leave the carriage.

Raze placed his hand on the door, stopping her from leaving, not because he did not want her to but to prevent her from stumbling in her current state of mind. He stepped down from the carriage and offered his hand to help her down.

Meribella took his hand with trembling fingers, barely aware of his touch.

She needed some space. She needed air to breathe. She needed to calm the storm raging inside her.

Her steps were uneven and faltering, but that didn't stop her from walking heedless of the direction, as if distance alone could shield her from him and the suffocating atmosphere inside the carriage. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear and confusion.

The more she walked, the more reality crashed down on her, and she realised what truly had happened.

Her family would be branded traitors because of her. That thought made her stomach churn. Her chest tightened with a pain so sharp it almost stole her breath. People adored Edwyn... no they worshipped him. he was their sun. She would be marked two-timer, the betrayer and that stigma would crush her parents under its label.

Hot tears started to blur her vision, her feet dragging through the uneven ground.

She had worked so hard to restore her family's name, earn respect, and stand tall in front of people who had once looked down on them. Being a fallen noble was a curse. A stain that neither the nobility nor the commoners accept. And now, because of her, her parents would suffer. Her sister would suffer. And she—she would be the one to blame.

The tears came harder now, streaming down her cheeks in a relentless flood. Her chest heaved with silent sobs as she walked. Her steps were growing more unsteady with each passing moment.

She had a dark, shameful past—a past where she had been treated like a cursed woman until Edwyn had come into her life and gave her a chance to start over. And now, that chance was gone.

Meribella cried out louder now. The sound was raw and guttural, echoing in the empty landscape around her. She didn't care who heard her. She didn't care about anything anymore.

Raze moved to follow, but the red-cloaked figure who had handed him the canteen revealed a face of sharp, pointed features. "Stay here," she said firmly. "I'll go after her."

More cloaked figures dismounted from their horses and lowered their hoods, revealing one more woman and four men.

"What did you do?" Lyrith asked.

Raze didn't immediately respond. He looked annoyed as his gaze remained fixed on Meribella's retreating figure rather than the woman questioning him.

"I did nothing, Lyrith" he replied, his tone clipped. "She ran her imagination pretty wild."

His matter-of-fact reply earned a round of silent headshakes in disappointment—not in Meribella, but in Raze. It was clear they all knew exactly how he was. Never the easiest one.

Celina kept a respectful distance behind Meribella, silently shielding her as they walked. Fifteen minutes have passed, but Meribella's tears refused to stop.

Gradually, the landscape shifted, and they approached a line of tall trees. Meribella lifted her foot to continue when another female voice halted her in her tracks.

"If I were you," the woman said, "I wouldn't go any farther that way."

Startled, Meribella whirled around. Her eyes were red from weeping, and her makeup was smudged.

She stared at the woman in shock. Her mind struggled to process where she had come from. It wasn't until she noticed the woman's attire—similar to Raze's.

'A female in men's clothes?'

"A…are you with him?" Meribella mumbled. Her voice was hoarse as she wiped her tear-stained cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Yes! We all arrived together," the woman confirmed gently. "My name is Celina Thornvines, lady Meribella."

"I'm no longer a 'lady,' Miss Celina," Meribella murmured, wincing at the bitter truth of her fallen status, her respect and her dreams. "Please, call me Miss Meribella."

A polite smile curved Celina's lips as she moved closer.

"Miss Meribella, then. Let me take you somewhere that might help you ease your mind."

Meribella nodded, having neither the energy nor the will to protest. She followed Celina in another direction for another ten minutes until the soothing roar of water reached her ears.

A river flowed downhill, cascading over rocks with a soothing sound. The noise of the falling water drowned out all other sounds, even her chaotic thoughts. For the first time since the church, she felt a sense of peace.

Before the water fell, there was a calm area where water pooled gently, with large rocks rising above the surface. Celina took her boots off and stepped into the cool water, feeling it sink around her bare feet. She looked back at Meribella and signalled for her to join.

"Come. You'll feel better," she encouraged.

At first, Meribella hesitated. Then, with a small nod, she slipped off her white heels, removed her white socks and let her feet sink into the cool stream.

A gentle chill brushed against her skin, bringing a small sense of relief to her aching body. The two women settled onto one of the broad rocks, letting the water flow around their ankles.

No words were exchanged. Meribella simply watched the water, letting the sound of the river wash over her pain, filling the void in her mind.

Eventually, Meribella leaned forward to cup the water in both palms to rinse her tear-streaked face. She repeated the gesture several times until Celina wordlessly handed her a handkerchief.

"Thank you," Meribella whispered, patting her cheeks dry.

"My pleasure," Celina responded softly. Celina's kindness encouraged Meribella to ask a question, even though she felt uncertain about whether she should.

She turned to Celina with an unsure expression. "May I…ask you something?"

Meribella wasn't sure if Celina would answer her questions or if she would be as cryptic and evasive as Raze, but she asked anyway.

"Am I being taken to Ravencrest to marry the seven lords?"