A Proposal Drenched in Poison

The throne room was suffocating.

Eva stood in the center, spine rigid, hands clenched at her sides as Lord Magnus spoke. His voice was smooth, practiced—like a man who had spent years perfecting the art of manipulation.

"Princess," he said, his lips curling into something that was meant to be a smile but felt more like a trap. "Surely, you must see reason. A union between us would strengthen the kingdom. It is the logical choice."

Logical.

Eva almost laughed.

She had spent her entire life being told what was logical—what was expected. Who she should be. Who she should love.

And now, Lord Magnus, with his calculating eyes and honeyed words, was asking her to shackle herself to him?

"No."

The room went still.

Magnus' smile didn't falter, but his eyes darkened. "No?"

Eva lifted her chin. "You heard me."

The air in the room shifted. The king, seated on his throne, drummed his fingers against the armrest. King Aldric was a ruler who valued alliances over sentiment, but even he had hesitated when Magnus first proposed marriage.

Now, all eyes were on him.

"My daughter," the king said, his tone neutral. "Consider carefully before you speak."

Eva forced herself to stay calm. She could feel Lucian watching her from his place near the guards, his presence steady, unwavering. Tobias and Gareth stood further back, while Isolde lingered near the hall, wringing her hands.

She wasn't alone.

She wouldn't let them decide her fate.

"I have considered," Eva said, leveling Magnus with a steady gaze. "And my answer remains the same."

Silence.

Magnus exhaled through his nose, his fingers twitching at his side. "I expected foolishness," he murmured. "But not to this degree."

Eva stiffened.

"Think carefully, princess," Magnus continued, stepping closer. "I am offering you power, stability, protection. Everything a woman could desire."

Everything except freedom.

Eva clenched her jaw. "I do not need your protection, my lord."

Magnus' expression barely flickered, but there was something dangerous in the way his posture shifted. "Then you are more naive than I thought."

Lucian moved before he could stop himself.

One step.

A single step forward, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, eyes locked onto Magnus.

The message was clear.

Watch your tongue.

Magnus noticed. Of course he did.

He turned his head slightly, lips curling into something cruel. "Ah. Of course." His gaze flicked between Eva and Lucian. "You have… other influences clouding your judgment."

Eva's stomach twisted.

Magnus was no fool. He saw things others didn't. And right now, he saw the tension in the room, the unspoken weight in Lucian's stance, the way Eva stood closer to him than to anyone else.

Magnus' lips curled. "A princess and her knight." His voice dripped with mockery. "How poetic."

Lucian's grip tightened on his sword.

Eva burned with anger. Not just at Magnus' audacity, but at the way the king remained silent. Watching. Weighing his options.

"I will not marry you," she repeated, her voice sharper this time. "No matter what you offer."

Magnus tilted his head. "And if it was not an offer?"

A chill ran down her spine.

Lucian took another step forward.

But before anyone could react, another voice cut through the tension.

"Tch. What a pathetic display."

All heads turned.

Tobias.

The dishwasher.

The man who had punched Cedric in the face last week.

He stood near the grand doors, arms crossed, looking wholly unimpressed. "I mean, really? A grown man throwing a tantrum because a lady doesn't want him? Have some dignity, my lord."

A strangled sound came from behind him.

Gareth. Struggling not to burst out laughing.

Isolde's eyes went wide with horror.

Even King Aldric pinched the bridge of his nose.

Magnus, however, was not amused.

His eyes darkened, his usual mask of control slipping for the briefest moment. "Who," he said, voice like steel, "let the dishwasher into this discussion?"

Tobias grinned. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just enjoying the show."

Eva almost smiled.

Magnus, however, had clearly reached the limits of his patience.

He straightened, turning back to the king. "Your Majesty," he said, voice measured. "It is clear that the princess is being… influenced." His gaze flicked toward Lucian. "If you truly care for the stability of this kingdom, you will make the decision for her."

Eva's stomach twisted.

King Aldric sighed, as if this entire ordeal was a nuisance to him. "I will consider it."

Eva's nails dug into her palms. "Father—"

"Enough." The king's voice left no room for argument. "We will speak of this later."

Later.

Which meant the discussion was far from over.

Magnus smiled.

Eva felt sick.

As the court began to disperse, Lucian approached her. He didn't speak—not here, not in front of everyone—but his hand brushed against hers, just for a second.

A silent promise.

You are not alone.

Eva exhaled.

The war was far from over. But she would not surrender.