Deal

Now that my debut is over, even if I missed it, I still have to marry Alistair. I'm sure Father doesn't want this because I was supposed to be with Jerome, the crown prince, but it's not like he's here to stop it.

I stand still as the servants helped me dress up for my wedding, I look still in the mirror, The room is cold

It was not like before when I first woke up here, Back then, I was so fascinated in the green lands, the chandeliers, but now, it seems all the color has dissapeared

When they put in the last piece of my clothing, they look at me hesitantly before leaving me in the room

I sighed, looking at the white dress that I was wearing, it didn't suit me, white was never my color, but it seems to be just fine with Reillana, still, I see my reflection rather than hers, and I hate it.

I sighed deeply, breathing deeply, closing my eyes, calming myself before I open my eyes

"Wait.. what was my vows again?" I frantically said, walking over to the table and finding the vow sheet they gave me

Eh- this is so cheesy!

"Hm.. I, Reillana Alexandra Millaber, firstborn child of Duke Millaber, vow to stand by my spouse's side until death, in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty. ..B-..Between heaven and earth, My heart will be on my palm as I shall offer it to him. This, I vow"

I then turned when I heard the door open, It was Alistair closing the door

"I'm sure you yourself doesn't want to get married with me" He spoke "so I've come to make a deal with you."

I raised my eyebrow, "And that is...?"

"I wanna ask you a question first," He said, sitting in one of the chairs

"You're aware that we still have that 'token of forgiveness' from the Emperor, why don't you use that to get out of this marriage?" He asks

"Why don't you use it to marry Arielle instead?"

"Arielle? Oh, Kleods?" He spoke "She doesn't seem to like me in that way"

I approached and sat in the chair in front of him

"She poisoned me, hoping for me to die so she could marry you"

"Do you want me to get rid of her then?"

I raised my eyebrow, "She's the Empire's second light. Marrying her would benefit all of yo- us. Would benefit all of us"

Surely saying "all of you" will make me sound like a different person, not that I'm not..

He sighs, resting his chin on his palm "There's no light in an Empire, it's sorrounded by warriors who lives under the Crown's shadows, the ones who dies for the crown"

"What's life without sacrifice?"

He paused at my sentence before looking at me, "Indeed, you can't know life if you're innocent."

"So.. can I ask what's this 'deal' now?" I asked

His eyes narrowed, sighing

"Let's not get intimate."

...huh? Intimate? Oh.. that's what couples do when they're married..

"Yeah sure" she shrugs "under one condition though"

His eyebrow raises "what?"

"You will not put a chain on me, imprisoned me into the palace, just me and my free life, that's all I asked."

He scoffed "as if you aren't already chained."