No one took notice of my entrance to the main hall. I stood mainly in the back, but I wanted to move forward. My father did not sit in his throne, but my mother did. My brothers stood behind my father along with Jenna next to Matt and Bonnie next to Jeremy. I didn't pay much attention to the pleasantries exchanged between my father and Elijah.
I was more intrigued in ogling the god. Tall, definitely a head taller than me and he held a few inches on every man in the room. He towered, with broad shoulders and a massive chest. Standing on long powerful legs encased in black material. His hair was silky and light brown, shaggy yet professional. Full lips, strong jaw with a five o'clock shadow that made him terrifyingly beautiful. A golden complexion, clean and strong, but it was his eyes.
They were brown, a brilliant striking hazelnut that didn't look real or human. They looked alive with wisdom and power, rolling like stormy depths that you could get lost in. He was magnificent and I felt small.
I knew I was gorgeous. I was a royal, it was expected, but this man, this god, this king, he made me feel ugly. Not enough, plain. I shifted my weight, feeling very heavy at the moment. " . . . Correct, Elena?" My father finished, snapping me out of my depressing thoughts and back into reality.
"Father?" I asked, not quite remembering what he was speaking about. Actually I just did not know because I was too busy drooling.
"You will show our guests to their rooms? Right?" It was a dare. Do it. Do not do it. He was daring me and I was being stupid. With a completely fake and plastered smile, I clasp my hands in front of me and nod.
"It would be a delight, father." I say, sweetly. Elijah glanced at my father before back over at me.
"It would be." Grayson agreed.
"The west wing?" I asked, my voice just as tight as his and just as sweet.
"Yes, daughter." He confirmed. His hand clasps around Elijah's shoulder.
"Elijah, you and your company can settle in while dinner is prepared and then we can meet for discussion in regards to King Thomas of Spain, yes?" My father asked and Elijah nodded.
"Elijah." I repeated and all eyes snap to me.
"You are on a first name basis with the King of England . . . how convenient." It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. Damn, maybe Jeremy was right and I should just have my tongue removed.
"Yes." My father said nothing else, his hand extended.
"Please, lead the way." He motioned and I turned, starting forward.
"You are good at that." My father commented, snidely, because he could not fucking help himself. I was not letting him get the last word.
"I get it from my father." I throw back at him over my shoulder as I continue from the great hall, a group following.
Once it was just me, my father, and Elijah. We all stilled in front of his double doors. Shocking.
Just before I could leave, my father spoke, "Now, King Elijah, if you need anything and I do mean anything, just ask Elena." Grayson stepped away from him and my lips parted as I stilled, slightly angled away from them. My father started back down the hall, but in the end he said over his shoulder.
"Even if it is just for her to spread her legs." He walked calmly away then and my vision turned black. White hot rage boiled within my blood stream. It caused me to start shaking as a low growl rumbled in my throat. I spun on him.
"You son of a fucking bitch. This is your fault and I will not spread my legs for you, ever. So, if you need something and god forbid the wonderful King Elijah be denied anything, flash your smile. I am sure whatever maid you are given will drop to her knees and deep throat your cock, but I am not that maid." I spin on my heel and start away, but a large strong hand wrapped around my upper bicep and pulled me back, pushing me into in the wall.
I gasped in a sharp breath and my hand slammed out, colliding with his smooth cheek. The sound rebounded and bounced off the walls. His head barely jerked and that pissed me off. He was staring down at me. His head still held high, but his lashes lowered. They were long lashes, thick and black, framing the chips of chocolate he called eyes.
"Contrary to whatever popular belief you have of me, love, I am not a pig and I do not command a woman to spread her legs. I do not even need to ask her. She is usually a more than willing participant." He said and there was no doubt in my mind about that.
"How sweet, but the only way you Englishmen will get me to spread my legs, is if you pry them open, again." I shoved his chest, he did not budge.
"Move." I demand and he did not move. He just watched me. His tongue darted to wet his lips and he took a step back. His spine was straight and his head was held high, but his eyes were lowered to the ground. It was a move I had made a few times in my life. One when I needed to apologize, but would not dare show any amount of weakness. My standing did not allow that and his sure as hell did not.
His eyes lifted and met mine. "Elena." I cut him off.
"My name is Princess. Family and friends call me Elena, you are neither." I inform him and he just stares at me, for a long moment.
"Princess, I know it does not mean much, but I want to apologize for the actions of the rulers before me. I assure you, under my rule that has never and will never occur to anyone. The man who raped you is dead. By my hand." He confessed, shocking the living hell out of me. Can a person die from shock? Because I think I just did.
"He is dead." I breathed, but I was not technically talking to him. I was just repeating because I thought he was somewhere with a wife and children, living a wondrous life. Free. I was wrong. He was dead. I blinked away the tears, but they fell and I felt small again.
"I am fully aware that your reputation is in shatters. Destroyed. Gone. And I want to issue a formal pardon, a confession with England taking full credit for the loss of your virtue." He was saying words and they made sense, I just did not get them. He wanted to issue a formal pardon. That would basically be saying that the rape never occurred. It would basically be saying that I was still pure.
I opened my mouth, then shut it because I had no words. None, but I did. "No." I say and he blinked, because yeah. A formal pardon was not a small thing. It was a huge, epic surrender and I was saying no. I still could not even wrap my mind around it.
"I have had sex in the time between then and now. Consensual and frankly, if you give a formal pardon those men will come back and want a marriage. I will be labeled a bigger whore than I already am. I like my life and I do not want it to change. Your offer is very humbling and extremely considerate, but I must decline. I do not want it. You are a little too late there, your majesty." I gave a slight bow of my head before bypassing him and walking away.
•••
Three weeks. They have been here for three weeks and not even Jeremy knows what they are discussing. I was walking around when an out-of-breath guard came running over. I blinked, "Princess, your father seeks you urgently." He pants and I move, walking quickly toward the meeting room.
I walked through the French doors, council, my parents, Elijah, Rebecca, Bonnie, and my siblings were in here. I blinked again. A sinking feeling filled my chest. Oh I did not like this.
"Father? You called?" I asked and he stared at me.
"Yes. We have reached a decision." He informed me and I also took notice of Spain's Queen Esmeralda holding her two year old son, Jack. I glance to the side.
"How nice, father, that is, that is great. What exactly does that have to do with me?" I ask, not looking in the least bit amused. I did not like where this was going. In fact, it was scaring me.
"We are bounding our countries by marriage. The child brought forth, the first born daughter, will marry Jack, Prince of Spain when she is of age." He said, but he was not making any sense.
"England and France will unite in the unity of marriage and the first born daughter brought forth by that marriage will one day marry Jack, binding our three countries." Okay, that made more sense. I felt my stomach coil and my insides tense.
"Okay." I whispered, my brothers were watching me, carefully. Oh god, no . . .
"You will marry Elijah." Not a question. Not a suggestion. A full blown command. You will marry Elijah.
Simple. To the point. Black spots danced around my vision and I collapsed. Yep, that is me. Falling onto my side while Jeremy and Matt rush to me. My mouth was open and my body was not functioning. I could not breathe. At all.
"Elena." Jeremy's voice sounded far off and hazy as if he'd yelled it through water.
"Elena." Matt's voice came in a little clearer, but I was still lost. My father was marrying me off to a country responsible for my rape. I would live in the castle of the people who organized it. I would sit in the throne of the woman who orchestrated it all. I would sleep with their son. I was wrong. Being ruined was not a damnation. This, this was a damnation.
"I told you she would not take it well." My mother commented, fury lacing her tone, moving to kneel next to me.
"Elena." She whispered gently against my ear.
"You must. This is what being a royal means. Sacrifice. You agreeing to this will allow men to go home to their children and wives. Peace will reign in all corners of Europe. No more bloodshed. No more war. Daughter, please." Her voice was barely over a whisper.
"Jenna." I mumble and she shook her head.
"Too young." She murmured back and I searched the ground. I would beg. I would kneel. I was not going to marry him. I was lying to myself. I would not beg. I would never kneel. I was going to marry him, because it would set peace in motion. This country would not be slaughtering its people. My life is nothing compared to the thousands upon thousands of others. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to kill something, I did not do any of those things. I sat up and stood.
I faced my father, "What if I cannot conceive?" I demand, because that was the question, was it not? My mother had more than enough problems conceiving. It took her ten years after her marriage to conceive me and even longer to achieve Jeremy.
"An annulment? Because if I cannot conceive, then England has no heir and the treaty is void." I say simply and they all stare at me, as if they had not even fucking realized that.
"Quick question, gentle-fucking-men." I growl.
"You all are sitting in here, peacefully, none of you looking ready to cut the other, yet you need to shove me into a marriage on the basis of something that might not even occur. Why not just call a truce? Huh? Why continue the wars? You are kings, for god's sake, just end it. Agree, right now, over fucking wine, to end the goddamn bloodshed!" I scream and everyone but the three kings flinched.
"The people. Our people are harder to control than that, majesty." Thomas said, his voice soft and calm.
"They need something to cling to. The promise of a child and the happiness of a marriage will bring that satisfaction. During this time, we will look for an alternative, but right now. All we have is this." Thomas finished, having not changed his facial expression or his posture during the entire explanation. He was a handsome man. Truthfully, but he was weird. My face must have said just that because the corners of his lips twitched up.
"When is the wedding?" I asked, no, I demanded.
"Tomorrow night." My father said and I barked out a laugh because truly, this was insane. I turn to him. To Elijah.
"You want a whore for a wife? A woman that has been ruined for over a decade? I am not exactly a pushover, Elijah." I coo and he watches me, unaffected.
"You do have a sharp tongue." He agreed and I nod.
"Yes and I will not listen to you. I will not bow to your whim. You could threaten my life and I still would not do it." I inform him and he cocks his head to the side.
"Not even to save your life?" He asked and I shook my head.
"You are not afraid to die?" He asked, incredulous and I shook my head again.
"No, I am not. You do not fear dying if you have nothing to lose and I have nothing to lose." I inform him, dying scared me about as much as breathing. I would not blink twice. Elijah did not respond.
"Oh joy, I will send out invitations." My father commented.
"Will I live in England?" I ask and my father glances at me.
"No, you will be a consort. Elijah will return every month to, you know." My father said giving me a look.
"Fuck me into impregnation? Oh my god, I am going to have a monthly appointment, a literal schedule as to when I should sleep with my husband. Well, is this not just romantic?" I scoff and turn on my heel walking out of the room.