CHAPTER 7

Dianne sat wearily and stared at herself in the mirror, at long last, she was able to rest. Somehow, father decided to make their journey to the northern kingdoms, a little earlier, they had been trudging non stop through the woods on carriages and horses. Luckily, the northern men had built houses along the roads, making it easier to rest as they went along. Yet, she felt father wasn’t telling her the truth, what could possibly had made him in such a hurry to marry her off, speaking of marriage, she sighed, all to soon she had wished they spent more time on the road.

    Now, tonight was her wedding, the Prince made sure that her wedding was an elaborate one, kings and queens were invited for their wedding.  Here she was, decked out in the traditional wedding attire of the northern, white and baby blue, the two colors she hated the most, she wanted a bolder color, but father said it was proper, especially since it represented that she was untouched. The dress was hideous, covering her from head to toe, it didn’t even showcase her curves, which she was proud of, even widows garment was better than this. She looked as if she was going for a funeral instead of her wedding, she told Maria, she hated it and she said.

“my princess, you look beautiful”.

She wasn’t supposed to look beautiful on her wedding day, she was supposed to look, titiliating, captivating, hot, sexy, on her wedding day, instead she looked like this, even the make up was hideous, and she was sure the jewels were fake it didn’t even shine in the bright light, ugh, this was not how she planned her wedding to be.

            Perhaps, maybe she was harsh on Prince Edward, she knew he genuinely liked her, but she knew as well that she doesn’t love him, like him.... yes, he was a very easy person to like, maybe, she’ll grow to love him as father had said, or maybe she wouldn’t, because her thoughts were on another. She shook her head, it wasn’t possible, she barely knew anything about him, but that night left a permanent mark on her, that she was unable to erase, his voice, his mouth.....

Ugh, where was Maria when she needed her.

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They stormed the castle at night, killing every one in their paths. Lucien was livid with anger.

“i want the princess, alive, not one single hair on her head to be touched, the rest......”, he said, “KILL”.

    Lucien was a sight to behold, blocking every blow and attack with his sword, killing them all without batting an eye.

“news?!, Jasper”, he barked, slicing a soldier arm, his screams echoing around the palace.

“the wedding is taking place at the royal chamber”, Jasper said and gasped as Lucien used him to waive the attacks.

“how about, we go crash the wedding”, he said and ordered his men to search the area. The hall way was already littered with bodies and yet not a single scratch on him.

“my lord, we’ve found them”, a warrior said to Lucien.

“they are in a well hidden and secure place, my lord, you won’t even notice it at all.

   Lucien sniggered, they took great pains in making sure, they hid what belonged to him, a wedding, if there’s anyone the princess was marrying it would be him. No one takes what was his and go scot free, no one....

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King Maximillian knew that when the door came bursting down, that is days was over and Lucien stepped in.

“sorry to barge in on your party”, he said and scanned everywhere, he turned staring daggers at King Maximillian.

“where the fuck is she”, he said.

        Prince Edward lifted his face and said proudly, “I’m sorry if you didn’t get an invitation to my wedding with my beloved bride, we can settle that, now if.....”.  Hardly had he finished his sentence, that Lucien struck him with a blow.

“now, listen, you pampered son of a bitch”, Lucien said lifting him by the collar. “first of all, she’s not your bride and second, there’s no way I’m letting you get married to her”. He said to a trembling Edward.

“do you understand me”, he bellowed and Prince Edward nodded.

“how can you say such a thing”, a voice said behind him, it was the priest.

“and who can you be”.

“I am a living testimony to the fact, that the princess is betrothed to this man”, the priest said.

“so your the priest who performed the engagement and you intend to join them today, is that it”, Lucien said dangerously.

“I am”, the priest said proudly, not noticing the deadly look on Lucien’s face.

    In seconds, the priest head was severed from his body, everyone gasped at the bizarre sight.

“now, let’s start again, I am Prince Lucien of the Da Vinci family and heir to the throne of all the nine plains, including the one your bastard king is sits on, I’m only going to say this once, failure to comply, all of you will end up like that man”, he said, pointing to the priest dead body.

“where is the Princess!!”.......

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Dianne stood stiffly as the maids arranged her hair and her clothes, for her wedding, at anytime soon, Maria will be here telling her, it’s time to proceed.

“my Princess, you look beautiful”, they said to her. Dianne scoffed, she looked beautiful in their eyes, but she had seen better days.

“Maria, will be here soon, leading you to your future husband”, a maid  had said.

        Dianne smiled thinking of all the troubles and pain, she would inflict on him, he was going to pay.

“where the hell was Maria?”.

 The maid mistook her smile and said, “Prince Edward is a good man, he will treat you well”.

But i wouldn’t. He’s going to have the worst life in all his years.

         The door flew open with Maria rushing in, “my.... Princess...... my ..... Princess”.

“calm down, Maria, breathe evenly and tell us what’s going on”, Dianne said.

“it’s horrible, my Princess, you are not safe here, we need to leave”, the maid said, already dragging her Princess out of the room.

“what is happening, speak to me, Maria”, Dianne ordered.

“soldiers from nowhere are in the palace, all hell has broken loose, the king has ordered for your safety at once, we must leave”, Maria said, and when no one made a move, she screamed, “we are at war!!”. That did it, the maids that was attending to the Princess, all flew out of the room with their hearts in their throats.

“come now, my Princess, we must leave”, Maria said and Dianne hurriedly followed, it was hard to keep up with her flowing dress, but still she did her best, they stepped over dead bodies, it was really a bloody war.

       Then the worst happened, arrows flew towards them and Maria quickly reacted.

“my Princess, look out”, she said and stood in front of her blocking all the arrows from her.

“Maria, NO!!”, Dianne screamed, but it was too late more than one arrow was embedded in her.

She coughed out blood, “my..... my..... Princess”, she started to say.

“no, no, Maria, save your energy, I’m going to get us out of here”, Dianne said as tears started to slid down her face in earnest.

“no.... my Princess, it’s too late for me”, Maria said, she could feel the life slipping away from her.

“don’t say that, Maria we have a lot of things to do, lots of plans to achieve, I’m your Princess, I order you not to die on me”. Dianne cried her dress soaking up the blood as she sought to give Maria some relief, but she knew it wasn’t working, Maria stilled her hand.

"I am glad, I get to serve you, my Princess, being at your service is the best thing that has ever happened to me”, Maria said, wheezing....