Chapter 3

The difference between a boy and a man is always evident to a woman. In this case, I was let down from the number of boys in the room. I was disappointed because these individuals are over the age of eighteen with the future responsibility for an entire kingdom and can't even resist the urge to stare at my breasts. The only man that stood was Roman, but I only wondered what was on his mind tonight. He was very polite and charming but didn't even attempt to smile at Maroon or me. Although Roman seemed to lack the interest in me, I'd prefer Maroon to pick him out of all of the others just knowing that he would simply be a better and more mature partner.

But something wasn't right here.

Maroon cleared the princes out of the room, leaving us alone. I kept my arms crossed over my chest, not knowing what to say. "Well, what did you think?" Maroon said to break the painful silence that washed over us. I let out a sigh, still not knowing what to say.

"The only promising man to me was Roman. He was the only one who managed to keep his eyes up here." I said while pointing at my eyes. I noticed Maroon refrain from a snicker. "This is not a laughing matter, Samuel. You expect me to trust your decision when those were the options?" I felt my pulse rising in my body as I spoke up.

"Oh Princess, don't you worry now. I would like for you to meet someone. Stay here; I will be back in a few moments." He said before kissing my head and exiting the doors.

Someone else? How could there be another prince? There are only seven kingdoms to choose from, each having one prince apart from mine.

Roman, Felix, Joseph, Richard, Alexander-.

I went over the names again and again in my head, trying to figure out who else there could be until it hit me. There weren't enough men in the line.

The silence in the room couldn't have been louder at the time of my realization. I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking in that none of the men I met will be my husband, the next man that walks through that door will be. My eyes snapped over to the door as I heard footsteps approaching it. The door opened to reveal a man who I recognized to be King Aiden Heart, King of Aveline. My blood felt like ice once our eyes locked, keeping me still. I studied him as he smoothly made his way towards me. I would be lying to myself if I didn't say he was one of the most handsome men I have ever laid eyes on, but knowing what his father looked like, I wasn't surprised. He wore a fitted black suit with soft details along with the fabric, which complemented his physical features quite well. I did my best to remain confident in my stance as he stood directly in front of me.

"Look at you; you're real." Aiden joked with a quick laugh. He's English. "May I?" He said, holding his hand out for me. I rested my small hand into his and watched as he placed a warm kiss upon my knuckles. "It's such an honor to be in your presence tonight, Princess."

"I'm quite surprised. I was wasn't expecting a king to walk through the door." I commented truthfully. "King Heart, it's a pleasure to meet you." I noticed a smirk form on his lips.

"You know my name," Aiden replied with surprise, "I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing." I kept a straight face while keeping my eyes on him.

"The gossip around you isn't always so positive," I stated sharply while managing to keep an unamused look. Both Maroon and Aiden instantly caught my attitude.

"Taisa-" Maroon began, but Aiden held up his hand.

"No, don't worry, Emperor. It's alright." Aiden said, his smirk growing more extensive. "Is something troubling you, Princess?" He flickered his eyes from my feet to my crown in an attempt to intimidate me. Hey was toying with me, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Samuel." I called, not tearing my eyes away from Aiden. "Is King Heart the man you intend for me to marry?" I asked, already knowing the answer. Aiden must have known as well, just from his prideful face.

"Yes, I believe that King Heart is the perfect match for you. I've thought about this for a long time, Princess, and I am confident that I have chosen the right man to become your husband." He responded. Worry and anger sank into my chest from the conformation. King Heart, the name has left my father's mouth a few times, and from what I cal recall, this wasn't good. He is a famous, highly feared king known for his brutal ways, and now I was to be tied to him.

"...I-I need to go" I stated bluntly. Aiden tilted his head to the side, still keeping the crooked smile on his face before I turned around to walk away. Maroon took ahold of my hand and pulled me close to his body.

"What are you doing." He demanded in my ear. I snatched my hand away from him.

"Going to the lady's room," I said once more and went on my way. I quickly exited the room and slammed the door behind me. I decided that it was best for me to find some privacy and search for the furthest bathroom so that I wouldn't be noticed. Knowing Maroon's castle like the back of my hand, I ran to the toilet without the intention to draw attention to myself by keeping myself distanced from the party. After some time, It was finally quiet, quiet enough to barley hear the collection of voices from the ballroom.

The peace and quiet allowed me to clear my head and process what was going on. I didn't understand how Maroon could do this to me, after raising me like his own for years, and now he's giving me to a man whose family is knows for their wrongful ways, especially towards their women. In the Heart kingdom, any disrespectful behavior, crime, or even a wrong look towards a royal member will result in immediate execution or torture without a trial of any sort. Horrible stories circle through the lands, intimidating citizens in every kingdom. I could only imagine how his own citizens feel, let alone how I would feel as his wife.

I had to get out of this, and I had to get out of this now before the night ended. Because by the end of the party, I am supposed to have a ring on my finger, which was the whole purpose of this party. There was no way that Maroon would let the night go without an engagement taking place after his years of efforts to make this happen.

I continued down the maze of hallways in attempts to further calm myself down and think of my next move, but as the clock ticked my, I knew that my time was growing to be very limited.

Suddenly, another door opened beside me, making me jump in surprise. "Roman?" I breathed and lowered my hand that was placed on my chest. He seemed to be in shock as well from my reaction.

"Princess, my apologies. I did not intend to scare you." He said to calm me down.

"What are you doing back here?" I asked, keeping my voice down.

"Possibly the same reason as you. I am avoiding any more human interaction for tonight. This party is always a nightmare for me, no offense." I let out a laugh and shook my head.

"None taken," I replied. Roman then took a few moments to study me.

"Let me guess, Emperor Maroon, showed you to Aiden Heart." Taken back by his comment, I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it. "I already knew before tonight that he would pair you with Aiden, I think everyone did. I just believe that I was the only person who had enough common sense not to get my hopes up."

"Oh, I see. That's why you looked so pissed off in there." I giggled. He just rolled his eyes at me.

"I wasn't pissed because he was chosen by the Emperor instead of me; I was pissed because he was wasting our time just to fool you. Making you think that your husband was to be one of us...he paired you with a man from hell, Princess. I hope you understand who he is." Roman's voice laced with concern. I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded in response.

"I am well aware of who he is, and I'm afraid that everything I've heard will turn out to be true. With all of the horror stories and rumors that we've heard, imagine how much worse it is if you live within his castle walls." I vented. His eyes filled with sympathy for me as I spoke.

"Trust me, it's not too bad, Princess." My heart skipped a beat at the sound of the voice. I became glued to the floor once he came into view, walking around the corner. My mouth turned dry just from the sight of him.

"King Heart... what are you doing here?" I questioned as he moved closer. Aiden stepped over to me and looked at both Roman and me, standing at opposite sides of the hallway.

"I could ask you two the same question," Aiden said angrily.

"We ran into each other," Roman replied with a quirked brow, pretending like he wasn't intimidated by Aiden, who now only stood a few feet away from him.

"Is that so? In a completely isolated part of the castle? If you expect me to believe that, you're a fool." Aiden then turned around to face me. "Is your little field trip over, Princess?" He mocked. Knowing that my choices were minimal at this point, I answered him by staying silent. "Good." Aiden snatched my hand and looked back over to Roman. "We will be on our way now. For future reference, I'd stay away from this one." Aiden said with a glance towards me. "If I for once even see you within feet of her, things won't be so pretty. Goodnight." I kept my eyes on Roman, who didn't seem to be phased by his words at all.

"Goodnight," Roman concluded firmly. Aiden then tugged my hand, pulling me away. I looked back at him to see him nod his head my way, telling me that I would be alright.

I remained quiet as Aiden continued to drag me back to the main area. The only sound that was made was the echo of my heels clicking against the marble floors. I couldn't help but wonder why he is so concerned with me already...I've only spoken a few sentences with him since we have met. Getting annoyed with my thoughts, I yanked my hand away from him, causing him to stop in his place. I silently watched as he cocked his head towards me, looking down into my eyes. "What the hell is your problem?" He demanded. For the first time being cursed at, I was shocked at his boldness.

"Excuse me?" I snapped. "What is your problem, King Heart?" Aiden ran his tongue underneath his lip and looked down, as if he was holding in a laugh. "Thinking that you can talk to me in such a way."

"Listen, I understand and respect your title, Princess, but I'm not just anyone to you anymore. I will speak to you in the way that I see fit." I scoffed at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're still nothing to me." I protested. "You're going to talk to me with the highest respect as your Emperor demands it." I lifted my chin and executed my words firmly to show that I wasn't afraid. "As I demand it." Aiden took slow steps towards me, copying my actions by crossing his arms over his chest. I gazed up at him angrily while he looked down at me with an amused grin on his face.

"I may not hold any power to you as of now, but at the end of the night, that's going to change. Princess, I hope you have fully taken in that I will be your husband in the near future, and what that implies. I'm going to expect many things from you. Most importantly, your respect."

"Respect...respect?" I seethed. "You expect me to give you that when you haven't deserved it?"

"I do deserve your respect, Princess, and I demand it." I nearly laughed at him and shook my head.

"No.. no! That is not how this is going to work. Especially after what I've heard about you, and how miserable you make your people. You don't deserve anyone's respect." Aiden lowered his face so that he was more level with me. He might have expected me to stand back, but I stood my ground. "I certainly don't need to give you that just for being your wife."

"I have no clue as to why you are acting this way, but I will not tolerate it." He hissed. I took this opportunity to tease him a bit by lifting my lips up to his face, making him instinctively come closer.

"Deal with it." I said before slowly parting myself from his close proximity. I noticed how eager and pissed off he looked, and I was thriving off of it.

"You've blatantly shown hatred towards me since the moment I walked through the door...before you even spoke your first words to me." He gritted through his teeth. "Is there something I am missing here? Because you met me less than ten minutes ago and you're being completely ridiculous and out of line."

"Are you not fully aware that I am being forced to this? I don't have a say in anything that involves my life, and the Emperor expects me to be alright with it." I wrapped my arms around my body protectively.

"Yes, Darling, I am fully aware of the situation. However, you should be more than glad at the fact that Emperor Maroon picked me over those unworthy scumbags."

"Scumbags? You seriously think yourself as worthy with that mouth of yours, and not to mention your reputation that's as good as rubbish." If cartoons were accurate, steam would be shooting out of his nose. I suddenly was pulled back into someone's body, making me realize how close I was to Aiden.

"Princess!" I looked up to see a furious Samuel. He turned my body to face him harshly. "This behavior of yours tonight has been unacceptable. You are showing attitude to me and now disrespecting King Heart... I am truly ashamed of you."

"You can't expect me to show respect to a King who treats his citizens like worthless beings and demands to be worshiped by everyone. I refuse to rule alongside him. I refuse to become his wife, Samuel." I raged, taking a step back to keep my distance.

"Oh Sweetheart, you think it's that easy to defy me, your Emperor. I think you have lost your place, Princess." My body froze as I was hurt by his words. "Here is what I am going to tell you, and I don't want a single complaint leaving your mouth. I have officially chosen King Heart to be your husband and future king. You will both rule at each other's sides and make history through your ruling and the children that you have together. I have picked him because he is the highest-ranking king out of the seven kingdoms...a remarkable ruler he is." Maroon a glance at Aiden, which was followed by a deep chuckle from him. "He will make a respectable husband that will teach you how to rule like a queen and behave as a wife to him. I have a bright future planned for the both of you, and I am not letting that plan fall just because you are throwing a tantrum. Now, I am going to hand you back over to King Heart, and you are going to apologize for the way that you have been acting. If I don't see any improvements from you by the end of the night, there will be consequences." His words took down my guard and made me feel powerless. I wanted to continue my fight, but I couldn't, he's the Emperor. "I will be announcing my decision and hold the proposal ceremony in a few. I will see you both behind the balcony shortly."

Taking in the information, I nodded. I then felt a hand touch my shoulder as I kept my eyes on the floor. The hand on my shoulder belonged to Aiden, who gently turned me around to face him. I felt Maroon's presents disappear, leaving me alone with Aiden once again.

"Look at me, Princess," Aiden instructed calmly. Still upset by Maroon's lecture and everything else going on, I kept my eyes elsewhere. "I said look at me." He snapped, making my shoot my glance up to him. He looked at me as if he were waiting for something, making me release a heavy breath, knowing what he was waiting for.

"I apologize for my rudeness King Heart. It won't continue." I let out. He smirked once again and nodded his head.

"Apology accepted, but next time, I would advise that you drop the attitude." He said. "And please, call me Aiden. I wouldn't accept my fiancé calling me by my formal name." He said.

"Alright, Aiden. We aren't officially engaged yet, so you won't be calling me by anything other my formal name until that time comes." I said. That smirk of his grew wider at my words.

"Whatever you say, Princess." I sighed and looked to the floor in defeat. "Let's go find Emperor Maroon; the ceremony will be starting soon," Aiden said and held out his arm for me. I slid my hand around his arm and allowed him to guide me to the section behind the balcony, careful not to let anyone see us.

"Ah, there you two are!" Maroon called our while pacing over to us. He brought an assistant over to fix our appearances. "You both look great." He said while checking for any wrinkles in my dress. Maroon took one last look at us before he spoke once more. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Emperor Maroon, we are ready," Aiden said with a smile on his face. I just painfully smiled in response, avoiding his face.

"Okay, just listen and you'll know when to come out." Maroon patted Aiden's arm and walked through the curtains and collected everyone's attention.

"Greetings once again, everyone! I am happy to finally come together and share this moment with all of you..." His words started to fall together as I zoned out, only hearing my heartbeat in my head. I felt dizzy as if I was to pass out at any moment from the overwhelming stress.

"Princess," Aiden said, snapping me back into reality. "Are you alright?" I just looked at him. He appeared to be concerned, but I knew he enjoyed this. I gave him my answer by staying silent and resuming my focus back onto Maroon.

"May I present the first, royal pairing!" I swallowed my anxieties before I stepped through the curtains with Aiden by my side. My ears rang as people cheered and applauded us, making everything blend together. I couldn't feel, I couldn't move or even think. All I knew was that I couldn't go back now that they have seen us. My eyes scanned the room, seeing people clapping, yelling, and, most importantly, my parents. My mother's face said it all; she was ecstatic. My father's face held pain, but he clapped his hands along with my mother anyways. My thoughts came to a stop as I noticed Roman looking at me. He acknowledged our eye contact, sending a sad smile my way. I let him know that I was alright by a single nod, which he responded with the same motion. I gave him one last glance before returning my focus. "Princess Rosewater, King Heart," Maroon said in the microphone. "Tonight marks history. You two will both become the first royal couple to exist in decades. I am so proud to unite both of you today. Do you have any words to say, King Heart?" Aiden nodded and took over the microphone.

"I am incredibly honored to be chosen to take Princess Rosewater as my fiancée, and soon to be wife. Words can't describe how I feel at the moment. I would like to thank King Rosewater and Mrs. Rosewater for contributing to this opportunity for me by raising this wonderful woman. I promise to be a respectful husband and king who will lead the Princess to success as the First Queen. She will be the perfect fit for both my family and my kingdom. Thank you." The crowd applauded him. I wanted to slap the pride right off his face, but that wouldn't be good now would it?

"Thank you for your words, King Heart. Now, You may finalize the engagement." Maroon said. I watched as a ring was placed into his hand and given to Aiden. The crowd silenced, making it so that the only noise that could be heard was ticking of a clock. Aiden then took a moment to examine the ring and then me, standing in pure horror. "Princess Rosewater..." Aiden finally spoke, grabbing my left hand. "I proudly accept the Emperor's command, to claim you as my own with this ring." He said while holding the ring up with his fingers. My heart sunk further in my chest as he got onto one knee. "Will you do me the wonderful honor of accepting this ring and becoming my wife?" I felt the air leave my lungs as soon as he spoke his last word. Time felt slow as our only focus was on each other, with his green eyes burning into mine. He examined every emotion on my face and barely nodded his head, asking me to defy him now in front of the world. My breath shook, knowing that I must give the answer that he was waiting for.

"Yes."

____

The sound of my ring hitting Maroon's office desk was the only thing occupying my mind as I sat alone. I kept my eyes on the small chandelier that hung from the ceiling, reflecting mesmerizing lights throughout the room. Maroon brought me in here quite some time ago to just leave me here and disappear to do god knows what. All I wanted to do was go home.

I shot up from the sound of the door clicking open, showing Maroon all by himself. "Princess, sorry to keep you waiting. I was saying goodbye to guests that had delays from the storm." He explained while making his way over to his desk.

"It's alright." I replied simply, staring blankly at my ring finger. It was a lovely ring. Thankfully, it was a simple diamond that didn't take up my whole knuckle.

"Is everything alright, Dear?" I snapped my eyes up at him.

"Do you want a real answer, or would you like me to be nice?" I asked while linking my hands together on my lap. Maroon sighed and leaned forward so that his forearms laid on the desk.

"In that case, keep your mouth shut." He addressed. I still wasn't used to the harsh tone he put off. "There is no point in complaining anymore. You belong to King Heart now, Princess, and there is nothing you can do to change that."

"I am not officially his wife, Samuel! You don't have to do this to me, please. You can stop this from happening." I begged. "If you'd just listen to me-"

"No." He stated. "Not another word from you. Never in my life have I ever seen so much complaining. I shouldn't be so lenient on you." I pressed my lips together and lowered my head. "Your pilot is waiting for you outside. Your flight will be leaving soon." Was all he said before standing to his feet. Maroon stepped over to my side, offering his hand to help me up. I knew that no matter what I did, he wouldn't ever hurt me. With that fact, I stood on my own and stormed out of his office, ignoring his calls on the way out.

Maybe I shouldn't be so lenient on him either.

I made my way over to the main doors of the castle and allowed the guards to open them for me. I peeped a quick 'thank you' and scurried out the doors, hoping to avoid Maroon's sight. The rain pelted my skin in the harsh storm. The only form of protection I had was my dress, which was the furthest away from waterproof. Cold rain streamed down my face as I moved towards the jet that was many yards away. I ran as quickly as I could in my heels. Eventually, I reached the jet and bolted up the rail to finally reach some warmth.

"Oh, honey!" I heard my mother gasp. I blinked the rain out of my eyes and saw two of my favorite people in the world standing next to each other. My mother and Aiden. "What on earth are you doing out in the rain unaccompanied?" She hollered, looking around the area while I stood like shivering, wet dog dripping everywhere.

"Here." Aiden said, finding a towel and wrapping it around me. My mother gushed with her hand over her heart.

"What a gentleman you are." Aiden smirked at her comment and began to pat me down.

"Do you have any spare clothes for the trip back?" He asked while hanging the towel around my shoulders. I vaguely nodded. "Mrs. Rosewater, are her spare clothes lying around?"

"Please, call me Julia." She said warmly. "I will go grab them for you, Dear." I was utterly shocked by her kindness, but I figured that it was because Aiden was here.

"May I ask why you were alone?" Aiden questioned. I glared at him, not wanting to explain myself. "Taisa." My narrowed my eyes from his use of my name. "You are my fiancé now, Darling. I am going to call you by your first name." I decided not to care anymore and pulled my wet hair out of my now, messy side braid.

"Here you go, Taisa. Go ahead and change in the bathroom." My mother said, bringing a bag over to me. I took the bag and headed for the bathroom without a word. I closed the door and threw the bag onto the counter before looking at myself in the mirror.

What a mess.

My dress stuck to my skin, my mascara ran down my cheeks, and my hair twirled in every direction. I opened the bag and thankfully found everything I needed. Realizing I needed assistance with my dress, I quietly opened the bathroom door to find my father walking down the pathway.

"Father." I called out softly. His faces instantly brightened when he saw me.

"Taisa... you're a wreck." My father snickered while covering his mouth.

"I know, Father." I said like he was silly. "Could you help me unzip my gown?" I asked, turning around. He silently agreed to and carefully pulled down the zipper. "Thank you." I spoke barely above a whisper so that neither my mother or Aiden could hear me. My father's face softened.

"Are you alright, honey?" He asked sincerely. I bit my lip and nodded my head.

"I will be just fine. Emperor Maroon has his mind set, and there is nothing that anyone can do to change it." I said with disappointment. My father wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug.

"You are so strong, Taisa. You know that you can get through anything that comes your way. I taught you to believe that, so I hope it sticks." I let out a small laugh. "I'm just going to tell you that this might be one of the hardest things you'll go through, but I am on your side." I hugged him tighter and stepped back to see my wet imprint on his undershirt.

"Thank you, Father, your words mean everything to me." I smiled and let him lean in to kiss my cheek.

"Of course, Honey. I will let you get undressed now. I will go speak with Aiden and your mother." He said. I nodded and watched him walk away before closing the door. I couldn't help but feel warm from the small interaction with him. I hurried to dry myself off and put my pajamas on. I was glad that my assistant packed pajamas with pants rather than a nightgown. I hate nightgowns. Then, I washed my makeup off and brushed my hair out, making me appear much more approachable. I looked at myself comfortably. I much preferred myself without layers of makeup on. I believed that my natural features held much beauty alone, and that makeup just hid them.

"Taisa, what is taking you so long in there?" My mother called from behind the door. I shut my eyes in annoyance and sighed.

"I will be right out, Mother." I said before walking out of the bathroom. As I walked into the main entrance, I noticed that Aiden made himself comfortable on the sofa. "Aiden, what are you still doing here?" I asked. He whipped his head in my direction, daring to look me up and down. "Aiden!" I hissed offendedly. He laughed and stood to his feet.

"What? I think I must be one of the first people outside of your family to see you like this." He pointed out. I suddenly became shy at the realization that I was not in my usual gown or covered in cosmetics and hugged my body tightly. He noticed my action and sighed. "I didn't say you looked bad, you know."

"You didn't have to." I said to him. His proximity to increased by the second, but I stood my ground. Aiden approached me carefully, leaning his head near my left ear.

"I think you look absolutely stunning." He spoke deeply. His warm breath trickled down my neck, giving my skin goosebumps. I figured that he noticed by the way he chuckled moments later.

"You better be on your way." I cleared my throat. "We take off shortly." I noticed the signature smirk form on his lips as I leaned away from him.

"I was supposed to fly back with you, did you know?"

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked with worry, not wanting to be on a long flight with him after all of this.

"We are supposed to have an engagement dinner with your parents to spend time together, but with the weather and a storm coming to my kingdom, I need to attend my people and their concerns for right now." I felt a weight lift of my shoulders knowing that he wouldn't be coming with me.

"Alright, so then go attend to them." I said flatly, but clearly, Aiden was not having any of it. He took a step closer to me, making me step away, but a wall greeted my back, trapping me. Aiden then placed his hand next to my head and leaned down to lock our eyes together.

"Listen to me sweetheart, since this is your first day with me, I'm going to be lenient with you. But from now on, this little attitude of yours will stop." He seethed, coming in closer. "If I were you, I wouldn't try to challenge that." I looked at him in disbelief, not knowing how to respond to any of this. We are hours into our relationship and he is already so dominating and controlling, and I wasn't ready for the rest of it. "Have we come to an understanding, Princess?" Knowing that simply complying was the only way to get out of this, I nodded my head.

"Yes." I said. "I understand." My simple agreement was just enough to make him lean away from me and give me room to breathe. Aiden lightly cupped my arm and looked down at me, adoringly.

"I hate to leave you so soon." He told me, taking his hand and twirling a lone strand of my damp hair around his finger. "But it's alright, we will be together again before you know it."

"How lovely." I mumbled to myself, already dreading the next time we meet.

"Alright then, Darling" He said softly while still keeping his evil stare on me. "I've already said my goodbyes to your parents."

"That's wonderful. You may leave now." I said while hurrying him towards the entrance, but he gently pushed me back. "Aiden, we are about to take off-"

"Ah, ah. Not quite yet." He said as he placed a firm grasp on my hip. A blush rose to my cheeks from the new feeling of being touched in such a way. I attempted to hide my blush by looking to my feet, but unfortunately, Aiden caught on quick. My chin was lifted by his fingers, forcing me to look into his eyes. He stood still for a moment while locking his gaze with mine, causing my heart to flutter. "This is going to be so much fun." He chucked. "I'll be seeing you, Taisa." Aiden spoke in a gentle, but poisonous tone. He leaned his head down to place a kiss on the corner of my lips. "Goodnight."

From that moment, I understood that I was being trapped into something I knew I would never escape.