Chapter 2

A year later

Minerva, or Mina as everyone called her, was sitting on a bench inside the great Fire Church of Athea. She wasn't looking at the altar and the couple that was about to get married; she was looking at her hands. She was trying hard not to let the tears fall down her face.

She should be happy for Prince Liam, she kept telling herself, but how could she be happy when the man she had been in love with for as long as she could remember was getting married to her cousin?

Her father, Duke Adinet, has been a good friend of King Baswein, and Mina spent a great part of her childhood at the Royal Palace. She had fallen in love with Prince Liam from the moment she saw him, and she had always hoped he would love her back.

When her father and mother died in an accident, Mina went to live with her uncle, Duke Tedric. Mina knew that he uncle and her cousin Rosalyn did not love her, but they accepted her into their home because of the great fortune Mina had. As her legal guardian, Duke Tedric would be the one to administer her money until she got married.

Even if she stopped going to Royal Palace, Mina sent parchments to Prince Liam as often as she could. He would not write as often as she did, and she knew it was because he had to fulfill his duty and obligations to the Kingdom. After all, one day, Prince Liam would be the next King of Nodor Kingdom.

Mina was eighteen years old and considered to be of age to have a husband, but Duke Tedric said she was still too young to receive invitations to balls. She had been sad when the Duke told her she could not attend the ball that Prince Liam had organized. Rosalyn, who was one year older than Mina, had spent a week trying on different dresses and hairstyles while she kept reminding Mina that she was not allowed to attend the ball. Or any other ball.

Prince Liam had also known Rosalyn since they were children, but they hadn't seen each other for years. And from what Rosalyn told Mina, Prince Liam fell in love with Rosalyn when he saw her again at the ball. They had danced together all night long, and a week later, he proposed to Rosalyn, and she accepted it immediately. This happened six months ago, and since then, Mina has had to listen every day to how Rosalyn talked about her upcoming marriage to Prince Liam.

Rosalyn read Mina's journal, and it was from there that she found out about the love Mina had for Prince Liam. Every chance she got, Rosalyn would remind Mina that Prince Liam didn't love her because not only that her mother was from the Yeton Kingdom, but she was not beautiful enough to win the Prince's heart.

Mina knew Rosalyn was right. If only she had been half as beautiful as Rosalyn, maybe Prince Liam would have fallen in love with Mina and not Rosalyn.

The Fire Mage cleared his voice, and Mina lifted her head and looked at the altar. She regretted it a moment later. Her heart stopped beating as she looked at Prince Liam. He was even more handsome than usual. The light filtering through the windows made his blonde hair appear golden. He was wearing brown trousers and a knee-long white jacket. He was staring with his grey eyes at the woman that was about to become his wife.

Mina looked at Rosalyn, knowing she could never compete with her beauty. Rosalyn had blond hair, brown eyes, and soft pale skin. If she were in a room full of men and Rosalyn smiled, each man would turn his head to catch a glimpse of her.

Mina looked nothing like Rosalyn. Her long hair was brown, while her eyes were green. Her skin was darker than Rosalyn's because her mother was originally from the Yeton Kingdom, home of the hundred caravans of gypsies. When Mina's father met her mother and fell in love, he did not care that she was a gypsy. But in the Nodor Kingdom, people with gypsy heritage were not well seen in the high society of Athea.

"We have gathered today to celebrate the wedding of Prince Liam LaRue with the Dutchess Rosalyn Castex."

As the Fire Mage started the marriage ceremony, Mina blinked several times, not wanting to let the tears fall down her cheeks. Not only would she embarrass herself, but she knew her uncle would not be pleased with her.

Duke Tedric was her father's younger brother, and he had always resented Mina for being a woman and the daughter of a gypsy.

'Not only that my brother married a gypsy, but she only gave him a daughter! It would have been easier if you had been a man!'

Someone grabbed her left hand and gave it a small squeeze. When Mina looked to see who it was, she saw her cousin, Hugo, smiling at her. He was not fighting in the war because a dark spell almost cost his life, and he was staying in the capital until he got better.

"You look as if you are attending a funeral instead of a wedding," Hugo said.

While Mina did not get along with Rosalyn, Hugo was her friend and confidant. She missed him terribly while he was fighting to save the lives of Nodorians. The war started over sixteen months ago when King Eurion, the King of the Litus Kingdom, allied with a Dark Elf, who was also a great Necromancer and started a campaign of conquering the Kingdom of Nodor.

Mina smiled weakly at Hugo, "It feels like a funeral for me because my heart died."

The Fire Mage continued with the ceremony, but neither Hugo nor Mina paid attention.

"You are young, Mina. Barely of age. You will meet many young men, and I am sure many will approach my father with a marriage request," Hugo said softly.

Mina shook her head, "I know I will never love another as I love Prince Liam. Besides, you know how others always look at me because of my heritage."

"Many are fools, Mina, but there will be men that would see you for you are and would want to marry the daughter of Duke Castex."

Mina hated her family name. Not only her father had been one of the most influential persons in Athea, but one of the richest too. And because of that, the high society was constantly watching what she was doing, how she dressed, or with whom she talked.

Ever since the death of her parents, Mina had tried hard to prove to the other noble families that she was indeed worthy of being a Castex.

Rosalyn, with her fair complexion, had never had to endure the gossip and the stares of others while in public. But Mina had to keep constantly an eye on Rosalyn. About two years ago, Mina had seen Rosalyn with a young man marked as a bastard. When Mina asked Rosalyn about the man, Rosalyn got nervous and told Mina it was not her business with whom she talked too.

From that day until she got engaged to Prince Liam, Mina made sure Rosalyn didn't commit an imprudence.

Mina was about to reply to her cousin when she heard the Fire Mage speak. "Prince Liam LaRue, do you accept Dutchess Rosalyn Castex as your wife and promise to always protect and love her?"

"I do!" Prince Liam said the next moment.

"Dutchess Rpsalyn Castex, do you accept Prince Liam LaRue as your husband and promise always to obey and love him?"

Rosalyn looked into Prince Liam's eyes, "I do!"

"Inoss, the Fire God, blesses this union!" the Fire Mage said. "You are husband and wife now and until the end of time."

Those present at the ceremony clapped their hands and cheered the new couple, but Mina could not do the same. When Prince Liam dipped his head to kiss Rosalyn, Mina closed her eyes.

Later that day, at the Palace, Rosalyn approached Mina.

"While I will sleep with my husband tonight," Rosalyn said and smiled cruelly at Mina, "remember that you will be sleeping alone. And I don't think that will change soon because who would want to marry someone like you?"

Mina gripped the skirts of her dress until her knuckles turned white but did not say a word. She knew that Rosalyn was only trying to provoke her.

"I wish you all the best," Mina said. "And I hope you make Prince Liam happy."

Mina turned on her heels and left the party. She needed to be alone.

A week later, the Wolf Army Camp

When Jayden left the capital around a year ago, he was just a scribe apprentice. But four months later, Jayden demonstrated to the Commander of the Wolf Army that his true talent was on the battlefield. Jayden had been training both with a sword and a bow, and in only eight months, he became one of the best soldiers from the Wolf Army.

In the last week, news about the marriage of Prince Liam with the Dutchess Castex spread like fire around the Nodor Kingdom's armies.

It was around noon when Jayden received a parchment from Rosalyn.

'My beloved Jayden,

My cousin Minerva married Prince Liam last week, just as I told you.

I miss you, and I hope to see you soon.

With love, Rosalyn.'

Jayden crushed the parchment in his hand and was about to throw it into the fire.

'I hope, for your sake, Lyn, that you have not betrayed me. Because if you are the one that married Prince Liam, no one will save you from my wrath,' Jayden thought.