Seventeen Summers

Lina woke up in another nightmare. This time, it was a familiar setting of her first life, where golden pillars held up golden rooftops curved upwards to the heavens, red walls separated the palaces, and guards were stationed at every entrance. In the far distance, she saw the banner of Ritan waving proudly in the wind. 

Lina was back to where it all started.

The sky was painted black, with the clouds ominously covering a pale moon. Crickets chirped afar, fireflies glowed against the grass of the gardens, and the wind blew past Lina.

"Princess, Princess, wait!" A familiar voice cried out, grabbing the wrist of the Princess.

Lina turned at the commotion and was startled to see Sebastian holding the Princess's wrist. The Princess in question was Lina herself. She could faintly remember this scene in her memories.

"Unhand me," the Princess growled, yanking her hand back and sending an accusing glare towards Sebastian.

"Please, you must hear my explanation, Princess, before—"

"I'll see the explanation with my own two eyes," the Princess coldly said. Before Sebastian could stop her again, she approached the door of Kade's palace. Guards lined the entrance, heavily armed, and even more were tucked in the shadows.

The Princess held up a pendant that flashed against the lantern light. Made of smooth obsidian encrusted with gold, a name was crafted with white jade. The Second Prince of Ritan, Kade himself. Possessing this pendant meant one thing—this was the Prince's woman.

"Step aside," the Princess commanded.

With no power to object to the Prince's woman, the guards reluctantly stepped aside. They exchanged worried glances as the Princess stormed into the palace. 

Instantly, a woman's voice was heard. "What are you doing?!" 

Lina quickly followed after the Princess. The guards didn't stop her, which meant she was nothing but a wandering ghost. No one could see her. Not even the gods themselves.

Lina watched as the Princess grabbed a woman by the throat. Hair the color of spun gold and eyes the color of the emerald sea, Priscilla was being strangled.

"The next time you dare to insult my kingdom will be the last time you have a tongue," the Princess spat out, shooting a dangerous glare towards Priscilla.

"Lina," Kade warned, grabbing his woman by her waist and tugging her towards him. 

The Princess shrugged off his arm and continued to threaten Priscilla's life. 

"You may be the Emperor's favorite servant, bought like a pig from an auction, but I am the reason Ritan will be united with Taren," the Princess warned. 

Without another glance towards Priscilla, the Princess threw the servant upon the ground. She shoved Kade away from her, hatred flashing in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kade calmly asked, seizing her hand and pulling her close. Hesitation shifted in her beautiful gaze and he softly smiled. 

"Come now, tell your husband what's on your mind?" Kade guided the Princess out of the room, never once casting a glance towards the discarded Priscilla. He did not see the heavy gaze pointing daggers at the Princess's back. Nor did he see the longing in her eyes.

"You're not my husband," the Princess argued, her heart still burning. "What were you doing with the woman that insulted Taren, my home kingdom?"

Taren.

Lina's eyes watered at the mention of the name. She lowered her gaze, her lips trembling. A forgotten empire. A forgotten Princess. All because of a sword. She had forgotten how prideful she was in her first life, seizing everything in front of her. She was a spoiled Princess, favored by her entire kingdom and father, thus, her heart was rotten.

"So this is the kind of wife you'd be," Kade teased, his lips tilting upwards. "You'll denounce our marriage and say the child isn't mine when you're angry?"

Kade took her to the gardens and in the direction of her favorite pavilion. She used to sit here and admire the moon for as long as she could, for Taren was the Kingdom of the Moon. 

They said the Moon shined the prettiest there, ever so clear and sharp, for that was the Kingdom that the Moon Goddess protected.

"Yes," the Princess bitterly admitted. 

Kade scoffed at her words. "I see my dear wife is quite spoiled."

The Princess paused. "It was you who told me to be spoiled by your love and affection. To be so spoiled, that no other man in the world could compare to your devotion."

A dark and dangerous smile crossed Kade's face. Sadistic as always, he brought her close to him and rested his forehead upon hers. Devious thoughts crossed his mind, but he'd treat her well, or else she'd run. And she was quite the runner.

"Have I not kept my promise?" Kade asked, locking his hands behind her back, so that she'd have nowhere to go but forward and into his chest.

"Have I not turned down every offer for another concubine? Have I not given you everything you wanted? Have I not allowed you to train, even though I never want my woman to get injured by a blade?" Kade confessed, brushing his hand upon her cheek.

She nudged her face against his hand. His heart stirred, his groin tightening with desire. Her lashes fluttered when she closed her eyes, to savor his gentle touch. 

Kade wanted more. He wanted to be the only man to see her hesitation, to see her vulnerability, and her weakness. He wanted her, body and heart, soul and spirit.

"You will be the only woman I'll ever spoil and savor," Kade promised, brushing his lips against hers. 

But then, she buried her face against his chest. 

Kade laughed and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her. He pressed his lips upon the crown of her head.

"In this lifetime and the next, you will belong to me," Kade swore. "Should anyone dare to separate us, the heavens will fall, and the ground will split. I will wage war with heaven and earth if it means to have you in my arms one last time."

The Princess's heart trembled. She shakily held onto his clothes, her breathing growing heavy. When he made a terrifying confession like this, how was she going to tell him that Teran wanted her back?

"I heard from the Emperor," Kade slowly said. "The wedding has been called off."

The Princess froze. Kade tightened his grip.

"Tell me why," Kade commanded, his voice growing low and leveled. "Now."

"Father says I am too young," the Princess confessed. "I've barely reached seventeen summers, I—"

"Stay." Kade pressed her face against his chest, his hand slithering into her hair. 

He admired her silky locks, in hopes of hiding his murderous expression from her. His woman deserved to see only the best views, touch the most luxurious things, and breathe in the most splendid air.

"In your kingdom, women as young as sixteen get married, yet he dares ask me to wait?" Kade seethed.

"Kade, my father—"

"Will be damned to hell if he goes back on his word."

Lina's breath was caught in her throat. The Princess might've not seen his reaction, but she had.

Looking back now, Lina wished she knew sooner. Wished she knew Kade's love for her was so severe, it was an obsession. She wished she knew he meant every word he said. Heaven and hell, he'd wreck chaos on every land, just to see her one last time. 

It was precisely why blood was shed on the battlefield. Blood that wasn't from the soldiers, but the one thing that started the war.