The Revelation.

~Karl~

I was already in the hall, waiting for the new concubine to arrive. Mother, always dramatic and emotional, never missed a chance to uphold every tradition, no matter how old.

Tonight was no different with this welcoming ceremony, though I wished she would skip it so I could get some rest. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

As I sat in my seat, I watched the performers. They were trying their hardest to impress me, more than the audience who simply enjoyed the show. My attention, though, was elsewhere.

"Greetings, Your Highness," my aunt, Elise, greeted me. She was my uncle's wife and Elvin's mother. I figured Mother must have told her about the marriage proposal I had in mind. As king, I could arrange marriages as I pleased.

"Welcome, Aunt," I replied, leaning back in my chair. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"Yes, it's beautiful, as always. Queen Mother Elizabeth knows how to host a grand event," she said with a smile.

Standing beside her was Prince Elvin, my cousin. We had always been rivals, but when I became king, he had no choice but to show respect to the crown. If he wasn't family, I might have gotten rid of him long ago.

I turned away, pretending I didn't know why they were here. But Aunt Elise wasn't one to waste time.

"The queen mother told me you've found a wife for Elvin," she said, her voice shaky. She'd always been afraid of me, ever since I was a child. I knew why—I wasn't ordinary, and that justified her fear.

"Yes, the new concubine... the debtor's daughter. I'll give her to Elvin. He's come of age, and it's time he had a wife," I said casually, knowing it would irritate him. He was almost the same age as me, after all.

But to my surprise, he didn't take offense. Instead, he looked thrilled.

"When will you wed us, brother?" Elvin asked eagerly, not even waiting for me to finish.

"Soon... in fact, I'll wed you right now if you're that desperate," I replied, frowning at his enthusiasm. Maybe this was a mistake.

"Forgive us, Your Highness," Lady Elise quickly apologized on his behalf.

"I'll wed you in two days. Go and make the necessary preparations," I told her. "You can leave now. I'm beginning to suffocate."

Aunt Elise looked overjoyed, having waited for this moment for so long. Elvin, too, seemed thrilled, excited to claim something that was supposed to be mine.

I had promised them, and I was known for keeping my word. There was no turning back now, even though I couldn't shake the feeling that I might regret this decision.

I scanned the hall for Katrina, but she was nowhere to be seen. The guards had been instructed to alert me as soon as she arrived.

I couldn't get her out of my mind. Every thought was consumed by her—there wasn't even room left to wonder if she was worthy of me.

Suddenly, my mother's presence was announced. She entered the hall, and walking behind her was a woman in the most stunning green dress I'd ever seen.

My heart raced as the lady came into view, her beauty unmistakable.

When her face was fully revealed, my heart stopped. It was Katrina.

I froze, struggling to hide my shock. Anyone watching would assume I was stunned by her beauty, but that wasn't it. She was my Katrina. Could this be real? Or was I just imagining her everywhere?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. I had to focus on the ceremony. I'd deal with Katrina later, though her presence already had me rattled.

When I opened my eyes again, Mother was standing in front of me with her. The woman just a few steps from my seat was undeniably Katrina. My mind raced.

Was she meant to replace the new concubine? But then came the shocking introduction.

"Princess Katrina of Everia, your concubine," Mother said, bowing slightly and gesturing for her to come closer.

Katrina's face was a mirror of my own disbelief. She looked just as surprised to see me. The fate that had brought her here was almost too much to comprehend.

I glanced at Fortuna, hoping for an explanation, but all she did was roll her eyes at Katrina, confirming my worst fears.

Oh no.

This wasn't how I wanted her to find out. Katrina would be furious, and I had no one to blame but myself. She hated King Karl, yet she had been falling for farmer Karl.

Worse, I had lied and told her my name was Rowland.

"Should we welcome her as your bride or your cousin's fiancée?" Rowland whispered in my ear. He clearly expected me to choose the latter, but I left him stunned with my answer.

"As my bride, of course."

When the message reached my mother, her eyes widened in shock. She looked at me as if I'd just upended her entire plan. There would be trouble, no doubt. But I didn't care.

Katrina was mine.