Intertwined

Blinking, Mineah finally dragged her eyes away from them. She stopped reading their minds as it would only end up draining her energy.

Mineah sighed softly, her gaze now fixed upon the man she was about to marry. Surprisingly, she could feel his stare locked onto her from the moment she entered the chapel. 

The intensity of his gaze sent shivers down her spine, making her feel as though he was peeling away her very skin. However, she quickly dismissed it thinking he was simply curious about her. 

Despite the haste with which the wedding was arranged, the wedding ceremony went relatively smoothly, without much fanfare. 

With war looming over the horizon, there were more pressing matters that needed their attention. Spending time and resources for a grand wedding ceremony was a luxury they simply couldn't afford at the moment. 

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife." The sentence barely reached Mineah's ears, drowned out by the toll of bells that flooded the silent chapel signifying the end of the wedding ceremony. 

Their officiant did not even bother with the customary pronouncement of 'you may kiss the bride'. Instead, they swiftly moved on to the signing and sealing of the necessary marriage documents and alliance agreements.

As the ceremony concluded, Nikolai wasted no time and guided Mineah outside to their awaiting carriage. Mineah quietly followed him.

"I will first escort my wife, family, and delegates back to Valcrez for their protection," Nikolai explained to her father, who along with the rest of her family had accompanied them to the carriage. "Once they are secure, I will then return with additional soldiers and join the battle."

"I understand," King Stephan promptly replied, the sadness evident in his eyes as he had to bid goodbye to his youngest daughter so abruptly. "I am more than grateful that you are placing  my daughter's safety as your top priority and for honoring our traditions."

Meanwhile, Mineah turned to her mother and planted a tender kiss on her cheek before doing the same to her father. She finally turned to her sister and gave her a tight hug.

"Please take care, Sister," Mineah whispered into Xenia's ear. 

At that moment, Mineah fought the urge to say sorry, realizing it would only cause unnecessary worry for Xenia. 'Later..' She made a silent promise to herself that she would definitely apologize for compelling her when they reunite in the near future.

For now, it was enough for her that Xenia genuinely accepted how things turned out. In fact, judging by her sister's thoughts alone, it seemed that Xenia harbored affection for the Werewolf King and liked him as well. She would have loved to tease her about it but time was not on their side.

"We'll see each other soon, I'm sure," Mineah said, mustering a reassuring smile. Though they were mere words, hopefully, it had an impact. In moments of despair, sometimes all one needs are these simple gestures and words of assurance. 

Reluctantly, they pulled away from each other, still holding hands. Xenia looked at her and nodded while trying to hold back her tears. She gently urged her to proceed before letting go of her, while sadness lingered in the air. 

"Take care," Xenia smiled.

"I will," Mineah replied, her smile masking the ache in her heart, and turned around. 

With heavy steps and an even heavier heart, she made her way inside the carriage when it finally hit her that today was the start of her new journey, away from her kingdom… From her family… her home…

Adjusting herself to find a comfortable position in her seat, Mineah did her best to act naturally in front of Nikolai who sat across from her. 

Mineah's eyes wandered out the window, she watched as her family slowly disappeared from sight. Once Mineah could no longer see the castle, she turned her attention to the man who was now officially her husband. 

His eyes were locked on her, his gaze somehow making her feel conscious about her looks. The silence between them was both unsettling and deafening, with only the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves breaking the stillness.

Taking a brief moment to steal a glance at him, Mineah studied Nikolai. His short, wavy hair, reminiscent of winter gold, complemented his amber eyes perfectly. The locks, touched with specks of gold, only made him look all the more mesmerizing.

Well, if there was a silver lining to her situation, it was that she found herself married to an undeniably handsome man.

"What is it, my lord?" she couldn't help but ask, wondering if there was an underlying meaning to his gaze. She surely wouldn't take it as him being stunned by her so-called ethereal beauty.

As she awaited his response, she noticed his eyes shift towards her hand. "The ring… It suits you… I hope you like it."

It took a moment for Mineah to realize what had caught his attention. 'Ah right, the magnificent ring!' she thought to herself.

A broad smile unconsciously formed on her face as she glanced down at the exquisite ring that Nikolai gave her during their wedding ceremony. 

It was a cocktail ring, one surrounded by diamonds with a shiny big ruby as its centerpiece. 

"It's a blood ruby, isn't it? It's very lovely," she voiced out, her eyes still fixed on the captivating ring on her finger. Surprisingly, it fit her finger perfectly as if it was meant to be there.

"That's a relief then," Nikolai whispered. "I personally selected it, and it seems like it found its rightful owner." 

Mineah's brow furrowed slightly, and she was about to instinctively raise her head to face him, but quickly stopped herself. Her breath hitched as she realized Nikolai was leaning closer to her. 

He was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. He was quite warm for a vampire. But then again, he was no ordinary vampire; He was a pureblood with Exordium Blood. Exordiums were the first vampires that ever existed and the most powerful of their kind. 

"Your life and my life are now intertwined, Princess," Nikolai whispered, his words causing her to freeze in her seat.