She curtsied, muttering strings of incoherent words, "You...you must be prince Nicolai! So nice to finally make your acquaintance."
"Pleasure to make yours too, Bronwyn of Elrandal."
His eyes roamed through her body as he dragged his bottom lip between his teeth. Those otherworldly eyes of his unnerved her. She could never believe that the barbarian seated right in front of her could be the first prince of Narva, Prince Nicolai.
He exuded raw, masculine power. She wondered why he had refused to take the role of the crowned Prince in the first place. He was a direct contrast to Prince Lucien, who was calm and conserved.
When she finally managed to drag herself over to where the prince was seated, she could still feel the barbarian prince's gaze still glued on her, piercing though her soul.
Lucien's warm hands enveloped hers as he shot his brother a deathly stare. Tapping his feet frantically against the floor when the maids suddenly appeared from the shadows to help them with the servings of steak, vegetables and wine on the table.
When they had all passed theirs, they disappeared back to where they had appeared from. Nicolai grabbed the roasted chicken thighs covered in sauce, lifting it to his mouth, he bit down hard on it. She could hear the crunching sounds of the bones when he did.
"Tell me all about it! How did you find such a rare gem, brother?" he teased, sarcasm dripping from his tone when he spoke.
"Our families had a match, and she was suitable for me, so I picked her as my wife."
"ah, ah.." he mused, clicking his tongue when he tutted. He stroked his jaw before reclining back into his seat, tilting his head to one side. "The same way Eleanor was suitable for you? What happened to Eleanor anyway? One minute I'm away, the next, you've chosen a different princess. What exactly are you playing at, brother?"
The room suddenly grew tense when everyone spared each other wary glances. Taken aback by the revelation, the princess could begin to feel a flurry of emotions coursing through her in an instant.
Who was Eleanor? What did the prince mean? What was going on? She knew there was more to her sudden betrothal to the Narvan heir, but she hadn't thought that there was another woman in the picture.
Lucien's brows furrowed, his jaws ticking as he regarded his brother with a look of disdain. He gritted his teeth, kneading his temples frantically in the process. His gaze turned to hers, pleading for a chance to offer her an explanation. She needed one, and she needed it fast.
"Why bring her up?"
He shrugged, wiping his hands with a napkin, "Why not? She was engaged to you and suddenly, I was sent an invitation to an Halivaraa with a different princess's name on it. Not that I care though, I just do not understand the notion behind the last-minute bride facade. And to think our parents are utterly okay with it, including you, Elana."
Before Elana could speak, the emperor's voice echoed thunderously through the room, "Enough! Nicholai. We're here to dine, we have a guest with us and that is not a proper way to treat her by bringing up her fiancé's past!"
His head tilted back when he rolled into a fit of laughter, the glow in his eyes increasing by the minute. Bronwyn could feel hot and cold shivers chasing themselves down her spine, overcome by an equally devastating uneasiness.
"Past?! Come on, father. You can do better. Tell me another lie, tell me there's something you all are hoping to get out of this blasphemous union, but do not tell me that Eleanor is Lucien's past!"
She watched his nonchalant demeanor kindled like the fickle flames on a lot candle when he wore a grim expression, his brows arching when his lips curled into a scowl, and he turned to face her.
Lucien snapped, "Stop it, Nicholai! You've done enough!"
Ignoring him, unfazed, he asked. "Tell me, little one. Did he promise you all eternity? Did those lying lips promise to take you as his wife?! Did he ever mention his past to you?
His questions struck her like warning bells. She stared back at him, totally dumbfounded. It was a lie! It was all a lie!!
"I..uh...I don't..." mumbling some bunch of gibberish words, she turned to face Lucien for an ounce of explanation.
"I'm afraid you've been told a lie. Run, while you still can, princess."
Her hands had begun to tremble even as she clutched them tight, she could begin to feel a headache forming, and from her peripheral vision, she could see the sullen smiles on their faces when they stared at her expectantly.
She lurched to her feet, shaking like a cold leaf in harmattan. Her lips quivered as she spoke, "I'm sorry....but I...I need to go.."
She turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could out of the hall, back to her room. Whimpering as she sped past the guards that continued to acknowledge her.
When she got back to her room, she stood right in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection that stared back at her, mocking her.
She groaned out in annoyance, shrugging the little crown on her head to the side and shredding the dress from off her body in a flurry of madness. Fingers tearing through fabrics, she panted with chest heaving.
She was enraged, upset, furious altogether. She blamed her mother for bringing her into such a mess. When she finally calmed from taking her anger out on the innocent dress, she gathered the heaps to one side, lunging into the closet to pull out a robe. She clinched the knots, strolling back into her room when a soft knock rasped against the door to her room.
Pushing the door back, she frowned as Lucien's expression fell. When she tried to pull the door shut, he grabbed it, easing her back into the room when he followed behind.
"Bronwyn," her name was a soft plea on his lips.
"Lucien. What other lies do you plan to tell me? I mean, you've done a great job humiliating me right in front of everyone! Your brother must think I'm stupid, craving another woman's man!"
He tried to hold her arms, but she yanked them free from his grasp, the pain evident on her face. She wondered why she felt so angry at him. No! She was angry at herself for being a fool, for letting her mother force her into something she was against in the first place,
"Bronwyn, please just give me a chance and let me explain myself."
She scoffed, "Explain?! I should have known!"
"Known what?"
"That this was all a lie! What do you want from me, Lucien?! Why exactly did you bring me here? Why did you agree to marry me? And don't you dare say this was some unanimous agreement beneficial to both kingdoms, because we both know Elrandal has nothing to offer you or your kingdom!"
He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. His voice dropped low, merely a whisper. "Eleanor was my betrothed. She's the princess of ElZeera and her mother had always been against our union because of the curse I talked about. She'd always hated me, your mother was the only one willing to give me her daughter's hand in marriage, even after knowing about this."
The princess cackled hysterically, her eyes narrowing in annoyance, "Really? You're going to pin it all on a nonexistent curse? I thought you were different, Lucien! I thought you were better!"
"Come on, Bron! Can't you just let this go? I promise that I'll do right by you. Can't you just forget this discussion ever happened? We all have our secrets! Just like Vered is yours, Eleanor is mine! You already said you didn't care whatever reason there was for me choosing you as the empress."
She gasped the moment he made mention of the knight she had bedded back home. Her mind flitted back to the Halivaraa and how he had been willing to keep her secret. She let out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding.
"Alright," she whispered.
When he neared her, he cupped her cheeks, forcing her face to his, "Alright? Please tell me you understand why I'm doing this! Please!"
"I understand. I want to be alone, Lucien. Please leave."
She could see the pain evident in his face. Would he rather lie to her and be guilty about it, than tell her the truth? She couldn't face seeing him, she wanted him out of her sight. She didn't think she could forgive him, or any of them for that matter.
"I understand. Like I said, I do not care whatever reason you have. You want me for reasons I do not know, and I want you for the title. Let us not pretend like something's ever going to happen between us, because it never will. Now, get out, Lucien!"