The Prince was handsome, to be sure. He had long brown locks that turned bronze as the light from outside landed on him. Unfortunately, his face was the picture of cool indifference; he had cold glacier eyes locked on an older gentleman in the front row. Based on the crown and overall similar look, I would guess this man was the king. He shot his son a glare before patting his wife's knee reassuringly. If my information was correct, she was his second wife and bore him the young gaggle of children seated around him.

Faith pealed to the side at the alter. She shot a coy glance at the man standing up with Prince Dimitri. that should be Ziv, the Prince's oldest friend and future lord of Ridgemount. Faith has indeed set her sights on a good target. Ziv was impeccably dressed, his hair short and controlled, complimenting the sharp planes of his face. He was casting worried glances at the Prince and the king. Could they make it more apparent that the Prince did not wish to be here?

I veiled like a gift, ready for the opening, settled next to where Prince Dimitri stood. Prince Dimitri did not look my way as the vicar started the human ceremony. a witch ceremony is different. A priest or priestess casts a circle to start. Then the handfasting. There are vows in both essentially the same; from now on, he and I would be one. We will be one, and he won't even look at me. But that is alright; he does not need to like me for my father's plan to work.

The vicar moved to the vows again; these were the traditional human vows. If you ask me, these are a bit over the top; sickness and health are fine, but to obey. Does anyone who has ever been married believe that their wife obeys them? Ridiculous. I still say I do with that doe-eyed smile on my face. The Prince looks at one of the stained glass windows with a hopeless longing look. Sorry Prince, but neither of us gets a choice, and neither of us is getting out. He looks to his father for a moment before a strained 'I do' leaves his mouth. We turn towards each other, and Ziv steps forward with the rings. Prince Dimitri's eyes won't look at me, and he is making a show of it. With the physical distance he was maintaining between us, I wasn't sure if he would be able to get the ring on my finger at the distance, but he managed.

Ziv gave me a sympathetic smile before stepping back to his spot. When it was time to finish the ceremony, Prince Dimitri roughly threw my veil back from my face, pulling my hair and jarring my head to the side. I wanted to yelp at the action, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he hurt me, so I held it in. his lips barely touched mine before he turned to leave, dragging me with him.

At the reception, we did not dance. Prince Dimitri informed the crowd of an unfortunate riding accident he suffered on his way to the wedding. So, we sat as far away as possible while still being next to each other. I ate little nothing while watching others dance. I was not to dance at any ball or party unless I danced with my husband first. Prince Dimitri spent his time drinking anything he could find or what I would assume was all the alcohol at the reception. I knew there was one final part of this wedding I wished I could avoid, but the consummation ceremony was inevitable. I decided that to get through it, I would try and be as fast as possible. I asked that since this was not a tradition from my people that my family did not attend, the king agreed so my family wouldn't have to see that.

Faith made her way over to me as the reception was ending.

"I know you don't want me at the consummation, but I am going to be with you until it starts," she gave me a pointed look, "and no arguments."

Prince Dimitri was taken out one door, and I was taken out another. I followed ladies maids, with my ladies in waiting in tow through the castle halls. The palace has a specific room that serves as a consummation chamber. There are two dressing rooms on either side of the bedroom. I was ushered into one as a flurry of maids got me ready for 'his highness.' The queen picked two women to serve as my ladies in waiting until my friends from home arrived. Those two women were excitedly exclaiming how excellent his highness was. how lucky I was, how handsome his highness was. Faith sat by me, side-eyeing me as I watched their chatter impassively. She knew me too well, and she knew that I was not excited about what came next.

The vicar who had just married Prince Dimitri and myself entered the room and nodded to the ladies' maids giving me my robe. I entered the room leaving the ladies in waiting behind. Regret filled me; perhaps I did want my sister with me. The second the door closed behind me, my heart started pounding. I was surprised that the men in the room could not hear it. The king's council stood against the wall, avoiding looking at me. The king entered through the door across from mine with a scowl. Everyone bowed, and he walked to a spot against the wall. The vicar went to retrieve Prince Dimitri, leaving me embarrassingly underdressed. I didn't notice I was shaking until one of the ladies' maids grabbed my hand.

"It will be over before you know it," she whispered, "and I will be right here if you need anything after" the girl was young, maybe my own age. She had a kind smile; her hair was icy blond, and her eyes were sparkling emerald. She was beautiful.

"I'm frightened I don't think the prince likes me" I needed to make allies and get a feel for the people here.

"I don't think that has anything to do with you personally," as soon as she said that, the Prince threw his door open for him and the vicar. He was in a robe that looked the same as mine but larger.

"Should we start?" Prince Dimitri asked the vicar, who nodded. The maid dropped my hand, and I immediately wished she hadn't. The Prince stormed over to me and ripped the robe off my body. There was no kindness in his eyes; he still was not looking at me but constantly glancing at his father. He finally looked at me; I think I preferred when he wasn't. His eyes assessed me, then he grabbed my wrist and threw me on the bed. I have never felt too exposed or naked in my life. The Prince undid his robe but left it on his body. As he crawled on the bed, I crawled away from him until I hit the headboard. He smirked. Somehow my fear was entertaining him. I willed the tears forming in my eyes to stop; I could do this for the plan to work. I had to do this. I closed my eyes and took a breath. I opened my eyes, the world fuzzy with the tears I was trying to control. Prince Dimitri was on top of me, his robe creating privacy for our bodies.

"Keep your eyes closed," he commanded, and I closed them again. Prince Dimitri pushed my legs apart and settled his body between them. He started moving and grunting above me, but I didn't feel anything but his motion. I opened my eyes to see the Prince touching himself, and almost none of his body was on me. He kept moving, and I watched his hands as he stroked and stroked. This was not right, but I said nothing; I just stared. Until he came on my stomach, it was warm, and I never wanted to whip something off me more in my life, but he stopped my hands and breathed heavily into my face. His glare burned into me. "you have seen what you need to GET OUT now" I could feel the growl of his words rumble in my chest.

The door opened, and I heard the people leaving the room. Once the door closed again, Prince Dimitri jumped away from me as if my skin burned him.

"I... I don't understand," I spoke softly, trying to catch his gaze.

"What part of getting out needs to be repeated" he hissed as the robe I had been wearing was thrown at me. He yanked me out of bed and threw me into the dressing room where he came from. I hadn't even put on the robe as I slammed into the floor. I reached for the robe and wrapped it around myself, nursing my wrist that will be sported and hand-shaped bruise soon.

"Princess," the icy-haired maid came to my side. She cleaned me up and said only nonsense words, or how they sounded to me through my tears. Because I may have been raised to be strong, I didn't care today, so I cried and cried and cried until I had no tears left to shed, and only soft whimpers escaped my body.