"I, Everett Glass, take you, Richard Stuart, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; and I promise to be faithful until death parts us." I finished my vow, copying the exact words the priest was saying.

It wasn't what I had imagined my wedding would be, but when in times of need, some people, the stronger ones, will do anything to survive.

Even if it meant marrying the man you despise the most, from his smoky moustache to his big feet. The only good thing about him was that it covered me like a blanket keeps you safe from the cold, hiding me in plain sight from the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Adolphus. He wasn't a bad man, but, to me and my coworkers, he was a serious threat to our life.

"I do," I said, extending my left arm out, my delicate fingers appearing from under the white gown, the stitches scratching into my sides, the silk sliding uncomfortably around my arms.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride,"

I didn't want to kiss this man, the beard as scratchy as the glass paper I used to use to saw down my wooden arrows. But I had to, if not for my sake, for the whole group of women who were fighting in hiding, all of us working towards the same goal.

The kiss was softer than I'd expected, the light brush making me believe for a second that he actually liked me. But of course, someone of his standards had only one thing to like besides money, and that was beauty.

As the cheering started, I placed a bright, fake smile on my face, trying to make my eyes shine in happiness.

It wasn't really that hard anymore, to fool people, I mean. Ever since I was little, I had had a knack for making people believe what they wanted to see, from my first kill thinking I was his long lost daughter, to the man standing next to me, probably expecting me to be the perfect wife.

Which you will be, until the time is right.

"Congratulations!" A friend of mine said, winking at me while linking arms with her fiancé, a cousin of my now husband.

There was just one slight difference between her and me, apart from our childhood; she was in love with her soon-to-be-husband, even when she tried hiding and denying it, while I, along with the person who had introduced me to this world, hated our partner.

Walking hand in hand with my new husband, we walked down the aisle, smiling at everyone as we reached the backdoor that gave way to the immense banket.

Once outside, I spotted Cassidi, the messenger between me and the queen, Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, or the person who was posing as the noblewoman anyway.

"Everett! Congratulations! I can't wait to become a godmother!" Cassidi gushed, using her londoner accent to seem more posh, so that Richard, my husband, wouldn't suspect anything.

Laughing, I unlinked my hands from Richard, and giving him a peck on the cheek, walked off to the group of girls waiting for me around the food table.

"Good day, ladies," I said, my voice no longer holding any joy as I noted that they were all part of the rebels, "so, what has her majesty got to say?"

"For starters, she wanted to congratulate your marriage. Secondly, she told me to tell you to stay low for a while, since the Duke has somehow found a lead of some sort and has notified the king. Last but not least, she's getting the information we need from her husband, but because of the internal fights, she doesn't spend much time with him,"

"I hope my marriage goes like that," I whispered, more to myself, "Does she expect me to have children with Richard? Because I do not feel like carrying a fetus inside me for nine months, only to then kill it, like she did. I call that a waste of nutrients and supplies,"

"She wants you to do what must be done to stay undercover,"

"Everett, calm down. Anyway, if you do have a child, you don't have to kill it. She only did it because it was a liability. Not only that, but her first daughter died at birth, she didn't have anything to do with it, remember?"

That's what she wants you to believe, I wanted to reply, but instead, stayed quiet.

"Anyway, meeting in two days, my house, okay?" The only redhead said, her brown eyes staring at each of us as we nodded.

"I might be a bit late... My father wants me to go over to have lunch, and you know how he gets," The girl beside me whispered.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a dark figure approaching, so trying to conceal our conversation, I started laughing as cheerfully as possible, "I'm so thankful it all went well! But, oh my, that sure is funny!". I knew how to act the way a lady was expected to, and everyone knew, or thought, that women were always gossiping, so my response wasn't that unnatural from the point of view of the male figure now standing next to me.

"I see you are gossiping again," The rough voice I knew so well said, making me wizz my head around and stare at him.

"What are you doing here, Sky?" I asked, using the old nickname I made up when I was little, partly because of his bright blue eyes, and partly because he was always up in the clouds, imagining things.

"The queen wants to have a private meeting,"

"I know,"

Pressing his lips together, as if unsure how to explain, he said, "No, you don't. She means she has to see you in three days. Something extremely bad is going to happen if we don't act soon,"

I guess marriage isn't my biggest concern right now, then.