We stood before King Wardon and Prince Vance with an elongated wooden table separating us.

The fire burned warm in the hearth on my left, making my already clammy palm damp with sweat.

King Wardon's blue eyes were set on me, sitting on a dark green leather chair, ever since Prince Terrence introduced me as his bride a few minutes ago.

Prince Vance stood behind his father, resting a hand on the tall head of the chair. His face was as impassive as ever as he watched us.

It was a perfect pose to capture the uptight father-son royalty in an oil painting. Doria would have loved this.

The thought of her drowned my already sinking heart further, and I breathed slower.

"So, this is your witch bride?"

I tried not to flinch at the low deep voice of King Wardon.

"Yes, Father." Prince responded in an even calmer tone.

"When did you marry her?"

"Yesterday."

"An elopement, I see."

"Yes."

"Is she mute?" Prince Vance asked.

My fingers twitched at the subtle insult. I felt Prince Terence's eyes from my right, giving me the opening to respond.

I breathed and met Prince Vance's cold navy eyes.

"No, Your Highness. I am not mute."

Those navy eyes sparked for a second before they returned to their usual dim interest.

"Good to know. We don't need an invalid on top of the heritage contamination."

"Brother-"

"Pardon me, Your Highness, but would to care to expand on your heritage contamination theory? I was under the impression that marriage between two kingdoms enhance a heritage, not contaminate it."

A subtle twitch in his brow and I knew my arrow had struck right.

"Well, it is hardly an enhancement of heritage if the marriage happens between an influential kingdom and a below-the-par coven, no offense, of course. Even then the validity of this marriage remains in question."

I tilted my head to the side. "How so?"

He raised his chin. "Do you have any proof to support your claim?"

"We have an entire coven as witness." My husband responded, standing a little closer to my side.

"You are well aware this is not enough to be considered valid in Ravendalian law of royal marriage act." King sat straighter.

"Yes, Father. I'm well aware. This is why we are soul-bound as well."

"Soul bound, hmm?" King asked, as though he was amused at the mere notion. "Let us prove it to them. Tell your bride to reach forward and place her hand in mine."

Prince Terence's gaze met mine and he gave me a blink meant to assure me. However, all I could feel was a sick blend of hot fury and slippery nervousness. And they were not a good mix. At all.

With soft, counting steps I moved toward the table and stretched my arm to touch the waiting hand of the king.

Other than the scratchy smoothness of a privileged royal's palm, I didn't feel anything life-altering upon touching His Majesty.

However, I did notice a faint gleam of something pass through his wrinkled blue eyes.

King Wardon nodded at me, the very first sign of acknowledgment, and slipped his hand away from me.

"Very well. I see it is true that you are bonded to my son. Therefore, I shall welcome you to our family. Your name?"

"Esmarelda Faireborne, Your Majesty."

A slight flicker of disapproval flashed in his eyes before he could hide it.

"Try Esmarelda Beverdon from now. Brides of Ravendale take the name of their marital family here in Ravendale. You'd do well remembering that."

Someone seemed to burn my whole flesh alive at the moment. I wasn't particular with my name. Esmarelda Faireborne or Esmarelda Beverdon, they both were the same me, anyway.

It was the notion of forgetting my root that he implied in his words you that ired me. As if just because I married a royal, now I'd have to sell my soul to them right along with my maiden name. And it was there where I drew the line.

Stretching my lips, I placed my hands before me in the most complacent pose ever.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I shall heed your advice. However, I'm afraid that may not affect my reputation as a witch bride in Ravendalian court. After all, that is who I am at my core, ain't I?"

"What you are is Prince Terrence's wife now," Prince Vance poked his annoying straight nose once again. "That should be enough."

My smile turned a notch wider when I looked at him. "Let's all hope so."

His face turned even more blank if possible, as if trying not to let a sneer or two out in public.

Oh, how scandalous would have that been for him?

Prince Terrence cleared his throat and stood beside me. "Now that we've proved our marriage and you approve of us, shall we discuss the more pressing matter, Father?"

"About inheritance and crowning, I am aware. It seems you have abided by the law of inheritance and are eligible for the throne now that you've brought the first bride to the family. Although, I have some questions."

"Yes, Father. I know you are curious about our elopement and, although, I admit it is not the ideal circumstance to bring a bride into the family without your consent, I had no choice."

"And why is that, Brother? It's not like you and her were tangled in mad love from the inside of your precious library, or is there something we should know?"

The way his voice dropped, it was clear he was implying I somehow trapped Prince Terrence into marrying me. What did he think I have done, I wanted to ask badly.

"How do you know I wasn't in love with Esmarelda, Brother?" Prince Terrence was a steady pillar in the face of a storm. "How do you know that I haven't written letters to her months after months before we finally decided to get married?"

"Really?" Prince Vance smirked. "Well, pray tell where have you seen her for the first time?"

"In her coven."

"Last night?"

"Four years ago. Autumn Honey Harvest Festival, where we were invited."

It was an effort not to snap my head toward him at the moment.

It was true we had invited Ravendale royalty that one year against the better judgment of our neighboring covens. However, the festival had been just a guise to lure the royals to our coven and open up paths of further profit in our trades. The plan had been to show them we were open to friendship, however reluctant that was, and display the best features of our witchy potions through the magic fair we had organized.

The royals had come, strolled through our sparkling stalls of potions, spells, and cauldron honey magic, and bid farewell at the end of the week without so much as uttering a word of business. Although, they had allowed twenty more slots for stalls in Ravendale's capital throughout the following month. Even they were on the verge of closing now.

But during their entire visit to our coven, I had not seen Prince Terrence once. Although, we cousins did stay away from their path in the fair as much as we could, it was still hard to believe I caught his attention somehow and he even liked me enough to remember.

Maybe it wasn't even about liking me. Maybe the plan to get involved in our trade had been brewing for far longer than I imagined and he had just filed me away for some better use as a Coven Daughter. There was no way he would know about me and kept the knowledge to himself... right?

"What do you think, Esmarelda?"

I blinked when a familiar hand touched my shoulder.

"Yes? Sorry. I didn't hear you."

"I asked whether you are alright with our coronation happening the next new moon?"

I blinked harder. "Our coronation?"

When did we move from the topic of our elopement to this?

He smiled down at me, warmth spreading through my soul at the mere act. "Yes, you and I both shall have coronation as the new king and queen of Ravendale now that Father gave us his blessings and Brother has no objections regarding the matter."

No objections, huh?

I eyed the man in the question and his face was an eery mask of calm. For some reason, that settled wrong with my nerves.

I hummed and turned back to my husband. "I'm okay with it if you are."

"That's settled then," King Wardon nodded, "There will be a coronation next month and we shall utilize the time introducing Terrence's bride to our people and help her get accustomed to the palace court. Now, I believe you both wish to return to your chamber for the night. A maid shall be sent to escort you."

"I shall do it, Father." Prince Vance offered in a cool tone, "Allow me to welcome my brother and his bride the way they deserve."

The small stretch of his lips had ants crawling through my veins. Tiny, prickly, stingy ants.