Princess Prince by Elizabeth A. Freeman (a court of thorns and roses ebook free TXT) 📕

calm him.

"L-lord Vladimir.. H-he knows my s-secret. He t-tried to f-force himself on m-me!" Ophelia barely choked the words out, his face flushed with shame at the very thought of how that man had violated him.

"That filthy son of a bitch! Did you tell the guards?" Nanny exclaimed in rage and leaned back to look Ophelia in the eyes. In response to the question Ophelia shook his head violently, sobbing even louder.

"No... I c-can't. He said if I did.. t-that h-he'd tell the public about me... a-and d-daddy and I would be k-killed." Ophelia wailed looking into Abigail's eyes with a look of defeated horror. Abigail felt as though someone had cast an ice spell on her, coming to the same realization that Ophelia had several minutes earlier.

"Oh dear.. He's blackmailing the King.." Abigail whispered breathlessly, having to forcibly gather her focus as she faced Ophelia.

"Mmm-hmmm.. He said he's making daddy do whatever he wants." Ophelia's sobs started to become quieter from the comfort that nanny's presence invoked. Abigail seethed internally as it became clear exactly what Vladimir's motivation was.

"Here, let me see what that beast did to you.." Abigail whispered and Ophelia tilted his head to one side, revealing the livid bruise that appeared on his throat where Vladimir had bitten him. Abigail gasped softly at the sight and her brow creased in concern.

"He did that then and he kneed me between the legs and when he," Ophelia hesitated, averting his eyes as he continued, "When he had me on the ground he forced me to kiss him and he put his hand up under my dress and touched me down there..." As he finished Ophelia began to sob once more, feeling filthy and defiled by what Vladimir had done to him. At that moment Abigail would've liked nothing more than to see that some poison found its way into King Vladimir's tea for what he had done to her sweet Ophelia.

"Oh my dear.. I'm so sorry that foul beast did that to you.." Abigail nearly sobbed herself as she hugged Ophelia once more and reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"What am I going to do, Nanny? I have to marry him and he'll do that sort of thing to me again, and worse.." Ophelia whispered, his soft voice despairing as he wrapped his slender arms around Abigail and buried his face in her shoulder.

"I don't know sweetie, I don't know. I promise you though, I'll find a way to stop this.." Abigail's mind already began working over the possibilities of what she could do to save Ophelia from the dreadful fate of being married to King Vladimir. Gently she pulled Ophelia to his feet and led him to the bath, calling several other maids to assist her in caring for the Princess.

"Come on Ophelia. We'll get you cleaned off and then I'll bring you a glass of warm milk." Abigail coaxed as she guided the princess to the bath chamber. Ophelia nodded softly in response to Abigail's words, wondering if there really was anything his dear nanny could do to save him from Vladimir.

Chapter Five

The next two days passed by far too quickly for Ophelia's liking, though the Princess made sure not to allow King Vladimir to corner him alone a second time. However the day of the wedding had arrived and Ophelia felt that he was sure to be sick if he had to say the vows of devotion. The maids fluttered around Ophelia in a flurry of motion, making sure that his wedding dress and his hair was perfect. The princess' long blond hair was interwoven with pale pastel colored flowers and the dress glimmered in the sunlight like a silver snowflake.

"How long until the ceremony begins?" Ophelia asked numbly, his eyes downcast at the floor as the maids made the last adjustments to his dress.

"Thirty minutes... Ophelia, just be brave." Abigail whispered and tilted the Princess' head upwards so she could apply some make up to his unblemished face. Ophelia sighed and held still as rouge was applied to his lips and cheeks, restoring color to a face that was paled by the horrifying knowledge of what the day held for him. The minutes crept by in the way they did for a man waiting to be executed, far too slow and yet at the same time not slow enough.

"It's time... His highness awaits you outside." a servant poked her head into the room when the time was up and Ophelia set his jaw and held his head high. He may not want to do this, but as the princess of Shioria he would face any strife with his pride intact. He stepped swiftly through the doors to find his father waiting, the king regarded him with crimson eyes that gave the apology that he could not say.

"It's okay daddy.." Ophelia whispered as he placed his hand into that of his father and allowed the king to lead him to the head of the cathedral. Ophelia tilted her head back to meet King Vladimir's stare with a fearless gaze as he approached the man who was the symbol of his very doom. King Ambrosius reached the top of the stairs, giving Ophelia's hand a light squeeze before placing it into the hand of Vladimir who grasped it possessively. The priest of the goddess stepped forward and began to read the holy documents of the rights of matrimony and then turned to face King Vladimir after droning on for several minutes.

"King Vladimir Lanval of Theron, do you swear to make it your life's mission to love and bring happiness to her most honorable Highness Princess Ophelia Gratien XI?" the priest asked the required question, smiling over at the red headed King.

"Indeed I do." Vladimir answered without hesitation and then turned to face Ophelia once more, waiting on baited breath for him to give the same answer. The priest nodded and turned to Ophelia with the same pleasant smile.

"Princess Ophelia Gratien XI, do you swear to make it your life's mission to love and bring happiness to his most honorable Highness King Vladimir Lanval?" the priest repeated the question this time to Ophelia.

"I do." Ophelia answered, with less enthusiasm but just as quickly as Vladimir had made his own pledge, determined that he would not have his honor stained before the public. The priest nodded and then spread his hands and turned to look upwards at the immense statue of the goddess which loomed at the head of the cathedral.

"My children, please pray now to the goddess that she may grant you with all that you desire and then speak your vows to each other." the priest commanded, his back still turned to them as he gazed up at the fair and beautiful goddess. Vladimir and Ophelia turned, still holding hands as they faced the statue and silently prayed to the great goddess. One prayed for conquest and domination, the other praying for salvation from that fate that was put upon him. Finishing their prayers both turned to regard each other once more.

"My dearest Ophelia, it is with the greatest love an honor that I pledge myself to you. You shall be my most treasured jewel, the center of my world. Through our union I hope to bring honor to your country and my own." Vladimir vowed and raised Ophelia's hand to his lips placing a kiss to the princess' knuckles.

"My sweet Vladimir, it is with great honor and devotion that I pledge myself to you. Your kindness and beloved spirit bring me such great joy on this day of our union. I too hope that our matrimony brings great prosperity to both our kingdoms." Ophelia vowed in turn and raised Vladimir's hand to his lips and kissed it, then raised his crimson gaze at Vladimir's face. The priest turned to face them once more, bowing low before the two royals.

"May you both find true happiness under the watchful eye of the supreme goddess. By the power invested in me you are now man and wife." The priest nodded to each of them and made a sweeping gesture with his hands for them to come together and kiss. Ophelia stepped forward into Vladimir's waiting embrace without resistance, closing his eyes as the foreign king's lips fell upon his own and he was claimed as this man's queen. Vladimir attempted to turn the kiss passionate but while he did not resist, Ophelia also did not return the kiss. The gathered courtiers broke into a cheer as they parted and turned to face the crowd as King and Queen of Theron and Shioria respectively.

Chapter Six

Ophelia sat at the reception dinner, with all the regal grace that any queen should. His thoughts racing as the well wishes of the courtiers drifted through his consciousness with as much importance as a grain of sand in the desert. Vladimir spoke smugly, every so often grasping Ophelia to his side dominantly and grinning down at the new queen with a feral look in his green eyes. As the evening drew to a close Vladimir gestured one of the castle maids to his side, grinning rakishly as he gestured her close.

"Would you be so kind as to take my dear Queen here and prepare her for our wedding night?" Vladimir purred and gestured to Ophelia. With a nod to his king Ophelia rose and moved to follow the maid, whose face he knew well for he regarded her like an older sister. Emily guided Ophelia through the palace halls to a small chamber where new brides were to be purified within before they went to their marriage bed. Within nanny Abigail waited, however the things set out in the room were not the implements used in the purification ceremony.

"Ophelia, my dear child..." Nanny embraced Ophelia fondly and then stepped back from the young man and regarded him seriously.

"Nanny?" Ophelia whispered, glancing to Emily and then back to Abigail uncertainly. He could feel that something was going on and he looked at them expectantly.

"There is only one way that you can escape your fate, and only one chance you will have to do so." Nanny said as she and Emily began to remove Ophelia's wedding dress and the the flowers from his hair.

"Escape my fate?" Ophelia whispered, his brow furrowing in confusion as he stepped out of the silky dress and allowed the two maids to remove the corset from his torso.

"Yes my child. While King Vladimir will believe that you are being prepared for your marriage bed you will in actuality be fleeing the kingdom."