3: Off to her new life’s

Devontae Kingdom

Heather's POV

This was definitely not how I envisioned my life to be. Being shipped off to some prince I knew nothing about was not what I wanted. It wasn't like anybody ever cared about what I wanted. It has always been me, I had learned to fend for myself from a very young age. I had plans for my life that didn't involve the prince. How could my own Father do this to me? That too, suddenly with any warning or explanation. I held my gown tightly in my clenched fists fighting the urge to cry. He was the only blood-related relative that I had, so his actions hurt me terribly.

"Are you okay? My lady?" the spokesman from Devontae asked. He was the only one riding the carriage with me. The others were on another carriage. I didn't know if this was care being shown or if he was keeping an eye on me so I wouldn't escape and leave their lovely prince waiting.

"I'm fine," I grumbled. I wasn't fine. I was feeling hurt, betrayed, and upset. I wanted nothing more than to vent out all my frustrations but I knew I couldn't do that. I had to hold back.

"Is that so? You haven't moved an inch since we left and your face is rather pale," he replied.

"It's hot in here and the corset is holding me in a death grasp. If I move, the sharp diamonds might cut my skin open and the prince will have to be greeted by a bloody bride. Should I still move?" I retorted. He muttered an 'oh', cleared his throat, and looked out of the window. If I knew this would be happening, I would have insisted that the maid change my dress. I could barely breathe. I leaned against the window worried about what was about to befall me.

There were so many scenarios in my head about how this could pan out. If the rumors were indeed true, then my life at Devontae might not be a bed of roses. It wouldn't be worse than my life in Veeryl, right?

"My lady? My lady?" I heard a muffled voice. I groaned, fluttering my eyelids open.

"We've reached Devontae palace. It's time to get out of the carriage," he informed me opening the door. I glanced around in surprise wondering when I fell asleep. I got out of the carriage and my breath almost got knocked out of me. Before me stood the most gigantic and beautiful palace I had ever seen.

"Welcome to Devontae my lady. Believe me when I say that its people are pleased to have you here," he said. I nodded in response. We walked inside together. I could see the maids staring at me curiously.

"Welcome my lady," a woman greeted politely stopping us in our steps. The maids were all dressed in the same clothing which wasn't what she was currently wearing. I stared at her wondering who she might be.

"I'm Lucinda. The head maid of the palace," she introduced herself.

"Head maid?" I inquired.

"Yes, head maid. It means I'm in charge of all the other maids," she explained. I nodded in understanding.

"If you will excuse me, I have other things to attend to. You will satisfied under the care of Lucinda," the man said to me before leaving. I had completely forgotten to ask for his name.

"So Lucinda, will you be the one to take me to the prince?" I asked turning my attention towards her. It was time I got to the real reason why I was here. I couldn't let my guard down because of the beauty of this palace or their friendliness.

"Before that, I would like to assign your personal maid to you. Ella? Over here," she called out. A young girl about my age walked towards us.

"This is Ella and she will be your personal maid. If you have any complaints about her or anything else, you can talk to me about them but I doubt that's going to happen. They all were trained professionally," she continued confidently.

The girl smiled brightly at me. "It's an honor to serve you, my lady."

"Will you take me to the prince now?" I asked after they finished speaking. They both glanced at each other in surprise.

"But before that, tell me some things about him. I need to be prepared for when we meet. What kind of person is Prince Keith?" I inquired in a serious tone. A prolonged silence ensued after my question.

"Did you not hear me? Tell me about him," I urged them. The head maid cleared her throat.

"Well, he's the prince of Devontae," she replied.

I raised a brow. " Yes, and?"

"He's the king's third son and he was born during winter," she responded. I tapped my feet impatiently on the floor.

"And?" I probed.

"He's the prince my lady. The Alpha king is his father," she responded. I frowned.

"You've told me he is the prince and the king's son. Isn't that all the same thing? And why are you telling me the season he was born? Who cares?" I asked irately. Her vague answers were getting me upset.

"Those are all facts my lady," she replied. I walked closer to them.

"I know those are all facts but I need to hear the important things. Is he good-looking?" I inquired.

"He is of royal blood..."

"Is he tall? Short? Fat? Can he read? Is he artistic? Can he fight?" I asked cutting her off.

"My lady..."

"Is he ugly? Does he perhaps have a scar on his face? I'm not one to care about the looks of a person but I need to know these things. On a scale of one to ten, how ugly is he? So I can brace myself," I declared. Lucinda wouldn't tell me anything so I turned towards Ella.

"Is he cruel? Does everybody hate him?" I asked her. She glanced at Lucinda looking taken aback.

"You both will make a great couple and have lovely babies," she replied with a wide smile. What was wrong with both of them? Why weren't they telling me anything? Was he that horrible?

"Look who we have here," a woman said walking towards us.

"Who are you?" I asked in confusion. She spoke like she knew me. I didn't have the time to meet anybody else. I only wanted to see Prince Keith. Is that too much to ask?

"I'm Nyles," she responded.

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" I asked glancing at Ella and Lucinda.

"Weren't you taught to let people finish speaking before you speak? No manners as expected from a low-class small pack," she said walking around me. I scoffed in disbelief. Who was this woman to think she could talk to me like that?

"I'm the prince's woman. No, let me rephrase that. I am Prince Keith's woman," she declared confidently.

I snickered. "Prince Keith's woman?"

She hummed. "The only woman he loves. You are only wasting your time here, you can never have him. He's mine."

"He's all yours. You can have him all to yourself," I replied. She stopped in front of me.

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me. Listen here, I've had a really long day and this stunning dress you see me wearing is about to cut off my air supply. So, I won't stand here and exchange words with a woman I don't know. I won't have you insult me because of someone like him. You can have the cruel, useless, ugly, hated, and crippled prince all to yourself! I don't want him and I certainly do not care!" I snapped at her panting hard. The gasps of everyone present echoed loudly. Ella looked very pale from shock and Nyles stepped back in surprise.

I've had enough of today. I got betrayed by the only family I had, married off for political reasons to someone I don't know and she was bothering me because of the same person that was making me frustrated. I blurted everything out without thinking.

"What's going on here?" I heard a deep authoritative voice ask. Ella looked like her eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. I turned around but there was nobody at my eye level so I looked down.

"Won't anyone answer me?" he growled. I let out a shaky breath. It was a man and he was in a wheelchair. Could he be...

"Prince Keith!" Nyles cried out running towards him. He was indeed the prince and he was truly crippled. Did he perhaps listen to all I said?

"I was taking a walk when I heard her saying so many awful things about you. I stopped her nicely to warn her about it but she grew hysterical and started to yell and insult you. Everyone present heard it," she said to him in a pitiful tone. I stared at her in disbelief.

"How dare you?" he said to me in a low growl. I glanced between the both of them not able to say a word. I was meeting with the man I was married to for the first time and he was picking another woman's side over mine without hearing a word from me. Is this really happening?