Chapter 5: A new bride

| AVERYN |

The title 'Shield of the Prince' sounds honourable, but it feels more suffocating than the palace. The marble floors gleamed, everywhere polished to perfection, yet all he could see when he looked down was blood.

All that kept echoing in his head was her scream, her cries.

Caleb clenched his fist as it played over and over in his head. He gritted his teeth and refused to swallow. They had become phantom stains that refused to wash away.

Seraphina’s blood.

No one here knew that the man saved and honored with a title didn’t deserve it one bit, he had stabbed the girl they had condemned in the back.

His own sister.

His throat tightened as he tried to force the memory down, the sound of her pleas, the way she had searched the sea of faces until her eyes found his.

Not angry. Not even afraid.

Just.. betrayed.

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

‘ I had no choice.’ he told himself for the thousandth time. If he had spoken, if he hadn't confirmed the accusations and turned his back against her they would have killed them both.

“ Caleb!”

He snapped his head up, gaze locked on Prince Theodore whose voice had snapped him out of his thoughts.

“ Uh, I'm sorry my prince.” He quickly bowed. Standing at the foot of the prince, he bowed enough to show respect, but not submission.

“ What are you thinking that you got so lost in thought?” He asked, shifting in his seat.

“ Nothing, my prince.” He answered, straightening.

“ Don't let me ask again, Caleb.” His stern voice warned.

Caleb blinked. His chest squeezed as he met the prince’s gaze.

“ I'm thinking of her. Seraphina.”

Theodore groaned.

Caleb gnashed his teeth a little before saying. “ I thought..” his voice cracked. “ I thought you loved her.”

Maribel scoffed, leaned away from the prince before answering. “ Do you really believe that?”

Caleb's eyes moved back to the prince and he saw him smirk. He had the expression of someone who never loved his sister, maybe not even for a second.

“ Come closer,” Theodore said lazily.

He obeyed.

“ Do you feel guilty?” He asked, smirking.

“ Should I not?” Caleb asked back, voice low and down.

Maribel chuckled. “ Cut the crab, you were willing to sacrifice her for all these fortunes, and now you suddenly feel guilty? Oh well! It shows you at least have a conscience.”

“ I didn't do it for the fortune.” Caleb asserted.

“ Yes, you didn't,” Theodore confirmed. “ But you should be grateful. You're alive because you chose correctly.”

“ She said you assured her, that you'd do everything to make sure you be with her,” Caleb said with a face twisted with uncertainty. “ Why..?”

Maribel burst into hysterical laughter. “ Love her? The prince loved that worthless beggar?”

“ She's…” He clenched his fist, swallowed hard, and steadied his tone. “.. Not a beggar.”

Maribel stopped laughing, her face hardened as she glared at him in disgust. Caleb quickly lowered his head to avoid offending her.

He couldn't afford that.

Theodore sat up, stood up, and walked up to Caleb. Softly, he began padding around him like a predator seizing up his prey.

“ Stop feeling guilty, it was your sister's greed that cost her —her life.” He began. “ How foolish of a mere street lady to think she could have a chance by the prince’s side.”

He chuckled incredulously. “ And she even wanted me to bend the law that has been implemented since our forefathers for her. How foolish.”

He stopped in front of him. “I never loved her,” he said flatly. “I just wanted a taste. She's a pretty lady you know. And.. very skillful. I was just having fun.”

Maribel rolled her eyes. “ Are you actually saying that smelly thing is pretty?”

Theodore laughed and turned to her. “ Of course not as much as the gorgeous you.”

She looked away, forcing back the smile creeping onto her face.

‘ How would she feel, if she heard this?’ Caleb's lashes fluttered. ‘ I have no right to be angry, I'm just as despicable.’

He thought to himself.

Theodore stepped away before saying. “ I'm in a delicate time, a time I can't risk anyone jeopardizing my years of hardship. What do you think will happen to me if the people find out I was in a relationship with a street lady? That's a forbidden relationship, punishable by death.”

He turned to Caleb. “ How will I become the king if I'm dead?”

Caleb stood still with his head still lowered.

“ I'm asking you Caleb.”

He looked up, avoiding his eyes, and he shook his head. “ It won't be possible.”

“ Exactly. So your sister was just an obstacle I removed out of the way.”

Caleb's heart squeezed. His fingers curled at his side but he maintained his composure, swallowing every spit of anger back to his throat as he didn't feel worthy.

“ Talking about the crown.” Maribel started, standing up and approaching the prince. “ The crowning is happening soon, we need to be ahead of your brother, my prince.”

Theodore nodded. His eyes sharpened with ambition. “ I've been thinking of how to earn more merit than him, and I need supporters.”

“ My father would definitely support you, he's a palace Chief and he knows about our love for each other.”

“ It's not enough.” He turned away shaking his head. “ I need a powerful man's support, someone like King Kieran supporting me.”

He paused immediately at the mention of the name, turned to Maribel with his eyes widened a little, as if the answer had just occurred to him. “ King Kieran.”

“ King Kieran?” Maribel scoffed. “ Our nation is not in a good relationship with the Aurerhia nation, remember?”

“ That's it.” He moved closer, displaying with hand gestures. “ Imagine I made that nation our ally and also got him to support me, there's no way Prince Grant would beat me.”

Maribel paused for a second with her brow drawn tight. “ You want to get Aurerhia to sign an alliance deal with Averyn?”

“ That's me making the impossible—possible. It's not like we're enemies, we're just not friends.” He tried to convince.

“ But… I heard the king is a very tough man, he's as ruthless as his blade, merciless, and a very cunning man.”

“ I don't care, as long as I have his support for my kingship,”

Maribel twitched her lips, thinking for a second. “ I heard his birthday is in a week. How about you visit with an irresistible gift?”

“ Gift? What gift?”

“ He has a reputation of being obsessed with women, he changes them like clothes. And his wife-to-be is currently dying.”

“ Princess Zaria?”

“ Hm.” She nodded. “ I heard she's been bedridden for days and is expected to die before their wedding.”

“ What a bad luck.”

“ I know right, so what if… we give him a new bride?” She suggested.

“ A bride?” Theodore wrinkled his brow. “ Who can I give him as a bride?”

“ Someone who wouldn't stop working for us.” Maribel grinned evilly, turned to Caleb and her grin widened even more.