Chapter 2

News of the Crown Prince having chosen his consort spread throughout the kingdom overnight. Everyone was now waiting to see me make a fool of myself.

"Didn't the Crown Prince used to say that he would never marry anyone other than Meredith? But he still chose someone else in the end, didn't he? I bet nobody will ever dare to marry her anymore after being publicly denounced like that."

"She must have done something disgusting to offend the Crown Prince."

I pretended not to hear them and just let it go. After all, I'd heard far worse things in my past life.

Colin soon sent over the royal wedding dress, and Monique put on the snowy-white gown at once, twirling in front of the bronze mirror.

Mom lovingly did her hair for her and adorned it with pins and jewelry.

"You look so beautiful, Monique. If anyone dares to bully you in the future, be sure to come back and tell me about it. I will always stand up for you and take your side."

Dad sat beside her, picking out a shop to purchase more gold and wedding accessories from the map of the capital.

I stood outside the door and suddenly recalled the day I married Colin in my past life.

Monique had cried her eyes out all night. Mom's eyes were swollen with heartache, and Dad wouldn't stop yelling at me.

"Monique's already heartbroken enough! And you still have the nerve to wear bright colors to dampen her spirit even more? How much more do you want her to suffer?"

Actually, I knew long ago that Mom and Dad never loved me. Mom had had a hard birth when she had me, and they all thought that I was a bad omen to the family.

Before I was even two months old, they sent me away to my grandparents' at the borders. There, my grandfather, Albert Banks, taught me all I needed to know about horse-riding, and my grandmother, Florence Middleton, stayed up late all night sewing riding clothes for me.

When I fell and scraped my knee, Grandpa would carry me home while Grandma chided the horse for being disrespectful to me.

It wasn't until Grandma passed away when I was ten years old that my parents finally brought me back to live with them.

However, Mom always thought that I was uncouth, and Dad always thought that I was crass and uneducated in etiquette and mannerisms.

The day I was brought back, Monique hid behind them and asked, "Is this my new maid?"

To please my parents, I put away my riding crop and bow and arrow. Instead, I wore my fingers raw learning to play musical instruments and practiced writing until my eyes turned bloodshot. I carefully molded myself into the kind of person that my parents liked, and then I reunited with Colin at a palace banquet.

Back then, he had served a year in the army camp at the borders, and we had ridden horses bareback together.

He held my hand and said, "You were born to chase the wind, Merry."

But later, he was also the one who imprisoned me within the palace walls and broke both my legs so I couldn't run.

I turned to leave, but Monique called out to me just then.

"Merry! His Royal Highness is taking me to the Royal Stables to try out some horses today. You should come along too."

She didn't allow me to refuse and pulled me into the carriage right away.

However, when we arrived at the Royal Stables, I suddenly realized that she had mounted Midnight Star, the horse that Grandpa had personally chosen and gifted to me.

I rushed up to her and said, "Give me the reins!"

Monique smirked at me and said, "What, you can't bear to part with your horse? Too bad—His Royal Highness has already bestowed this horse on me!"

She then leaned closer and spoke softly. "You stole Grandma and Grandpa from me at the borders, and after coming back here, you stole the prince from me as well. Who do you think you are?"

Then, she pulled out a small gold dagger from her side and plunged it fiercely into Midnight Star's belly.

He neighed loudly in pain at once and charged toward the fence like he'd lost his mind. Monique screamed, "Save me, Prince Colin!"

Colin immediately steered his horse to chase after Midnight Star and saved Monique from the runaway horse. Monique then curled up in his arms as tears streamed down her face.

"Y-Your Royal Highness… I just… I just wanted to try Meredith's horse… Was it my fault for touching him?"

Colin didn't even ask for further clarification. He got off his horse, marched up to me, and grabbed my throat before slamming me hard against a wooden post.

A sharp pain shot through my throat, and I immediately began to feel suffocated.

"You knew that Monique wasn't good at riding, and yet, you still dared to hurt her? I see that I'd been so lenient with you in the past that you think you can walk all over me now!"

I didn't explain myself.

In my previous life, he had forced me onto my knees before her grave after she died, making me repent for my sins.

I simply asked him, "Why should I?"

He did the exact same thing by grabbing my throat and slamming me against the brick wall behind me.

Blood had spurted everywhere, but he only said coldly, "If there ever is a second chance, I will never let you harm a single hair on her head ever again!"

Colin suddenly got triggered by the look in my eyes and flung me harshly onto the ground. I slammed my head against the ground and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Not too far away, Midnight Star had been captured, and he was currently being held down by the royal stable hands.

Colin reached for his bow.

My heart suddenly dropped. I lunged forward, grabbing him by his robe, and begged, "Your Royal Highness! He was just frightened! Please spare his life! Don't kill him!"

Monique then tugged on his sleeve and said shakily, "I'm scared, Prince Colin…"

The bowstring snapped, and an arrow pierced the air, embedding itself right in Midnight Star's neck.

"No!" I screamed, my eyes widening in horror as I lunged forward.

Midnight Star collapsed into a pool of his blood and struggled to turn its head around to nuzzle my palm for the last time, just as calm and docile as the first day Grandpa carried me onto his back as a kid.

Then, he stopped moving.

Tears blurred my vision at once.

Colin's hand holding the bow stiffened for a moment. Then, he averted his gaze and looked away.

"It injured the princess consort. That's more than enough to warrant its death."

Monique then spoke up softly and said, "Please don't hold this against Meredith, Your Royal Highness. She's just too attached to this horse. After all, it was left to her by Grandpa."

Colin turned around and put his arm around her.

"I'll pick out a better horse for you."

I watched Midnight Star's body gradually grow cold, a realization finally dawning on me.

Some things would never return after they died.