2. My Lady

Selene opened her eyes, resembling two bright stars. She couldn't understand anything that was happening, but the truth was that her parents were addressing a man different from Henry… Her Henry.

Someone coughed, grabbing everyone's attention. It was Henry, who briefly choked upon hearing those words, but managed to recover and, at least, no one suspected how much the news had affected him.

Many thoughts crossed his mind, including the fact that if he hadn't given up his claim to the throne, it would have been Selene who would be announced as his future wife, instead of his cousin's. He arrived at this conclusion because tradition dictated that when the woman destined to be queen was born, the pact was made between the parents of the future king and the parents of the girl. This meant that when he was six years old, Selene could have been chosen as his future wife, but everything had changed.

Could it be true or had Selene been chosen for his cousin? This question momentarily stole his peace, but knowing the truth would not be easy or helpful, because now with his cousin as king, he couldn't do or decide anything.

The gazes of everyone present were fixed on the king and the young girl, and more than one felt a twinge of pity for her, as confusion and unfamiliarity with the decision made for her since birth were evident on her face.

"Selene, greet King Frederick of Astor," her mother whispered through clenched teeth.

She had always been an obedient daughter her whole life, the only thing she had defied her parents' orders on was her friendship and love for Henry, but in everything else, they could say she was a model daughter. Truly, she was the perfect woman to offer to a young king, who needed to marry soon. However, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to bow and greet the man in front of her.

"Selene…" Clarise leaned against her daughter and discreetly gave her a light nudge on the arm.

Selene looked at her, wanting to refuse to greet the man they had chosen for her. How was she supposed to do it with Henry present? What kind of person would she be if she did such a thing?

"Selene, please," her mother pleaded in her ear.

Selene's gaze shifted to Henry, it was brief, and when he nodded, it felt like a stab in her chest. She took a step forward and made a deep curtsy.

"Your Highness," she greeted.

The king approached her, took her hand, and with a stoic expression, kissed the back of it in greeting. But there was a tension and coldness in his movements that did not escape her notice.

"Lady," Frederick solemnly and coldly addressed.

Selene felt her heart grow cold, discreetly searching the room for Henry, only to find that he had left his seat. This made her uneasy and worried. What was Henry thinking of her? Did he consider her a liar? Did he think she had deceived him on purpose? Countless questions raced through Selene's mind, and she couldn't even answer the simplest one because she didn't know about their engagement. Her parents had never told her anything, never made a single comment about her future!

"Come with me," Frederick requested, gesturing to the empty seat on his right, the seat reserved for the future queen.

Selene's tongue felt numb, unable to respond. She simply nodded, still unable to accept her fate. Was this how her parents had envisioned celebrating her eighteenth birthday? It was cruel, and she had never even considered this possibility.

She walked alongside King Frederick and, standing by his side, felt the gaze of all the attendees upon her. The same gazes she had felt on her back since her arrival. Some smiled at her, while others looked at her with pity, making her feel even more miserable than she already was. Her eyes quickly scanned the room in search of Henry, and just when she was about to give up, she spotted him in one of the corners of the grand hall, clutching the brooch in his hand and never taking his eyes off it.

Selene's eyes stung with the urge to cry, but the loud sound of a trumpet startled her, causing her to avert her gaze from Henry and focus on her parents, who were smiling broadly, seemingly oblivious to the pain their decision was causing her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Lady Selene Russell, the future queen of Astor!" announced one of the royal servants.

Applause filled the room, but what should have been a celebration only caused unease in the hearts of the newly betrothed couple and Henry. No one in the room, except for them, was aware of their true feelings.

The music began to play, breaking the formal atmosphere and offering some relaxation, but the whispers and comments from the nobles and important figures reached Selene's ears like needles, gradually widening a deep wound.

"We must dance," the king, her newly promised husband, whispered in a low tone. Selene longed to run away, to refuse anything they tried to impose on her, and to escape with Henry. But she knew it was only a dream, as defying the king would be met with severe punishment. "My Lady," he insisted, and she could do nothing more than take his hand and ceremoniously step onto the center of the ballroom.

The movements of both were forced and almost static, but they made their best effort to not let themselves be seen as uncomfortable or at least, that's what they thought until gradually the guests began to join the rhythm of the royal orchestra.

Henry looked at the couple on the dance floor and internally debated on what he would do with what was happening. His eyes focused again on the brooch he held in his hand and he decided to put it on the lapel of his jacket.

"Henry, invite one of the young ladies to dance," suggested the queen mother.

Henry smiled tensely, but the queen paid him no attention. She was fascinated with the couple moving gracefully and elegantly on the dance floor. Without a doubt, her late husband and she had not been mistaken in arranging the marriage between their son and the Baron's daughter. An elegant, educated, and submissive girl, the perfect match for Frederick.

Meanwhile, Henry searched for one of the less grateful young ladies. He didn't want to make Selene uncomfortable, despite having a broken heart, but he was not willing to let the woman he loved slip away without at least trying something.

King Frederick was focused on the dance and the graceful movements of his fiancée. The initial tension had eased a bit, although throughout the whole time, Selene's gaze had not met his, which confused and attracted him in equal measure. It was not normal for a woman in the kingdom to shy away from the king, but her innocence and shyness were quite attractive. However, knowing that Regina was among the crowd made him impatient. He still didn't know his feelings for her and before clarifying them, his mother had made him aware of his engagement and the pressure exerted by the members of the Grand Council, as he couldn't continue to reign without a wife by his side.

As he spun Selene around, a glimmer caught King Frederick's attention, so he tried to find where it had come from and saw a large green stone sparkling under a ray of light. His eyes landed on a striking and peculiar brooch that the young lady wore on her dress, over her heart. It wasn't a common piece, it was very exclusive, and not just anyone could acquire one. This made him realize its significance, but he made no comments and continued dancing, avoiding eye contact with Regina, who watched the apparently happy couple from the front row.

Henry slowly approached, attempting to overhear anything his cousin would say to Selene or vice versa. He paid little attention to his own partner, while the girl felt incredibly lucky to have been chosen to dance with the castle's prince.

When the king turned slightly and saw his cousin dancing closer than he would have liked, he couldn't help but look him up and down. And when his eyes landed on his chest, King Frederick's body tensed as he recognized it—the brooch, the same one Selene wore on her chest…

He let go of Selene's hands and withdrew from her as if having her close was burning him. She was left confused and observed on the dance floor, while she watched the king move away as quickly as possible and go over to the queen mother, who frowned upon hearing what her son was saying.