Arranged Marriage

|Princess Zoey's Point Of View|

As soon as I turned eighteen, my parents held a grand ceremony and introduced me to Prince Patrick, the future ruler of Kingdom Neopatras, for marriage. It was stupid. I wasn't happy at all. I didn't encourage their idea of an arranged marriage with a total stranger. Yet, it was supposed to happen one way or another.

Upon my tantrums, my parents agreed to delay the official deals of the wedding from one year so that time would let us get to know each other. Still, I stubbornly avoided Prince Patrick at all costs. Mostly because he was way older than me, and I saw him as an old man. Prince Patrick was twenty-four while I was only eighteen!

For many people, it won't be a huge age gap, but for me. I disliked being with someone whose way older than me because I didn't want to be treated like I was inexperienced and childish. So I was cold toward Prince Patrick at first.

But luckily, he was patient with me, just like he should be. And in no time, I was comfortable with him and fell for him. I realised he was a charming, kind and patient man who was just my type.

So right now, my friend, Duchess Winter, is being annoying as hell, making fun of my lover!

"Don't call him old! I know I called him old, many times before, but now, he isn't old." I scold her.

"I see. Just~ I cannot bear seeing you getting married to an old fossil," she says, taking a sip from her drink.

"Fossil!? He's not a fossil! Could you please stop insulting the person I love?" I complain.

"Okay, okay. It seems my friend is seriously in love~ So~? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach, and does your heart skip beats when you see him~? And you go all ooey-gooey~ Lost of words~?" she flutters her eyelashes, obviously making fun of me.

"Ugh. I don't feel those butterflies and heart skipping beats. And if those happen to me, I won't be here but in the medical wing getting treated before I die." I roll my eyes at her

"What an idiot..."

"You are the idiot!"

"Which I am. I never disagreed with that!" she agrees.

Jeez, spending time with her will only reduce the number of cells in my brain. I sip on my lemon mocktail as I swing my legs at the delightful taste of it. I keep the glass aside when I hear the sound of a horse. I quickly stand up and run to the closest window. I look out of it to catch a glimpse of the person arriving, and just as I assumed, it is Prince Patrick on his white horse. My Prince in shining armour~

I giggle and quickly run toward the stairway. As I am about to go downstairs, I hear Winter's annoyed voice complaining about me leaving her. But I ignore her and almost fly downstairs and leave from the entrance of the palace doors, past the guards to welcome Prince Patrick.

He gets down from his snowy white horse, but he doesn't see me. Instead, he rebalances the sword on his back (hip) and gives a gentle pat to his horse. A guard comes and takes the horse from there, and finally, he sees me.

I smile like a big fool when he walks toward me. He gently takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, his lips leaving a trace of affection.

"Why did you leave in the morning? I was looking for you." I break our eyecontact and ask about how he suddenly disappeared in the morning after we had breakfast.

"I had an important meeting to attend, love. Unlike you, I don't have a lot of free time a day," he replies. I give him a displeased look in return. Well, yeah, I completely stopped doing my duties as soon as my parents came up with the arranged marriage idea when I got to know that I wouldn't be the ruler of my kingdom but Prince Patrick. So as I am free, I use my spare time with nature which I love and enjoy.

"Don't make it sound like I am a useless person," I say. "Since you are taking over, what is left for me, huh? It is quite a joke how I learned my whole life to be the ruler of my kingdom when in history, there hasn't been a single female Omega Queen. And now, you are taking everything from me." I childishly complain.

In fact, he and I both know that I dislike giving him my kingdom. Yes, I love him. But I really would love to rule my kingdom alone as well. Sometimes I wish I was an alpha so I could be the next ruler. But at least it's fine because my kingdom will be in safe hands with him.

"I am yet to take everything from you, ain't I?" Prince Patrick says.

I instantly blush at his words and look away.

"A-anyways." I bite my lower lip. "Uh... I wanted to tell you that... my monthly heat starts today, so we won't be able to see each other for a while."

"Oh. Good luck with it, babe. Take care, alright?" he lovingly asks. I nod and smile in return. Isn't he the sweetest!

"I-I'll be going then," I say, as I will have to go inside soon before it starts.

~.~

-Four Days Later-

When I open my eyes, I realise my heat is almost over. The stench of my own scent gets thicker in the air as I shuffle away from my blankets. I walk to the door and partially open it, and call out for a maid. I ask her to prepare my clothes as I leave to take a shower.

Once I am done with the shower, I come outside wearing a towel around my body. I see my room clean from top to bottom, without a single flaw. Even the bedsheets are replaced with new ones, and the curtains are drawn back, letting the sunlight in.

My usual maids are standing by my bed, ready to prepare me for the day.

"Are you planning to go out, my Princess?" Pamela, one of the maids. asks as she neatens my top. The other maid comes to me with my robe, and I let my hands slide through the armholes. She wraps it around my body and ties the royal belt around my waist. Then I get into my dress.

"Yeah. It's been four days already." I reply.

"But you are still emitting a little bit of heat pheromones, Princess... No offence, but it'll be safer for your highness to stay in for a few more hours. Prince Patrick isn't here as well."

"No can do." I stubbornly say. "I am going out for a walk."