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I gathered my clothes upwards to make walking easier for me. It had been a month since I had arrived in the Elavan Kingdom, and I still had not gotten used to the rough pathways that served as hallways in the palace. It had been one month since I realized that I was going to fail and I hated it. It made me itch and it made me want to scratch my bones.

The reason why I was the Elavan Kingdom in the first place drifted into my mind and I swallowed. My job was simple: make the Crown Prince, Karl Collins Edwards, marry me. A simple job that I had failed to do for the past month. As I increased my pace, I remembered standing in front of my father, my head held high, promising him the marriage scroll in two weeks.

I also clearly remembered that the ministers in the throne room had clamored that my younger sister be sent instead. She was more beautiful and enchanting than I was. She would get the job easier than she would have but I was adamant on going; my mother’s pleas and reasoning had fallen on deaf ears.

The more they asked my younger sister to go, the more I wanted to do it. I understood why they wanted her to secure the deal instead. My sister was the most excellent of us both. I was the older one but she was excellent in every way. She was better at horseback riding, archery, and fighting, but that was not all. She was more pretty and had the whole kingdom under her thumb.

Me? At most was mediocre, compared to her.

That was why I wanted to secure the marriage deal: to prove myself, to prove that I was capable, that I was worthy of being my father's daughter. I disliked being addressed as the lesser Princess, and I also wanted to be able to stand beside my younger sister and not feel inferior.

I paused at the door of the Crown Prince's mansion and smiled softly at the guards. "I would like to see the Crown Prince," I said, and one of them snickered at me.

"You know where he would be at this time of day," he replied, and the other one joked, "You can find your way to the brothel if you want to speak with him," he replied, and I forced a smile on my face and nodded.

“Thank you,” I replied, turning away from the door.

Karl Collins Edwards. The Crown Prince of the Elavan Kingdom. There was only one reason I needed to marry him: to stop the Elavan Kingdom from constantly oppressing our kingdom. My kingdom, the Zadok Kingdom, was still growing, but it was stifled by constant wars with neighboring kingdoms, particularly the Elevan Kingdom. Our army wasn’t enough or even strong enough to withstand the strong Elavan army and so they had come up with a plan, a truce.

A marriage alliance would prevent the Elevan Kingdom from ever again declaring war on our kingdom. I had taken myself this task to give our people peace and make the land prosperous.

But I was wrong; I had underestimated the Crown Prince. As an Alpha, he was self-conceited and very proud. And since I had gotten to the Elewan Kingdom, he hadn’t even taken a proper look at me. I vividly recalled the first night I arrived; I was led to his mansion to make my first impression, but I was the one who was impressed. He lay in his bed with two other women on top of him, and the room smelled of sex. I was too stunned, too embarrassed to say anything and I ended up walking out without even introducing myself.

Over the last month, that scene had played out over and over again. Karl was either in a brothel or in his room having sex with various girls. I was surprised that he wasn’t done having sex with all of the women in the kingdom yet.

I walked into my room, forcing a smile at the maids as I closed the door behind me. Behind closed doors, the tears didn’t wait before they started running my cheeks. This mission, I was going to fail. I glanced at the corner of the room and I could see the letters my father had sent in the past two weeks asking about the progress of my mission. I hadn’t dared to send a reply.

I could already imagine the look on everyone’s face when they read my letter. I could imagine them arguing about why they didn't want to send me in the first place. I could hear them talking about how inefficient I was, how I wasn’t excellent at anything and how inferior I was compared to my sister.

I bit my lower lip hard till I tasted blood in my mouth. I couldn’t fail this mission. I couldn’t. If I failed, there was no way I was going home. The only way I could go home was to make Karl marry me. Only when I received the marriage scroll would I be able to go home.

More tears ran down my cheeks as thoughts of failure filled my chest. I repeatedly shook my head, hoping that the thoughts would go away, but they did not because everything was focused on why. Karl wouldn’t even take a glance at me; how would I make him marry me?

I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my tear-filled face. I gulped hard. I refused to fail this mission. I refused to. I stared at the different cosmetics arranged on the mirror table and swallowed. This was a last resort and I prayed to the Moon Goddess that it would work.

It took me almost three hours to get my makeup done. I stared at myself in the mirror and my reflection startled me. I wasn’t always a fan of makeup but I always looked stunning whenever I tried it on.

"There is no way he would not fall for this," I said with a satisfied smile as I walked to the corner of the room and took the see-through nightwear from my box. I had brought it on a whim but who would have thought that it would prove to be useful? I quickly wore it and took another glance at the mirror and swallowed.

I could see the curve of my nipples through the mirror and the arch of my small waist. It was my last resort. If he loved prostitutes and brothels so much, then I could do the same to get him to marry him.

I could seduce him.

I opened the door of my room and I could see the quiet gasps of the maids in front of me. Forcing myself to ignore their stares, I started walking towards Karl’s mansion. Fortunately for me, night had fallen, providing me with a small amount of cover. I quickly arrived at the door of his mansion and the two guards whistled, making my shoulders tense.

"Wowww,” one of them cooed.

"I want to see the crown prince," I said, and one of them gave me a lecherous smile before opening the door, and I sighed softly. He was back. I could still feel the hard stares of the guards on me till I turned out of their sights.

"Those bastards," I grumbled beneath my breath as I approached the door of his room. I sucked in a breath as I pushed the door open, "This better work," I said quietly, but the next minute I froze at the sight in front of me.

“Deeper, deeper, deeper,” the girl underneath Karl squirmed in pleasure and Karl continued fucking her, the both of them oblivious to my presence. My cheeks turned crimson at the sight, and Karl finally turned to me, but his movements did not stop; "You love it, do not you?" he dirty talked to the girl, and the girl laughed, "Yes, yes, more, more, my prince," she begged, and I immediately turned my back on them, tears staining my eyes. The eyeliner I managed to craft so perfectly after a lot of time was going to be a waste.

“What are you doing here?” Karl asked as I slowly turned to him. He was stark naked and so was the girl who was now in his arms.

“I…I…I… “I stammered not managing to get even one word out. His eyes took in my sight and he burst into laughter.

“Did you want to seduce me?” He asked and I swallowed.

“I hoped that it could catch your attention” I replied as I tried to compose myself, “I just need you to marry me and take me as your wife. I don’t mind or care if you are in brothels all day or sleep with other women. All I want is for you to marry me” I said hoping to convince him. This was my last resort.

“Marry you?” Karl asked and I nodded, “Yes”

Karl frowned and chuckled. "Why would I marry you?" I asked, opening my mouth to speak but saying nothing.

"You are practically naked, and I still do not like you, Princess.." He trailed off before frowning. "What is your name again?" he asked, and I blinked quickly.

He didn’t even know my name.

"Amira," I responded. "My name is Amira," I repeated, and the girl in his arms burst out laughing. I sniffed hard, hoping that the tears threatening to run down my cheeks would at least hold on.

“If anyone didn’t tell you, I’ll tell you. You aren’t my type and caking your face with some ridiculous nightwear isn’t going to make me like you." Karl continued and my jaw dropped.

“Don’t look so surprised. I thought it was pretty obvious," he said, snorting. "And you have stayed for too long. I think you should go back to your kingdom tonight,” he said and I blinked harder this time around.

“Tonight?” I asked in shock and Karl nodded, “Yes. I need you out of this kingdom before morning and I need you to deliver a message to your father. We’ll attack the Zadok Kingdom in ten days. He should prepare well,” he replied.

“Not like the preparations would make any difference though,” he commented with a laugh as he grabbed the girl in his arms, his hand traveling to her breasts.

“Do you want to go one more round?” He asked excitedly and the girl laughed, turning to me.

“What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be packing your things already?” Karl bellowed at me and I did the stupidest thing ever; I ran.

I ran out of the room, down the hallway, and to my room, slamming the door after me. I slumped to the floor as tears ran down my cheeks as reality dawned on me.

I had failed.

More tears ran down my cheeks at the thought. I had failed and I had failed miserably at that. As I sobbed, I gripped my hair tightly and pulled at it. I was a failure.

There was no way I was going back home; I did not think I could face the scorned looks of my family, the court ministers, and the people of Zadok. All the rumors about me being a useless, good-for-nothing Princess would come true.

Someone banged on the door loudly and I jolted hard, rushing to my feet, “What is it?” I asked.

"The Crown Prince has asked us to escort you out," the voice said, and I swallowed without responding. The bang on the door came again, and I finally spoke, "Give me some minutes," I said as I walked towards my box, grabbing my possessions.

I didn’t have a lot; I had totally believed that I would get the marriage scroll in two weeks and so I hadn’t brought a lot. And even after a month, I hadn’t gotten the job done. Within a few minutes, I was done packing my box and I slowly opened the door.

The gaze of the male guards at the door made me realize that I had forgotten to change my clothes. “Ha, I need to change my clothes,” I said but the guard chucked and pulled me out of the room.

“Change what cloth?” He asked, "You can change it on your way home," and I swallowed, pulling my box with me as their lusty and piercing gazes pushed me to walk faster.

“Are you taking me home?” I asked and one of the guards scoffed, “Taking you home? Who do you think we are?” He asked.

“The Crown Prince said to see you to the gates, as long as you are out of his kingdom,” he said and I nodded my head.

I needed to get help. There was no way I was going home. Not with my failure.

The guards did keep to their word and they abandoned me as soon as I was out of the gates.

The night wind howled and I rubbed my arms as I shivered. Before I found help, the first thing to do was to change my clothes. There was nowhere I was going with it. I stared at the road in front of me; night had fallen and traveling the road would be dangerous for me. 

"I need to find somewhere to stay for the night," I told myself as I dragged my box down the road, trying to figure out where I could stay. My ears picked up movement in the trees and I froze.

“Who is there?” I asked fear to seep into my veins.

"Here,” someone said behind me and

I wasn't turning before someone hit me and I blacked out.