Adeline didn’t reach for her groom’s hands, nor did he offer them. The two of them simply stared at each other, two strangers only bound by their desire for peace between their kingdoms. And soon, bound together in marriage.
Lorne tookin his bride’s pale cheeks, the trembling in her fingers that she tried to hide by clasping her hands demurely before her. She was terrified, and yet she was here, going through with this.
The sight twisted something inside him. He was alone here, but so was she. This might be her kingdom, her castle, and her people, but she stood alone. No family besides the dying grandfather. No one loyal to her but the small gathering in this room. If they didn’t succeed, she very well could find herself losing not just her throne but also her life.
Yet she was gambling on him. On an enemy.
He tried to straighten as much as he could as the court official began the ceremony. Perhaps realizing that Lorne wouldn’t remain standing for long or maybe knowing their time was limited before someone sent for the princess, the officiant hurried through the formal ceremony, coming to the vows all too soon.
“Do you…” The officiant halted, staring at Lorne as if realizing for the first time that no one knew his name.
Lorne tried to calm his racing heart, to keep his face neutral, his voice level. “Lord Lorne of Chapend.”
He held his breath, waiting. Would they recognize the name? How much of the royal family’s name did the Kelvernese know?
His full name was Crown Prince Philip Alexander Lorne Chevalric of the Royal House of Dorrialle. But he always went by Lorne with his family and friends since his father’s name was also Philip. The Chapend title was one of his lesser titles.
But if he wanted this marriage to be legal and binding once he revealed the truth, then he needed to use enough of his real name for it to hold up. He didn’t want to risk his own gamble by giving her reason to annul the marriage the moment she learned the truth.
Neither the officiant nor the princess reacted to the name to give away any shock or recognition.
Instead, the officiant continued in the same tone, “Do you, Lord Lorne, take Princess Adeline Georgette Heraldron to be your wife?”
“I do.” He tried to put as much strength into the words as he could.
The officiant turned slightly toward Princess Adeline. “And do you, Princess Adeline, take Lord Lorne of Chapend to be your husband?”
“I do.” She lifted her chin, as if in defiance of something or someone. Of Lorne? Or perhaps her grandfather and all those who wished to continue this war?
With a few short words, the officiant wrapped up the ceremony and declared them married.
Thaddeus presented them with various paperwork they had to sign to make it official. Holding his breath, Lorne scrawled his real name, hoping his natural scribbling and the added shakiness from his weakness disguised the name enough that no one would realize just who he was.
No one scrutinized the paperwork that closely. Not even the various lords and witnesses that the court official called forward to also sign the paperwork to make it doubly official.
Almost as soon as they finishedsigning everything, the court official added his seal, as did Princess Adeline. Then he rolled up the paperwork, saying something about making sure it got filed and registered properly that night. He hurried off, even as some of the lords stepped forward.
Lorne tried to smile, tried to straighten, as the lords greeted him, their gazes sizing him up. These lords were committed to their princess and the goal of peace, but they weren’t yet convinced that this was the right course.
But the longer he stood there, the more black spots danced before his vision. Breathing was growing harder, his ribs stabbing more painfully, his legs growing shakier.
He didn’t even realize he was collapsing until Thaddeus was there, the old man propping him up. He barely registered Princess Adeline dismissing the others as Thaddeus and one of the guards began hauling him, staggering, from the dais.
He’d survived his wedding. Now to see if he would survive the consequences.
Adeline trailed after Thaddeus,the guard, and her new husband—Lord Lorne—through the back corridors to her room.
When they entered her sitting room, she hurried around the others, striding straight through her bedchamber and into the dressing room beyond. She sank onto the chair before the mirror, releasing a longexhale as she did. A shudder swept through, a shaking that started at her core and went outward into her hands, her knees, her legs, until she was hunched over her dressing table, gasping in quick breaths.
“Oh, milady.” Jelsa hurried across the room to her. Her hands fluttered for a moment, as if she didn’t know what to do.
Adeline squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted a mother who could hug her in this moment. She wanted a friend who wasn’t a servant and could offer true comfort. She wanted a husband who wasn’t a stranger and an enemy. She wanted a kingdom that wasn’t in the midst of a war of their own making.
All foolish wishes. She was a crown princess, and a crown princess didn’t have the luxury of wants and wishes. Just the weight of duty that would only grow heavier on the morrow once she became queen.
Still shuddering, Adeline tried to pull herself together. She couldn’t fall apart like this. This night was far from over.
Straightening, she lifted her chin once again. As if understanding her wish for a moment of quiet, Jelsa silently picked all of the pearls from Adeline’s hair. Once done, she unwound the braid, taking out the pins, so that it now lay down her back.
