Identity (The Kingdom Chronicles Book 3) Page 4
I winced at the new name and turned to face Prince Liam, responding to it for the first time of many to come. “Yes, Your Highness?”
He smiled mockingly, whatever sympathy I’d caught a glimpse of during the ceremony long gone. “Our sentence begins.”
Dread pooled in my stomach as he snapped his gaze away. Mere minutes into my forced marriage and it was as awful as I’d feared.
Chapter 4
The reception was a lavish affair that took place on the vast grounds of the Dracerian palace, but the elegance, laughter, and delicious food failed to dissipate the suffocating panic squeezing my heart. Thankfully, Prince Liam effortlessly interacted with the well wishers, allowing me to remain silent at his side. I miraculously managed to avoid speaking with Princess Lavena’s family—Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Lyceria, and her brother, Crown Prince Nolan—while also failing to be recognized as an imposter by the other guests. But surely it was only a matter of time.
After our obligatory greetings, Prince Liam and I sat together at a private table in stony silence, my new husband looking everywhere but at me. He made no effort to mask his disdain for our match; each stolen glimpse was hardened with cold indifference. When the King of Draceria stood to formally express his pleasure at the union of our two kingdoms, Prince Liam’s jaw became taut.
“Prince Liam?” I asked tentatively when his father had sat down, unable to bear the tense silence any longer. “Are you alright?”
His devastated gaze snapped to mine, sharpening into a glare. “Isn’t it obvious how pleased I am with this forced prison sentence?”
I flinched. “But—”
“Don’t talk to me,” he spat. “Let’s not make this any more unbearable than it already is.”
I lowered my eyes and obediently fell silent, all while my unhappiness swelled. I remained in this position until the King and Queen of Draceria and Prince Liam’s three sisters—the Princesses Rheanna, Aveline, and Elodie—approached our table.
The queen stroked Prince Liam’s hair. “How are you holding up, dears?” She glanced towards me, extending the question to both of us.
Prince Liam’s jaw tightened but he said nothing. The queen nibbled her lip and cast the king a worried look, who patted his son on the shoulder.
“I know you’re unhappy, Son, but we’re so proud of you for doing your duty to your kingdom. The union will be a great benefit to the future of the monarchy as well as to our people.”
“Oh yes, it’ll be a huge benefit to everyone, everyone except me.”
“Liam, really.” The queen cast me an anxious glance before I could hide my wince. Prince Liam glanced at me with a small frown, as if surprised by my reaction. A look that almost seemed like regret flittered over his face before it disappeared.
“I’m only speaking the truth. Lavena feels the same way I do, so there’s no sense pretending either one of us is happy about this marriage.”
The king cast me an awkward glance. “A piece of advice, Son: the happiness of a union is mostly determined by the wife, so despite the circumstances, do try to please her as much as possible.”
Prince Liam said nothing, but remained rigid as his family hugged him goodbye and wished us a pleasant honeymoon with doubtful tones.
“They look on the brink of murdering each other already,” Princess Elodie whispered unquietly to her sisters as they left. “Who do you think will act first?” They faded into the crowd before I could hear their bets.
With an unhappy sigh I returned to picking at my food, the nausea swirling my stomach making it impossible to eat any of it. It escalated the longer the silence festered between us. The few feet of distance between me and the man I now called husband felt like miles, insurmountable to cross. Occasionally, I caught Prince Liam watching me, brow puckered. There was one moment when I was certain he was bracing himself to speak, but before he could, Crown Prince Deidric of Sortileya and his wife, Princess Eileen, approached.
Prince Deidric glanced warily at me before forcing a smile for his friend. “I’m uncertain what greeting to extend when congratulations are clearly not welcome. How are you doing?”
Prince Liam sent me another skewering glare, causing me to sink several inches in my seat. “What do you think?” he spat.
“I see.” Prince Deidric exchanged a wary glance with his wife, as if seeking guidance on how to proceed. “I’m truly sorry, Liam.”
“Being sorry doesn’t change my fate.”
“I know.” He patted Prince Liam on the back and leaned down, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Perhaps you can simply avoid each other, one of the advantages of living in a palace.”
Misery clawed at my heart at the suggestion. Being forced to play a part the rest of my life would be even more unbearable if I had to do it while being ignored and unloved.
“I can’t believe it actually happened,” Prince Liam continued, talking as if I wasn’t even there, obviously practicing for our marriage. “It’s going to be torture, for I’m the prisoner and she’s the jailer.”
Princess Eileen gasped at the biting insult, and even Prince Deidric winced. Prince Liam gave me a challenging look that clearly said, “your move” in this twisted game he and Princess Lavena often played.
The ring promptly stirred. I felt it take control of my tongue and try to force me to return his attack…but my resistance kept the retort temporarily at bay. No, I wouldn’t give in. I felt as if I stood at a crossroads in impersonating Princess Lavena: I could either succumb to the ring’s power, changing everything about myself in order to fit her character completely, or change only enough to ward off suspicion. The ring might force me to insult the prince should I open my mouth, but it couldn’t fight against my silence.
I tilted my head at Prince Liam before looking away without saying anything. The ring throbbed in protest, but the pain was bearable enough to be worth enduring, considering it meant I’d won this particular battle between us.
Princess Lavena would have never backed down from the opportunity to insult the prince with biting words of her own, but despite being forced to pretend otherwise, I wasn’t Princess Lavena, and she wasn’t the one experiencing this marriage. How I navigated these raging waters would determine how rocky the relationship with my new husband would be, and the Anwen still alive within me wanted to make them as smooth as possible.
After Princess Eileen gave her goodbyes and Prince Deidric extended a small nod, they departed. I summoned enough bravery to risk another glance at Prince Liam. He was frowning at me, brows furrowed, before he looked away with a puzzled shake of his head.
I returned my attention to nervously watching the Lycerian Royal Family sitting only a few tables away with the Dracerian Royal Family, all seeming pleased that the coveted union between their kingdoms had finally been accomplished. Although Princess Lavena had assured me she’d already given her family her goodbyes, I wasn’t convinced they’d avoid the opportunity to see their daughter one last time before the honeymoon. If they did…this charade would end before it’d even begun.
They rose and I stiffened. Were they coming over? I twisted my napkin in my lap as I watched them smile and greet their guests, my pulse palpitating as they inched ever closer to us. At first Prince Liam ignored my wriggling, but soon my nerves caught even his indifferent notice.
He sighed. “Come now, Lavena, do stop fidgeting. Despite our beliefs to the contrary, this isn’t a death sentence.”
I tried to relax but stiffened all over again as Crown Prince Nolan broke away from the king and queen and approached. Surely he wasn’t coming to greet me? My stomach plummeted. He was.
A tight, overly polite smile penetrated his usual serious expression. “I’d be remiss as an older brother if I didn’t come to wish the newlyweds well, even though I know such a sentiment has no place in this union.” He rested his hand on Prince Liam’s shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look, which was returned with a grimace. “My sister fights dirty, but I’m
placing my bet on you. Will you be challenging that, Lavena?” He turned to face me.
At first he merely stared, expression bewildered, before his eyes widened in shock. Unsurprisingly, he’d noticed our switch, just as he always had at the court functions where the princess had forced me to take her place. He’d gone along with those past schemes, kindly helping me navigate the world of protocol and elegance so I wouldn’t get caught.
I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be now. Pretending to be Princess Lavena for a few hours was nothing compared to taking her place in an arranged marriage created by a political contract between two kingdoms.
A long, tense moment passed between us, during which I could see Prince Nolan’s thoughts racing as he scrambled for his next move.
Prince Liam’s gaze flickered to him. “What is it? You’re acting as if you’ve never seen your sister before.”
Prince Nolan managed to snap his mouth shut, but even then it took him a moment to find his voice. “Anwen?”
I squeezed my eyes shut with a groan. As predicted, my exposure hadn’t taken long.
Prince Liam frowned. “Who’s Anwen?”
Prince Nolan forced a smile for my new husband. “No one of consequence, just someone I spotted in the crowd. I’ll greet her after extending my congratulations.”
Understanding filled his gaze as it lowered to the ring adorning my finger. Surely he’d free me from this mess now that he realized my plight. After all, he had a duty to his family, his crown, his kingdom, and the contract that would benefit his future reign. Thus he’d find Princess Lavena and switch us back. Nobody would ever need to know what had happened.
I held my breath as Prince Nolan considered, studying first Prince Liam, then me, his look thoughtful. I stared back with wide eyes, silently pleading for him to help me. Mischief filled his gaze. He nodded to himself before offering me a wink and a smile. What did that mean?
He turned to Prince Liam. “Actually, I was merely jesting before about placing bets on which of you would murder the other first.”
Prince Liam cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t think we’ll kill one another? Because I believe it. Widowhood sounds more ideal than a life with her.” He glared at me. I flinched at the attack.
Prince Nolan cast me a sympathetic glance. “Don’t talk about my sister that way. Despite your assumptions, Lavena is actually a charming and sweet girl.”
Prince Liam snorted. Prince Nolan gave me a “this will be quite the challenge for you to prove him wrong” sort of look.
“You’ll see soon enough. Lavena’s hostile behavior came from wanting the freedom to choose whom to marry and thus she pretended to be…not herself. But now that this union has gone through, you’ll discover that your new wife is quite different from the woman you believe her to be.”
He winked again. In that wink I fully realized what Prince Nolan was doing. Panic tightened my chest. He had no intention of rescuing me; he was playing along. Oh no, he couldn’t. He was my only chance of escaping both this scheme and the noose and I wasn’t going to lose it.
“Prince Nolan,” I said through my teeth, my voice pleading.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Prince Nolan? Come now, Lavena, there’s no need for formality, despite this being a formal event.”
“Nolan,” I said, hating to drop his title but having no choice. “Please, Nolan. Please.”
“I know you’re nervous about this arrangement, dear sister.” Another conspiratorial wink. “But not to worry; I have a good feeling about it.”
Prince Liam rolled his eyes. “You’re delusional.”
“Not in the least. I promise you’ll soon find yourself pleasantly surprised.” Prince Nolan glanced between us once again before nodding. “Yes, I truly believe you two will work.”
Prince Liam glared at me once again, his protest against such a statement. I withered, sinking a few more inches in my seat.
“Be good to her,” Prince Nolan said firmly. “She deserves nothing but kindness.” He started to depart but paused, eyes widening as he stared into the crowd. “Mother and Father are coming to say their goodbyes. I advise you take your leave while I make your excuses to hold them off. Good luck, you two, especially you, Lavena dear. Trust me: all will be well, you’ll see.”
With that, he hurried off to intercept the King and Queen of Lyceria, leaving me staring after him in disbelief and frustration that my only source of escape had slipped away without coming to my aid. What could his motive possibly be for playing along? Did he really think now was a good time to play matchmaker? Surely it’d be in his best interest to expose the charade before it went any further.
I was tempted to go after him and demand not only an explanation but that he help me wriggle out of this mess before it was too late, but he’d already disappeared in the crowd. True to his word, he managed to stave off the king and queen, and soon an announcer informed the reception guests that we were leaving for our honeymoon.
Prince Liam sighed and swiveled around to face me, his expression no longer hard but weary, as if the reception had been just as draining for him as it’d been for me.
“Are you ready to leave?” His tone was absent its earlier venom, a small miracle. He didn’t wait for me to respond before motioning me towards the carriage that would take us to our month-long honeymoon, the beginning of what promised to be a rocky marriage.
Liam pressed his hand against the base of my back as lightly as possible in order to escort me to the awaiting carriage. He briefly took my hand to help me inside—releasing it the moment I’d settled—before scrambling in after me.
The carriage clattered out of the palace gates. The moment we passed them, I released a pent-up breath at the same time he did. Our gazes briefly met before we both hastily looked away, him with a disdainful twist to his mouth, me with an embarrassed blush tickling my cheeks.
Silence filled the chasm between us, magnified in the confines of the carriage. I ached to do something to bridge the distance and dissipate the suffocating tension, but Prince Liam appeared content with the quiet, seeming to have lost all motivation to pay me any attention now that we found ourselves away from prying eyes.
I sat rigid in my seat, clutching at the velvet upholstery with my sweaty and shaking hands, all while fighting the moisture stinging my eyes. I stole several glances at Prince Liam—so cold, formidable, and unapproachable. I soon noticed him stealing several glances towards me in return, the hard lines of his face growing more and more stern with each one.
He finally fully faced me with a long sigh. “You seem a bit tense and much more quiet than you usually are. It’s not often you miss an opportunity to fight with me.”
I said nothing, certain if I opened my mouth, the sob I’d been fighting to suppress would tumble out.
The prince’s brows squashed together as he studied me more closely. “Are you…frightened?”
Yes, but not of him, despite his open hostility. During my service to the princess, I’d had many opportunities to observe Prince Liam, enough to know that he was a kind and good man. Whenever he wasn’t around Princess Lavena, he was an entirely different person—one who was full of life and laughter. Princess Lavena was the only person I’d ever seen him behave differently towards.
And she was the person he believed me to be, a fact which only intensified my fear of our future together. I was a handmaiden who’d married a prince in a princess’s place. I felt I was drowning.
His sigh tore me from my thoughts. “So it’s to be the silent treatment? Is that the game you want to play now? It’s always one with you. Only a few hours into our marriage and already it’s oh-so-pleasant. I knew you’d be difficult.”
My whimper escaped, as did a single tear that trickled embarrassingly down my nose. His breath hooked but I didn’t await his response.
I scooted into the corner to rest my head against the windowpane to stare out at the rolling hills of the Dracerian countryside, scenery that reminded me of the cottage nestled
in the meadow where I’d grown up. Fierce homesickness for my old life pierced my heart. I wanted my childhood home, my simple life, Archer and my long-deceased parents, my geese…but most of all I wanted my identity, already gone, considering my sole companion knew me by a different one entirely.
“Lavena?” He said my new name hesitantly, as if he was doubting my identity along with me. I peeked at him and was startled by the remorse filling his features. “Are you crying because of…me?”
I knew the silent treatment was unfair. “This isn’t a game to me. Truly, Prince Liam.”
His lips quirked up on one side while he cocked a single eyebrow on the other. “Prince Liam? Goodness, such formality between husband and wife.”
“I’m sorry,” I said hastily, silently cursing myself for my faux pas. I twisted the ring Princess Lavena had forced onto my finger, aching to yank it off. I was already weary of the tension festering between us, and the charade and only just begun. Could I survive this?
He frowned. “You apologized.” His brows squashed together but he seemed to have no further comment.
I turned back to the window. Several more moments of silence stretched between us, measured by each turn of the carriage wheels carrying us towards our new life together, one that had already started off all wrong.
“I’m sorry, too.”
I glanced back over. “For what?”
He clenched and unclenched the ends of his shirt, his knuckles white. “For being rude. I’m always rude to you.”
“As am I.” For I’d heard enough stories about his and Princess Lavena’s interactions—not to mention witnessed several confrontations myself—to know she held equal blame for the contention in their relationship.
He tilted his head, studying me closely. “You’re…different.”
I stiffened. Oh no, he’d already discovered I was an imposter. I knew this scheme wouldn’t work; the princess was a fool to believe it possibly could. It was impossible for anyone to become another person.
My heart pounded wildly as I braced myself for his accusations. Prince Liam continued studying me closely, as if trying to pry my secrets from the recesses of my soul.