Prince Rhys

[FLASHBACK CONTINUES...]

"What!? She wants to play with us!? Hahahahh! She is crazy!" The ring leader Prince Rhys laughed at me. Getting all serious and competitive, I tell him I can play all the games that boys play too. There was nothing wrong in playing what boys can play, right?

Apparently not.

They formed a team against me and beat me to pulp with the football. I was made the goalkeeper. But instead of aiming to the goal behind me, they aimed it right at my face and my stomach.

I knew this was bad. Even their parents stood there and looked at the Princess of Eulandia being abused.

Suddenly, my mother runs to the playground and sees me all battered. She wasn't in the state to say anything nor curse at anyone. All she did was yell a thousand curses in her mind... and shed a few tears of frustration on my head while she held me tightly.

"Are you alright, flower?" My father, the King of Eulandia says as I scoff at him. It was all because of him and I blame him for it.

"Say no to the alliance. I beg you." My mother pleads him, but he says it wasn't possible since he already talked to the King. It was at night, I was tended of my wounds and was going downstairs in their haunted, grey bricked castle with occasional torches here and there.

Our dungeon was better than their living state.

As I walked down, I see Prince Rhys skipping a few stairs and running upwards. He must have gone to the ground again. I don't want to know why.

"Oh~ the beautiful princess of Eulandia. What are you doing here? You came to spy on me?" He leans against the railing and asks me. I hold the railing tightly and say, "Don't think I would take interest in you and ruin my mood to follow you on whatever you're doing. It's the least of my business."

"Oh ho ho! Look who's talking! You're a woman! Shouldn't you know better to bow down and lick my feet, princess? Or better," I scream when he presses my hand into his crotch. Feeling disgusted, I retract my hand and cry at him.

In a spite... I slap him.

He looks at me menacingly. I was crying for help, about to run upstairs but he pulls me by my hair which makes me tumble down the stairs.

I was almost unconscious as I hit my head to the stone too harshly.

He comes down at me, and mercilessly begins to kick my body.

"Women should always stay a step lower than men, Princess. Don't you dare slap me again. We will meet again, when we're older. I will be sure to ruin your life further...

That you will wish you were never born a human again. More so... a woman..."

Giving me a last kick, he runs away.

In the middle of the night when they couldn't find me anywhere near my room, the palace was on an alert to search for me all over. A couple of guards have found me there, lying almost battered to death in the corridor where not many walked.

Upon waking, I was given glares to not speak anything about the previous night.

Prince Rhys was someone I hate with all my life from then.

[FLASHBACK ENDS...]

Somehow, all the boys I've associated with before Aaron were abusive to me.

It was as if I was attracting bad luck.

If I tell anything about my past to Aaron... other than the one he knew... he was sure to kill Rhys on first meeting.

But... I wonder if he's changed.

I wonder... if his palatinate has changed too.

I would rather die that become their queen.

There's no use pondering about that mad-hat now. He can rot in hell, and I will ask the devil to fry him with more love and heat.

"I'm worried about you too, Ravine. That Prince... he's a curse in the form of a human. He won't let you live, if you are married to him."

"Who's a curse? More than me?" Asks Aaron which makes me chuckle. I did not utter a word about Rhys to him, and I'm thankful that I never did.

"Your boy here is very ignorant of how the royals works, isn't it? I mean it in a good sense." Miranda's words were slightly rude, but I understand where she comes from.

"I'm not ignorant. I'm protective of my woman and I'm here to make things work. There's a huge difference there, lady." Miranda chooses not to speak anything further. Slowly, they begin to leave as I too walk towards the King's chambers.

"Father?" I say, knocking on the door.

"It's princess Ravine, your highness." I hear the slight whispers from inside.

"Allow her in."

"Yes, your majesty."

I walk inside and find my father there, sitting on a bunch of papers. I can't believe he's turned modern too, otherwise I remember a ton of scrolls here and not papers and sheets.

"What is it?" He asks in a rude tone.

"Father, I want to tell you that I won't be marrying anyone except Aaron. Can't you see how much he loves me?"

"Are you talking about yesterday's instance? I don't see love there. He's only looking out for you because we were there." He says.

"Are you suggesting me he is acting out because you were there?" What a ridiculous statement to pass about my own boyfriend. I immediately plunge to the defensive. He sighs and places his pen down.

"The agreement was made a decade ago, Ravine. We can't change it. You are marrying Prince Rhys. That is final." He says. Tears swirl behind my eyelids as I try to blink them away.

"No, Father. I'm not accepting this. I will be the Princess of this state, but to be his queen... I won't allow myself to enter that cursed land."

"It's not cursed Ravine, their way of taught is what makes them strong—"

"They look down on women like they're prostitutes and lowly women, dad!"

"Aren't you already one, Ravine?"

His words make my heartbeat slower and faint.

What...?

"Also... he's coming to get you tomorrow. He wants to show you around his kingdom before you become his queen. My words are final. I can't help you any further."