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AFTER that incident, I had been filled with a deep apprehension that Lord Keunt would retaliate in some way against me, but I had never expected that his revenge would take the form of ruining my engagement. In the end, though, it wasn’t Lord Keunt’s actions that hurt me so deeply—it was the fact that His Highness had accepted what the disgusting man had said about me with such ease.
I stared up at where the prince sat on his throne, taking in the sight of him. He was all silky golden locks and shimmering blue eyes, his striking features overlaid with a layer of fine, alabaster-pale skin that defied the bronzing effects of the sun’s touch.
Looking at him, I was struck by the thought that the prince had much in common with your typical well-bred young lady—he had had a sheltered upbringing, during which he’d been cocooned within only the best parts of life, and had had relatively few chances to encounter any sort of hardship. The title of crown prince had been handed down to him by his elder brother, Prince Stevay, who was now bedridden due to an unfortunate accident. This meant that unless his brother went through an unexpected recovery, Prince Medaikonar would be the next ruler of the Kingdom of Kophe.
Naturally, Lord Keunt had known all this as well. And he had used his knowledge of the prince to deduce that the most effective method of changing his mind about our engagement was to reveal the cost my powers as a priestess demanded of me.
“Why so quiet, you unruly priestess?” Prince Medaikonar demanded. “Can you not think of a single excuse?”
Complete silence once again reigned in the hall.
“Very well, Your Highness,” I said softly, lowering myself into a curtsy. I kept my head held high, and my carriage proper. “I humbly acknowledge the end of our betrothal.”
Never let your head waver, even on bended knee, snapped a voice in the back of my mind. It was hard not to remember that particular lesson, with as harshly as it had been drilled into me.
I waited for the prince to dismiss me from the hall, but instead, his features crumpled in anger. “So you admit it, you filthy trollop!” he shouted, leaping to his feet in an agitated rush. “You did indulge in dissolute fetes of the flesh!” A triumphant look broke out over his face, as if he had just succeeded in besting some sort of monster.
I could only stare at him, my spine rigid, and declare, “Of that, I am innocent.”
I could not let these allegations pass—if I did not deny them resolutely, then the honor of my compatriots on the battlefield would be sullied. I couldn’t let such a thing happen, not when they had protected me like the gentlemen they were.
And so, I didn’t let my eyes waver from the prince’s for even a moment. “Not only am I innocent,” I asserted, “but I can prove it. All it would take is an examination from a magical physician to prove that my body remains pure. I am quite certain that my comrades on the front would attest to my integrity as well. And yet…”
The prince opened his mouth, as if to deride me further, but I continued before he had the chance. “And yet,” I said firmly, “I cannot deny that being engaged to someone of Your Royal Highness’s station is beyond what I deserve. I may be a holy woman now, but there is no ignoring the fact that I was raised as a commoner. I was never suitable for such an honor.”
I slowly spun around as I spoke those last words, surveying the entire chamber in which we stood.
Ahhh, I thought with a wistful sigh, what a sumptuous place. I doubt a plebeian holy woman like me, whose work is on the battlefield, could ever feel truly at home within such palatial elegance.
Once I’d looked my fill, I spun back to face Prince Medaikonar and his parents, who sat next to him, ensconced upon their own thrones. The royal couple had maintained an ominous silence throughout our disagreement, not saying a word to stop their son’s reckless behavior. This abstention left me with little choice but to surmise that they were in agreement with their son on this matter.
Memories of the past year flashed through my mind. I had studied so hard to become queen. It hurt to remember how much I had struggled, or to think of the unbearable strain—both physical and mental—that had been put on me by my constant traveling between the front lines and the royal palace. The culture between the two had differed so extremely that the stress of having to constantly readapt to my surroundings had been overwhelming. I’d felt as if I could feel the very threads of my existence fraying away.
If I was to be honest, I had to admit that the past year had been the worst of my entire life. I had done what I could to change it for the better, but in the end, my efforts had failed. Now, all that was left for me to do was make it through this audience so I could return to my duties.
“Your Highness,” I intoned, keeping my voice sweet and respectful, “I freely admit that the fault for this commotion falls to me, though I must say that I consider the wounding of your heart to be the most grievous sin I have had the misfortune of committing. Such is my sorrow, that I will accept any punishment you choose, be it the breaking of our engagement or a sentence of exile.”
“You fool,” the prince spat, his lips twisting in blatant contempt. “Exiling you would be nothing but a waste.”
I was so shocked by this pronouncement that an impolite “Eh?” slipped unconsciously from my mouth.
Prince Medaikonar ignored me entirely. “Henceforth,” he proclaimed, “you will continue to act as the wanton priestess that you are, using your powers to protect our kingdom from the monstrous threat within Mayga Cieux.”
Wait, what? I thought incredulously. That can’t be right. He can’t seriously mean to make me do my utmost to fight for this kingdom, even after everything else I have been subjected to!
But I could not summon the energy to say these words out loud—I was no longer either willing or able to suffer any further mortification. I left the hall and returned to the room that had been specially reserved for my use, and there, I let myself cry for a time.