I was going to do it.
I was going to.
I marched down the halls of the castle, keeping my fists clenched at my sides as I continued down the corridor, making my way to the throne room.
My father spent his days in there, talking with his knights about what places to march in the city next.
But it was time... time for me to finally say no.
I kept myself going, now dressed fully in my blue gown. The one the maids put me in.
But I finally made it to the throne room, and I pushed open the doors. "Father!"
He looked up from the map of the town, his grey hair blowing from the wind of the doors as I made my way in.
All the other knights immediately stood and stepped away from my father, making room for me.
The doors slammed shut behind me. "Father, we need to talk."
He stood fully, and I glanced briefly to find my mom—the queen—shaking her head in disappointment.
She knew what I was going to do. I'd been complaining of it for ages, and she'd always tell me I had no choice, but I had a choice.
We all had choices.
"Not right now, Alice," father replied, turning back toward the map. "Sir Denver and I were just going over the plans for guarding tonight. There was another murder last night. James from the Thablehouse died from a slice to the throat. The Creature has done it again."
I fought a smile that tried to creep up on my face.
Nooooooop. That was meeeeee!
No one needed to know, though. Hehe.
Although, I would've rooted for him and cheered while he killed that mother fu—
Crap... to the point.
"Father, we need to talk!" I demanded.
He glanced over at me in annoyance. "Are you bleeding from the eyes?"
I narrowed my eyes, irritation crawling through me. "No."
"Are you pregnant?"
"No."
"Are you dying? Tragically ill? Bleeding inside?"
I growled under my breath. "No."
"Then talk to me later," he snapped, clenching his teeth.
He then turned back to what he was doing.
I couldn't stop myself. I was sick of his bullshit. "I am NOT marrying the prince!"
He suddenly froze, and Sir Denver went pale, stepping away immediately.
The room fell silent, and I watched my mom glare at me from her throne.
Father then clenched the sides of the table, lowering his head as his back lifted and eased with every breath.
"I mean..." I said, snapping, "do you even know his name? He's a prince! I don't even know him! I don't even want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't know!"
My dad just flipped his hand outward, motioning for the knights to get out.
They listened, instantly flooding out from the room.
Denver cast me a nervous look before exiting.
Father stood fully, turning toward me with those flaming eyes. "Alice."
I lost it then.
"You only took me so I could get you more money!" I screamed, veins blazing with anger. "It wasn't some charitable thing! I was a TOY! A TOOL! A PLAYTHING! I was never your daughter! You want to SELL me so you can get LAND!"
Father's calmness shattered then, and he screamed at me in a rage, "HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME WITH SUCH A THING! I TOOK YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE IN NEED OF A FAMILY! DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THIS FAMILY FOR ONCE! YOU ARE MARRYING THIS PRINCE AND THAT'S FINAL!"
I glared. "No."
"NO?"
"No," I repeated.
"Alice Jasmine Rye!" mom screamed then, standing from her throne. "You NEVER talk to your father like that! Apologize! NOW!"
I bared my teeth. "I will never marry that prince. I will never succumb to you. I know what you've been doing. I know everything, father. I was never a part of your family. You never cared about me. Mother didn't either. She never sang to me. When I was scared of the dark, she just smacked me and told me to deal with it. When I wanted toys, you shoved me in a dark room. You never cared about me. Never.
"So I won't do this family any FAVORS," I hissed. "BECAUSE YOU WERE NEVER MY FAMILY. I am NOT MARRYING THAT PRINCE."
Father just slapped me across face, making me cry out when I fell backward, collapsing with the ground.
He then caught me by the back of my head and forced me up.
I screamed when he sliced his nails into the back of my neck.
"You are an ungrateful bitch," he hissed, making my eyes water. "I gave everything to you, and you constantly resist me. All these dresses? All these hair pins? You are ungrateful."
He threw me to the ground, and I cried out when my head smashed against the stone.
"Go to your room and don't come out," father replied, glaring. "You have a knife on your vanity. I don't want to see you until you've sliced both arms repeatedly. Like I taught you when you were four. Now GO."
I struggled to get up, pressing my hand to my throbbing skull. "Father...."
"I SAID GO!"
"Father, my head..." I whispered.
"Does it look like I care?" he snapped. "GO AND TEACH YOURSELF A LESSON."
I struggled to get up, legs wobbling from under me. "Yes, father."
I then exited the room, feeling blood slipping down my neck from his nail-marks, but my head pounded so hard against my skull that I couldn't feel the sting.
I stumbled a little as I exited, glancing at Denver briefly who's eyes looked dark, and I then continued down the hall until I made it to my corridor.
I couldn't escape it then.
Tears flooded my eyes, streaming down my cheeks as I made it down to my room.
I tried... I tried so hard.
I didn't want the prince. I wanted Elias.
Elias.
I sobbed a little, clutching my head as I entered my room.
I closed the door behind me and fell to my knees, sobbing into the ground as millions of needles filled my blood, tangling with the throbbing from my head.
"Elias..." I pleaded, sobbing his name. "Elias... Elias, I know it's day, but please...."
If you ever need me, just think of me.
"Elias..." I cried. "Elias!"
I suddenly felt a hand on my back.
I screamed, shooting up immediately.
But my face met his familiar, black mask.
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