The castle creaked in the middle of the night, and I heard noises that frightened me dreadfully. I woke up consistently throughout the night—fully expecting the king to come in, stinking of alcohol, to consummate our marriage.

I pulled the sheets up to my chin in a cold sweat and fear of both the noises the castle made, and fear of the king.

Eventually, I heard voices outside the door.

“Step aside, templar.” Paris said.

“My King, please do not touch her. She is crying and in a bad way. If you have kindness in your heart, you will give her time…” Terry began, but Paris cut him off.

“I will do what I want with my wife. Step aside.” Paris repeated and I heard Terry get shoved against the wall.

The door creaked open and I screwed my eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

I heard his footsteps approaching and I breathed harshly. I felt him sit on the bed and he whispered, after a moment, “You poor beast… I won’t touch you, my innocent queen.”

And then I heard him shuffle back across the bedroom and leave.

My heart was thumping loudly for a few minutes, but when he didn’t return, I could finally smile and relax. I slept through the rest of the night.

__

I slept through most of the morning as well.

“She’s very tired! The king must have kept her up!” I heard a man say to Terry outside of the bedroom.

“I won’t have you speak of the king and queen that way. You will show them respect.” Terry replied.

“Whelp!” Replied the man.

I went back to sleep after that.

__

Eventually, I heard a knock on the door.

“It’s time for dinner, Mimi.” Paris called. “Get dressed.”

I didn’t feel like moving. With a blank expression, I wrapped myself tighter in my blanket, hiding my face from him.

“Get up.” Paris called sternly, and then I heard him walk away.

Terry entered the room a moment later and hastily came to my side. “You have to get up, Mimi! The king is angry and has promised you a black eye if you don’t!”

I stared blankly forward and did not reply.

“Princess! You must get up!” Terry encouraged me.

I slowly pulled myself to a sitting position for his sake. Terry grinned. “That’s the Mimi I know! I’ll go get your handmaiden!”

Terry left and I looked down miserably. I could think of no reason to live. I wanted to die. I wanted to be spared any more humiliation and pain.

My handmaiden—who was a moth slave—arrived and set about picking a dress for me to wear from my closet.

It took me a moment to realize I knew this moth… I was elated to see her! This was one of my many half-sisters, Gerta! For a moment, misery was replaced with pure joy.

“Gerta!” I squealed joyously and hopped out of bed. I tried to embrace her, but she stepped away from me with a furious look on her face.

“Is there something wrong…?” I asked her worriedly.

We two had never been on the best of terms—she was always so serious, while I was so silly—but for her to step away from me in my time of need…

“Did you have fun sleeping your way into the enemy’s bed? Did you have fun leaving your people behind?” Gerta answered lowly.

“What…?” I replied. “I—I’m sorry. I don’t wish to be his wife—please let me explain--!”

“You have your riches and your handsome human man, but you will never have my respect.” Gerta told me as she filled up a bathtub full of hot water for me.

I sniffled pathetically. “Don’t you hate me, too! I’m sorry! I never wanted any of this to happen!”

“Fake tears. Always with the fake tears to get what you want.” Gerta snorted. “Get in the tub, I’ll scrub you down.”

I obeyed her, crawling out of bed and submerging myself into the hot bath water. I let her scrub down my fur with a brush. “Please tell me… Is Kieran alive?”

“They’re all dead but you and I, Sister. I’m sorry that I survived rather than a sibling you truly loved.” Gerta said sarcastically.

I was wounded. “How could you say that…? I love all of you! It was Daddy who liked you and your mother the least!”

Gerta purposely dragged the scrubber through my fur roughly and I yelped. “Yes, and you were his precious, pretty ivory princess who everyone liked best because she was so simple and stupid that she was charming!”

“Please don’t be angry at me, Sister. You’re all I have…” I replied with another hideous sniffle.

“Clearly not. I’m sure you’re having fun with your king. You don’t need me. Step out.” Gerta commanded firmly.

She toweled me off and then helped me into the dress Caerwyn’s seamstress friend had made me. Gods I missed him. I missed how he spoiled me—I missed how he never judged me and admired every positive aspect there was about me… Which I thought, in the end, weren’t many.

I looked at myself in the tall mirror hanging from the wall in the bedroom and felt very empty. I wanted to show it to Caerwyn again and have him exclaim how pretty I looked in it… I sighed heavily.

“Hurry, Sister. The king in waiting for you.” Gerta said cruelly and left.

I headed to the dining hall wordlessly.