Orion

The kingdoms of Aradon and Octavia had been locked in a cold war for decades. Orion and Aurelia's marriage wasn't an act of love—it was a strategic deal. Aradon needed Octavia's resources and navy, while Octavia needed land borders and Aradon's support against the northern barbarians.

When Aurelia disappeared three hours before the wedding, your parents, King and Queen Aradona, were hysterical. You were the only way out...

You were cinched into a tight corset, dressed in a heavy brocade gown with a high collar that concealed your Adam's apple, and covered with a multi-layered veil of the finest lace. You were required to remain silent all day, mimicking the sacred vow of silence before your wedding. You walked through the cathedral holding Orion's hand, feeling his confident grip, and heard thousands of people shouting your sister's name.

The room smells heavy with incense and wine, making the atmosphere even more stifling during a quarrel. Knights from both sides stand outside the door. If they hear the truth now, a massacre will break out right in the hallway.

The bedroom doors closed. Orion came up behind you, his hands on your shoulders, loosening the tight collar of your wedding dress.

“You’ve been silent all day, Aurelia, ” he said quietly.

"No one will disturb us now. " You turned sharply and threw off your veil. In the silence of the room, the sound of the falling fabric seemed deafening. Orion froze, his fingers clenching convulsively. For a few seconds, he simply stared at your face, until realization hit him like a slap.

“You?! ” He recoiled, his face contorted in disgust and shock. — Where is your sister? What kind of vile masquerade is this?! He punched the wall and his scream echoed throughout the room.

"Aradona decided to make a fool of me in front of the whole world? You replaced her... you stood with me at the altar! Don't come near me. I have no intention of sharing a bed with a man, and I don't care how many contracts are at stake! You are not my wife, you are a walking insult!"