The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

With a lot on his mind, Harold went to the training ground to practice. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize how aggressively he was fighting with others. If they had been using a real sword instead of a wooden version, they would have had thousands of cuts on their bodies already.

The guards could not help but pray for a helper to deliver them, and it seemed like the moon goddess was on their side because a helper came in the form of the delicate princess.

"Brother!" Tyra called as she looked at the other guards with worry.

Harold snapped back to his senses and stopped before he looked at her. He noticed the worry in her gaze and looked around him, seeing the bruises he had inflicted on all the guards.

With a gentle nod of his head, they all ran away, leaving the siblings.

Tyra approached him with a handkerchief and a gourd of water and handed both to him.

"What were you thinking about that made you like that?"

Harold didn't answer her and just took the water. After a gulp, he dropped it and took the handkerchief.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

"I came to see you."

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

Tyra looked around them to be sure they were alone before she turned to him and asked, "Do you think anyone would hear us?"

Harold naturally had sharper senses than her since she was an omega.

When Harold didn't get anything or suspect any presence around, he shook his head.

"What is wrong?"

"Mother sent for me today."

He said nothing and just waited for her to say what she wanted to.

"She wanted to know more about your relationship with Princess Amber. And to know if you had any plans to covet the throne."

Harold raised an eyebrow. Of everyone to ask, why did the queen think about asking Tyra?

"I assured her that it wasn't the case. But... I don't think she is going to let it go just like that."

"Do you realize the danger you are putting yourself in by revealing this to me?"

"I know." She nodded. "That is why... you should think about it."

"About what?"

"Coveting."

Harold knew what she was talking about. She wanted him to covet the throne.

"Speak of no such thing. It is treason."

"I do not care. The palace is not safe. None of us are. Do you think I do not know that you were attacked on the way to your wedding?" Tyra asked, surprising him a little.

"And I know that more is going to happen. Or maybe it has happened already but you are keeping it from everyone. Mother and Ivan are not going to stop until they get rid of you," she continued.

"Tyra!" He called her sternly. "The throne is not mine to keep," he said, tempted to remind her that she was the queen's daughter and Ivan's sister. Her loyalty should be to them, not to him. But then again, they had never treated her right because she was an Omega, so maybe he understood why she preferred him to her own family.

"Do you think Ivan is going to be a better king?" She asked with watery eyes. "If Ivan becomes king, it would be over for everyone. You know how ruthless he is. He is only just trying to act responsibly, so the people continue to favour him. You know how he and mother treat Omegas. You know better!"

"TYRA!" He called her again in a warning voice. She stopped talking and began to sob quietly.

He had his plans. But he didn't want Tyra to get involved in any of it. And she was right. He knew better how these people treated Omegas. Because his mother had been one, and she had been killed.

Harold put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "You should stay out of all this. For your safety."

"When have I ever been safe?" She asked, looking up at him. "I cannot live the way I want to. I cannot be happy. I only have to wait patiently until mother decides to marry me off to someone who would find an omega like me worthy. I can't choose anything about my life or the person I want to spend the rest of my life with," She cried.

"You may not know this, but father's health has been deteriorating. Mother also knows about it. It is only a matter of time before he announces his successor. I think things will get worse from now on. And I am scared." Her body shook as she cried.

Harold was surprised to hear about this since it was the first time he was hearing about the King being sick. He was also surprised by how much Tyra knew and everything she kept inside of her.

"You will be safe. And if there is someone you have in your heart, I will support you."

She looked up at him with hopeful eyes and asked, "Are you sure?"

Her question just made him confirm that she did have someone in her heart. "You have my word."

Away from there, Alicia lay on her bed, unable to sleep. She had only been able to rest for a few minutes before she woke up. How could she sleep? She had too many things on her mind, and it all went beyond escaping now. Although she still wanted to return to her life, she couldn't just leave like this. Especially now that Harold's life was in danger.

She silently cursed herself for worrying about Harold when she should be more concerned about leaving this damned place with its dangers. Why the heck was she letting her emotions get in the way? And why the heck was the thought of escaping from here no longer look appealing.

After that drowning episode, she doubted that returning would be as easy as she had thought, and maybe it was time she concerned herself with the why and how she ended up here now that she knew that she wasn't the only one possessing Princess Amber's body. Well, she wasn't sure, but it was still a possibility.

She was also curious to know who had attacked them on their way back from the marketplace and why. Was it a random attack on them because they were royals? Or had Harold particularly been targeted?

She stood up and started pacing around the bedroom. What could she do here? How could she apply her modern knowledge to solve her problems here?

She glanced up when a knock sounded on her door before it was pushed open, "Milady," Paulina greeted her with a bow as she walked into the bedroom.

Alicia sighed inwardly. It had been a while since she worried about Paulina. Somehow, she had been too distracted with thoughts of Harold and everyone else to think about the poor girl.

"Paulina, how are you?" She asked, flashing her a smile as she walked over to where Paulina stood.

"I'm fine, milady. Prince Harold asked that I get you ready for dinner since Princess Luciana is no longer in charge of you," Paulina explained with a smile.

"Does that mean you are in charge of me now?" Alicia asked hopefully, and Paulina shook her head.

"No, Milady. Your husband is in charge. I only have to follow his orders," she corrected, but they both knew she was indirectly in charge.

"That is good. Have you had something to eat today?" Alicia asked, feeling guilty that she had packed snacks for Harold, who didn't really need them, and had forgotten about Paulina, who needed them.

"Yes, Milady. Willia... Sir Williams made sure of it."

"Williams? So you're now on a first-name basis with him?" Alicia asked, and Paulina blinked at her in confusion.

"I guess things are going on well between you two?" Alicia asked instead, and Paulina gave her a shy smile that made Alicia worried especially after her conversation with Susan.

"He said we are... friends."

"Just be careful," Alicia said to her before remembering the favour she needed from Paulina. "I'm sorry to bother you, Paulina..."

"You could never be a bother to me, milady," Paulina quickly cut her off.

"I'm glad to hear that. Would you mind painting another portrait of Princess Amber's mother?" She asked hopefully.

"A new one?" Paulina blinked in surprise since she hadn't been expecting that.

Alicia nodded, "A bigger one, hopefully. I'd like to have it framed and hanging on the wall here," Alicia said, pointing to the opposite end of the bed. She would love for her real face to be the first thing she saw every time she woke up in the morning.

"I will need the other painting to make a new one," Paulina said, but Alicia's brows pulled together in distress since she doubted that Harold was going to release it. What was with him and the painting anyway?

"It's with Prince Harold. He wants to keep it. Can't you make a new one from your memory?" Alicia asked hopefully.

Although it wouldn't be easy to make a portrait painting of Queen Anne by merely relying on her memory, seeing how it seemed to mean a lot to her mistress, Paulina smiled. It appeared that Princess Amber had finally put away her thoughts of running away from here.

"I will do it," Paulina promised just as the other maids arrived with pails of water. "It's time to get you ready for dinner, Milady."

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