Page 119 of A Kingdom's Heart
The crowd erupted into cheers, the kind that rolled through the courtyard like thunder. Trumpets sounded from the balcony, and rose petals fell from the upper windows.
Everyone looked joyous. Everyone but me.
Their cheers felt distant, muffled, like the world had moved on without me. I kept my stance, sword at my side, eyes on the ground. The blood binding their hands was meant to mark peace between two kingdoms, but all I could see was what it cost.
It had cost her.
And as their voices rang out in celebration, I stood there in silence with a heart breaking for a peace that had taken everything
from me.
CHAPTER FIFTY
IRIS
The wedding was over.
I stood before the mirror again, unable to recognize the girl staring back at me. My cheeks were wet, and no matter how many times I wiped my face, the tears kept coming. They slid down one after another, falling onto the silk of my gown and staining it with dark marks.
The servants moved around me once again, helping me into my ball gown. One fixed the ribbon at my back, another adjusted the corset until I could hardly breathe. The gown was soft pink, soft as morning light, and the off-shouldered fabric shimmered under the candles. Silver sparkles caught the glow and scattered across the floor like dust from the stars. It should have made me feel like the princess I am, but I only felt lost inside.
My heart beat too fast, and I could not tell if it was from the corset or everything itself. Each breath felt heavier than the last.
Behind me, Raven sat in silence. Her hands were folded tightly in her lap, her eyes glassy. She had been there for a while, watching as the servants worked. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and uneven. “You look beautiful,” she said.
I did not feel beautiful. I felt broken. But I forced a small smile
anyway. “Thank you.”
She nodded, though her lips trembled. Her gaze dropped to the floor, and I saw how close she was to crying too. It hurt to look at her. I knew this must be just as hard for her as it was for me. She watched the man she loved marry her closest friend.
One of the servants straightened and said, “She’s ready.”
Just then, the servants around me froze and bowed low. Their sudden movement made my heart jump. I turned, my pulse quickening, and saw him standing in the doorway.
My father.
His eyes swept over me, sharp and cold, and the look on his face made my stomach twist. There was no pride in his gaze. Only something close to disgust.
“Those better be tears of joy,” he said, each word striking like a stone.
I tried to speak, but nothing came out. The silence stretched between us, heavy and unbearable.
He took a slow step forward, the sound of his boots echoing against the floor. “You just did Elarion a great honour,” he said. “You secured your people’s safety and formed an alliance that will protect us from our enemies. That is not something to cry over. That is something to be proud of.”
I swallowed hard, my hands trembling in front of me. “Proud?” I said quietly. “I’ve lost everything I wanted. How am I supposed to
feel proud of that?”
His expression hardened instantly. The air in the room seemed to grow colder. He took another step closer until the shadows from his figure covered me.
“You better be grateful,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “If this were any other day, I’d remind you how a princess should behave. But I won’t have your face bruised for your ball tonight. Not when your new husband will be watching you.”
My throat burned, but I couldn’t hold back the tears that kept falling. He looked at me once more, shaking his head as if even my sadness was an inconvenience.
“Now hurry up,” he said. “Wipe those tears, Iris. You’re a princess. Act like one.”
He turned toward the door, his cloak shifting behind him. “I’ll be waiting outside,” he said without looking back. His footsteps echoed down the hall until the sound faded completely.
