Chapter 5: Sealed Fate
Abrielle followed Cedric to the altar, where the officiating priest, who was her uncle, was waiting for her. The altar stood under a glass roof with the moon rays coming inside and reflecting on the clear water.
They stood facing each other by the altar, and Cedric pulled off her veil. She stared back at his face, which was covered with a gold mask, and was more than certain he was the main antagonist of her book; cold, scheming and greedy were the words she used to describe him.
According to the story, he wore the mask to hide a horrific scar he got from the first time he was sent to the battlefield at 14. "You may stretch out your left hands as you stare at each other." The priest instructed. They both followed the priest's instructions. The marriage rights in Darconia were strange but sacred.
The priest picked up a silver dagger and then slit both of them on their palms, with their blood trickling down into a bowl on the altar. Abrielle's face scrunched up because of the pain, but she tried to contour it. After the wound was made the priest started to make some spells to seal the couple.
After he was done, there was a light glow from the bowl. Then he glanced at the couple and then at the crowd. "Is there anyone here who has a reason why this man and woman should not be joined? Speak now before they are joined forever, never to be broken apart."
The hall immediately went silent; Cedric's eyes glanced around the crowd. Even if there was someone against the marriage, no one would dare go against the bloodlust prince known to be able to wipe out an entire kingdom in a day.
Seeing there was no one to obstruct the wedding the priest then turned his attention to us. "Lady Abrielle Nightshade, the only daughter from the Duke of Nightshade, do you have a reason why you don't want to be joined in the marriage with your groom?" He asked her.
Abrielle glanced at the wound on her palm; she had a thousand and one reasons to say no; maybe this was the opportunity she had to escape, as this marriage could only be broken by death.
She swallowed hard, she was ready to take the chance. " I don't want to..." The crowd gasped in shock, and there seemed to be a very heavy pressure on her shoulders that seemed like something was pressing her down. Her eyes darted up to glance at Cedric's gold eyes as the temperature plummeted to an all-time low.