Chapter Text
“So you’ve finally cornered me.” The king’s voice was fairly relaxed for a man with a knife to his throat.
The hero, his forced bride, held the blade close enough to draw blood if he dared make a wrong move. She had only married him to save her allies, so that they may live to fight another day.
The hero fought on in her own way. Against feather soft touches too gentle to belong to a ruthless tyrant. Against gazes that followed her with a desperate longing whenever she moved to leave. Against the very man she shared a bed with.
She hated the way her hands shook. She gripped the hilt tighter to ease her trembling. It didn’t work.
“You knew it would come to this, Your Majesty.”
His gaze softened. “I told you to call me by name. Your Majesty is too formal.”
“I’m your enemy. We’re not supposed to be close.”
“And you’re my bride.”
He gently raised a hand to her cheek, his tanned thumb gently stroking her soft skin.
“I only married you to save my friends.”
He smiled sadly. “I know. I’m not stupid.”
Her heartstrings pulled frustratingly tight. It should have been easy to slit his throat and rid the kingdom of its tyrant king. Why had she grown so soft? She’d seen the chaos left in his wake. She knew he was better off dead.
“I hate you.”
A sob shook her. She could hardly believe it came from herself.
He gently shushed her, his touch soft against her skin. He gently moved his free hand to take hers, guiding the blade closer to his throat.
“Then kill me. I wouldn’t blame you, little hero.”
But she was frozen still as sobs racked her body. She couldn’t do it. Not to him. Not to the king who became her husband.
And she hated herself for it.