Chapter 60 - Blinded By Love

My eyes widen in surprise while mother and father greet Ignis.

Mother curtseys deeply, while father bows down in a way I've never seen him do. Never before.

«There's no need to be so formal,» Ignis comments.

A drop of sweat slips down his temple.

«We're family now, right?»

«How could we risk being impolite, your Majesty?» Father's voice is weird. He'd like to talk colder, but he can't.

Majesty?

Oh, this makes no sense.

I blink a couple of times, reordering my thoughts.

What am I supposed to do now? Should I also curtsey?

That's what one does in front of a King. But this is Ignis.

He can't be the King because we married intending to get far from that tyrant.

«Veronica?» he murmurs, analysing my face.

It's better not to anger him. He's a madman that kills without thinking twice, right? He also created a whole situation to have me sign the marriage certificate by my own free will. To convince father to write down his permission. To make love and erase any chance of getting an annulment. The only possibility now would be a divorce, but royals can't divorce.

He wanted to trap me by his side, and he succeeded.

«You lied to me,» I whisper, moving my eyes on him and taking a step back. «You lied about everything!»

«I never said I was not a King,» he points out.

«No, you just fabricated evidence about a family. You even forced other people to play along. That must be why Count Falco acted so strange. I couldn't help but resent them for how they treated you, and yet it was the most normal reaction they could have! You dragged me till here... For what? Why haven't you brought me back to the Palace, Ignis?»

«I'm sorry,» he sighs. «I wanted to tell you everything. But every time, I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. I knew you would leave me, so I dragged it longer. A single day longer every time.»

He steps in my direction, and I retreat a few times.

«A single day was all I desired. I wanted to tell you everything, I swear, but... Oh, Veronica. I'm so sorry.»

«You weren't sorry while lying, though.»

«You said you only saw me, Veronica. You said you didn't care about my title.»

«That was because I didn't know you were that madman! You single-handedly decided I had to be your wife, and you made a new law with that purpose. A law!»

«Would you have accepted if I talked to you? No, you would have left disgusted just like anybody else.»

«So, you think abducting and then saving me is a better solution?»

His fingers reach my forearms, and he tries holding my hands.

I avoid his hold and break free. One of my arms moves without any real intention, and I slap him with strength.

The noise reverberates in the hall, and everyone stands in place, speechless. Ignis just bows his head, admitting that all I've said is true.

«Can we talk for a moment?» he murmurs.

«You had two weeks to talk, Ig... your Majesty. Why this sudden need, now?»

«Just a minute, please...»

«You would just make it worse,» I point out before turning my back and leaving the hall.

My father is clenching his trembling fists, rage filling his expression. Yet, he can't say anything.

Lucia is observing the scene with a million questions on the tip of her tongue.

Mother is the only one calm. She covered her mouth in shock, but she's clearly smiling under her fingers. At least, I can hope she has a solution to this whole mess.

I don't even know what exactly to do now: whether to return to the entry hall and beg for forgiveness since I slapped a Royal, or try another escape and disappear in the wild.

Oh, it would be so funny. The only drawback is that I wouldn't see Ignis's face when he understands I used his plan against him.

But, also, my family would be in danger.

Not to mention that I can't act like a spoiled little brat forever. I have duties towards my people. I need to be alive to serve them, to protect the mages from the Church.

As much as it's in my power.

I finally reach the door of my room, and I slam it to make everyone know not to come to bother. It's the worst time to talk with me: they should understand.

I collapse on the bed and cry about my destiny. It's so painful to be betrayed by the man to whom I decided to give everything.

Blinded by love, I overlooked the many signals that should have made me realise that something was not quite right with Ignis. Yet, I was too focused on his handsome face and emerald eyes to be suspicious.

«Oh, why?» I sob. Why did he turn out to be a crazy madman, a tyrant that got rid of his family and established his reign on blood and terror? Why did he have to be the one forcing me to marry without asking?

Aida was right when she said I don't know him. So much must have happened in ten years. He's not the same person I met so long ago.

Most of all, it's not the betrayal that hurts. It's that I trusted him. I was blind. I was stupid.

Oh, if I think about it, I was the one pushing our relationship forward from some point on. Yet, Ignis is the one that courted me first.

It's all a well-designed trap to make me do what he needed. And he managed to execute his plan without losing his gentlemanly honour.

He did tell me to wait. To think about it. To consider every point of view.

I was the one hurrying, and now I'm regretting it.

The first time I ventured far from home turned out to be the worst. Even if it felt like the best period of my life, for some reason...

I cry for half an hour at most, but then I walk out of the room. The noise from downstairs attracts my attention, so I decide to go check.

I don't want anything bad to happen while I'm sulking alone in the room.. To anyone.