The Lord’s Desire

[Three months earlier…]

She was destined to marry the King. Melrose had pinned that in her mind ever since she turned fifteen. Lord Lewis, her stepfather who had been her only family since the age of five, had never been tired of reminding her that.

For a lady without a fetish for romance, it was the best the world could offer. The King was, after all, a young man with a pleasant character and outstanding physical attributes. He was crowned at the age of sixteen, and has been ruling the country for six years now. He was doubted by many at first as he was only a palace maids son, but over the years he had gained the respect and trust of people.

Melrose believed he was the best choice among the most eligible men in town. Not only because he was the most powerful and desired by most women, but because she had known him for years. She was sure hed make a good husband.

As Lord Lewis had always envisioned Melrose marrying the King one day, he raised her in the best way he could. Only the best dishes were served to her. She only wore the clothes from the towns best atelier and the most expensive jewelries. She rode in the best carriages and had tons of servants in their manor to serve her so shed have nothing to worry about but taking care of her beauty.

”Beauty is the womans best asset, ” one of his constant reminders

And she believed that. In the world they were in, women needed men for survival and power. If one lacked beauty, she would lack better choices. And Melrose wanted nothing for herself but the best.

Besides… she had been haunted by something for years. She longed for freedom. She felt something wasn right with her life even though she almost had everything a lady could ask for.

Was it the lack of contentment? Maybe not. She had ambitions but she wasn greedy. Life had been generous to her, which was something to be grateful of.

However, every time she looked at the walls of their house, she could see something else in her mind. Cage. Chains. Not a home.

Her father sure was demanding and strict, but she had always been treated as his greatest treasure. The reason why she didn understand why she could feel a void inside her every time she looked at him. Or was it because she had been longing for a mothers care?

”My Lady, you look so stunning. Any woman would pale in comparison to you, ” Felicity, her handmaiden, said.

”I shall hold you accountable for your words, Felicity. If Id see a lady in the ball prettier than me… ” I teased her, smirking.

”Its my job to remain true to my word when it comes to speaking to my lady. ”

Melrose smiled. She didn need to be the prettiest, she simply wanted to look beautiful. People had known her betrothal to the King. She didn want to disgrace His Majesty and her father.

Most women marry at the age of eighteen, but as for Melrose, she wanted to marry at twenty. She promised her father to do everything he wanted only if he would allow her to choose what age shed marry. He agreed, and His Majesty was kind enough to let her decide on that matter.

She looked at the mirror. The expensive ball gown made her look like royalty. Her father made sure it was done by a renowned designer so shed have the best gown to wear. And it was indeed a very beautiful one. It was a gradient of red and black, red on the upper while black on the lower. It exposed her arms and shoulders, but it remained elegant. Her wavy light blonde hair cascaded down her chest, designed with silver and golden hairpins. So far, she could say there was no flaw in her look.

”The coach is here, My Lady. The Lord is waiting for you downstairs, ” Henry, their butler, informed her behind the door.

Without further delay, she went out of her room and walked downstairs. Her father was already at the doorstep waiting for her. He had that usual stern look on his face but when he saw her, his eyes lit up in an instant.

”You looked so beautiful, my daughter. No one can outshine you at the ball, that is for sure. ”

Melrose only smiled. A few praises were enough for her, but her father just loved the spotlight so much he wanted her to always be the best among the ladies in town. Because like he said, she wasn just any lady. She was soon to be crowned as the queen. Which would be a few months from now since her twentieth birthday was coming, so was her wedding.

They went into the royal carriage sent by His Majesty. It was the Kings birthday and to celebrate it, he hosted a ball in the palace wherein every noble family were invited.

The truth was, Melrose found balls dull except for the magnificent dresses she could wear, but Lord Lewis never failed to send her to every ball in the social pinnacle that she got used to it.

Henry held her hand when she stepped out from the carriage and she was immediately aware of the eyes watching her. Everyone had known about her marriage with the King in four months, and even though some ladies were giving her sharp glares as if she stole their chances, most looked at her with respect as if they had acknowledged her superiority.

”Mellie! ”

She turned her head toward the voice and her lips curved up. It was her best friend, Arianne, a daughter of one of the members of the royal council. They had known each other since childhood as their fathers were good friends and both worked for the King.

”Green again, ” Melrose teased when she saw what Arianne was wearing. The girl loved that color so much that every time they had a ball to attend, her ballgown was most of the time green.

”Not the same shade as I wore last time. ” Arianne chuckled.

”Indeed. ” She nodded. ”Still green regardless. ”

Arianne rolled her eyes. ”Whatever you say, Your Majesty. ”

Melrose glared. ”Stop that. ”

”Stop what? You will be the Queen in a few months. Im just practicing how to address you. ”

”Even if Id be the queen, I don want you addressing me that way. You may call me by my name. ”

As both of them were still unmarried, they entered the royal hall in their fathers arms. The elders left them afterwards for their own business so they stayed at a corner of foods and drinks while waiting for the ball to start.

”Who do you think is more suitable for me? Sir Vincent or Lord Bentley? ” Arianne started asking with her endless confusion about her suitors.

Unlike her friend who was updated about every bachelor in town, Melrose had a hard time recalling those men as she could hardly remember the names of those who were introduced to her a week ago. Although she was betrothed to the King, Lord Lewis didn stop the families from introducing their children to her, may it be a lady or man, because he knew they just wanted to build connections with the future queen.

”I couldn decide, ” Melrose replied.

Arianne was about to speak when they saw Penelope coming, the most annoying woman they had ever met. Melrose sighed while Ariannes eyebrow raised.

”Melrose, ” although smiling, Penelope couldn hide the sourness in her voice.

”Hello, Penelope. ” Melrose didn bother to feign a smile nor did she try to sound friendly.

”You will get married to the King in a few months. I wonder how it feels? ”

”She feels good and we all are excited. How about you, Penelope? How do you feel about it? ” Arianne retorted with obvious sarcasm.

Penelope smirked. ”Im good. Though I wonder if nothing would change within four months. People could change, after all. Who knows one day the King decides to marry me instead of you? ”

Then she left to join her circle of friends who were looking at them darkly as if they were an eyesore.

”I badly wanted to slap her face, Mellie. ” Arianne gritted her teeth. ”How dare she speak that way to you! What an insolent bitch! ”

Melrose remained silent as she stared at the glass of champagne in her hand. She wondered how shed feel if by chance Penelopes words would come true.

She couldn say she loved the King to suffer from an intense heartbreak if he decided one day to marry someone else, but for sure shed feel bad. She would be ruined. Every man in town was aware of her betrothal to the King even years before. No nobleman would pick her as wife after being disposed by the King. One couldn take such an embarrassment. And if she would marry someone of low birth, her father would rather die than witness it.

”The King has arrived! ” The announcement sent Melrose back to her senses.

In no delay, His Majesty showed at the center of the two connected stairways curving in the hall, reminding everyone that he was the ruler above all of them.

Everyone looked up to him as he gracefully descended the stairs. He wore a white jacquard buttoned long sleeves with gold trim, shoulders with gold epaulets, navy blue sash with gold detailing, gold belt, navy blue pants, and a long gold robe. Even without his crown, the authority in his air was enough to let anyone know he was a ruler.

Every lady in the hall was dazed as the King was such a breathtaking sight. And Melrose wasn an exception. Even though she had never liked someone deeply, she was still a lady who could recognize good looking men.

Arianne clung on Melroses arm, grinning. ”You must have saved a country in your past life to have such luck, Mellie. ”

Was she really lucky to be in her position, though?

The hall was filled with whispers about how handsome the King was, but everyone fell silent all of a sudden.

Melrose lifted her head and saw another man descending the staircase. He wasn familiar to her in any way so she was sure she had never seen him before.

In contrast to the Kings white attire, the man was in all black as if he came to attend a funeral rather than a birthday. Black collared shirt under a black vest, black velvet frock coat, black pants, and black shoes.

As he continued walking down the stairs fluidly, Melrose noticed the silver tassel chain pin on his collar with a crowned dragon brooch on each end, which made her confused.

Why was this man wearing the royal familys emblem?