Chapter 1

Penelope

I have to do for my country and that means making an almost impossible decision. I hate this because I have no idea what I'm going to do but it looks like I'm not going to make it far. It hurts, it feels like no matter what I do, I never get very far. I wish that I could change everything, but it seems like everyone is doing everything in their power to make sure that I fail completely.

Maybe this is just how it has to be.

I know as the Princess of this kingdom, I have a duty to its people but sometimes, I just want to scream fuck the people. They are not the ones who have to make the hardest decision of their lives and they are not the ones who could end up losing everything because of this. I know how wrong it sounds and I know that this could turn around and bite me in the ass but there's no other way to put it anymore. Unfortunately, if I don't do this, everything that I have worked so hard towards will get ripped away from me and I will never be able to recover from it. I'd like to think that it wouldn't be the case but sometimes, you just do not get what you hope for.

A lot of the time, I have just wished that I could meet someone who would just understand ME and understand what I'm going through. I know how hard that is, but I also know that sometimes life just isn't fair. I know that I might just be one of the unlucky ones and that's okay. I'm alright with that because I know that in the long run, it's going to work itself out. I know that this very well might be the end of everything that I could ever dream of but I'm fine with that as well.

I can't complain about what I have been given because it's just wrong. I know that either way, the things that I'm going to have to do might not be for everyone, but I have done some things in my life that I'm sure made people question me and my integrity.

I'll tell them where to stick it though because I have been nothing but loyal to this family, but to just get thrown away like I was nothing, it was kind of like a slap to the face.

I knew already that I wasn't anything to them and I never would be because they couldn't respect me as such. I was just a breeder to them, someone who would get away with all of this and someone who would get hurt because of the actions of others. I wish that they would have told another sister to go but at the same time, how could I ask that of them either? I know that this could very well turn around and bite me in the butt for thinking so coldly about these people who honestly probably didn't have anything to do with this.

I can still be angry though, I'm allowed to.

"What's going through your head?" Carter suddenly asks me, his grip on my hand tight and unbreakable, "I thought you'd be more excited to be marrying me, Princess."

I look up at him and shiver as he pierces me with that intense gaze. Although I know he will not hurt me, he is terrifying, and I know that he could snap me in two without even thinking about it. I just gaze at his indifferent expression, feeling my stomach churning on the inside as I debate on what I'm even going to say to him. I know that he might end up getting upset with me if I say the wrong thing, so I need to be careful.

"I, um," I murmur softly, running my fingers through my hair, "I'm sorry. I was just thinking…"

"You need to be presentable at all times." He tells me coldly, just looking straight ahead, "I understand that you didn't want this engagement but neither did I. Quite frankly, you're not my type at all but they seem to think that sending me a weak woman is going to do the job. Of course, I have them the treaty that they wanted but don't expect to be on my good side because of it. You're only here because they forced you to be."

My jaw drops as I gaze at him with wide eyes, "Honestly, though, you know NOTHING about me, and I don't appreciate you accusing me of this. I understand how you feel though because I have been through a few things myself but I'm not going to allow you to badmouth me just because we are getting married. I didn't sign up for that."

He glances down at me, and I see the smirk appear on his face briefly, "I guess we will see who wins this battle, Princess."

I hate that he is so egotistical and acting like the world revolves around him but maybe it does. I don't know about what he thinks but what I do know is there is no way in hell that I'm going to let him win. If I did that, I'm not even sure what I would do.

I know I just can't.

So, we stand in front of the priest as he reads the vows, feeling the intense gazes of those behind us. The tension is thick in the air because this marriage is to stop a war. I wish that it could have been stopped in the first place without this, but I wouldn't be so lucky. Correction, he wouldn't be so nice…

I don't expect the King of the Wastelands to EVER be nice, but he could have treated me with respect. I have never met someone as vile as him before and the things that he has done, I can't even imagine. I have heard the rumors about the kind of person he had strived to be and all I can do is feel bad for him. How he could do this, I would never know. But I do know is that I'm going to get to the bottom of it.

"You may kiss the bride, your highness." The priest murmurs softly.

My heart is beating a million miles a second as he turns to me and cups my face in his hands before kissing me. I let out a shocked gasp as his lips felt like a burning fire against mine, but I won't complain one bit. I let his hands move down to my waist and drag me even closer, a glimmer in his eyes that tells me everything that I need to know. Oh fuck, just what is he doing to me? Before I can dwell on it for much longer, he pulls away from me, gazing down at me with a darkness in his eyes that makes me wonder just what he is thinking.

Oh fuck, I think he might kill me.

Just what am I going to do with him?