Married To The Enemy Kingdom's Illegitimate Prince-Chapter 99 — Her Fiancé?

Rolling through the asphalted road, the golden coloured carriage came to a stop. The horseman rushed to open the door for Cynthia while Lucian swung the door open. He then walked before the young lady who was still sitting on her seat and extended his hand.

Taking his hand, Cynthia stepped out of the carriage.

"Have a pleasant day, Your Highness," the coachman bowed, as he watched the couple head towards the temple.

The temple was painted white as if covered by snow. It had large silver curved iron columns surrounding the pillars. Statues of the gods were carved before the building, along with a spring from which water kept flowing through.

It has been a while since I last saw this temple...

Cynthia mused quietly, her gaze drifting over the temple grounds stretched before her. She hadn’t set foot here since her parents’ funeral. Not even her own wedding had drawn her back to this place—she’d chosen a small, unassuming temple instead, avoiding this one with its fervent devotion to the gods. The memories lingered too strongly here, and the thought of returning had felt too burdensome.

Her brothers, too, had been absent, preoccupied with war. They hadn’t had the time to make the long journey to this temple, set apart from the main palaces. It was a sole luxurious building in a secluded area, with only a handful of small shops and scattered houses nearby. The roads were narrow and most of the streets needed to be rebuilt.

I wonder why he wanted his wedding to take place here. It’s a royal wedding, after all.

"Do you intend to keep holding my hand?" Lucian softly whispered, leaning close to her ear, making sure no one would be able to hear him.

Cynthia simply tightened her grip around his hand, letting that be her answer. This was the moment she had been waiting for, a chance to show everyone they were a united, devoted couple. She couldn’t afford to let anyone glimpse the cold distance that lay between her and her husband. No—she had to show them that they were as flawless, as inseparable, as any couple could be.

Lucian flinched, his hand tensing in hers for a moment, taken aback by the unexpected firmness of her grip. He had anticipated a composed, almost indifferent reaction, not this unyielding show of resolve. A soft chuckle escaped him, tinged with surprise. Perhaps he was beginning to understand her, just a little. She cared more about appearances than she let on, more about what others thought of her than he’d assumed. She was determined to present herself as the perfect wife, flawless in the eyes of those watching—himself included, it seemed. But he couldn’t fathom why. She had everything she could need: the love of her family, a secure place within her household even after her parents’ passing, the unwavering respect of the servants. So, what drove her to this constant need to prove herself?

For him, it was clear—he needed to earn the king’s favor to keep his life, to survive and, if possible, to leave this palace. But her reasons remained an enigma, shrouded in a mystery he couldn’t quite unravel.

It seems we are more likely than I believed us to be.

Arriving before the entrance, the door was already wide open and a crowd of people were standing, discussing among themselves.

"Let’s greet the king first," Lucian suggested, his gaze searching for a blonde-haired young man. However, he had forgotten that blond hair wasn’t uncommon in Eldoria. Rather, it was the normal hair color for most while other hair colors were rare.

Cynthia nodded.

"He should be somewhere at the back. They surely arranged some seats—" Just then, Cynthia’s gaze fell on a familiar figure.

Her lips twisted into a sneer, her eyes turning red due to the anger overwhelming her.

"What’s wrong?" Lucian asked, seeing her complexion. "Are you feeling unwell?" He asked, not daring to say anything about her face. He knew how conscious she was about her complexion as she always kept a smile on her face no matter how the conversations between them went. Although, lately she seemed to be unable to ignore everything and forcing a smile.

"I’m alright," she smiled brightly, turning to him. "Let’s meet His Majesty and his soon-to-be queen."

Without waiting for his reply, Cynthia rushed towards the back. There, she had large golden chairs— as if thrones arranged for royalty were placed. Alistair and a young lady were sitting there while people kept greeting them one after another.

Alistair was dressed in a neat beige suit, his blond hair combed to the back. A small rose broach perhaps made with ruby was placed on his chest. Beside him, Saya was sitting, dressed in a white gown. Her dark blue hair was tied into a bun with a rose flower ring around it. Her neck was covered with a diamond necklace while she wore diamond earrings as well.

Cynthia stepped on the soft red carpet, rushing to her brother, followed by Lucian. The couple greeted the king and the soon-to-be- queen. freeweɓnovel-cøm

"Come sit here," Alistair gestured towards the seat to his right.

Cynthia tilted her head to the side, confused.

"I-What are you saying?" She chuckled awkwardly.

"Listen to me, and come here," Alistair repeated in a more serious tone.

Unwilling to displease him, she followed his order.

"You too, Grand Duke," Alistair added, his gaze shifting to Lucian.

Seeing Cynthia hadn’t refused the king, Lucian decided to obey his command as well.

"Why are you doing this?" Cynthia whispered, slightly leaning towards her brother.

"We haven’t sat side by side in ages. I missed it," Alistair replied with a bright smile.

Cynthia looked at him, an eyebrow raised. She didn’t believe him and it was evident from her complexion.

Alistair merely smiled, offering no explanation. In truth, he simply didn’t think it would be safe to keep her amid the crowd of nobles who looked upon her with such cold hostility. He had seen it firsthand during the ceremony to welcome back the knights who had returned safely after the war. The disdain, the cutting glances—he remembered it all too well although he couldn’t understand the reason. She was also royalty so, why such a cold treatment towards her? He didn’t want her to endure that again, not if he could help it. Even from his seat, he could hear their whispers, the venomous murmurs that traveled through the crowd like a bitter wind.

"Why is the king letting her sit beside him?"

"It’s the seat for the people who belong to the royal family!"

"She is married to some grand duke. She shouldn’t sit on the throne!"

"Maybe she forced the king? You never know when it’s her."

"I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true."

"Remember what she did to her fiancé?"

Lucian’s ear twitched at the word. Fiancé? Suddenly, he remembered something Dylan had told him before the marriage.

"Her engagement was broken recently," the words echoed to his mind.

Back then, it didn’t matter to him what the princess of Eldoria had been up to. Her life, her choices—none of it concerned him. However, for a reason he couldn’t quite grasp, it now bothered him in ways that left him uneasy. If she could act so boldly, so shamelessly in front of him—her once enemy—then who’s to say she hadn’t done something equally daring with that fiancé of hers? The thought alone tightened his jaw, a sharp irritation simmering just beneath the surface.

He stole a glance in her direction, searching for some flicker of emotion, anything he could latch onto to decipher her thoughts. But, as always, it was futile. Her expression remained infuriatingly neutral, betraying nothing. It was as if she wore a mask of perfect indifference, one he couldn’t peel back no matter how intently he looked.

"Why are you staring at me so intensely?" Cynthia turned to face the young man who had been looking at her for at least a straight five minutes as if he was hoping for something.

"I was wondering..." he paused. He nearly asked her about her past relationship. Observing her so closely, he knew she could start assuming once again some strange things. "Are you hungry? It has been a while since you had breakfast. And you haven’t eaten much either," he said, forcing an awkward smile.

Never had he been in a troubling situation apart from when he stood before the king and the queen. But it wasn’t as bad as it was with the king and queen.

Cynthia looked at him. Perhaps it was the first time he had smiled at her but it wasn’t a real one. She didn’t know if she should be relieved he had even curled his lips even if it meant to force a smile.

But when he was with her, he did not force a smile.

At that thought, her gaze intensified, almost as if she were glaring at him.

"What’s wrong?" Lucian asked, noticing the shift in her gaze.

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