Chapter 5: fools
Emily POV
My mother stared at me like I was an alien from another planet, not her teenage daughter.
I could see it in the way her lips were tightly pressed together and the way she consistently tapped her left leg like she was playing along to the sound of a song.
"King Zuri, thank you but my daughter will not be marrying any nincompoop from Zolcovia. She is seventeen years old, she is a child. Emily, come on. let's leave"
My mother tried to grab my hand but I took a step back.
I wasn't going to subject my mother to the harshness of the world's poverty because I couldn't stomach the idea of someone other than Owen touching my body.
I mindlinked my mother.
(Mama, we have to take the deal. It can't be that horrible, he is the crown prince of Zolcovia not the gateman)
My mother tightened her grip on my hand and started dragging me towards the door. She was a former beta Wolf with an actual wolf, I didn't stand a chance.
(Mom! Stop! What's the alternative? Live in our car and rely on your measly waitress salary? We have no pack to rely on and since we are rogues, no pack would accept us)
I turn around to meet my devilish half brother. He seems to be enjoying my predicament.
This was it for me. I used to have this fantasy that I was in a perfect world where I would find my mate and marry the love of my life.
Stupid fantasy, right?
Zuri watched us with the curiosity of a wild cat. I wondered how someone with the face of an angel could be the devil himself. It was absurd and irritating.
It was now or never.
I turned to him and I released a pent up breath I didn't even know I was holding in and I spoke to him.
"I accept your offer. I will marry the asshole you want me to marry but I have conditions" I was adamant.
Zuri sat down and crossed his legs like any moment from now he would disappear and appear at some other place without me.
"My mother lives here with me and she receives all the title and power accorded to the mother of a princess Royale…"
"Princess Supreme…" Zuri corrected me.
"Whatever…and I want to go to school, so, it would be a long engagement, at least eight years…"
"No" Zuri murmured.
I was astonished. He didn't really think I would marry this person at seventeen years of age, did he?
"No?" I posed as a question.
"You will attend school, Emily. But the engagement will only be for one year. On your nineteenth birthday, you will be crown princess of Zolcovia and I will have my oil pipe" Zuri answered with the same bored face.
I decided to negotiate with him for the terms of my impending nuptials.
"I am willing to do a five years long engagement, Zuri"
"It's King Zuri or his majesty to you, child and it's a one year engagement. Take it or leave my palace. You have exactly five seconds to accept or I will throw you and your mother to the wolves…1…"
I started to panic.
I was sweating profusely. Even the pain of the severing wasn't a bother anymore.
Eloise moved closer and touched my hand.
"Don't do this, Emily. You need to know something first!"
"2…"
"Mom, this is the best option for everyone. I get to live the life I was destined to live…as a royal Princess" I tried to persuade my mother.
"4…"
"Hey! What happened to 3?!" I yelled at the King.
"I got impatient. I am quite bored, dear sister. Make your choice!"
I closed my eyes to take it in. Just a second, where I pushed out every single sound from my head and I was alone. Just a moment of pure freedom before I shackle myself to some prince.
Just a moment of silence for the Emily Sanders that I once was.
"5.."
"I accept!" I yelled.
My mother gasped. Zuri smiled and stood up. He came closer and kissed my cheek.
"Welcome home, sister. You will find Castaway to your liking"
Zuri walked out after that.
My mother was quiet, too quiet.
"Mama, I had to do it"
"What have you done, Emily?"
"I had to do it. We can't survive out there"
Eloise grabbed my arms and I could feel her fingernails dig into my skin.
"How do you plan to be the crown princess of Zolcovia when you are pregnant, foolish girl?"
It was my turn to gasp. My eyes bulged out like it had been deliberately pulled out of the socket.
"What are you talking about? How could I be pregnant?" I asked my mother.
She scoffed like I was joking and she was finding it funny.
"How? My guess is by opening your stupid legs for Owen to enter…that's how. And now you just dug a deeper hole to bury both of us, Fool!"