The Cursed Prince

After the servant put the wine jug on the table and two cups, Roshan and the servant bowed down and took their leave. Mars got up and poured the warm wine into their cups and gave one to Emmelyn.

The nice fragrance from the sweet wine wafted in the air. It smelled so great!

Emmelyn licked her lips impatiently while waiting for the cup to be filled half by the prince.

"I hope you like it," Mars said. He clinked his cup to hers and sipped his wine.

Emmelyn nodded excitedly and followed suit. She never heard of glow wine before, but judging from the description and its such a nice smell, she could guess that it must be delicious.

"Oh my god! This is amazing!" she exclaimed after she tasted the glow wine. "Who invented this?"

"I have no idea," Mars said. "We've had it for centuries, I think."

He was happy to know that Emmelyn did like glow wine. Ahh, that was something from his country that she seemed to love already. He hoped, slowly, she would love other parts of Draec too.

Glow wine was too easy. Well, better start small, right?

"I need the recipe," Emmelyn said. "This is too great!"

"Well, you can ask the cooks. They will be happy to share it," said the prince. He put down his cup on the floor and pulled Emmelyn into his lap. "Come sit here and enjoy your wine."

Ahh... This was perfect, Emmelyn thought.

She felt triple warmth, from the fireplace, the glow wine, and his warm body hugging hers. Now, she believed that she must be getting compensation for all her sufferings in the past.

Her life now was too good!

She had the man she loved who loved her back, a baby on the way, and a beautiful life ahead of them.

Slowly, her pain and grief for losing her family and kingdom dissipated. It might not be gone permanently, and it would surely leave a scar in her heart, but at least now Emmelyn could learn to move on and restart her life.

There was nothing she could do about the past. She couldn't bring back the dead and neither could Mars. What she could do was forgiving him for the past and work on their future together.

Emmelyn leaned on his sturdy chest while sipping her wine. It felt so warm and comfortable.

"So, you were suspicious of Ellena?" Mars asked her. He wanted to continue their conversation that was interrupted by Roshan and the servant earlier.

"I do," Emmelyn admitted. "Don't you agree with me?"

Mars was conflicting. He was suspicious of Ellena too. However, he believed that her tears in the tavern were real.

Which one should he believe?

"I agree with you. However, I will not accuse Lady Ellena without proof," said the prince firmly. "I have to be fair."

Emmelyn sighed. She knew he would say that. Mars was too just. He would be a good king in the future.

She was actually proud of him for being that way, but at the same time, she felt annoyed because that means he wouldn't do anything to Ellena.

"So, you will do nothing?" Emmelyn turned to see him with disapproval in her eyes.

"No, I will send people to watch her movements. She might go back and meet the witch again. I will also trace her journey to find the Bellevars and the location of the witch," Mars said. "Is that not good enough?"

"Then.. what about us?" Emmelyn asked again. "I think she wants you. What will you do if she asked the king to make her your wife? I think your father would prefer you to marry a princess from Draec than someone from their colony who tried to kill his son."

"No, I will not marry anyone but you," Mars was resolute. "I will make my father accept you."

"How?" Emmelyn turned to him and stared at the man curiously. "Do you think the baby will make your father soft?"

Mars shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Especially because now I am no longer cursed. I can have children from any woman. Gosh.. I really wished Ellena didn't make the witch lift her curse..."

He actually felt that his situation now was quite funny. In the past, he always complained about his wretched life. He couldn't lead a normal life like most men. He couldn't touch women, nor have any relationship with them.

Having sex with a woman and having children with her seemed like a distant dream. Something that might never happen in his lifetime.

However, now that the curse was lifted and he could touch any woman he wanted, the prince complained again and wished that he was still cursed so that he could be only with Emmelyn.

Or, at least.. if the curse was really lifted, his parents shouldn't have found out about it. So, they would still think that Emmelyn was the only woman for him.

This was too funny. He shook his head in amusement, thinking that humans were greedy creatures. They were never satisfied.

"Then, what should we do?" Emmelyn asked again.

Mars smiled reassuringly and rubbed her hair lovingly. "I will do what my father did. He made his father accept my mother even though she was just a village girl without wealth and status."

"Wait a minute..." Emmelyn's eyes went round so wide. "You mean... you want to marry me in secret?"

Mars nodded. "Would you be willing to marry me, Honey? It won't be a grand wedding that you deserve, but at least we can bind ourselves together in holy matrimony before our child is born. That way, he or she will be my legitimate child, and I can also force my father to accept you."

Emmelyn was really touched when she heard his sincere words. She remembered the story of what happened between King Jared, Lady Marielle, and Queen Elara in the past.

To force his father to accept Elara and break off the engagement with his fiancee, Prince Jared married Elara in secret. The old king had no choice but to accept the village girl as his daughter-in-law.

So.. was Mars thinking of doing the same thing?

He was his father's son after all!

Mars was worried when he didn't hear Emmelyn's response. He thought the girl was feeling offended. 

"I am sorry if you feel offended. I am not trying to hide you from the public. I will announce to the world proudly that you are my wife and I love you very much," he said in a worried tone. "I will find other ways... Please forget about the secret wedding. I won't mention it again."

Emmelyn batted her eyes when she heard him. The girl quickly touched his cheeks with both hands and shook her head with a smile. "No... I am not offended at all! I am actually very happy to hear that! Sorry for my delayed response. I was feeling moved..."

The prince was elated when he heard her reply. "Oh.. so, are you willing to marry me soon?"

"Of course, I do!" Emmelyn smiled broadly. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Ahh... I'm so relieved!" Mars was smiling like a fool. He was really happy.