Page 8 of The Wrong Royal

“I don’t care,” I said, sighing. “It’s not like it matters. We’ll get married. That’s that.”

“Theo Ashford is a very good match,” Mom said.

“I know.”

Theo Ashford. The name had been spoken in hushed tones for years. He was the second son of the illustrious Ashford family. I knew about the scandal last Wed season. I had seen some blurry pictures of him and it didn’t appear he was an ogre.

I took a bite of my salad and contemplated the situation. A wry smile tugged at my lips. It could be worse, I mused to myself, though I would never admit it to my parents. I knew some of the other young men that were going to be in the season, and in comparison, I felt like I had drawn the long straw.

I couldn’t help but wonder if he had ever imagined himself matched to me. After all, my older sister, Nora, had originally been slated as the bride-to-be in this arrangement. Nora was everything that embodied the ideal bride—graceful, poised, and undoubtedly more “wifely,” whatever that meant. I was the free spirit, the wild child that rarely conformed to society’s standards.

As the weight of my new reality settled upon me, I felt the beginnings of resentment bubbling up within my gut. This was not the life I had envisioned for myself, and the notion of being bound to someone I barely knew, for the sake of tradition, left a bitter taste in my mouth. With a heavy sigh, I pushed aside my doubts and focused on the road ahead.

I welcomed the quiet night after a grueling day. The palace was shrouded in silence as I made my way to the library with my favorite nighttime tea. As I stirred the fragrant brew, my thoughts inevitably turned to the whirlwind of Wed season preparations and the looming presence of Theo Ashford in my future.

“I would have made that for you,” Astrid, my maid who was really like my best friend, said as she walked into the library.

“I can make my own tea but thank you.”

“Do you want to be alone?”

“No, please, come in.”

“So, how are you feeling?” she asked as she sat down across from me.

“Exhausted.”

“Are you excited to be matched with Theo Ashford?”

“No.”

“Come on,” she said with an excited smile. “Theo Ashford is charming and handsome. You’re very lucky to be matched with him. I know there are going to be a lot of young ladies that are going to be disappointed they didn’t get matched with him.”

I rolled my eyes. “They can have him.”

“I think you’re going to have a lot of fun. You’ll go to balls and dance with handsome men. You have to be positive.”

I mustered a weak smile as I listened to her enthusiasm. Astrid had always been the dreamer. But for me, it was different. The future I had envisioned for myself, one where I pursued my passion for marine biology, had been snuffed out. The dreams of attending college, studying marine life, and getting to go on research trips were all gone. It was over. Even if I had a husband willing to give me freedom, as the heir, I was going to have to take over Nora’s role.

I leaned back in my chair, my heart heavy with the weight of unfulfilled aspirations. “Astrid,” I began, my voice revealing my melancholy. “You know, I wanted to go to school, to study marine biology and make a difference in the world. I feel like I’ve been cheated out of the future I longed for.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I couldn’t afford to be consumed by self-pity, not when my family’s expectations and the responsibilities of Wed season loomed over me.

Astrid reached out and gently squeezed my hand. “Emilie, I’m so sorry, but it doesn’t have to be all bad. You might actually like the guy.”

I managed a weak smile, grateful for her understanding. “I hope so,” I said, sighing. “I cannot imagine waking up every morning and dreading the day.”

As I sipped my tea, I thought about my future. This time next year, I would be married. Couples that were matched didn’t get long engagements. The weddings were planned long in advance. All it required was finding the bride and groom. Now my groom had been found and there was no changing my fate.

5

THEO

The days following the announcement of the match flew by in a whirlwind of activity. I found myself immersed in a flurry of preparations, from working in the family business and doing some investigating of the family estates of my future wife, to making sure every detail for Wed season was meticulously planned.

Between meetings with business associates and tailors, I cherished the moments I could just hang out and do nothing. I knew it was strange to some, but I liked hanging out with my brothers and sisters. We were a close-knit family. Growing up, we were isolated because of our wealth. We were taught to be careful who we let get too close. We had to always be on our best behavior and avoid scandal. Partying and letting loose when everyone had a cell phone with a camera was a risk we couldn’t take. That meant we spent a lot of time on our estate hanging out with each other. It wasn’t like there was a lack of things to do on the family’s massive estate.

I ran toward Victoria. “I’ll run you over!” I called out.