?“She’s not getting married.”

  ?

  ?The husky voice, rough from disuse, cut through the room like a blade. It jolted not only Lily, but her parents too. Naomi winced, her eyes fluttering shut like she’d been bracing for this. The king’s jaw locked, tension crackling in the air. Lily’s heart pounded in her chest, her mouth dry.

  ?

  ?Axel’s eyes, usually so full of mischief, were dark and cold—narrowed and burning as they locked on his father.

  ?

  ?“She’s not getting married,” he repeated, voice firm. “You’re not going to force her into that. Not on my watch.”

  ?

  ?“Watch your tone, boy,” the king warned, rising slightly in his chair. “You’re already in heaps of trouble. I’m not forcing her into anything. She knows this is what’s necessary for peace... right, Lily?”

  ?

  ?Lily tried to open her mouth. Nothing came out. Her voice, her courage, had deserted her.

  ?

  ?Axel slammed his hands on the table, his voice cracking with frustration. “Don’t look at her—dammit, look at me!”

  ?

  ?The chair behind him clattered to the floor as he shot to his feet.

  ?

  ?“Watch your tone with me, you dim-witted disappointment!” the king roared, fists clenched. His voice echoed off the tall ceilings, shaking the silence into pieces.

  ?

  ?“You bastard,” Axel hissed. “You’ve never once thought about her. Not once. You don’t care what she wants—only what you want. The crown. The legacy. Your image.”

  ?

  ?“I protect this kingdom!” the king shouted back. “And Lily understands that! She knows her duty lies with her people! She’s more mature than you ever were!”

  ?

  ?“Stop it!” Axel snapped, his voice cracking. “She’s terrified of you. You know that, right? Your own daughter is afraid of you. And you think that’s strength? You think that’s love?”

  ?

  ?“Lily is not terrified. She respects me,” the king bit out. “Unlike you, who’s just bitter that he lost the throne to a woman!”

  ?

  ?Axel let out a bitter laugh, jaw clenched so hard it trembled. “Bitter? You think I wanted it? Trust me, old man—if I’d had a choice, I would’ve burned that throne to ash the day you handed it to me. I don’t care about your throne. Or your power.”

  ?

  ?He turned then—his voice softening, eyes locking on Lily’s like they were trying to hold her up. There was no anger in them, no envy. Only love. Only the desperate look of an older brother trying to protect what little family he had left.

  ?

  ?“Lily… look at me, sweetie,” he whispered. “Tell him. Tell everyone what you want. For once, think about yourself. Be selfish—just this once. I’ll protect you, I promise.”

  ?

  ?She froze.

  ?

  ?Her blood ran cold. Her heart ached. He wasn’t mad at her. He wasn’t mad about Knox. He was just being her big brother—just Axel, trying to keep her safe from a world that kept taking from them.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  ?

  ?“Stop corrupting her mind!” the king snapped. “She knows what’s right, don’t you, sweetheart? Go on—tell him.”

  ?

  ?Lily felt like she was being pulled in two. She knew what she wanted. She didn’t want the throne. She didn’t want a loveless marriage or a life of duty and silence like her mother. She wanted freedom. She wanted to laugh again. She wanted Micheal, Angelica, Axel. She wanted peace.

  ?

  ?But her father’s eyes—his cold, expectant stare—locked her in place. She’d never denied him anything before. Could she start now?

  ?

  ?Her lips moved before her heart could scream.

  ?

  ?“I... I know what’s best for the kingdom,” she whispered.

  ?

  ?And with that, everything shattered.

  ?

  ?The apology she meant to give Axel stuck in her throat as hot tears spilled down her cheeks. Her head stayed low, her voice already echoing in her own mind like a betrayal. She felt the weight of her father's smug satisfaction. And worse—the stunned silence of her brother.

  ?

  ?“You hear that, boy?” the king said with a scoff. “She made her choice. She’s got more sense than you ever had.”

  ?

  ?His words weren’t just knives for Axel. They stabbed through her too. Lily didn’t look up. She couldn’t. But she could feel Axel’s eyes on her—feel the pain in them, the betrayal.

  ?

  ?She heard him push back from the table. His footsteps moved toward the door.

  ?

  ?“Axel—wait—”

  ?

  ?He paused.

  ?

  ?But he didn’t turn back.

  ?

  ?“You made your choice, Lily,” he said quietly. “I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into. And I hope you find happiness.”

  ?

  ?His voice dropped even lower, colder. “You always do... at others’ cost.”

  ?

  ?Her heart clenched violently at the subtle jab. “N-no, wait—”

  ?

  ?“It’s okay,” he said with a sad laugh. “Have fun serving your kingdom.”

  ?

  ?It sounded like a curse. A farewell. And then the door clicked shut behind him.

  ?

  ?She didn’t even realize she was crying until the sobs punched through her chest. Her vision blurred, her hands trembling as she buried her face in her palms. Somewhere in the distance, she heard her father mutter something about composure, about being a future queen, hiding emotions, he disapproved of even the few tears that had rolled down her face.

  ?

  ?But none of it reached her.

  ?

  ?Her mother said nothing.

  ?

  ?Her father didn’t care.

  ?

  ?And Axel was gone.

  ?

  ?And now, the sound of her sobs is the only thing in her ears, trying to breathe through the overwhelming weight of pain and anguish, no one comforted her, no one held her her father didn't care, her mother was too timid to do anything unprompted. Lily was now truly alone

  ?

  ?

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