Chapter 70 Wedding Plans Should Be Abolished
Maeve took pride in many things— like being able to fall asleep anywhere, or make contracts, or avoid crappy conversations m— but you see now, this was different. This was a man who was currently glowing in the EVENING and was for some reason shining in his holy rays at her.
Her eyes burned and teared slightly, so she didn’t look at him. Instead, she focused on the walk they were having— yes, walking. She was using her legs.
The horror. She knew.
A choice she sadly had to take after realizing that Lucien would have possibly slit Cassian’s neck for the way he was staring at her. Cassian clearly didn’t bring any horses, the villain, so she played the swooning naive FL and dragged Cassian away for a walk.
This is what they call courting, yes? She should have come with a chaperone.
It hurt Lucien perhaps, but she didn’t trust Cassian. She couldn’t. There was a way he stared at her even when he came. Like she was his property and he couldn’t fathom why Lucien was so close to her.
And she wanted to call him out on it. But not now. Now… now, she has to play the part of Fiancé. He was just a troubled soul and she would have to get used to it.
Maeve could pretend for ten more seconds.
“Is there a reason you are quiet, your Highness?” She was trying to use the same regal tone she had seen the maids use the last time they met. Which was a… strange time when her new found reason for existence filled her soul. “You are usually very chatty,”
He smiled at her. Or smiled brighter. He was always smiling with her. “Oh?”
Maeve didn’t know for certain. How could she?! So many things had happened that she had even forgotten how glowy he was. So she shrugged and gave the weakest, “Yeah?” She could vomit.
“I think I should take up the arts. I usually don’t have a hobby. Never took the time to learn one.” His eyes turn slim, his voice soft. “What do you think I should do, husband?”
Husband. He says it again. “I… well, I personally think as a feminist, that EQUALITY! YES.” Then she cleared her throat. “You seem very different from how you were the last time we met. It is nice to see that you’re okay—”
“If you wish for me not to speak of our upcoming wedding, you may say so.”
Maeve felt it right at that moment. The chill that climbed up her spine like thousands of needles stayed only an inch away from it. She realized that he had also stopped walking and was no longer beside her.
And what was this pressure?
Maybe it was her new desire to live… that was what she was going to blame, but this was the first time she could feel genuine fear creeping through her veins, like it was actively trying to restrict her breathing.
She turned around, but this time, she didn’t smile. Instead, she said as coldly as she usually would, “Whatever you’re doing. Stop it.”
“No.”
No? Since when was Cassian disobedient?
“Fine.”
He tilted his head. “Fine?”
“I’m hungry.” That was it. That was all Maeve planned on saying. And then she turned around to walk away.
Of course, the pounding in her head stayed, like it would explode in any second, but three steps in and he was already in front of her, his hands grabbing her arms as he snapped, “Your friend hurt you and you liked it. Adrian is cruel to you but you travel with him! The elf was a spy sent to watch you and you keep him! But the one time you give me attention, you do not even have it in you to pretend too long to want me!”
“And why should I?” Maeve’s eyes stayed cold and emotionless. “Why are you even here, Cassian? What do you want?”
He looked torn. “I… I learned about weddings and I came to tell you what I… what I knew—”
Maeve’s face suddenly turned bright. “Then you should have led with that! Honestly, I thought I had an entire stalker situation going on. My bad. Should not be judging a goat by the shape of its hoofs. What is it that you want, old chap?”
If one could tell, one would know that Maeve didn’t know what to do. For one, she couldn’t call on NACE. Two, she didn’t even know what abilities Cassian had to do that, and three, she couldn’t brush off the fact that he would kill her.
It was so simple to think about. With him here in front of her. Alone. This was the first time they were actively alone.
Cassian stared at her. She couldn’t read his thoughts, naturally, but he was no longer smiling. At least, the glow was gone. He kept staring at her like that until she snapped her fingers at his face and then he smiled again, his voice kind, “Weddings are events usually done by the wives and husbands. I don’t know the date that you want. Or if there is a date. I don’t know anything about you either. The colors you would want. I know nothing of what I’m supposed to do. Nor why you would want to risk the term of marriage with me in the first place.”
“Cassian—”
“The last part is not important to me though. I already knew what would happen to me as the unwanted son of the Queen. She was going to give me out to someone eventually and if I have the opportunity to pick, I would pick you,” He cut in. He was still holding onto Maeve’s arms like he was scared of letting go. “But I… I would like to know if you could perhaps one day pretend to… stand me. I fear that when we are legally wed, you will abandon me and we shall never speak again.”
Maeve stared, unsure of what to say. Partly because he was right. She had plans. And Cassian just wasn’t it. At all. And as unfair as this might sound, she genuinely didn’t want to use him.
She felt… bad for him. In a way. Sure he was creepy and weird and possessive… but Eldoria was his mother, he didn’t know his Father and she was sure his mother would never mention him either.
It was all so complex. And she didn’t want to invest emotionally into him.
But then she had impulsively decided to ask for his hand in marriage, hadn’t she? And things were going to go crazy from there.
Maeve stood— and in the outfit and her hair for that day, she knew she looked too gorgeous to be taken seriously, but she said regardless, “Let’s have a contract then. But because you’re going to have husband privileges soon, I’ll let you draft it on one condition.”
He was smart enough not to look like he liked it. “One condition.”
“All of your abilities. I want to know each and everyone.” She crossed her arms. “Including the one where you can shapeshift into a snake.”