"Princess Crystal?"

In a dense fog, someone was calling my name.

"You are doomed to marry the King, not only the king of Focta but also the king of the whole world." The voice was guttural and deep.

"What? Hah... That gonna be impossible."

"Focta, Vanta, and Apata will be unified as one. Be careful, he is coming..." The voice was getting quieter and quieter, gradually, disappeared.

"Who? Wait, please come back..." I rushed into the dark and tried to find who was speaking, but in the next second, I was awakened by my handmaid, Emily.

Oh, I was having a dream just now.

I was in a daze when I was thinking about the words that the mysterious man told me in my dream.

Who was coming? Why should I be careful?

And... was I really going to marry the King?

My brain was full of questions, but I didn't have time to think about these.

Looking at the bridal dress in Emily's hands, I suddenly thought up, today was my big day.

I was born in Apata, whose royal members master the magic of water. However, I, the little princess of Apata, had no magical power. It was a shame.

I really tried so hard but I... just don't have the makings of it. In the end, I gave it up. And I had to ignore the attendant ridicules. Anyway, thanks to my optimistic personality, I was not easy to get hurt.

Comparing to me, my only sister Stella behaved like a real Princess. She inherited the royal magical power of Apata, water-control. Therefore, she was appointed as the Crown Princess, the next Queen of this country.

As for me, luckily, I was not totally useless.

I was a princess, also a well-prepared present.

A present to be sent by my father to gain more military power.

Outside the window, there came joyful and lively ritual music. On the contrary, I was not happy at all.

To be honest, I was so disappointed.

For my father, I was a tool, a bargaining chip, rather than a daughter.

I didn't know who I was going to marry, but only in this way, I could obtain my value and dignity as a princess.

It was time for me to get dressed and makeup, then stand in the center of the crowd and kiss a stranger I have never met.

God, I didn't want this at all but I have to. That was my fate.

Looking into the mirror, the girl had big brown eyes, a straight-edged nose, full lips, and delicate skin. Her long brown hair was coiled up on her head, which looked elegant and noble.

Emily put a magnificent gold tiara on my head. The shape of the tiara was rose creepers and golden olive branches intertwined, dotting with luminous diamonds and jewelry. My snowy-white floor-length bridal gown was decorated with countless aquamarines and pearls, shiny and dazzling. From the neckline, I could see my beautiful collarbone. To look at me in a distance, it looked like a river of starry flowing from my slender waist to my high-heeled crystal shoes. In this end, Emily sprinkled a handful of gold powder after wearing a veil on my face.

"My Lady, today is your wedding day. Why are you unhappy?" Seeing that I frowned deeply, Emily asked worriedly.

"Oh, I am happy... I am just... Er..." I subconsciously lied. Actually, I was so nervous.

I had imagined more than a thousand times that who I was going to marry, what he looked like, and whether he was in a good nature... I even wanted to hide behind the curtain and peek at him from the window but I didn't, because it was a disgrace for a proud princess to do that.

Until now, I only knew my husband was Focta's Prince. As for his appearance, his name, or any other information, I knew little about him.

I was not allowed to see my husband until I arrived at the wedding hall. Under the witness of God and the representatives from two countries, my husband would kiss me on my lips to show that from now on, I belonged to him, until the moment I was dead.

God, the kiss on my lips would be like the scar on a slave's face rather than love. It would be just a mark of ownership.

Oh, I don't want that.

Love should be equal, independent, respectful, and affectionate. It cannot be shared. In the depths of my heart, I was looking for an equal and unique love, but I had no right to choose.

"My Lady, you must be nervous. Don't worry, you are going to marry the Crown Prince of Focta. You know Focta? The most powerful country! I heard that the Crown Prince of Focta was handsome and brave. You will live a happy life." Emily said in a comforting tone as if she could read my mind.

Hearing these words, my lips finally curved. I turned my head and smiled at Emily, "Thank you, Emily. I will miss you."

After my mother died, Emily had been taking care of me. She treated me very nice as if she was my mother. Now, even she had to leave me. From now on, I was going to marry into a strange country alone and live with a stranger for the rest of my life. Once thinking these, I sighed with a heavy heart.

Emily held my hands tightly and her eyes turned red and watery. She pursed her lips and explained in a restrained tone, "Take care of yourself, My Lady."

Suddenly, the door opened. My sister Stella walked in and said the following cruel words to me, "Don't worry, Crystal. You will be fine, although you are going to marry Prince Fred and be his seventh concubine."

Hearing Stella's words, I was dumbfounded.

What did she say?

Be his seventh concubine?

Emily was embarrassed as she took a glance at me. Obviously, she already knew that, but she was worried that I wouldn't accept it so she didn't tell me about that.

Seeing that my face turned pale, Stella smirked arrogantly, "It is reasonable, isn't it? Your mother is a concubine and you are the same. Like mother, like daughter."

I gnashed my teeth and tried to ignore what Stella said.

That was unfair, totally unfair!

In this world, a man could marry a wife and many concubines, but a woman had to share his husband with other women. If I could choose, I would rather marry an ordinary man who could only love me for the whole of his life instead of marrying a prince and sharing his love with his wife and other six concubines.

"His Majesty is so kind to you. You see, you marry the Crown Prince rather than the 'Snow Demon'. Congratulations!" Sensing that I was glaring at her with anger, Stella sneered with disdain.

'Snow Demon' was the second prince of Focta. It was said that he had been cursed so he was bloodthirsty. He had bloody eyes and long bucktooth. Except for his relatives, people who provoked him would die horribly. Emily had told me that he killed a pitiful woman every night so that he could use the blood to warm his body.

"Thank you! But I'd rather marry the 'Snow Demon' than be your sister. Even a beast got his feelings, but you don't." I said to Stella in sarcasm. At least, the 'Snow Demon' had the feelings. He showed great humanity to his own relatives. It was much different from my sister.

"As a princess without any magical power, you should be shameful. Your only value is to exchange more military power for Apata with your marriage. You have no choice, my dear sister." After saying that, Stella informed me of the wedding procedure, and then walked out of my room and slammed the door.

I fell on the chair and clung to the back of the chair. Emily held me up and looked at me pitifully.

At this time, the orchestral wedding music sounded. It was time for the bride to show up at the wedding hall.

I took a deep breath, stood up, and closed my eyes.

Everything was ready. I couldn't be absent. No matter what gonna happen, I had to face it.

I prayed in my mind to encourage myself, "Stella is right. I have no choice. Come on, Crystal. Don't be afraid."

I didn't get used to walking on high-heeled shoes. When I walked downstairs, my ankle twisted by accident and I was going to fall down.

Gosh! Why I am always so unfortunate?

The bridal dress was so tight that I had difficulty in moving.

Therefore, I could only close my eyes to wait for falling from the stairs, and then my face may have been badly bruised.

At this time, a pair of strong arms held my waist tightly. We jumped, a face-to-face span around in the air, and firmly landed on the ground. The man's chest pressed against mine tightly. Oh, whose heartbeat is so fast? His? Or mine?

I raised my head to see who saved me, unexpectedly, I saw a pair of beautiful blue eyes, gleaming with magic.

The man was about twenty centimeters taller than me. He had pretty golden hair, an aquiline nose, thin lips, and a well-defined jaw. He was wearing a pair of black leather gloves covered with many complex unique patterns and mysterious decorations. Around his tall and strong body, there was an aura of frozen mist flowing in the air, which made people feel chilly. Looking into his pupils, I saw one snowflake in each, rotating but fading soon. I was swept into the vortex of his charming.

The man smiled at me, warm and bright. Suddenly, I felt a beam of sunlight filtered into the depth of my heart, scattering my terrible mood and giving me endless courage.

Life is so beautiful and there is nothing to fear.

"Watch out. My Lady." He made a very polite bow to me, turned around, and left.

I was in a daze on the spot. I felt my heart was beating fast and my skin was burning. I tried to control myself but my legs were slightly shaking.

Who was this man?