The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Alicia was running out of time, and she knew it. She knew it was time to step up her escape plan. Because the more she delayed, the more difficult it became for her to escape, especially now that Harold was not just thinking but talking about sending Paulina away and suggesting that she start sleeping in his room. It was only a matter of time before he started doing as he pleased, so she had to do something quickly.

Running away was as impossible as having a green sun, and escaping from Harold outside seemed even more impossible. So the only solution left was for them to kick her out willingly.

"Whenever the king enters, you must stand up and bow. No movement until he sits down and permits you to sit. Otherwise, the punishment is severe."

"For people not directly related to the royal family, the punishment can be the death penalty. And for those directly related, including their spouses and children, it is banishment from the palace."

Beth's voice echoed in her head, making the corners of her lips curve. Well, she had to return to this plan after all. She was tired of this repetitive life and wanted to put an end to it. She could only hope that they would exile her along with Paulina. In fact, she was certain they would do that. All the historical dramas she had watched happened like that. Besides, Paulina came here with her. They won't just let her hang around here after she leaves.

With that plan in mind, she prepared herself for dinner and headed towards the dining room.

She arrived early tonight and only found Susan, William, and Tyra. Their conversation ceased as soon as she entered the room. She smiled stiffly at them before going to take her seat.

"Did something happen? Why are you here so early?" Tyra asked curiously.

"All is well," Alicia said, trying to hide her smile. She could not stop being excited about finally leaving here tonight.

"Is that man going to join us tonight? Demon or something."

"You mean Damon?" Tyra asked, giggling. She was happy to finally be correcting her about something since Princess Amber was the one who usually corrected her.

"Yes, him," Alicia said eagerly, unconcerned about Tyra's happiness.

"As far as I know, he hasn't been sent out on any official assignment. Which means he is going to join us tonight. Please try not to annoy him. He is a very difficult and scary person." Tyra said, looking worried now.

Alicia nodded, but in her head, she was chuckling evilly. It was even better that he was around. That way, he would blow it all out of proportion, since he seemed to be very good at that.

"How is your health? Are you taking the medicine the royal physician prepared for you?" Williams asked.

Of course not! It smelled disgusting. How did they expect her to drink it? These were the same people who ate the brains of wild pigs. She didn't want to imagine what they made their medicines with.

"Of course. I did not forget to take them," she said with a kind smile.

They all stopped talking when Prince Ivan arrived with Luciana. Luciana tried to start a conversation, but not only was she bad at it, but it seemed the others were not interested in having a conversation with her.

The next person to arrive was Harold.

As soon as Alicia set her eyes on him, she scoffed and threw her face to the side, ignoring him. The room was silent as he went to take his seat beside her without sparing her any glances.

The others looked at the two who were both looking in opposite directions and pretended not to see anything. Even Prince Ivan said nothing, thinking it was best to do less talking and more observing.

It didn't take long before the King and Queen arrived, with the overbearing Damon behind them. If you looked at him, you'd think he was the King.

Everyone stood up at the same time, elegantly. Everyone except Alicia, whose hands were folded across her chest defiantly while looking straight ahead as though nothing concerned her.

The king and the queen stopped walking instantly, with their eyes fixed on her.

When the others noticed something was wrong, they moved their eyes around and were all stupefied to find her sitting down.

Even Harold hadn't expected that.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Damon bellowed.

As if she had just returned to her senses, Alicia gasped and stood up before falling to her knees. This was the time to reenact those scenes she had watched in k-dramas.

With her forehead almost touching the floor, she said, "I... I am... sincerely sorry, my King, my Queen. I... I deserve nothing but banishment."

Everyone in the hall looked at her like she was out of her mind. What was she talking about?

"Aha!" Harold could not help but scoff aloud.

So this was the new plan? He didn't say anything because he knew that the last thing most of the people in the room and palace wanted was to get rid of her when she made the entire place lively and fun, as she is doing right now.

"Oh, dear! What are you talking about?" The queen asked, wondering if she was behaving this way because of her illness, or if it was because Harold was driving her crazy.

"I'm sorry, my Queen. My maid and I deserve to be banished for such pompous behaviour from me," Alicia cried once again without raising her head.

"At least she is finally learning her manners," Damon, the king's Beta, said with a scowl as he glared at her.

Seeing how quiet everywhere was, Tyra fell on her face too, "Please pardon her, father."

What? This wasn't part of the plan. Why was she begging on her behalf? Alicia thought in alarm as she tried not to glare at Tyra.

"Please pardon her, your majesty," Susan joined beside Tyra and tugged at her twin brother's pants for him to join them.

Knowing that if Alicia left, so would her servant Paulina, and so would his portrait go, Williams also bowed. "We are sorry, your majesty. Please punish us too," Williams pleaded.

Oh, for fuck's sake! Why did these people have to do this now? Had she been so nice to them that they were willing to do this for her? "No, your majesty, please do not punish them. My maid and I will go. That way, order will be restored to the palace and kingdom. Do not listen to them," Alicia cried, and Harold, who had been angry all day after their misunderstanding, almost burst into a fit of laughter.

What kind of person was this? Why was she so desperate to leave? Did she even realize that if she was banished, so would he? What made her think that he would let her escape from him once they were both banished because of her?

Ivan turned to look at Harold and noticed the amusement on his face as he watched his bride. He didn't understand what was going on, but he suspected that whatever was happening involved them both. Perhaps she was doing this to punish Harold for something? He was becoming even more curious about his half-brother's marriage as the days went by.

"Nobody is going to be punished. You are ill and..."

Alicia shook her head immediately and interrupted the king. "No, my king..."

"HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT THE KING WHEN HE IS SPEAKING?" Damon roared at Alicia.

Alicia took a deep breath to calm herself down because she was on the verge of standing up and yelling at this stupid Damon guy.

"That is why I should be ban—"

"Will you shut your mouth? Who asked you to speak?" Damon snapped at her again.

"YOU SHUT UP!" She yelled at him, failing to hold back her anger and further startling everyone in the room.

"YOU!!!"

"It's enough, Damon. She is not sound. Perhaps we should have let her rest, and had her meals delivered to her chamber instead of having her join us," The king said, looking at Alicia pitifully.

"You all should stand up. Nobody is going to be banished or punished," the King said, and Alicia almost broke into a sob as all her plans and hopes had just been dashed.

Why was the king so nice? Now his kindness was just annoying to her. Or did that foolish Beth lie about the consequence of not standing up to greet the King? Why were things not going the way she wanted? She didn't want to stay here anymore, why couldn't they just let her be?"

We know you are relieved, no need to cry. Just take your classes seriously from now," the queen said sweetly to Alicia, who felt like slapping her to shut her up.

"Harold, help her stand on her feet and escort her to her chamber so that she can get some rest. Your dinner will be served there," the king ordered Harold as he walked over to his seat.

Harold bowed to his father as he bent down to help her up, but he was met with her ferocious eyes. "If you touch me, I will kill you," she muttered under her breath for his ears alone, but what she didn't know was that everyone in the room had good hearing so they could hear her.