CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER ONE
In her bedroom, Princess Madeleine-Victoria of Gaullia stared at the gown hanging from the top of the armoire. Yards of luscious white fabric decorated with the finest lace appliques, crystal accents, and intricate stitching fell to the floor where the cathedral train pooled. The wedding dress was meant to be worn by a princess bride and future queen.
A crown-jewel-sized lump lodged in her throat.
That would be her.
Which was the problem.
She should be ecstatic to see the magnificent dress designed specifically for her. The craftsmanship astonished her. Each detail was exact. Much of which had been created by hand.
Any other bride would be thrilled to wear this gown but not her. Dread knotted her stomach. The thought of putting on the dress made her skin itch. Not the reaction a bride-to-be should have, but she couldn’t help herself.
Madeleine sighed, a long exhale capable of powering the windmills dotting her country’s plains.
Pull yourself together
.
This wasn’t how a princess should behave.
For the past five years, she’d known and accepted that a loveless, arranged marriage would be her fate. Her parents hadn’t been in a rush to find her a husband after Louie, her fiancé and the crown prince of Friedlich, one of two countries that bordered hers, died. They’d allowed her to do as she wished, which had meant getting a graduate degree in political science while seeing to her royal obligations. Not once had she contemplated not doing her duty.
Until now.
She reached out to touch the exquisite fabric before pressing her arm to her side.
Could she turn her back to the expectations placed on her and say no? Especially when her parents and brother—her entire country—were counting on her.
Not because they wanted a royal wedding. The stakes were higher than that. This was to save her kingdom and her people.
Yes, she had a choice, but did she want to risk the land where she’d been born and raised?
No.
The answer was as simple as that but led to a quagmire of complicated emotions.
With her heart sinking, she stared at the gorgeous wedding gown. She might have a choice—her father was a king not a dictator—but the consequences were too great if she chose to go against her parents’ wishes.
Maybe
he
won’t be as horrible as she’d heard.
“He” being her intended husband.
Crown Prince Enrique Cierzo de Amanecer
from La Isla de la Aurora, the island of the dawn.
She’d never met him, only seen his picture. He was attractive, but he’d been called selfish and self-centered by the few women he’d dated. A surprisingly low number of dates. Not one serious relationship had been mentioned in the articles she’d read. He was said to have issues, most particularly wanting to be catered to by those around him. She wished they had time to date so she could find out what he was like because he sounded like a complete narcissist. Granted, he wasn’t the only prince like that.
She also knew that the media exaggerated and lied. Gossip and rumors were part of being a royal, except not one article had mentioned wild parties or a revolving bedroom door. The criticism centered on Enrique’s personality, which made him seem less than desirable as a spouse. Not only that, but it also appeared as if his search for a bride had been met with only disastrous results. His once-fiancée, the wealthy and beautiful Princess Julianna of Aliestle, had canceled their engagement and married his younger brother.
How had that happened?
And why?
Julianna would have been queen if she’d married the older brother. The fact she hadn’t suggested Prince Enrique must be the definition of awful.
Madeleine shuddered. If only one of the other eligible male royals on the continent was to be her intended spouse. But the crown prince of La Isla de la Aurora had something the others didn’t. Still…
“I’m cursed.”
Logical or not, that was the only explanation.
Feeling this way was nothing new.
Once upon a time with another groom and a different gown, she’d been floating off the ground, unable to sleep or eat, due to the anticipation of marrying her one true love. If only…
She went to her nightstand where a bouquet—a gift from Enrique—sat. The blossoms scented the air with a sweet fragrance, but she ignored that.
Madeleine opened the narrow top drawer and removed a framed photograph.
Louis.
Her Louie.
The love of her life.
Her fiancé.
The man she wanted to be the father of her children.
“If only you were still here with me, my love.”
Even though she’d memorized every detail about Crown Prince Louis Fredrick, she stared at the photo. Strands of his long blond hair blew in the wind. His vibrant blue eyes had been able to see beyond the surface, knowing what was in her heart often before she did. Those soft lips had kissed her for the first time when she’d been a teenager and for the last time when she was twenty-two, days before they were to marry.
“I wish you could tell me everything will be okay.”
With her fingertip, Madeleine touched the glass covering his picture. The pang in her heart was as familiar as taking a breath. So was the slight burn in her eyes. She wiped away the tears before they ruined her makeup.
Five years hadn’t diminished the heartache of losing Louie in a helicopter crash. The suddenness of the tragedy had sent her world spinning. The fact she was supposed to have been with him compounded the loss with overwhelming guilt. Her parents had brought in a grief counselor to help her muddle through.
Overall, Madeleine supposed she was doing better. The passage of time had made her sorrow not as visible on the outside. She could smile and pretend all was well. Everyone had been fooled.
But nothing, including the passing of years, would lessen her love.
Madeleine pulled the necklace she wore from under her clothing. A ring hung from the long gold chain—Louie’s crest. She’d returned her engagement ring because it was a family heirloom, part of Friedlich’s royal collection. But his parents had given her Louie’s signet ring, the one he’d worn on his pinkie, though he’d left it at home the day of the crash.
A knock sounded on the door.
She placed the photo into the drawer before blinking to make sure no more tears welled. “You may enter.”
Her maid, Lilia, bustled into the room. In her early thirties, she wore a plain black dress with a white apron. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. The severe look did nothing to let the world—at least the one inside the castle walls—see the vibrant, kind woman who had kept Madeleine going when she hadn’t wanted to get out of bed or eat.
As Lilia studied the gown, an expression of awe appeared on her face. “It is a lovely wedding dress, ma’am.”
Was Lilia remembering the other wedding dress a younger Madeleine had only worn for the fittings?
Best not to go there.
“Yes, the dress designer outdid herself.” Somewhat surprising given Madeleine’s only request had been a design different from her first wedding dress. She only wished she felt an ounce of joy at the thought of wearing this new one.
She turned away from the gown. “Has our visitor arrived?”
“Not yet, ma’am. The crown prince should arrive in an hour or two.”
The weight of the country on Madeleine’s shoulders lifted. Air flowed freely into her lungs. She had a reprieve, if only for a short time before they would sit together to have afternoon tea.
Eyes clouding with concern, Lilia took a step closer. “Ma’am?”
Madeleine held up her hand. “I’m fine.”
As fine as she would be with only half a heart beating in her chest. Louie had taken the other half with him when he died. Somehow she’d survived this long, but she wasn’t sure how.
“A little tired.” She didn’t want to take her frustrations out on Lilia.
“I doubt you’ve been sleeping well with so much going on.” Lilia gave her an encouraging smile. “Meeting the man you will marry must be so exciting.”
Madeleine’s blood turned ice-cold. “You have no idea.”
Another knock sounded.
What was this? An impromptu soiree? She thought that wouldn’t happen until their guest arrived for afternoon tea. “Enter.”
Her mother, Queen Anne-Elizabeth, came into the room with quick, purposeful steps. Nothing about the woman was soft and genteel, except the scent of her expensive perfume. The royal bloodlines flowing through her veins meant she was related to many of the names listed in Burke’s Peerage. The queen would put Mother Nature into her place, if need be.
She studied the gown with the eyes of a fashion icon. “The dress came out better than I expected given the rush. You will be a stunning bride.”
As a knot formed in Madeleine’s stomach, she forced a smile. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Are you ready for this afternoon?” her mother asked.
A proper princess could give only one response. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Excellent, my dear.” Her mother’s gaze ran the length of the gown again. “Your father would like a word with you in his office.”
The last thing Madeleine wanted was for her father to worry about her or anything else. He’d done enough of that these past months. “I will go now, Mother.”
Before she lost her courage and called off the wedding.
Stop
.
She almost heard Louie telling her not to be such a drama princess. That she was overreacting.
Oh, how she hoped her love was correct.
Downstairs, her father’s assistant, Edward, an older man with short gray hair and beady eyes masked by wire-rimmed glasses, opened the door to the king’s office. “He is expecting you, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Edward.” Her insides trembled, but she strode inside. Royals weren’t supposed to show emotion in public. Her family frowned upon doing that in private, also. She’d learned from an early age, the shower was the only place to cry.
Her father, King Leon-Maximilian, stood in his office. He was an imposing man, over six feet tall and barrel-chested, who intimidated most people. He didn’t frighten her or her brother, Karl, because the king was a giant teddy bear with them. But neither had ever wanted to disappoint their father…their king. So far, they hadn’t.
She pushed back her shoulders and raised her chin. “You asked to see me, sir.”
“Your fiancé will arrive shortly.”
Even though she’d never met Enrique and the marriage contract had yet to be signed, no one else thought calling the man her fiancé was odd. Still, she nodded.
“The crown prince will make a fine king. He’s a skilled negotiator. In the past year, he and his younger brother, Alejandro, have made dramatic improvements to their country’s economy.”
Madeleine dug her manicured fingernails into her palms. She didn’t want to be reminded why Enrique would be a wonderful husband for her. “Father, I know the reasons I’m marrying Enrique, and they have nothing to do with the prince’s statesmanship or his finance acumen. We need to become allies of Aliestle to save the land near our border.”
Because of that country’s abundance of rare natural resources, King Alaric had the money to do as he pleased. He’d decided expanding his borders was his next pet project, and he was using loans made to Gaullia’s treasury to achieve his goal. Loans that wouldn’t have been necessary had Louie lived and married her.
Her father nodded. “Since Princess Julianna married Enrique’s younger brother, an alliance has been forged between the two kingdoms. Not as strong as I hoped because of the princess’s disobedience to her father’s wishes, but Alaric attended her wedding a year ago, which is more than anyone expected.”
“His generous wedding gift to the couple would pay off much of our country’s debt.” She’d been researching options to help her country without having to marry, but she’d found none. Unfortunately. “If we become a part of that alliance, King Alaric will reconsider demanding our land in lieu of payment. Even if I didn’t have a master’s degree in political science, I would understand the stakes.”
Her father’s shoulders sagged. “This is not the match you hoped for.”
“Louie was the only husband I wanted,” Madeleine said in a matter-of-fact tone. Her one true love was dead. She never would love again. “But I was raised to do my duty for Gaullia, and I shall. I won’t fail you, Mother, Karl, or our country.”
That was what her father expected to hear, what over a quarter century of etiquette and protocol training had taught her to say. Yet…
Her heart wanted to scream—to rebel.
If Louie hadn’t died, her life would be the definition of happy, overflowing with love and joy. They would be married with children—a crown prince or princess of their own. Maybe two.
She bit the inside of her cheek to regain her focus.
Her father’s gaze softened. The lines on his face relaxed. “You’ve always been a proper princess, a living example to the youth of what duty and dedication mean. I pray that will help you in your marriage and the future.”
His voice wasn’t as strong as usual. A hint of fear laced each word. She’d never seen him like this, and that worried her. Karl was twenty-nine, two years older than her, but he wasn’t ready to be king. He needed time to learn, grow, and…mature.
“It shall, Father.” Madeleine had the feeling until the wedding vows were exchanged in the cathedral and the royal union official, her father wouldn’t relax. “Is there anything else you need?”
He started to speak but then stopped himself. “Not now.”
She curtsied before turning to leave.
“Mads…”
Her father rarely used her childhood nickname. Only Karl called her that now.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, sir?”
“If the crown prince is awful—”
“I’m sure he isn’t that bad.” She said the words for both their sakes. “People exaggerate. Especially about royals. It will work out.”
“Thank you, my dear.” Her father sank onto one of the sofas. The dark circles and bags under his eyes became clearer. “Gaullia needs this royal marriage to survive, but I want you to be happy.”
“I shall be fine.” Not happy, however. That wasn’t possible without Louie in her life. “Don’t worry about me, Father.”
With that, she left his office, hurrying past the security guards stationed outside the door and Edward’s neat and tidy desk.
People exaggerate
.
She hoped that was the case with Crown Prince Enrique. Because the alternative…
No, she wouldn’t think about it.