Chapter 3 The Broken Vow

Two days passed in a blur of silence. The royal doctors changed my bloodstained sheets, left bitter medicine by my bedside, and whispered among themselves about the Crown Princess who had lost her unborn child in a single afternoon. Through everything, I said nothing. I ate enough to keep my strength and waited for the right moment. On the third morning, Corin entered my room. He wore his royal riding clothes and smelled faintly of sweet lilac perfume. The scent was unfamiliar. I had never owned such perfume. "Aurelia," Corin said softly as he sat beside my bed. He gave me the same gentle smile he had worn for years, the smile which once made me believe I was loved. "The doctor says you are getting stronger. You have no idea how relieved I am." I gave him no answer. I kept my face empty and my voice weak. "Julian brought the morning reports from my family's estates. The Crown's grain stores need fresh supplies before winter arrives. There is also a royal land document waiting for your signature." I reached beneath my pillow and pulled out a folded sheet of parchment. The document had nothing to do with land. Hidden beneath long, dull paragraphs about trade and property was an ancient High Royal Covenant of Severance. Under the laws of our kingdom, once the Crown Prince and Crown Princess signed the decree, their marriage ended at once. All lands given as dowry, private funds, and family titles would return to the bride's family. Corin gave a small laugh as he took the parchment from me. "You should not trouble yourself with trade matters while you are still recovering, love. Leave the accounts to Julian." He opened the top of the parchment and dipped a quill into the inkpot on the bedside table. Before the tip touched the paper, the brass bell outside my room rang. A royal guard knocked once before entering with a small silver tray. A folded note lay on the tray, sealed with violet wax. "A message from the guest pavilion, Your Highness," the guard said, keeping his eyes lowered. Corin's hand jerked. He tried to hide the tray behind his body, but he moved too slowly. I saw the mark pressed into the wax. Two crossed lilies. It was Lady Vivienne McCray's personal crest. Three days ago, I would have questioned him. I would have demanded to know why another woman's message mattered more than his grieving wife. I would have asked how long he had been lying to me. Now, I looked at him with tired eyes and gently touched his sleeve. "Please sign the document before you leave, Your Highness," I whispered. "The grain ships cannot leave the northern port without your signature." He glanced toward the door. His face tightened, and for a moment, the loving husband disappeared. "Aurelia, I have an urgent matter of state to attend to," Corin replied, his voice growing sharp. "I will read the document tonight when I return." I kept hold of his sleeve and placed the parchment firmly on the small desk across my lap. "It needs your signature now," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on his collar. "The couriers leave at noon." Corin sighed in annoyance. Without reading a single line, he signed his name at the bottom of the parchment. He then pressed his royal seal into the warm wax at the edge. "There," he said coldly as he tossed the quill back into the inkstand. He did not even look at me before turning toward the door. "You have become far too demanding lately, Aurelia. Such behavior does not suit a princess. Learn to remember your place. I will not dine with you tonight." "Yes, Your Highness," I replied, lowering my head. He hurried down the stone hallway without looking back. The door had barely closed when Julian stepped out from behind the thick curtains near the window. He took the signed parchment and checked the fresh ink and royal seal. "The seal is genuine, My Lady," Julian whispered, struggling to hide his shock. "The Crown Prince has officially ended the marriage and given up all claims to the Valerius estate. Under High Law, the decree is binding." "Take the document to the High Archon at once," I ordered, my voice firm and cold. "Have him register it in the royal vault before sunset. Corin must not learn about the decree until our ships have left the harbor." "Understood, My Lady." Julian bowed deeply. Before he could leave, a servant girl hurried into the room and curtsied. She carried a wooden box covered in black lacquer. "A delivery for the Crown Princess," she said nervously. "A page from the guest wing left it for you." Julian accepted the box and lifted the brass latch. His face twisted with disgust when he saw the contents. Inside lay several small painted portraits and a bundle of letters tied with lavender silk. I held out my hand, and Julian passed the box to me without a word. The portraits showed Corin and Vivienne together. In one, they rode side by side through sunlit orchards in the eastern duchy. The portrait even had dates on them, dated months ago, during the same period when Corin claimed to be inspecting the southern border. Another showed them in a private banquet hall. Corin kissed her neck while she laughed and held a golden goblet. Beneath the portraits lay a handwritten note. The writing was sharp and neat. Did you think his promises belonged to you, little merchant girl? Five years ago, I gave him up so your gold could pay for his army. Now his throne is secure, and I have returned to claim what was always mine. Consider your dead parents and the nameless child in your womb my gifts to you. Step aside, or you will be the next to be buried. I stared at the words. The note brought no tears to my eyes. My hands stayed still. The pain inside me had gone beyond grief. Whatever love I had left for Corin died with the child I had carried. I folded the note, placed it back inside the box, and raised my eyes to Julian. "Tell the dockmasters to double the loading shifts," I ordered. "We leave this kingdom in forty-eight hours."