The Royal Mark-Chapter 64: A Wedding Without a Bride

Hera took the four orbs, each representing the four elemental powers of Elsa. "Ciel, you will hold her air magic since I created you with mine. Find a suitable host for the other three and once you do, go and find my daughter. Stay with her until the right time comes. When he finds her, guide them both."

Ciel opened her mouth and Hera made the air orb float and guided it towards Ciel. Her body turned into an adult dog as soon as she swallowed the orb.

"Do you think he will really come?" Ciel asked Hera.

"Yes, he will. It is their fate to become one. Their destiny had already begun before she was born and he had to complete what he had started. Now go, don’t let anyone catch you. I am counting on you Ciel and I wish to see you again someday," Hera said.

Ciel took the other three orbs by mouth and walked towards the cave entrance, she cast one last glance at Hera and Elsa before finally going her way.

Hera placed her hand one more time on Elsa’s head and whispered some spells, "I am sorry my darling, you have to remember things differently. This is for your own good and protection."

She opened another portal and brought Elsa to a nearby hospital before leaving.

********

Back in Rügengard Castle...

"So you are saying that you can actually talk to these dogs?" Prince Andrius asked after Elsa finished telling her story and Chris had fetched Ciel, Nile, Gaia, and Nuri.

Elsa nodded before Chris interrupted, "I can too."

"Well, that is understandable given that you are a werewolf, but Elsa is not, so how is that possible?" Andrius asked once again.

"I have no idea. I just started hearing them talk after arriving here in Vectus, so perhaps it’s a divine mage thing?" Elsa said in hesitation.

"No dear. No mage can talk to any kind of animal," Valeria answered. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Elsa turned to Ciel and asked, "Ciel can you help me please?" Elsa pleaded since she had asked her dog earlier how could they speak to her but the old dog refused. Elsa was not aware that Ciel was created by her mom. The old dog chose to hide that detail for some reason.

But Ciel only looked away, not speaking a word. Elsa sighed at how stubborn her dog was. They used to obey anything she said but ever since they met Chris, they are slowly becoming more independent of her.

"But this doesn’t still answer the fact that she is claiming that she wields the four elements," Queen Irina exclaimed, "We need proof."

"But I don’t..." Chris interrupted making all heads turn to him. "She has already proven that she is Hera’s daughter, and that’s enough proof that you need. If she possesses other powers then that’s a bonus, she doesn’t need to prove anything to you. She already told you that her powers were taken and placed inside these dogs for safe keeping and I vouched that I heard it from Ciel too."

Chris was really getting irritated with Queen Irina and he wouldn’t be able to hold his temper that long so he added, "Since you allowed me to be here because I will soon become a member of your family, how about we talk about our marriage instead and enough asking for proof. Regardless, of whether she’s a Van der Aart or not, I will still marry her. So it’s up to you if you will acknowledge her lineage or not. If you do then we finally sealed our alliance by marriage, and if you don’t then I’m sorry but I will not marry anyone from your kingdom. But I will take Elsa to Arcanis and make her my Queen."

"Prince Christopher is right, she has proven herself already and we have to focus on more important matters. Now that he is back and still wants to proceed with the alliance, we should start planning the wedding." King Allister mentioned.

"And you are going to plan a wedding without a bride because I declined!" Elsa announced.

"What?" Chris exclaimed.

Everyone was flabbergasted at what she just said and was left speechless. The King clenched his fist for what he had feared last night was now happening.

"You heard me, I will not marry you..." Elsa declared but Chris was really losing his patience so he interrupted.

"And why not? Are you still hoping to get back to that Jai guy? Well, guess what, princess, that will never happen. I will kill him if I have to!" Chris had lost it. He cannot believe Elsa would say ’no’ even after she said that she trusted him.

"Because..." Elsa started to stutter and she didn’t know if she could hold her resolve for that long. "Because I want to decide for my life and not anyone else. I will marry whoever I want to, and not because this kingdom says so."

Chris slammed his hand on the table so hard that it startled everyone, "And who do you want to marry? You don’t know anyone here except me! Me, Elsa, your mate, your destiny!"

Elsa rolled her eyes and said, "Unlucky you, I don’t believe in any of those. Milda wants to marry you, marry her instead."

"How did you–" Milda tried to talk but the argument between the two was much louder.

"Oh for fuck sake! You know who I want so stop that nonsense!" Chris retorted.

Queen Irina was smiling while watching everything and saw it as an opportunity, "Maybe we should hold a ball so that Elsa can meet other men of age and see for herself if she really doesn’t want to marry the Prince of Arcanis."

"Yes, I think that would be great," Elsa agreed and saw Chris’ jaw drop, astounded by her reply.

"We can formally present Elsa as Princess of Zemaria and Hera’s heir at the ball then," Queen Irina suggested.

"It would be my honor, My Queen," Elsa replied.

"Is this really what you want, huh?" Chris angrily asked Elsa.

"Yes, please respect my decision, Prince Christopher," Elsa replied.

"Fuck this!" Chris exclaimed and stormed off the assembly hall.