Edna stood meekly as her fate was sealed. It wasn't like she haven't known all these while. It was just that she dreaded it. She was a princess but never felt like one. Ever since her birth she had been trained for this purpose, to be a marriage tool for the sake of her father. Her father king Eric has always been thirsty for power and had made it clear to her that she was going to be used as a bargaining chip to acquire more. She knew that it wasn't going to take long before she was eventually sold out for the reason why she had been training all those whiles, but she didn't expect it to be this soon. And to a man whom everybody dreaded.

She waited with her head bowed as her father passed his decree. Her mother sat beside her father staring at her. Her mother has always been scared of her father the king so she could only look on as her daughter was sold out to a foreign king. Her brothers where all watching her with no expression at all and she wasn't surprised. Nobody had ever cared about her in the palace. It was only her mother, but she was scared of the king's punishment so she couldn't fully show her love for her daughter.

For years her father had been wanting to ally with the blood thirsty king of Shanara, but on many occasions had failed. It was unknown why it was so. It wasn't until the rumours about her being the flower of the south started that the king agreed to ally, but a price was attached and that price was her.

She had heard the maids talking about this, but she had ignored it, never even believed it even. She thought that even if she was rumorued to be the flower of the south, it was just a rumour, it wouldn't make the King of Shanara who was said to have beautiful girls at his beck and call take notice of her but she was wrong. It wasn't until her second brother made fun of her being abandoned after the wedding night that fear began to creep into her. After making inquiries from her mother, she learnt that it was actually true. At first, she thought of running away from the castle walls. But even if she escaped how was she going to survive. She was going to die eventually or better still be caught and sold off as a slave. She haven't been outside the palace walls before and she had no skills to survive with if she eventually succeeded. Ruling the option out, she decided to beg. But her father never gave her the opportunity. It was either she got married to the king or she gets punished for disobeying the king. She knew that what ever the punishment was, it was never going to be light. She might even lose her life. She was just a voiceless princess after all, if she died no one would notice. She decided to quietly accept her fate. Afterall even if she succed to escape the marriage, who knew who her father's next option would be. Her husband to be had been rumoured to have killed his brothers when he was only twelve making him the only surviving prince and later king. What more he was said to be unsightly and very ugly almost old enough to be her father. Not only that, all his wives die suddenly after marriage. That was as creepy as it should be. She wouldn't say she wasn't scared, no she was in fact terrified.

She stood there listening to her father talk. She wasn't even paying attention, she was only thinking of how to survive a ñight even after being married to the blood thirsty king. When king Eric noticed that the princess wasn't even paying attention he was enraged.

'' Queen Hazel what have you taught your daughter,'' he roared his voice clearly showing his distaste.

Edna shook as she was cut out of reverie by her fathers roar.

'' Am sorry father'', she replied with her head still bowed. She didn't dare look up at her father. She clearly didn't want to see the distaste on his face.

'' Your security will be doubled from now on and your training too. In three days time you're going to be married to the king of Shanara. You have to learn how to behave. The king is a powerful man and can end this kingdom with just a word. Am sure you don't want that. And no king wants to have a stupid and clumsy princess as a wife''.

Her fathers words stung her, but she faught hard not to cry. It was unladylike.

'' You are dismissed'', King Eric announced after what seem like eternity.

As soon as she left the throne room, she let her tears fall. She was happy that she had dismissed her maids. They would be heartbroken seeing her cry. She was letting her pent up emotions out. After crying till she was satisfied, she wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and started walking back to her bed chamber. It was of no use her fate has been sealed and she would try as much as possible to live that was the only option left. She was determined to survive at all costs.