by Krista Lakes
“He lied to you about being a prince, didn't he?” Magdalena shrugged. “Is it so hard to believe that he would lie about this as well? Or, is it possible that he simply found a gullible American to come play the part of loving daughter-in-law-to-be in order to give his father something to fight for? All the man wants is to see his boy happily married.”
“No,” Sabrina replied, shaking her head. “He wouldn't do that.”
“If you say so my dear,” Magdalena replied with a sad shake of her head. “But perhaps you should ask him about the Law of Princely Marriage. It's a law that's been a part of our country for countless generations. He would have learned of it as a boy.”
“You must be mistaken,” Sabrina told her. She glanced around, wishing that Marco or Carlo would return so she could get away from Magdalena's insinuations that Marco didn't love her.
“The law states that a prince or princess or Orsino must marry someone of noble blood,” the queen informed her. “As you come from, well...” Queen Magdalena seemed to be searching for the right words, something that would offend without being vulgar. “Well, not anything noble anyway, you are ineligible to marry him. He knows this. He has to know the laws as a prince.”
“He wouldn't lie to me,” Sabrina repeated. But the doubt didn't disappear from her mind as easily as she said the words. Marco had lied to her about being a prince. A lie of omission, anyway.
Magdalena put a hand on Sabrina's shoulder. Her fingers were cold against Sabrina's bare skin. “Either, Prince Marco doesn't know the laws of the land- the laws that he had to recite daily as a child, or...” Queen Magdalena shrugged and let the rest of her sentence hang in the air.
“No,” Sabrina repeated, taking a step back. “He wouldn't do that to me.”
The queen laughed. It was cold and cruel. “Why? Because he loves you? Love is just a word people use to get what they want. My mother claimed to love my father, but she abandoned him with an infant child. He gave her everything, but just like Marco, she left him with nothing.”
Sabrina's cheeks stung as if she had been slapped. “That's not true,” she whispered.
“If you say so, my dear.” The queen shrugged. “But perhaps you should consult the law before you throw your life away for him. The library is just over there and the book's open to the page.”
With that, the queen turned on a heel and spun smiling to mingle with the crowd. Sabrina stared after her, shocked and shaken to her core.
Marco and Winston had been right. The woman was evil. She would stop at nothing to destroy any happiness that she saw around her. This was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of Sabrina's life, and now she was ready to cry.
“It can't be true,” she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. Yet, Queen Magdalena's words seeped into her soul like poison.
Sabrina looked around again for her husband-to-be. She found him animatedly discussing something with a very attractive woman in a low cut dress. The woman touched his arm, gazing up at him in adoration.
Sabrina could see the door to the library from where she stood. If the law book was open like Magdalena had said, then she could read the law for herself. It probably was something from the days of knights and armor that no longer applied. She had her phone on her. She could check the law, and then check her phone and see if it was as Magdalena said.
She glanced over to see Marco laugh at something the other woman said. With quick steps before she could change her mind, Sabrina hurried to the library.
The room was quiet as the party went on in the adjacent rooms. Books of all shapes and sizes lined every square inch of wall space, but sitting on a reading stand in the center of the room between beautiful leather furniture was a large open book.
She approached it with hesitation. For a moment, she considered simply leaving the room without reading anything. If she didn't know, then it wouldn't be true.
Except she was already at the book.
“The Law of Princely Marriage: The royal heir, be it male or female must wed of noble blood. No other suitors may be entertained.”
“No,” she gasped, but the words stayed the same. Frantic, she pulled her phone out of her clutch and googled the law. It was a real law. There were no repeals. All Orsino marriages were of noble heritage. The latest one listed was between King Carlo and Lady Magdalena Dunhill.
She had been telling the truth.
“No,” Sabrina whispered, sinking into one of the leather couches. “This can't be right.”
“No,” she said, stronger this time. “There has to be an explanation. He loves me.”
Sabrina stood up and left the library determined to confront Marco.
“I told you, didn't I?” Magdalena asked as soon as Sabrina left the library. “You are nothing but a worthless commoner and you will never be royal.”
“I will marry Marco,” Sabrina informed her. She could see her beloved just across the room. He smiled at her and motioned that he would be there in just one moment.
Anger flashed across Magdalena's beautiful features. Heat flared in her lavender eyes as she realized her plan hadn't worked. She cocked her head and smiled cruelly.
“You haven't won. You will never marry him. You only want him for his title,” Magdalena shouted. Everyone in the room turned and looked.
Sabrina looked around, suddenly feeling very small.
“You don't belong here,” Magdalena growled, so loud that everyone could hear it.
Sabrina's cheeks burned as she blushed from embarrassment.
“I'm sorry you feel that way,” Sabrina whispered.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sabrina saw Marco approaching. He marched up to them quickly.
“What's going on over here?” he asked, staring straight at Magdalena.
“None of your business, Marco,” Magdalena snapped. “Why don't you go back to your father and leave me alone with your little princess?”
“I don't want to have this argument,” Sabrina said. “I just want to have a good night.”
Magdalena let out an exaggerated scoff. Then she reached forward and grabbed the shoulder strap of Sabrina's dress.
“Nothing in this palace belongs to you,” Magdalena said, her voice more raspy and evil than before. “Nothing. Not even this dress.”
As soon as she finished speaking the words, she tugged down firmly on the shoulder-strap, causing it to rip off of Sabrina's shoulder. Sabrina squealed in surprise and took a step back, holding the top of the dress up with her hands to keep from exposing her breasts to the entire party.
“How dare you try to swindle our prince!” Magdalena shouted.
Marco turned an absurd shade of red as the ballroom ground to a halt and everyone turned to watch the scene unfolding before them. Marco grabbed Magdalena's arm, pulling her away from Sabrina and toward his father.
While Marco and Carlo were arguing with Magdalena, Sabrina was left standing by herself. The tears that she had been desperately trying to hold back finally welled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Never in her life had she felt so embarrassed and discriminated against.
She stood there for a moment, just holding up the top of the dress. The shoulder-strap, now torn at one end, hung loosely by her side. She waited, hoping that Marco would come and comfort her. She needed him in that moment. But he didn't come to her. He stayed with Carlo and Magdalena.
Why isn't he coming over here? She thought.
Sabrina watched as the royal trio walked away. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was pretty clear that the words were not civil. They all appeared to be shouting and their hands were flailing in the air with anger.
I can't believe this, she thought. I never should have come here. This was a mistake. Everything about this was a huge mistake.
Tears flowing, Sabrina turned and ran toward the doors. She looked at the ground to avoid eye contact from the guests, not wanting to feel any more embarrassment. She made it to the main entryway of the palace, but saw a group
of people standing there. They turned to face her, but she didn't want to chat. The only thing Sabrina wanted was to get out of there.
So she ran down the hallway that Winston had shown her earlier that day. She passed the pictures of the nobles that were hung on the wall. Her stomach turned as she passed the one of Magdalena. When she got to the end, she pushed through the double doors and into the sunlight.
I don't know where I'm going. I just want to be anywhere but here right now, she thought.
Sabrina ran down the steps and into a large courtyard. It was surrounded by parts of the palace, with a large fountain in the center. She slowed her pace down to catch her breath, but continued to move across the courtyard. Once she had reached the opposite side, she stepped into a door.
Another hallway, she thought.
This one was empty, thankfully. But she still didn't know where she was or how to get out of the palace. She walked around for a bit, until she found another door that led outside. She pushed it open and focused her eyes. Toward the bottom of the hill was a main road. It was the same one that Marco and Sabrina had taken to get to the palace earlier that day.
“That's my way out of here,” she whispered.
She couldn't believe she was about to leave, but staying there didn't feel like an option to her, though. Not only had the queen made it very clear that she wasn't welcome, but Marco hadn't even attempted to console her after seeing Magdalena tear her dress.
He saw what she did to me, but he's done nothing, she thought. And why hasn't he come looking for me? I know I ran off, but surely he'd be able to find me right now if he wanted to. He knows this place like the back of his hand. Doesn't he care about me?
Magdalena's accusation that he was simply using her to give his father hope for the future echoed in her ears.
Sabrina glanced back, getting one last look at the palace, the place that was supposed to be her new home. A tear trickled slowly down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. She made her way down toward the main road, with the decision that she'd go find a hotel somewhere and check in under a fake name. At the very least, that would give her some space and time to sort everything out in her mind. It would also give her a chance to find some proper clothes and to call her Aunt Faye for advice.
“At least Faye will be there for me. I can always rely on her,” she said to herself, as she continued her trek through the dirt and grass. “That's more than I can say for Marco, apparently.”
Chapter 19
Marco
Marco stood with his arms crossed and his eyes glaring. Magdalena was in front of him. Rage pumped through his veins and all he wanted to do was to let it all out on her. After seeing what she had done to his beautiful fiancée in front of everyone, he was beginning to care less that Magdalena happened to be the queen.
“How dare you embarrass Sabrina like that,” Marco said, keeping his eyes locked with hers. “And for what? What point were you trying to make, Magdalena?”
They were still standing next to the outer wall in the grand room. The music was playing once again and people were dancing. The ball continued on, even though the hosts weren't currently participating.
“Marco, please, we need to keep this civil,” Carlo said, placing a hand onto Marco's forearm. “Come on, let's go somewhere quiet so we can discuss things.”
“Father, how can you expect me to remain civil after seeing what Magdalena is capable of?” he asked. “You saw it, too. She attacked my fiance in front of the entire party. Is there no justice for something like that?”
Magdalena rolled her eyes. “Don't act like a spoiled little brat, Marco.”
“What do you have against her anyway?” Marco asked. “I'm well aware of the fact that you hate everything and everyone, but your aggression toward Sabrina seems elevated. Even for you.”
“She's a commoner,” she said, matter-of-factly. “I could tolerate her being here, but marrying her? You must be insane.”
“Maybe it's none of your business who she is or where she's from,” Marco said.
“I suppose you'd be right,” Magdalena said, with a smug smile. “That is, if you didn't drag her home with you. But now she's here. So she has become my business.”
“Both of you, stop this at once,” Carlo interjected. “We will meet in my chambers in five minutes to discuss this. No more arguing here, though. The last thing we need is for this drama to get out of hand again.”
Marco sighed. “Fine. Sabrina and I will meet you there.”
“Sabrina is not welcome in this meeting,” Magdalena said, before Carlo could reply.
“Yes, actually, she is.” Marco corrected her. “She's my fiancée and therefore, she has as much right to be there as I do. In fact, I'm going to go find her now and make sure that she's okay. I'll see you in you a few minutes, Father.”
Marco spun around before getting a response. He scanned the audience, looking for his lover, but didn't see her.
Maybe she went for a breath of fresh air, he thought, as he left the room.
A group of nobles from a nearby island stood at the entrance. They were sipping champagne and chatting among themselves when Marco approached.
“I'm sorry to interrupt,” Marco said. “But have any of you seen Sabrina? There was a bit of a mishap and it's important that I speak to her.”
One of the men turned to face Marco and gave him a nod. “Prince Marco. Pleasure to see you again. I regret to tell you that Sabrina ran out of here a few minutes ago. She looked very upset and was crying as she left.”
Oh no, Marco said. This is not how I wanted her to feel on her first day here. This has gone horribly wrong.
“Thank you for the information,” Marco said, running quickly out the door and to the front of the palace. He approached the first guard that he saw. “Have you seen Sabrina? My fiancée, she's left and I don't know where she's gone. She's wearing a white dress. You can't miss her.”
“I'm sorry, sir, but I haven't seen her,” he said.
“Find her!” Marco demanded. “I'm going to check the bedrooms upstairs, but something tells me that she's gone further than that.”
The guard reached for his radio as Marco ran upstairs. He poked his head into his bedroom, but it appeared to be untouched, as expected. He ran down the hall, opening every unlocked door and peering in just to make sure. But there was no sign of Sabrina. Panic filled him.
She was already nervous about being here and then all of that happened with Magdalena, he thought. She's probably devastated and trying to figure out a way off of the island.
Marco quickly descended the stairs and approached the same guard. “I need you to call me when you locate her. Search everywhere. It's important that I find her as soon as possible.”
“Of course, sir, we're on it,” the guard replied.
Marco's gut clenched into a ball of anxiety. His love for Sabrina was stronger than even he had realized and the thought of her being upset pained him beyond belief. This wasn't how he had hoped things would turn out. And there was only one person to blame.
Magdalena, he thought, as the image of the queen put a scowl on his face.
“That rotten bitch,” he whispered.
While the guards began the search for Sabrina, Marco marched straight toward his father's chambers.
I'm going to get to the bottom of this right now, he thought.
With his blood boiling, Marco pushed open the double doors that led into King Carlo's chambers. He found Carlo and Magdalena seated at a large table near the back of the room. Carlo looked a bit flustered, while Magdalena sat with a contented smile on her face. The expression made Marco even angrier as he walked toward them.
“My fiancée is missing, thanks to you,” Marco growled, as he stared blatantly at Magdalena.
“Such a shame,” she said, sarcastically. “I suppose everything happens for a reason, though. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.”
Marco walked up and slammed his fist down on the center of the table. “Thi
s has gone too far!”
“Marco, I understand that you're upset,” Carlo said, in his calm tone. “But don't feed the fire. Just take a seat and we'll work through this.”
“I can't sit and do nothing,” Marco said. “Sabrina is nowhere to be found.”
“She's likely taken a walk to clear her head,” Carlo said, patting his son on the shoulder. “There's nothing to worry about. Have you told the guards to look for her?”
“Yes.” Marco ran his fingers through his hair and looked upward in despair. “They're searching.”
“Then it's out of your hands.” Carlo squeezed his shoulder. “So just relax.”
Marco sighed and then faced forward, catching Magdalena's gaze. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why the queen had made it her life mission to make his life a living hell. And why she hated commoners so much was another thing that he just couldn't wrap his head around. It just didn't make sense to him that she could put so much energy into something that really didn't affect her.
“Father, I apologize for any way that I've acted out of line today or for anything I've said,” Marco leaned forward and put his palms onto the table. “But all that I want is to be able to marry the woman I love. She's an amazing girl, commoner or not, and she's the one who I want to spend my life with. Why does this have to be such an issue?”
Carlo swallowed and looked down at the table. Magdalena was still smirking, as she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. The room was filled with silence.
“What's going on? Why isn't anyone saying anything?” Marco asked.
“Go ahead, Carlo, tell him,” Magdalena said, looking amused as could be. “Why don't you tell him the law?”
“Magdalena, you agreed that you'd be civil,” Carlo said, his voice catching . He coughed twice. “If you continue to be domineering, then I will not allow you to participate in this conversation.”
Marco smiled on the inside, as Carlo put Magdalena in her place. It was nice to see once a while, since she was usually the one running the show since he fell ill.