Chapter 13
Harper
I collapse onto the edge of my bed and Arthur kneels down in front of me, his dark eyes filled with concern. My heart’s racing, but I’m just glad I managed to get out of the ballroom without collapsing. The last thing I need to do is appear weak in front of the dragon riders and the king.
“Take deep breaths,” Arthur says, grasping my hands, his eyes still locked on my face.
It’s hard. I try to do what he says, but dragging in breaths is like breathing in shards of broken glass. “I feel– I feel like everything is just kind of hitting me at once, and I might be breaking into pieces,” I say through panicked breaths.
“You’re okay,” he reassures me. “You’re going to be okay.”
“The princes hate me. They’re complete assholes. They’ve gone out of their way to make sure I know how much they don’t like me and don’t respect me. How can I possibly marry them? How can I be in a marriage with people who hate me?”
“I know–”
“And they’re princes. They’re right. I’m just a commoner. A healer. A nobody. I can’t marry royalty. I can’t become a princess or a queen one day. I can’t rule over our nation. I still get crabby when I miss breakfast. I can’t be responsible for anyone.”
“They’re not any better than you.”
“And I’m supposed to marry a Hollowborn?
A Hollowborn! Yes, the one I met was kind of nice, handsome in a weird way, and he kissed me, but they’re our enemies for a reason.
I’ve heard countless stories about them.
They kill for fun. They carve out the hearts of their enemies and eat them.
They don’t spare women and children. I just–I can’t marry one of them. I can’t do it.”
Arthur sits up taller on his knees and cups my face in his hands as I pant like I’ve just run a race.
“You’re Harper Nightborne. A healer. The only daughter in a house full of boys.
You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met.
You’re tougher than the most grizzled old man.
If there’s something you need to do, you’re going to do it.
Your own way. Without anyone controlling you or putting you in a position you don’t want to be in. ”
“If the king says I have to marry them, I have to marry them.”
His eyes are gentle. “That doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Do you remember how, in school, you used to have to sit in the corner all the time for talking too much?”
I nod, feeling light headed.
“Remember how you spent the whole time carving into the wall? Mrs. Lizza thought you were learning a lesson, but you were just making another statement. She could try to punish you, but you weren’t going to just sit there and take it.”
I meet his gaze. “I did do that.”
“And remember when your brothers used to try to ruin your clothes with mud, and that somehow ended in them wearing dresses? The gods only know how you managed to pull that off.”
“It wasn’t hard. They were a little scared of me,” I say, my breaths coming in and out more evenly.
Arthur releases my face and grins at me. “You might have to get married, but it doesn’t mean you have to be someone’s quiet, tame little wife. It doesn’t mean that they can be cruel to you or hurt you. If you put your mind to it, I’m sure you’ll have them eating out of your hands.”
I take a deep, shaky breath and lay back on the bed. He rises and then lays down beside me. We both stare up at the ceiling, lying like we used to do when we were kids.
“You’re really not worried about me marrying a Hollowborn?” I ask.
“Is it weird that I’m worried about the Hollowborn?” he jokes.
I laugh, which is nice. I kind of felt like I would never laugh again. All of this feels like things that are happening to me. Like I have no control over any of it. And it’s scary.
“Do you think the princes could ever be… kinder? Do you think they could learn to be less nasty?”
“Honestly?” He takes a long minute to answer.
“I think that it’s going to turn out okay.
They’re already obsessed with you. Like, scary jealous ex-lover obsessed with you, so you’ve already won that battle.
But I think it’s more than obsession. They watch you in a way that tells me that there’s something deeper between you.
Maybe all of you just need a chance to explore that. ”
I groan. “Arthur, this is just so much.”
He laces his fingers with mine. “Well, if it gets to be too much, we’ll just run away together. I could see us building a cabin on a nice piece of land that Ebron could spend his days flying over.”
“Run away together, huh?”
“You know I’m always here. You don’t even have to say the word. You just give me a look, and we’ll book it out of here. They can build peace with the Hollowborn on someone else’s back.”
The door to my bedroom flies open, and I jerk my head to see what the noise is all about. Of course, it’s the three princes, looking angry. I swear, they always look angry.
“What the hell?” Prince Lucien shouts.
I release Arthur’s hand, and we both sit up. “What’s your problem now?”
“It hasn’t even been an hour since our engagement was publicly announced, and you’re already in bed with another man.” Prince Lucien sounds truly enraged.
Standing up, I say, “We were just talking. Calm down.”
“You don’t have to be in bed with someone to talk to them,” Prince Lucien shouts, pointing at Arthur.
I look to Prince Alaric for help, but his lips are drawn into a thin line. “He may not be your ex-fiancé, but this is completely inappropriate.”
“Just relax, guys,” Arthur says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, which is a terrible idea, but I don’t get the chance to tell him that before Prince Gareth shoves Arthur.
Arthur hits the bed, and his eyes go wide.
“Stop,” I say, moving to stand between Prince Gareth and Arthur.
Prince Gareth’s hands are curled into fists. “Make him leave.”
“No, we’re talking. You guys leave.”
“Not a chance,” Prince Gareth growls.
Arthur stands up, looking as menacing as he can manage. “This is bullshit.”
“Got something to say?” Prince Lucien asks, taking a step closer to Arthur.
I remain between them. “That’s enough.”
But Arthur is the one coming closer, chest puffed up, jaw working. “How the hell are you three going to marry Harper when you can't even understand basic things about her?”
“Like what?” Prince Alaric says, anger and confusion warring in his voice.
“Like that she’s scared right now. She was just told, by her king, that she has to marry three assholes and a fucking Hollowborn.
She’s terrified! More than anything, she needs comfort.
And while I’m here providing it, you’re all too busy being in a dick measuring contest with me to notice what she needs and how she’s feeling. ”
“Harper isn’t scared,” Prince Lucien says, but there’s doubt in his voice. “She doesn’t get scared.”
Arthur shakes his head angrily. “Rule number one about Harper: she may seem extra-human in nearly every way, but she’s still a person, and she’s still a woman. What she was just told would terrify anyone.”
Prince Alaric looks at me. “Is that true? Are you scared?”
My pride won’t let me answer, but my non-answer seems to be enough for all of them to understand. The tension in the room goes down a notch, and all eyes are on me.
“We won’t let the Hollowborn hurt you,” Prince Gareth says quietly.
“It’s not just him.”
“What is it then?” Prince Gareth asks.
Again, I can’t seem to bring myself to answer them. I never had a clear plan for my life, but being happily married just seemed like a given. Why would I ever sign on to marry people that hated me? And yet, how can I say that without coming across as terribly weak?
“She’s scared about marrying the three of you,” Arthur says, a dark note to his words.
Prince Lucien laughs. “Women are not scared to marry us. They’re thrilled by the prospect. Why would Harper possibly not want to marry us?”
Arthur scoffs. “Because you’ve been so nice to her? Because, based on your treatment of her, she has all the reasons in the world to think your marriage will be a good and happy one?” Every single one of Arthur’s words are brimming with sarcasm.
Prince Lucien bristles. “Surely, she understands that we’re capable of being different, right?”
Silence.
“Harper?” Prince Alaric says my name, but there’s a question in it.
Arthur steps around me. “You think she hasn’t told me all the bullshit you’ve been putting her through? Punching her? Disrobing her in public? Calling her names? Isolating her? Controlling her? You guys don't deserve a drop of trust or faith from her.”
“We haven’t been that bad–” Prince Lucien begins, but he has a look on his face I haven’t seen before. He looks like a dog that’s been kicked after stealing food off the table.
“Would you want your daughter to marry someone who had treated her the way you three have treated Harper?”
More silence.
“This whole thing is bullshit. Either be honest that you don’t care about her and that this will be a marriage in name only and leave her the fuck alone, or step up and be the kind of men she needs.”
Arthur sounds so similar to Ebron that it’s scary. I guess all the men in my life share similar feelings about how to handle me.
“What does that mean?” Prince Alaric asks, looking between us.
I pat Arthur, silently telling him to stop, but he's on a roll. “Take some time to get to know Harper on a deeper level. Ask her questions. Find out about her likes and dislikes. Find out about her family, her home, and her interests. Hell, even find out about me and the rest of her friends. Take opportunities to be kind and loving. If you want a real marriage, act like you do.” He takes a breath. “And know without a doubt that you have some major groveling to do if you have any hope of winning Harper’s heart. Which, for sure, should be the prize you’re after. ”
No one speaks.
Arthur continues. “I know for a fact that marrying Harper will be the best thing that happens to any of you. She will make your life better in every single way. So, ask yourself, how will you make Harper’s life better?
And forget all the titles and land bullshit, because she doesn’t care about that.
Ask how you as people will make her life better. ”
“I mean, we’re not that bad,” Prince Lucien says softly, but I don’t even think he believes that any longer.
“You’ve failed Harper. You’ve fucked up. Now, start working on fixing it.” Arthur turns and gives me a kiss on the head. “I’m going to give you time to talk, but I’ll be right outside. If there are any problems, just call, and I’ll come.”
Then he shoots them all the dirtiest glare and strides out, leaving them looking properly whipped.