Chapter 7: Chapter 6: The First Night
The royal carriage moved in near silence, its enchanted wheels gliding smoothly over the stone-paved roads as they traveled toward the king's palace in Solvencia. The sky was dark, moonlight spilling over the land like liquid silver, casting long shadows over the towering spires of the grand castle.
Inside the carriage, the air was thick with tension.
Caelum sat beside his newly wedded husband, his hands folded neatly in his lap. His crimson wedding robes pooled around him, the delicate gold embroidery shimmering faintly in the dim lantern light. The veil remained in place, concealing his face entirely. He had spoken little during the journey, keeping his posture poised and elegant, as expected of an Omega prince.
But beneath the mask of calm, his heart pounded.
He was now the Queen Consort of Solvencia. The mate of the most powerful Alpha in the realm.
And yet…
Not once had the king looked at him.
Not once had he acknowledged his presence.
The silence between them was suffocating.
---
Earlier That Day: The King's Decision
Before the journey had even begun, an unexpected decision had shaken the foundations of the royal court.
An urgent conversation had unfolded in the king's private chambers.
"Are you truly prepared to go to Solvencia, Your Majesty?" an advisor had asked, hesitating as he approached the king. "This country awaits your presence. The nobles, the court... your duties here have not been completed."
The king's golden eyes narrowed as he stared out the window, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable. He turned slowly to face his advisor.
"I'm not staying here," he said, his voice cold."I've made my decision. The marriage happened, but I'm leaving to Solvencia "
The advisor's brows furrowed. "But Your Majesty—"
"I'm taking the omega," the king interrupted sharply, his tone final. "And we are leaving for Solvencia. It's time to go."
The advisor stood in stunned silence, unsure how to react to the king's blunt words. The monarch's cold indifference to the grandeur of Evermere's ceremonies, his disregard for the planned welcome, had thrown everyone into confusion.
---
The Departure from Evermere
As the final preparations were made, the royal procession, once planned for Evermere's grand halls, was redirected to the Solvencia-bound royal carriage. The staff rushed to comply with the king's orders, and Caelum, ever the obedient prince, followed quietly as the scene unfolded.
But inside, a storm brewed in his heart.
His family had bid him farewell, tears in their eyes as they said their goodbyes. This was the moment he was leaving behind everything—his home, his people, and the life he had known. Now, he was embarking on a journey to a foreign land where the king, his husband, had shown him nothing but indifference.
Caelum had dreamed of this moment his entire life, but not like this. Not with such coldness in the king's eyes, not with the king so distant.
As the gates of Evermere closed behind them, and they began the long journey to Solvencia, Caelum couldn't help but feel the weight of the world pressing down on him.
---
On the Road to Solvencia
The journey was long and arduous. The silence between Caelum and the king was unbearable.
The carriage rocked gently as it traveled, the wheels turning in rhythmic harmony, yet the atmosphere inside felt heavy, suffocating. Caelum's thoughts swirled around him like a storm—he had left everything he knew behind for this, for a man who had barely looked at him.
After a long trip they arrived at the gates of Solvencia, Caelum could barely look at the towering walls of the castle ahead. It felt like a prison.
As they disembarked, the king's cold words cut through the air.
"Take him to his chamber," he ordered, his golden gaze cold and unfeeling.
No guidance. No warmth.
Caelum, his heart sinking, followed the servants silently. The king's presence, though powerful, felt like a stranger's, his indifference cutting deeper than any rejection.
---
Later That Night: The Bride's Heartbreak
Caelum sat on the edge of the massive bed in his new chambers, his fingers absently tracing the embroidery of his red robe. The room was luxurious, its grand tapestries and glowing lanterns offering an opulence that felt hollow in the silence that surrounded him.
The ceremonial veil still rested on his face, as if to hide his sorrow from the world. But no one was here to see him, anyway.
The door creaked open, and the heavy footsteps of the king filled the space. Caelum did not need to turn to know who it was. His presence was unmistakable.
Without speaking, the king approached and stood before him, his eyes unreadable. Caelum's heart quickened, but the king remained silent for a long moment.
Then, finally, the king spoke, his voice low but sharp.
"Let's make this clear."
Caelum's fingers tightened around the fabric of his robe, his chest tightening with every word.
"I married you because I had no choice," the king continued, his tone distant, his eyes cold. "But my heart belongs to someone else."
A sharp breath caught in Caelum's throat.
"Do not expect love from me, You are my mate in name alone."
The words pierced him, deeper than anything else had. His fingers trembled, and his chest felt like it was being crushed by an invisible weight.
Caelum swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "I understand, Your Majesty."
The king did not respond. He turned and walked toward the door, leaving Caelum alone in the vast, cold chamber.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
And in that moment, Caelum's heart shattered. The weight of the king's words—the rejection—was almost too much to bear.
He was alone in a foreign land, a country that was now his prison, bound to a man who did not want him.
A love that was never his to begin with.
---
Caelum remained still for a long time, lost in his thoughts, his heart aching as he sat there. His dreams of a loving marriage, of a husband who would cherish him, seemed to fade with every passing moment. Instead, this was his reality now: A gilded cage with no escape.
And the worst part? He couldn't even cry.
This was the first heartbreak of his life, and the king—his husband—had delivered it with cold precision.