The Prince's Runaway Bride

Tissuria was indeed a kingdom of many traditions. Just when Zenia thought that the ceremony was finally over, the King stood up.

"Let the ceremonial dance begin!"

Zenia's jaw dropped when she heard the King's announcement. Vaughn could tell that his wife wanted to return to her room and rest. It had already been an exhausting day for her. He sighed as he stood up and extended his hand to take hers.

Zenia looked at Vaughn with pleading eyes. Vaughn just shook his head gently. He lowered his head and whispered in her ears.

"We should go through this. Please bear with it a little more. I will compensate you for this."

"You will give me anything I ask?"

Vaughn nodded.

"You, don't go back on your words." Zenia's eyes began to beam with delight.

"Anything, except divorcing me."

"Oh, I won't divorce you this early. The people here will always see me in the palace and won't suspect anything. So, we agree that you will give me what I ask from you later?"

Vaughn looked at Zenia, who was smiling at him with delight. He had a feeling that Zenia just gave him a cryptic message. But his little devil was smiling so sweetly at him. Anyway, she could not blame him later about the ceremonial dance.

"Yes." He finally nodded and the clouds of doubt disappeared completely.

Zenia gave her hand to Vaughn and stood up. Vaughn led her to the dance floor as the attendants cleared their table and stashed it away.

The music resonated through the main hall signaling the start of the ceremonial dance. Zenia did not know that she must dance with every male member of her family and then the Royal Family. Vaughn had twelve brothers. Luckily, not all the princes were there. She only needed to dance with seven princes, including Vaughn. Then she must dance with the ministers of Tissuria and Ishelon.

Vaughn began to sway and led Zenia. After a few steps, Zenia accidentally stepped on Vaughn's foot. At the end of the dance, Vaughn was almost limping. Zenia felt guilty, dancing was not her forte. She cursed at herself for not listening to her mother when she was told to attend the dance lessons, which Zekiah had attended for her.

Zenia was about to sit down when the Second Prince grabbed her hand. He introduced himself while flashing a radiant smile. He tried to lift Zenia's veil for so many times. Zenia was able to avoid it each time. In the eyes of the onlookers, Zenia and the Second Prince seemed to move flawlessly on the dance floor. Only Vaughn knew that Zenia was trying to prevent her veil from being lifted, and her moves belonged to a type of martial arts that Vaughn had seen somewhere before.

Vaughn also danced with the female members of his family, including Princess Odette. It was an open secret that Princess Odette had romantic feelings toward Vaughn. Damien considered his sister a bane of his existence, but he could not simply abandon her.

After she danced with the male members of the Royal Family, except the King, the ministers started to line up. She wanted to cry but couldn't. She thought that she only needed to dance with the male members of the Royal Family. Vaughn pitied her and decided to double the compensation that she would ask later.

When she was dancing with the Defense Minister of Tissuria and Vaughn was dancing with Princess Odette, Zenia felt the pitiful gazes of people being thrown at her. It was a known fact among the people of Tissuria that Princess Odette was one of the few figures who prevented the women from entering Vaughn's harem. She was furious when she learned that Vaughn was to marry Zenia Anisen, a famous ugly woman and a good-for-nothing.

The Defense Minister noticed the people's gazes and sighed.

"Pay them no mind," he whispered to Zenia.

"Come again, sir?" The Defense Minister was startled at the way Zenia talked to him.

It was just a simple question, but he was able to see that Zenia was nothing like the rumors had said. Her demeanor may not be considered the same as that of the other young ladies of the prominent families, but she had a very dignified bearing and tone – like that of someone in the military. Even though she was wearing a veil, the Defense Minister could tell that she was a woman of beauty.

"That shameless woman dancing with the Crown Prince is his sister. She and the Ninth Prince have the same mother. But, she wants to be romantically involved with the Crown Prince, and she does not hide it."

"If they become romantically involved with each other, it becomes i.n.c.e.s.t, isn't it? Did she know that it's immoral?"

"She's young maybe no one told her that it's wrong to fall in love with her biological brother." The Defense Minister shook his head because he had always known that most members of the Royal family had loose morals.

Zenia looked at Princess Odette. Even she could tell that the princess was very much in love with the Crown Prince. What about the Crown Prince?

"You will be seeing more of me, Your Highness. I hope we can exchange notes some other time." The Defense Minister bowed to Zenia before handing her over to the next official for the dance.

The Defense Minister took one more look at Zenia and sighed. He heard a rumor that the daughter of the Anisens was not a good candidate for a wife. But, he chose not to believe the rumor and still sent a marriage proposal on behalf of his youngest son. He found it odd that the infamous Anisen family would produce such a useless daughter. However, the marriage proposal was not answered. It seemed that the recipient did not receive it. He had a hunch that someone intercepted it but had no idea who it was.

Finally, the ceremonial dance had ended and so was the banquet. The people began to disperse. The King and Queen together with the other members of the Royal Family went on their way to return. Zenia felt so exhausted after dancing for so long. She pitied the feet of her dancing partners. She tried her best to walk straight but her feet were already sore. Vaughn suddenly picked her up and carried her. Odette saw everything and she was furious. She was planning to invite Vaughn to have a drink with her, but the new wife beat her to it. She gritted her teeth and walked away.

"Your Highness, please put me down. Is this acceptable?" Zenia asked as she lifted the veil that was obstructing her vision.

"Well, this is the first time in Tissuria that the husband carries his wife to the bedchamber."

"Won't you be criticized?"

"They wouldn't dare! If they would, I'll just handle them accordingly." Vaughn smiled at Zenia.

She knew that she had seen that smile before but couldn't remember where and when. They continued walking and Zenia felt sleepy.

The Anisens saw Vaughn and Zenia together. They decided to go over where the newlyweds were. When they came, they saw that Zenia was already fast asleep in Vaughn's arms. Zander was about to pick up Zenia from Vaughn when Renaria smacked his hands. Renaria glared at Zander who immediately put his hands down.

"Please take care of Zenia for us. We will take our leave as well." Renaria was the one who spoke, and she practically dragged all the men in her family away from the newlyweds.

"Thank you, mother-in-law," Vaughn said in a low voice, and Renaria heard it and smiled.

Vaughn looked at the lady in his arms who seemed to be having a sweet dream. Vaughn planted a kiss on the lips of his sleeping wife. Zenia was dreaming about the sweets that she used to have in Ishelon, and it made her happy. Her lips curved into a smile after Vaughn's lips parted from hers.

Vaughn's heart skipped a beat, and his ears turned crimson when he saw it. He continued walking more gently toward the carriage that would take them to their home.