Skip to content She refused to be a worthy representative of this crown; let her be the wife of the most despicable man. I will punish this man for his weakness and his horrible existence. Her world collapsed around her.
The princess’s eyes filled with tears, but she neither cried nor begged. Instead, she lowered her head, swallowing the pain as was her wont. Beside her, the slave, who didn’t bother asking her name, stared at the floor as if he wanted to disappear. A murmur filled the room. Some ladies stifled laughter, while others averted their gaze. As for the king, he was finally free of the problem. She was led into the inner sanctum of the palace, to the room where her feet had never set foot. Her room would now be a hastily renovated old warehouse. That night, lying on a thin mattress, she listened to the sound of rain pouring from the windows. She stared at the ceiling. She slept wrapped in an old blanket. A different silence fell. It was a silence of contempt, a silence that did not judge. And for the first time, she felt fear. She felt something strange, a slight emptiness, as if the day’s humiliation had opened a new space for her. Dawn came, shrouded in fog. Her rebellious companion rose cautiously, trying not to make a sound. She watched him in silence. For years she had been surrounded by servants who smiled
