Chapter 3 I Will Rather Marry A Cripple Than The King

• When the families eligible to become the Queen was named ten years ago, Emilia never thought that she will ever become one until three years back when the King got married to the first Queen and a few months later, she died.
• And just like that, the position of the Queen kept shifting over the years, and Emilia’s fear began when the family before her was also crowned the Queen seven months ago.
• Everyone in the country blamed Jurua, the dragon, worshiped by the royal families years back until it starts to demand many lives and the late king made a decision to renounce and kill it.
• Young prince Lucas played a huge role then, and was the one who managed to take the dragon’s head off.
• After all that has happened, Emilia never believed a dead dragon could be responsible for the deaths and will rather not have anything to do with Lucas, the palace or the royal family.
• She is meant to be the matriarch of the Markham family, marrying a man into the family, not leaving it behind for the danger-filled palace.
• June and Alice glance at each other, worried by the stretched silence from her, and Alice gently taps Emilia’s arm.
• "My lady… everyone is already at lunch, and your banquet dress has been prepared. Will you like to—"
• "I’m not going," Emilia snaps, leaping to her feet.
• "What?!" the maids gasp.
• They’ve worked tirelessly, sewing her gown overnight, preparing every detail. And could only get off work a few minutes ago.
• June steps closer, daring ask her,
• "May I know why, my lady?”
• “Must I get your permission to make decisions now? I said I’m not going.” Emilia responds, glaring.
• "Understood, my lady," they stammer, lowering their heads and back out of the room quickly, their fear as visible as the worry in their eyes.
• No woman walks willingly into a marriage with the King, not after what’s happened to his past Queens.
• Emilia presses her fingers to her temple, pacing. She needs a way out. Her mind races for any excuse, any loophole to use to get out of the so called marriage.
• Then it hits her.
• She snatches her silver-embroidered fan from the table and storms out of her room, forgetting to change into a more proper robe than the one which barely covers her.
• She enters the main hall mid-lunch. Her father, Lord Markham sits at the head, surrounded by his three wives and her two stepbrothers, including Catherine, her stepsister.
• Her own mother had died when giving birth to her and her father married Sophia two years after her mother's death but she was only able to conceive a female child, Catherine, and that has pushed her father to take in two other wives.
• Both Margaret and Hannah gave birth to two sons each but Sophia’s position as the Madam of the house wasn’t threatened as she is from a very powerful family.
• While Emilia, her mother’s nanny raised her and Emilia never acknowledge any of the women here as her mother.
• “Father,” she says breathlessly.
• Lord Markham blinks in disbelief as he looks up from his meal, scandalized.
• "Emilia, what are you doing here like this?” he scolds.
• “Go and change into proper clothes at once.”
• Whispers ripple through the family and Margaret, one of the concubine leans toward Sophia.
• “What’s she up to now?”
• Although mortified as well, Sophia remains calm and turns to Emilia.
• “You can’t wear your bed attire out in the public, the servants are around.”
• She cautions and raises a hand towards her maid.
• “Take her back...”
• Emilia flicks open her fan, flashing it at the maid in warning.
• “No one touches me.”
• The maids freeze in their tracks.
• June and Alice hurry in with a blue cloak in their hands, and drape it over her quickly then stepped back. Her father glares at them.
• “What were you doing when your mistress walked out like this?” Markham scolds them.
• “Forgive us my lord,” they cry out in unison, falling to their knees.
• “Don’t blame them,” Emilia intervenes, striding forward to sit beside her father, but Catherine is there.
• With a stare, Catherine stands reluctantly to give up the seat and Emilia sat down.
• "Father," Emilia says.
• "I want to get married."
• The hall freezes and silence falls like a heavy curtain.
• Even her maids glance at each other in shock. Her father stunned.
• "You want to what?"
• It has only been an hour since news reached them that the King might be planning to wed a new wife and Markham can’t believe Emilia will accept the marriage so easily.
• ”Marry?” Sophia repeats slowly and narrows her eyes.
• She is already twenty and should have been married from the age of sixteen but because of the requirement she has placed for a husband, a lot of suitors has back off.
• “To the King?”
• “No. To Cornelius. I heard his proposal was rejected a few days ago.”
• “Cornelius? The cripple?” Markham says, his brow creasing.
• “The one in a wheelchair?”
• Emilia nods.
• "Yes."
• Everyone knows the rumors about Cornelius, and how he fell from the window of a married woman and broke his leg which has kept him in wheelchairs since then.
• His parents were willing to accept Emilia’s conditions because of it.
• “What has gotten into you?” Markham asked and touches her forehead to see if she is sick or if there is something else wrong with her.
• “She has gone mad?” Margaret mutters, leaning towards her left.
• “She’s only saying this to avoid marrying the King,” Hannah whispered back with a chuckle.
• “Nothing has happened to me, father, I am well, but I’d rather marry a cripple than the King.” Emilia responded.
• Her statement lands like a slap in the face.