...
"Reject her."
The words were quiet, but they echoed loudly in Selene's ears.
She stood in the middle of the royal hall, her fingers gripping the fabric of her dress tightly as the man in front of her looked away like she was nothing.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," the suitor said, bowing slightly. "But I cannot accept her. I will not stain my family's bloodline."
A few people in the hall murmured softly.
Selene lowered her gaze, her chest tightening, but she refused to cry.
She had learned that the hard way.
Crying would not change anything.
It never did.
Earlier that morning…
A knock came from the door.
"Princess Selene, please wake up. Today is a very important day."
Selene slowly opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling for a moment. Then she let out a quiet sigh.
Important.
Of course she remembered.
How could she forget the day her fate would be decided?
"I'm awake," she replied softly.
The door opened, and Mara stepped inside.
Mara had been with her for years. More than a maid, she was the only person who had ever truly stayed by her side.
"My princess," Mara said gently, "your father will be expecting you in the royal hall soon. The suitors are already arriving."
Selene sat up slowly.
"I know," she said. "I just… needed a moment."
Mara gave her a small, understanding smile. "I'll prepare your bath."
Selene nodded.
After Mara left, Selene stood in front of the mirror.
For a few seconds, she just stared at her reflection.
Brown skin.
Curly hair.
Features that made her different from everyone else in the kingdom.
Features that made people whisper.
Her mother had been the king's only Black mistress.
And because of that, Selene had been labeled a mistake from the moment she was born.
A mistake that refused to disappear.
She looked away from the mirror.
There was no point thinking about it.
Today would decide everything.
Not long after, Selene was fully dressed.
The bright yellow gown felt heavy on her body, but she had no choice. It was chosen for her.
Mara adjusted the last piece of jewelry and stepped back.
"You look beautiful, my princess," she said sincerely.
Selene gave a small smile. "Thank you."
Even if beauty had never been enough.
Mara helped her as they walked toward the royal hall.
With each step, Selene's heart beat faster.
Her father had made it clear.
This was her last chance.
If she failed today, she would be sent away to another kingdom. Not as a bride.
But as a mistress.
Just like her mother.
Selene swallowed hard.
She refused to let that happen.
"I'll wait here," Mara said softly as they reached the entrance.
Selene nodded.
Then she stepped inside.
The royal hall was already filled.
Her father sat on his throne, his expression cold and unreadable. Beside him sat her stepmother, watching her with quiet judgment. Her stepbrother leaned back in his seat, clearly uninterested.
And in front of them stood the first suitor.
Selene walked forward, her steps steady even though her hands were slightly shaking.
"Your Majesty," the man said, bowing. "Is this her?"
"Yes," the king replied. "This is Selene."
The man turned to look at her.
Selene met his gaze.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then she saw it.
Disappointment.
Disgust.
The same look she had seen too many times before.
The man sighed.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said. "But I cannot accept her."
Just like that.
Rejected.
Again.
One after another, the suitors came.
And one after another, they left.
Some were polite.
Some were not.
But all of them said the same thing in different ways.
She was not enough.
By the time the fifth man left, the air in the hall had changed.
It was heavy.
Tense.
Selene didn't need to look at her father to know he was angry.
She could feel it.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze toward him.
His eyes met hers.
Cold.
Warning.
This was the end.
Then suddenly…
The doors opened.
A sharp sound echoed through the hall.
The guards stiffened immediately.
The nobles fell silent.
Even the king sat up straighter.
Selene's heart skipped as she turned toward the entrance.
And then she saw him.
A man stood at the doorway, his presence alone enough to make the entire room uneasy.
He was tall, his expression calm, but there was something about him… something dark.
Dangerous.
Different.
Selene had never seen anyone like him before.
Her breath caught.
And for the first time that day…
No one spoke.