The next moment, before Jeremy could recover from his stupor, guards from the ice castle approached him. The knights were clad in full steel armor.
"We have come to escort you to the altar, my lord."
The guy took a deep breath: it felt as if they were taking a prisoner. Nevertheless, the servants accompanied him to the temple located within the castle. He followed them as his soul sank into his heels.
That's it, this is the end... he lamented mentally.
However, at the moment Jeremy was supposed to enter, he stood motionless at the entrance to the temple, gazing into the distance at her back. The Northern Princess wore a white dress, as pale as her complexion. The shiny silver skirt flowed across the marble floor, a tiara adorned with pearls shone in her silver hair.
Jeremy's heart clenched at her stunningly beautiful, yet so cold and aloof appearance.
The guy took a deep breath. His mind was in a mixed state of confusion, anxiety, and fear.
When he didn't move, the servants standing behind him urged him to step forward. Jeremy slowly approached the altar. The nobles standing on either side of the red- carpeted nave cast contemptuous and sympathetic glances at him. The baron's son tried to ignore them and approached her.
The bride stared intently at him with her bluish-purple eyes. Then, as if satisfied with his appearance, she turned away.
Feeling like an offering sacrificed to an evil witch, Jeremy couldn't seem more pathetic than he did now.
"..... "
Jeremy felt as if he were falling into an endless pit when he spotted the faces of his relatives among the crowd of guests. His father, Baron Seybel, and one of his middle brothers, Edmund, were looking at him.
Anger and sadness washed over him, raging with increasing force. The guy involuntarily clenched his fists.
Looking at his father, who had heartlessly sold him as a husband to the ice witch and now hypocritically smiled and politely clapped his hands, he couldn't remain calm. If anyone other than him had been in his place, Jeremy's life would have been completely different. He wouldn't have had to be here, tossing and turning in anxiety.
Damn my father, brothers, and all associated with them.. may all these devils burn in hell!!!
Thinking this way, Jeremy Seybel clenched his jaw.
"The ceremony will now begin!" the high priest standing on the platform announced solemnly.
All his thoughts vanished as soon as Jeremy felt Selina's gaze on him from the corner of his eye. The woman seemed to non-verbally order him to stop distracting himself and focus on the ceremony. Jeremy immediately turned away from his relatives and walked towards the altar.
Then the high priest began to read the scriptures. The next twenty minutes dragged on incredibly long. Finally, the following words left the priest's lips:
"Selina Rottem de Lun, do you swear before God that, taking Jeremy Seybel as your husband, you will cherish and respect him until death do you part?"
Jeremy raised his head as the high priest uttered this question in a dignified, majestic tone. Everyone held their breath, waiting for her answer. The Duchess answered in an indifferent, cold voice.
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"I swear."
"Jeremy Seybel, do you swear before God that, taking Selina Rottem de Lun as your wife, you will obey her, care for her, and protect her until death do you part?"
The baron's son felt his whole body tense, but nevertheless, he answered in a quiet, trembling voice.
"I-I swear."
He desperately tried to calm his pounding heart. Finally, the priest announced the union between them, and the witnesses stood up, clapping their hands. Everything still seemed so unreal. Jeremy, covered in cold sweat, watched people head to the banquet hall. He didn't know what to say or do.
"Why are you standing here? The wedding reception is about to start," the Northern Princess addressed him with a cold and stern expression.
"I... I'm coming," Jeremy stammered.
On unsteady legs, the guy moved away from the altar and slowly walked along the carpeted path towards the exit. Selina preceded him and entered the banquet hall first. But before Jeremy could follow her, a firm hand landed on his shoulder. It was his own father.
"Good job," Rowan Seybel whispered, coming closer, "You're not as hopeless as I thought."
Jeremy clenched his jaws so hard his teeth ground. There was a completely hypocritical smirk on the Baron's face.
"Now you must make sure to get as much dowry as possible from the Duchess. I trust you won't disappoint me."
The guy looked at him with strong hostility, but the Baron looked at him completely calmly.
Jeremy unclenched his fists as Baron Seybel, having said all he wanted, headed into the banquet hall with his older brother.
Watching his back, he somehow managed to calm down. Taking a deep breath, Jeremy stepped forward. "That damned bastard!.."
In the luxurious banquet hall filled with a crowd, Jeremy felt uncomfortable. The nobles kept glancing cautiously at him with interested faces. Of course, most of those present wondered why this particular guy had been chosen as the princess's spouse. And only Jeremy, the only one who knew the true reason for this, smirked wryly.
He drank a glass of wine to calm his nerves a little.
It so happened that in this huge banquet hall, he was completely alone. People constantly approached the Duchess, while Jeremy had to remain in the background. However, everything was exactly as he expected. Occasional smirks and not-too-friendly comments were all he heard about his person from time to time.
He glanced at the long dining table where Camilla was sitting. But even here, his hopes of spending time in his friend's company vanished. The duke's daughter seemed completely absorbed by the Crown Princess. After making sure the food here was safe, the princess intended to fatten Camilla up properly after their long journey.
As if feeding a fussy child, Kaena held a spoon and tried to feed her. She watched intently as Camilla slowly ate large pieces of pie with filling and steamed sea bass.
"I... I can't anymore."
"You've lost so much weight these days and now look pale," the princess said worriedly, "Come on, you need to eat a little more."
After the main villainess's persuasion, Camilla finally had to obey. She reluctantly opened her mouth as the princess smiled and fed her vegetable soup.
"Eat slower. You might get an upset stomach," she lamented.
If I did get indigestion, it would only be because of the main villainess... the duke's daughter sighed heavily. But since the princess shouldn't know that, she remained silent, meekly accepting the food.
In short, watching this scene from the sidelines, Jeremy realized he would clearly be out of place here.
Events happened so quickly that soon it was already dark, and the banquet was coming to an end. Suddenly, someone's voice called out to Jeremy at that moment.
"My lord."
"Y-yes?" Jeremy turned his head and saw the butler before him.
"I must remind you that it is time to enter the marital chambers," the old man announced distantly.
Then he extended his hand, leading him to the main exit from the hall. Jeremy swallowed. From tension, his back was sweating. For some reason, the baron's son had completely forgotten about this part of the wedding ceremony. And now, when he realized what awaited him, the entire previous ceremony he had gone through seemed insignificant.
"Oh damn..."
"Do not keep Her Highness waiting," the butler threw at him finally, before the guy finally moved and followed him.
Gloomy thoughts haunted him all the way.
I hadn't really thought about this before... But now... Now... How the hell am I going to survive this night?! panic seized him.
Sharing the marriage bed with the ice witch... His insides twisted at the mere thought. Even a simple conversation with her was a severe trial for Jeremy. Let alone anything more.
When the baron's son climbed the stairs to their shared bedroom, his heart pounded wildly and uncontrollably in his chest. However, even if he wanted to run away like a coward, this desire remained unattainable for him. He took a deep breath when he reached the room and stopped before it.
The butler took his leave and timely withdrew. "I... I'm... I'm c... coming in..."
Jeremy weakly pulled the door handle. Moonlight illuminated the large, luxurious room. Jeremy swallowed again and finally opened the door wide enough to enter the room.