𝟎𝟒. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞

Cassie must have drifted off to sleep because she was roughly awoken by Gabriel hauling her to her feet and out of her cell. “What’s going on?”

Gabriel ignored her and brought her to the prison bathhouse. “Make her presentable for the nobles tonight,” he ordered one of the servants. “And be careful with her. She attempted to kill Princess Verity.”

The servant girl nodded and guided Cassie towards the female section of the baths. The girl looked very familiar. She was young, probably in her early teens, and wore the standard attire of a palace servant—a white shirt and black pants. However, she had a black and gold cloth tied around her waist, and if Cassie remembered correctly, it meant that she was a servant of higher status. Why was she here in the prisoner bathhouse?

“What’s your name?” Cassie asked.

“Xenia,” the servant girl replied curtly. Cassie frowned, wondering where she had heard that name.

Maybe it was the way Gabriel accused her of attempting to kill Verity, or maybe it was the judgemental stare of Xenia, but Cassie had the sudden urge to explain herself. “Look, I did not try to kill Verity. I-”

“You shall say the princess’ name with respect,” Xenia said harshly, shoving Cassie into a tub of warm water and scrubbing her down.

“Ouch!” Cassie cried out as the rough brush rubbed out more than just the dirt and grime. “That hurts! But I didn’t try to kill Princess Verity. I swear on my life!”

Xenia glared at her. “Tell that to the court.” She tilted her head and examined Cassie. “You don't look that bad,” she observed. “Maybe they’ll spare your life and auction you off to the highest bidder.”

Cassie froze. Sell her off to the highest bidder? No, she would rather die than be humiliated like that! She wished that her Prince Charming would come to save her, that her name would be cleared without being sold to some seventy-year-old pervert. But even that doesn't happen in fairytales.

When Xenia was done, she dressed Cassie in a plain blue shirt and pants—the attire of a prisoner. Xenia then grabbed her arm and brought her back out to the entrance. Her grip was painfully strong for someone so small.

“She’s ready,” Xenia announced.

Gabriel nodded and tossed her a gold coin. “Thank you, Xenia. Now, why don’t you go and care for Princess Verity? Prince Lucien will need to attend the dinner in a few minutes.”

Xenia curtseyed and hurried off to her beloved princess.

“She’s a sweet little thing,” Gabriel remarked. “No wonder Princess Verity chose her as her personal servant.”

Cassie could only gape in shock. Of course, that was where she had seen Xenia. She was the servant Lucien had sent to fetch the Royal Doctor.

The whole ordeal didn’t make sense to Cassie. How had she been transported into The Race for His Heart? Was this the work of their Council? Or was it something else? Or was this all some elaborate dream?

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even realise where she was being taken until Gabriel roughly pushed her down onto her knees.

She winced in pain when her knees came into contact with the cold unforgiving marble floor. She looked around, taking in the large ballroom. This wasn’t just any dinner. This was a gathering of the highest nobles and the commoner representatives who were seated at the long dining tables that lined all four sides of the room. Even the five Festival candidates were there.

“Cassandra Thomas,” King Arthur boomed. “You have been brought here today on the charge of attempted murder of Princess Verity along with pending charges of stealing and breaking into the palace.”

Cassie opened her mouth to defend herself, but Gabriel kicked her. She grunted in pain as the King described what had happened earlier. The attendees murmured amongst themselves while peering down at her.

“Ms Thomas, is there anything you would like to say to the court?”

Cassie perked up the moment the words left the King's mouth. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and sort out her jumbled thoughts, she said, “It was an accident. I-I didn't mean to hurt the princess. It all just happened in the heat of the moment. We sort of struggled prior before she tried to hurt me and I was just defending myself…I really didn't mean to hurt, much less attempt to kill Princess Verity. Please! You've got to believe me!”

What was she saying? She did not know. But even she knew how weak and pathetic it sounded with no resemblance to a real defence.

King Arthur raised an eyebrow at her while Prince Lucien scoffed in disbelief.

Beads of sweat formed on Cassie's brow as the rest of the court sneered down at her and broke out in condescending murmurs. Her breathing quickened as her eyes darted around the room. This was it. She really was done for.

King Arthur raised his eyes from Cassie before silencing the room with just a slight clearing of the throat. “The evidence is clear that Cassandra Thomas is guilty of the above charges, so what sentence do you propose?”

Cassie braced herself as the attendees immediately threw out their suggestions.

“She should be executed!”

“We should sell her off!”

“Keep her as a slave!”

“Thrown into the arena with a hungry wolf!”

“Put her as a candidate in the Festival of Eros!”

The King raised his hand, and the room fell silent once again. “Mr. Torris, what did you just say?”

Mr. Torris, a middle-aged ginger in a black suit, stood up to address the King. “Well, Your Majesty, since Prince Lucien and Princess Verity’s wedding celebration will end in two days, the Festival of Eros will soon commence for Prince Henry to choose his bride. Ms. Thomas looks like a lovely young lady, so why not give her a chance to contest? Should she fail to win the Crown Prince’s heart, her fate will be up to Your Majesties to decide.”

Cassie couldn’t believe her ears. Her? Compete for Henry's heart? How could she ever stand a chance against royal princesses and ladies? This was a punishment crueller than death for they all knew that she stood no chance against the five other candidates.

Meanwhile, King Arthur looked at his family with a raised eyebrow. “Your suggestion is indeed interesting, Mr. Torris. Henry, Lucien, what do you think?”

“I don’t mind having her competing, but what will happen if she fails?” Henry questioned as Lucien protested, “She’s a dangerous woman and shouldn’t be allowed to participate in such a prestigious event!”

“Brothers, how about this? Ms Thomas will be allowed to compete, but should she fail, her fate will be up to Lucien and Verity to decide,” Jacob proposed before things could escalate.

“Are we all in agreement?” King Arthur asked.

Cassie’s heart sank as all the attendees nodded, no one raising any objections, not even her fellow competitors. Instead, they were smirking to themselves. Her fate was sealed and cast in stone. She’ll never win. Unless…

“Good,” King Arthur said, satisfied. “Let the race begin!”