The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Tyra and Ivan followed the king and queen obediently until they got to a safer place away from everyone.

As soon as the king turned around, he threw a hard slap that landed on Ivan's face. Tyra gasped and jumped back, and her hand quickly flew to cover her mouth as she stared wide-eyed at the scene.

Both Ivan and the Queen also stared at the king in shock while Ivan touched the side of his face where the king had slapped. If he weren't so strong, the slap would have twisted and broken his neck.

"It's my fault for letting you do as you please," the king said, sounding disappointed.

"My—"

"SHUT UP!" The king angrily bellowed at the queen, who was trying to make him calm down, and she flinched and, at the same time, stepped back and put her hands up in fear.

The king looked at the three of them in displeasure before he focused his gaze on his wife and pointed at Ivan.

"Look at the son you raised. Who would ever think he is fit to be king?"

"Then what would you have had me do?!" Ivan yelled unfairly, with his hand still touching the side the king had slapped.

The queen tried to silence him, but he didn't pay them any mind.

"If mother had treated you a little like how Luciana treated me, you would have done worse! I could not just sit down and let it—"

"Brother..."

"Shut up!" He glared at Tyra, shutting her up.

The king looked at Tyra and then at Ivan before he sighed and shook his head.

"I told you all..." He started to speak calmly. "Be on your best behavior for the rest of this banquet. To not mention anything about Luciana either. But you..." He looked at the queen first, "and you..." He faced Ivan. "What did you do?"

Ivan was about to speak again, but the queen spoke up first, cutting him off.

"I will handle it, my king. We..."

"I will no longer condone this nonsense. Especially during this period." He said it in a stern tone that gave them goosebumps.

"If you mess up one more time, I will forget our tie. All of you." Having said that, he turned and walked away.

The queen faced Ivan, looking livid. "What is wrong with you? Why do you behave like an idiot every time?"

He threw his face to the side and scoffed.

"Are you trying to destroy everything now?" The queen asked, sounding even more annoyed now at his unapologetic behavior and nonchalance.

"What are you staring at? Go wait outside!" He yelled at Tyra, who flinched and looked at their mother.

With annoyance written all over her face, the Queen cocked her head for her to go outside, and she bowed and left the room quickly.

"This is not the time to let your emotions control you!" The Queen reminded him sternly. They needed to up their game and make sure Ivan was announced as the heir. Otherwise, it would be over for her.

"So what am I supposed to do about Luciana? She treats me poorly." He complained.

"Come back to your senses!" The Queen snapped angrily, trying to control herself from hitting him.

"You act like you are tied by fate, and she is your mate. Should I remind you about how she embarrassed and disgraced you? How she looked down on you and took your enemy's side? How she trampled on you? Should I remind you about all of that?"

Those words brought Ivan back to his senses, and he began to remember all she had done to him, how she left him and went to have breakfast with Harold's crazy bride. How she had been doing as she pleased and disobeying him.

Seeing the anger in his face, the Queen knew he was finally back to his senses.

"Remember all of that and do away with her. If this nonsense continues, I will have to get rid of her to bring you back to your senses. We do not have time."

"Don't touch her!" He warned, eyeing his mother unpleasantly. "I will handle her myself. I will make her regret ever treating me like that." He said this with a sinister smile on his face that made the queen frustrated. Why wouldn't he learn about his priorities and stick to them?

"Do not give me any reason to touch her." The queen warned him.

"Tomorrow, we will talk about your wedding with Benedicta. And you have to apologize to her family for springing it up like that."

"I am a prince!" He reminded his mother, exasperated. "Why would I apologize to them? You can handle it." He said and turned around to leave.

"We aren't done talking!" She called after him, but he waved her off and walked out.

The queen used her hands to massage her temples, not knowing what she was supposed to do with him. This was a very critical time. Especially at this point when someone was onto her. Why was everything not going as planned? Just why?

As Ivan opened the door, he looked at Tyra and the queen's bodyguard, Damian, who seemed to be facing each other but turned towards him as soon as he opened the door.

He looked at Tyra closely and noticed how she was avoiding his gaze, and then turned to Damian, who kept his head down in a bow.

"Useless!" Ivan muttered, not bothering himself with the likes of them as he stormed out.

Tyra bit her lower lip and clenched her fists beside her as she kept looking ahead without looking back at Ivan. The day would come when Ivan would finally learn his place. She would make sure of it.

Since Ivan was out, Damian opened the door for her to go in and meet her mother, and Tyra stepped inside hesitantly, not looking forward to whatever conversation she was going to have with her mother because she could vaguely guess what it was all about.

Immediately she stepped into the chamber, the queen looked at her with unconcealed disgust, "Why do you keep disappointing me? It is bad enough that you are a weak Omega. Why do you not listen to me and keep embarrassing me?" The queen asked angrily, and Tyra looked at her in confusion.

"What is my offense, mother?"

"Did I not warn you only a few days ago about giving food to the servants? So what did I hear tonight about you going into the kitchen? You COOKED? A PRINCESS?" The queen asked, her voice rising hysterically.

"I didn't cook, mother. Princess Amber cooked, and I only..."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" The Queen yelled angrily, and immediately Tyra snapped her mouth shut.

Confused, Tyra opened her mouth to apologize.

"I'm sorry, moth..."

"I said shut it! I do not want to hear a word from you." The queen ground out through gritted teeth.

"I think you have stayed in the palace long enough, and it is time for you to leave here before you disgrace yourself and the royal family any further," the Queen said, and Tyra frowned, hoping the queen wasn't trying to say what she was thinking.

"Where am I going to, mother?" Tyra asked quietly.

"Where else is a lady supposed to go from her father's house? Your husband's house, of course. Get ready. By the end of the banquet, I will be announcing your marriage to Sir Gregory's son, Lance," the queen said, and Tyra's eyes hardened.

"I won't."

Immediately the words left her mouth, the Queen turned to look at her in disbelief.

Even Tyra was surprised at what she said.

"I... wasn't asking for your permission." The queen said, still in disbelief. First, it was Ivan, now it was her?

"Leave!" The queen ordered angrily as she began to pace around the chamber.

Seeing the way Alicia had impressed Sir Gregory, whom she desperately needed on her side, she needed to make her move. Harold and his wife had made their first move with food, but she needed something more substantial to sway the man. What else than a marriage tie to the royal family would persuade a greedy man like that?