The Prince’s Bride Part 2 (The Prince's Bride, #2)

by J.J. McAvoy

It was so sad I had to bring in backup just to get a room.

You are all asking me to set myself on fire to keep him warm and mad at me for not burning! No!”

I was trying to save myself. And they were telling me to suffer for him. It wasn’t fair.

Odette, because of you, I laugh, I smile, and I dare to dream of a future that is worthy of poets. The reasons that brought us together weren’t the best or the most romantic, but I am glad for them nevertheless, and I swear to you, from now until the day I die, your dreams are my dreams. Your joy is my joy. Your pain is my pain, and I will never betray you. You are now my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars,” he repeated, gripping me tighter. “I told you I would send for you when things calmed down. But they never did, Odette. Every day, every hour, and every second, something was calling for the Adelaar’s attention, and I was the one everyone was looking at for answers. I followed your advice and took it one problem at a time. Why? Because I trusted you would keep your promise. Do you remember what that was?” I didn’t answer. “I asked you, ‘Promise me you will be patient with me on the days I am not so romantic,’

“They will rip me apart, Gale. I am not a queen.” I bit back the tears in my eyes. “They will try, but I will not let them close enough to do so,” he replied, gently lifting my chin back up. “Because you are my queen,”

I will not let you burn to keep me warm, but I will burn everything else so you can stay. So stay.”

“They know we are here. We are not hiding or sneaking away. It is not something shameful, so we leave as guests leave,” Gale stated back.

I put the tea back onto the table because I was feeling like dumping it in a harbor.

In his eyes, I could tell he was asking me to come back by his side. But I did not want to. It did not feel the way I wanted it to feel.

I couldn’t help but lift my hands like I was Maria in the Sound of Music or Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.

“The secret is to lean on your strengths when you can and others when you cannot. Or at least, that has worked for me.”

“Thank you, Wolfgang.” “Don’t worry. As you say in America, ‘You got it, dude.’”

God, save me from the queen because she is going to kill me.

“You are a horrible supporting character in my story.” I frowned,

To my dearest and most beloved Odette, How they have slandered you. How they have insulted and belittled and harmed you. You who have done nothing but love me for me. You who makes me laugh and write poor poetry. You who held on to me when my brother died and let me weep before picking me off the ground. I do not understand them—those who hate you. They explain, and still, I cannot understand them. They cannot be doing it for my sake because they have to see how happy I was and am with you. I do not know what to do. My heart wants to run away with you. But every other part of me is glued here. When and how did I fall in love with you so much? Was it when you came down the stairs as Cinderella? Was it the first time I heard you sing? Was it when I married you? No, that is far too late. I’m not sure when or how I fell so deep. But I did. And I will always love you. No matter where you are in this world, know there is some lonely prince in some sad palace, staring out at cherry blossoms, thinking of you, and smiling at the memories we made together. With never-ending love, G.M.