Chapter 3

Back when I was a kid, they treated me like the apple of their eye and wouldn't let me suffer even a little.

Before I was born, my mother was jostled by a palace servant, which forced her to give birth prematurely.

When I came into the world, my cries were barely louder than a kitten's meow.

Back then, my mother doted on me. She would hold me close, soothing me to sleep with gentle whispers, even when I cried day and night.

But then, her dearest friend in the palace, Consort Camilla, suddenly passed away, leaving behind a newborn baby.

That baby was my little sister, Martha.

Moved by their sisterly bond, my mother began to show more affection to Martha, entrusting me to the wet nurse's care.

The wet nurse was a cheerful woman who let me run wild, climbing trees, splashing in the water. I often coaxed the King into playing with me, and over time, I became quite the little rascal.

As for my mother, she was strict and proper, raising Martha to be docile and delicate, with all the poise you'd expect from royalty.

Trying to win Mom's favor, I was always trying to outdo Martha, making her burst into tears every single time.

But all I ended up with was Mom getting more and more fed up with me.

As I got older, I tried to rein in my wild side and behave the way she wanted, even bowing to her just like she liked.

But she never even looked at me. Instead, she caught Martha as she giggled and ran into her arms, playfully tapping her nose. "Don't run so fast, what if you fall?"

That was when it hit me. She just didn't like me, not even a little.

No matter how hard I tried, she never had a shred of patience for me.

But now, with her scolding me mercilessly in front of everyone, my heart still aches a little.

"Queen Mother, I have to disagree with you," a deep voice sounded from behind me.

It was like a rock, steady and strong, holding me up when I needed it most.

Walker moved his wheelchair to shield me, his eyes clear and unwavering.

"Valerie didn't choose either of those men to marry. Instead, she put the Great Zarian Empire first and volunteered for the marriage alliance herself. In my eyes, she's not as weak as you claim. She's the most decisive and resilient woman I've ever known."

Everyone was left speechless, clearly not expecting those words to come from Walker, who was always butting heads with me.

My mother was the first to react, snapping back, "Forming a marriage alliance is Valerie's duty as the crown princess. If she was really so willing, why bother picking a consort at all?

"King Cruvian may be a bit older, but older men know how to treat their wives well. Valerie wouldn't be getting a bad deal marrying him."

She shot a glare at Walker, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Both of those candidates were chosen for Martha. If Valerie really refuses the alliance, why not let her marry a cripple like you?"

Her words were so harsh that even the usually gentle King dropped his smile and shot my mother a cold, hard look.

Walker lost his leg with honor on the battlefield. If he hadn't been out there, so young and already fighting on the front lines, people like us wouldn't be living it up in the palace, enjoying all this luxury.

I was about to jump in and defend him, but then I caught Walker's thoughts. "Forget it. The Queen Mother's right. Someone as broken as me would only hold her back for the rest of her life."

I turned to him, my heart twisting with sympathy. He hung his head so low, it was like he was trying to disappear into the shadows.

Ever since we were kids, he was always better than me at everything. He used to return to the capital riding tall and proud after a triumphant campaign, greeted by crowds tossing flowers in his honor, a true hero's welcome.

But the more high-spirited and proud someone is, the harder it is for them to accept their own flaws and brokenness.

He never let it show on his face, but deep down, he'd already started to doubt himself.

My mother thought she'd scored a victory and looked all smug, but I just flashed her a smile and said, "Alright then, I accept."

I knelt before the King and bowed deeply. "I, your daughter, pledge myself to Walker. I will stand by him, loyal and true, never leaving his side, no matter what."

The King looked at me, his eyes filled with both surprise and concern. "Are you serious?"

At the same time, he thought to himself, 'I trust Walker, but that leg of his...'

I nodded with conviction. "I truly mean it."

Tristian blurted out, "No way!"

He came right up to me, trying to talk some sense into me.

"Valerie, don't do this out of spite. The Queen Mother's right. If you end up with someone like him, with his injury, you'll never have a normal family life. People will gossip and mock you for the rest of your days. If you really want to be with me, then I..."

He gritted his teeth. "I'll marry you!"

Brennan fixed me with those calm, steady eyes, and I caught his thoughts, 'If Valerie asks me just one more time, I'd be willing to marry her too.'

These two were a real joke. Just a moment ago, they were head over heels for Martha, swearing to stay loyal and even defy the King for her. Now, all of a sudden, they were in a rush to win me over.