Chapter 3

For half a month, I was barely hanging on. The fever kept coming back, and I was so thin I barely looked human anymore.

The whole Blackwood family treated me like a joke.

Word around the Blackwood family was that I wouldn't survive the winter.

King Onyx barely bothered to check on me once.

And it wasn't a royal physician who showed up, but his chief attendant.

The attendant kept his distance, standing a short distance away, squawking out King Onyx's so-called "care". "Your Royal Highness, His Majesty says that now you've married into the Blackwood family, you should learn to be a proper wife.

"Don't cause any more trouble or disgrace the royal family."

Disgrace the royal family? I was forced to stand in the rain all night, burning with fever, and nobody gave a damn. Where was the royal family then?

I lay in bed, too weak to force a bitter smile.

Edward stood behind the attendant, a barely-there smirk tugging at his lips.

Now, he was the most famous loving husband in town. Everyone saw him at home day after day, skipping every event, all for the sake of "taking care" of his "sick" wife.

But only I knew, every night, he was in Lily's room, indulging in revelry till dawn.

"I'll do as His Majesty said," Edward replied, bowing deeply to the attendant. His posture was so humble that he seemed the very picture of a loyal subject.

The attendant gave a satisfied nod and then shot me a look that said I was beneath him. "Your Royal Highness, maybe you should learn from Lord Edward and stop acting out."

I closed my eyes, couldn't be bothered to look at their phony faces anymore.

Once they left, the room went dead silent again.

I lay there quietly, counting each beat of my heart. One. Two.

I waited for a sound strong enough to shatter the fake peace of Capital City.

Finally, dusk on the fifteenth day arrived. It came at last.

First, the ground started to tremble, like thunder rolling in from far away. Then came the stomp of boots, so fierce and unified that it sounded like they could crush the whole world beneath them.

The city walls shook with every thunderous step.

Servants all over the manor scrambled in terror, bumping into each other as chaos broke out.

"What's going on? Is it an earthquake?"

"No, it's not an earthquake. It's soldiers. There are troops everywhere outside the city."

Edward's face went pale as he bolted out of the courtyard.

I forced myself up, leaning on the wall as I staggered to the doorway.

The western sky was swallowed by a tide of black. An endless wave of soldiers rolled in.

It was the Ironridge Battalion, clad in dark armor, marching like a storm. They pressed down on the city, ready to tear it apart.

I smiled. Dad was here.

The gates of Capital City were blasted open like they were nothing.

Fifty thousand Ironridge soldiers swept in, a black blade slicing straight to the city's heart.

And a heartbeat later, the red-lacquered gates of the Royal Palace came crashing down with a deafening roar.

An imposing figure, clad in Ironridge Battalion armor, strode in, silhouetted against the light, every step radiating power. Behind him, the chilling presence of tens of thousands of soldiers hung heavy in the air.

He kicked open the gates of the Blackwood manor with a single, thunderous strike. Splinters flew everywhere.

Edward and the servants were so shaken by his arrival that their knees went weak and they could barely stand.

Richard scanned the room with a hawk's gaze, finally locking onto me.

When he saw how gaunt and fragile I looked, the murderous intent in his eyes became almost tangible.

He crossed the distance in a few strides, pulled off his cloak, and wrapped me up tight in it. His hands were shaking. "Bella, Dad's here," he said.

I buried myself in his strong arms, breathing in that familiar smell of metal and dust, and finally, the tears I'd been holding back spilled down my cheeks. "Dad, they were so mean to me," I choked out, my voice breaking.

Richard held me close, his eyes rimmed red with pain and fury.

He turned, fixing his gaze on Edward, who stood frozen, stunned and pale with terror.

"You're Edward?" he asked sullenly. "Who gave you the guts to hurt my daughter?"

Edward's face went pale. His lips trembled, but not a single word came out.

He was scared. He had acted all high and mighty, treating me like I was nothing. Now, in front of Dad, he couldn't even stand straight.

Richard didn't look at Edward again. He gently gathered me up in his arms and carried me out with determined steps.

The Ironridge Battalion parted before us, forming a path. Five hundred thousand pairs of eyes fixed on me, not a hint of pity, only rage that threatened to overflow.

These were my family and friends who'd watched me grow up, the ones who cherished me as their little princess. Now, seeing their princess disgraced and shattered, they knew this insult would be avenged with blood.

At the gates of the Royal Palace, King Onyx stood with his crown on his head, flanked by his court officials, already waiting for us.

When he saw Richard carrying me, with a mass of soldiers behind him, his face darkened with fury. "Richard. Are you trying to rebel?" His roar echoed across the empty square.

Richard stopped in his tracks and let out a booming laugh, hearty, yet tinged with desolation.

"Rebel?" He glanced down at me, his voice trembling with pain and fierce protectiveness. "Your Majesty, I don't know what you call 'rebellion. All I know is, my daughter was nearly destroyed in your Royal Palace."

"I brought my army here to ask you a question." He raised his head, staring King Onyx down from the throne, his voice thundering through the square. "Tell me, does my daughter deserve to be treated like she's nothing?"

The court officials were scared stiff, not even daring to breathe.

King Onyx's face went from red to pale in a heartbeat. "How dare you. You—"

Richard cut him off without hesitation. He slipped the signet ring off his finger and slapped it into my palm.

"Bella, don't be scared," he said, his voice soft. "Dad's taken the Royal Palace for you. From now on, if anyone tries to mess with you, take them out."

The Royal Palace was dead silent. Everyone was so shocked.

It was wild and over the top, but it was also the top level of love.

I clutched the cold signet ring, feeling its weight. This was the confidence Dad gave me.

I looked up at the throne, sitting way up high. It used to feel untouchable. But now it was really nothing special.

I pulled myself from Dad's embrace and stood tall, refusing to lean on anyone. Though my body was weak, my spine was straight as steel.

Clutching the signet ring, I stepped toward Edward, each stride steady and unyielding.

He kept retreating, fear etched deep across his face. "W-What are you going to do?"

I walked right up to him and stopped. "Nothing." Mimicking what he'd done to me, I lifted my foot and pressed it down hard on his hand.

He howled, the sound raw and desperate.

I pressed down with every ounce of strength I had, grinding my heel into his hand. "I want you to know, now, it's your turn."