Have a little snippet of Odessa.

I honestly just wanted to write something, so I used Odessa as inspiration. :two_hearts:

Pale fingers of midday sun, wrapped in fog and frost, filtered through the stained glass windows of Valethael’s royal keep, casting fractured light across the stone floor like shards of frozen flame.

All was quiet—no sound echoed off the looming stone walls, save for a faint click, click—the sound of heels striking cold, bone-white marble.

Portraits of long-ed relatives stared the young woman down as she floated through the halls, an apparition of sorrow and mourning, draped from head to toe in the darkest black fabrics.

A dramatic ballgown wedding dress in heavy black velvet clung to her form, its long sleeves ending in lace loops around her middle fingers, and a thick veil concealed her face.

Layers of chiffon dragged behind her, as if even they could feel the ache burning deep within Odessa’s heart.

She was supposed to be in white today.

It was tradition. It was what her family expected—

To send her off for a formal marriage to a foreign man she’d never even met.

A man known to be a devil. Evil incarnate.

Her parents were essentially tossing a wolf their least favorable lamb.

CLICK. CLICK.

Odessa’s steps grew sharper as she stewed on that fun little thought, fingers curled into fists so tight her knuckles blanched.

Breathe, Odessa… stay collected. You’re making your statement.

Her magic brushed against the thought, working in tandem with each inhale to still the trembling in her limbs.

She was almost there now—

Almost to her place by the front doors, ready for them to swing open and reveal her to the kingdom.

Several thousand people waited just beyond, eager to catch a glimpse of the princess they’d never met, being sent off to a fate they wouldn’t wish on their own daughters.

The ornate doors made the perfect backdrop for her mother and father’s expressions when they finally laid eyes on her.

Their troublesome daughter, on her wedding day, dressed in her funeral best.

The queen’s face went pale, her fingers flying to her throat as a quiet squeak escaped her lips.

The king? He looked ready to burst a vein—

a deep red flush creeping across his cheeks as his mouth curled in a sneer of disapproval.

But there was no time.

The people were waiting.

And the doors… were already beginning to open.

Odessa began to tremble for a new reason now—not from anger, but from raw satisfaction at the silence that greeted her family when the low creak of the doors came to a halt.

The subjects all stared. Slack-jawed. In utter disbelief as their princess came forth.

As quickly as the silence had come, it was replaced by a wave of murmurs.

Shocked whispers. Thinly veiled jabs.

Claims that she was endangering her home like a spoiled child.

No one understood.

Because of her status, she was expected to do what was best for the kingdom—

to put her own desires aside.

How dare a royal child wish to like her suitor before marrying him?

Hell, even having met him once would’ve been nice.

But no.

She nearly laughed—cackled, even—

but she managed to trap the sound deep in her throat.