章 2: The Peace Bride.

'Always have a strong backup lie if you want to escape ' —Amzy_Bella

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NOTE: The accounts starting from this chapter are in the present.

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Seraphina stared at her reflection in the blurry mirror hung on the wall of her average-sized room. Her shining emerald brown eyes complimented her brown silky long and smooth hair that cascaded her shoulders down to her lower back. Even her unblemished sown white skin which earned her the most beautiful lady in her town and also the neighboring towns looked tamed as if she was a daughter of some very wealthy parents.

She ran her hand over her dress for the umpteenth time she could remember as the anxiety and pressure weighing on her shoulder made the last resolve inside her fall into the pit of her stomach.

Her body burned and churned at the thought of the upcoming event that will mark the beginning of a great change in her life. But before the great change, she needed to get a job and earn some money before she could make her big plan to escape the sudden marriage proposed by her parents. She was not going to be a victim of the so-called arranged marriage. Not in her life will she be a tool for settling disputes between her parents and a more influnciatial family who sadly was their family business partner.

What were her parents thinking, trying to get her married as if she was some lamb waiting to be sacrificed? Just because the family is one of the lords and they knew the king? She must make a move today, and that was finding a job even if her parents disagreed with it. If she could earn and pay off their debts, then maybe, just maybe she could escape the so-called marriage.

With this in mind, Seraphina took a deep breath and whispered to herself 'Everything will be alright. You can do it, Phina!' She was not going to marry someone when her heart belonged to another man. She will never do it. She must marry the love of her life!

Seraphina walked out of her room with a shaky breath and hands clenched by her side. She knew her parents wouldn't support her decision, but come what may, nothing will stop her from getting a paying job.

Just as she was thinking, her mother Lydia appeared from the end of the corridor.

"Where you going dressed as you are?" Her mother's voice sent a jolt of fear into her already anxious body.

Seraphina nervously turned and smiled sweetly at her. "Mother! Good morning. How are w…"

"Stop it, Serah! You haven't answered my question to know how my morning is doing." Lydia immediately cut her off with her hot gaze trained over her.

"I…I" Seraphina stuttered with her words. 'Come on Phina, what happened to the courageous girl some minutes ago?' Seraphina chastised herself in her mind.

Lydia narrowed her eyes at Seraphina. She walked forward and stood in front of Seraphina who fidgeted with her dress. Lydia turned to look behind before saying in a low voice,

"Don't tell me you're at it again. Did I not warn you about the predicaments your action will bring to the family?" Lydia questioned in a hard voice while looking sharply at her daughter.

"But there's nothing wrong in trying mother!" Seraphina whined, trying to make her mother see the effort she was putting in. Perhaps she will pity her and cancel the marriage.

"But there's nothing wrong in trying mother," Lydia mimicked Seraphina who turned embarrassed at her mother's action.

Lydia continued to question, "Tell me, will your trying pay off our debts? Will it? What job do you think will pay such an amount of money? Unless you want to sell your body?"

"Mother, how can you say such a thing!" Seraphina's eyes turned wild at her mother's last words. Even if she had to marry the ugliest poor man in their kingdom, she would do it than sell her body! How could her mother even think such a thing?

"Keep your voice down young lady if you don't want your father here this instant," Lydia warned looking over her shoulder to see if her husband Castiel was coming.

Seraphina rapidly blinked as she racked her brain for ways to convince her mother to let her go. Suddenly her brown eyes sparkled in eagerness. She held her mother's hands and said,

"Mother! Allow me to go and I won't make father know about it. If I'm not able to find a job, then I'll go ahead with the wedding. Just let me try my luck, mother." Seraphina hastily spoke to convince her mother.

Lydia looked at her daughter as if she was deep in thought. Even Seraphina thought she will agree to her request, but to her horror, Lydia suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her along with her as they walked back to Seraphina's room.

"You don't listen Serah! Have you thought about what will happen if we went against this marriage? If we refused the only way that could save our heads?"

"Mother, Please! Just listen to me, I can work and earn. I can save some money to pay our debts!" Seraphina half yelled as she struggled to get out of the stronghold of Lydia.

"And I say NO Seraphina! You will get us killed with these stupid thoughts and ideas of yours. Get into your room and reflect on yourself. This marriage is happening!" With that, Lydia pushed Seraphina inside her room and locked it from outside.

Seraphina couldn't believe she was locked up because she wanted to find a job to earn money so their debt will be paid. Even if it was little she made, at least it was better than paying none at all. They were the ones that did the business, and now they want to use her to settle the dispute by offering her as a peace bride. Was she a princess to be married to another kingdom? At least, the princesses were praised and respected because of it, but in her aspect, she will be ridiculed.

"Mother, open the door! I'm just trying to help, please!" Seraphina pleaded with her mother as she banged loudly on the door.

"Your help is only by proceeding with this marriage. That's the only way you can help this family now!" Lydia barked at Seraphina before walking away after she had securely locked her room.

Seraphina sighed deeply with a slumped shoulder. She walked to her bed and lay with her back on it.

"Just how my wanting to find a job got me locked up," She spoke to herself and shortly after speaking, she heard a bang on her window.

"That must be Lucy," She guessed and stood up from the bed. Opening her window that lightly creaked, she found Lucy standing near it.

"Hey, Phina!" Lucy excitedly called.

"Keep it low, will you?" Serah warned looking between the door of her room and her friend Lucy.

"Oh sorry, you're locked up. I forgot about that." Lucy joked with a laugh. She had come to look for Seraphina some minutes ago, and her friend's mother had gone to call her. Only for her friend to be locked up.

"It's not funny," Seraphina rolled her eyes and leaned on the window pane.

"Hey, sorry," Lucy stopped laughing and apologized, "I got some big news."

"And?" Serah questioned in a bored tone.

"Don't give me that tone when it is going to benefit you." Lucy glared at Seraphina from where she stood. She continued to say, "I found you a job. Are you interested?"

Seraphina's eyes shone in anticipation. She had told Lucy about the work she was searching for, and her friend promised to help her out. And now Lucy was here with the news that sounded like honey in her ears, she couldn't wait to start the job immediately. The excitement died as it came when she remembered her predicament.

"I can't go. I'm locked up remember?" Seraphina stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Of course, I know. That is why I'm telling you to hop down from there and let's get into town. Besides, your parents just left in their carriage. I heard them discussing going to Willow town." Lucy's excited voice couldn't be mistaken by Seraphina that this was going to be an adventure rather than job hunting.

"Willow town?" Seraphina asked Lucy to be sure of what she heard.

"Yes, Phina. I think they're going to one of their business partners." Lucy answered with a thoughtful look as she tried to remember what she heard from Seraphina's parents.

"Business partner?" Seraphina questioned again. Why was the name of this town sounding foreign in her ears? When did her parents have a business partner in Willow town? What are they hiding? Seraphina questioned in her mind as she couldn't help but be curious to know what her parents were up to. She knew all their businesses and business partners, so how come she hadn't heard of this one? She wondered.

"I don't know. That's what I heard, that they're business partners." Lucy answered before changing the topic. "Come on Phina! Don't be a stick in the mud." Lucy urged Seraphina with her big green eyes as she dramatically flipped her curly black hair that stopped below her shoulders.

"Are you sure, Lucy?" Seraphina hesitated to join Lucy even though she knew the invitation to job hunting was an open invitation to an adventure. But who doesn't like adventures? Especially when you're locked up and have to escape through the window?

"A thousand percent sure, Phina. And also, the pay is mouth-watering too. Come on!" Lucy urged with her offer that sounded tempting in the ears of Seraphina.

"Okay," Seraphina finally agreed "Let me do the needful first," She said and went to her bed. Using her pillows to form the shape of a human lying down, she covered it with her blanket before returning to the window.

Once she was ready, Seraphina raised the hem of her dress up to her knees. She climbed the window, and with one swift movement, she jumped down.

Her legs wobbled and she fell with her bottom to the ground because of the slightly high height of her window to the ground. Lucy was quick to join her side to help her dust her dress.

'Of all times to get dirty, it was today she was going to look for work' Seraphina cried in her head.

"Come on, let's quickly go now before your parents get back home," Lucy impatiently dragged Seraphina along with her.

'Adventure and job hunting, here I come!" Seraphina shouted in her mind as she let Lucy drag her away.