Chapter 4 We don't like each other

The silence in the Golden Hall was so loud you could hear a pin drop, they weren't expecting Ixora to voice out at all.

Draven's face, which was smiling a second ago, was now as red as tomatoes. His fists were clenched so tight that his white armor was shaking.

Annya's fake smile stopped also and her mouth was wide open.

Cassius stood up from his throne. "IXORA! Have you lost your mind?! Stand up this instant and choose Draven! This is a royal order!"

But Ixora did not stand she was still on one knee, holding Theoniel's cold hand.

Theoniel... he was looking at her like he was seeing a ghost. His grey eyes were wide. For two years, no one had dared to come close to him. They called him cripple, cursed, useless. And now, the most respected princess in the kingdom was kneeling for him.

"Get your hands off me," his voice barely a whisper, "Do you know what you are doing?"

"I know exactly what I am doing," Ixora whispered back, only for him to hear. "It's you. It's always been you, Theo."

At the mention of that name, Theoniel's whole body froze, his head banged twice. No one had called him Theo since... since " Stop it there don't make me-"

Draven couldn't take it anymore. He stormed forward and grabbed Ixora's wrist, yanking her up from the floor.

"You're confused," he said through gritted teeth, trying to smile for the crowd. "The dark magic —"

Ixora slapped his hand away,hard away from her wrist.

"Don't touch me," she said, her voice cold enough to freeze fire. "I am not your property, General Draven."

The crowd gasped.

Annya saw her chance and ran to the King, crying loudly, "Father! Father, look! Sister is truly cursed! The crippled prince has done black magic on her! How else would she slap her own fiancé?!"

Cassius stood up and roared, "Guards! Seize Prince Theoniel!"

Two guards rushed towards the wheelchair.

And that was when Ixora moved. Her black and silver dragon scales flashed and her dragon core ignited. In a second, she was standing in front of Theoniel, her arms spread wide with glowing eyes.

"Anyone who touches him," she thundered, "will die by my hand. Even if it's father's order."

The guards froze where they are shaking,no one had ever seen Princess Ixora like this. If it were in the past, she was soft. Shy. Always hiding behind Draven.

Now she looked like a true princess.

Cassius stared at his daughter, shocked with a knitted brow.His own bloodline and daughter was pressing against him.

Slowly, Ixora lowered her arms. The glow in her eyes faded and turned around.

Theoniel was still staring at her, his cold hand still in the air where she had held it.

Without a word, Ixora walked behind his wheelchair. Her small hands gripped the handles. She had never pushed a wheelchair before, but her hands did not shake.

"Let's go," she whispered to him.

The crowd parted on their own. No one dared to block the princess who had just threatened the King.

Draven stood like a statue, his face red with shame and anger. Annya was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding.

Ixora was already at the big golden doors of the hall, pushing Theoniel out, when she stopped.

She turned her head and looked straight at her father on his high throne smiling.

"Father," she said, her voice loud and clear for all the clan to hear. "I am expecting your royal consent. And the royal letter for Prince Theoniel. You will send it to the Jade Tower."

She smiled wider again showing her dimples.

"Oh, and inform everyone. My royal marriage with Prince Theoniel will be in seven days."

The hall exploded again.

"SEVEN DAYS?!"

"She's really marrying the cripple?!"

"The King will never agree!"

The King slammed his hand on his throne. "IXORA!"

But Ixora had already pushed Theoniel out of the Golden Hall, into the sunlight. Leaving chaos behind her.

Outside the hall, away from the noise when they both reach jade tower.Theoniel finally speak up.

"why did you do that, Princess? Seems you like trouble, everyone will hate you now."

Ixora stopped the wheelchair and walked to the front and knelt down again, so they were facing each other eye to eye.

"Theo-" she didn't get to talk when Theoniel raised his hand and a force threw her away making her to fall with full force but Ixora was quick to get hold of herself and stood up.

She did let him live the moment before appearing in his front using her own powers to press him down his chair,

Theoniel's eyes widened. His lips parted but didn't say anything but Ixora continued walking towards him.

"Who did you think you are to use your dark magic on me because I choose you doesn't guarantee I like you so get this stick to your head don't think am your play thing, sucker" Ixora bulted out before turning to him towards the bed.

She didn't reach the chair handle when the same force still pushed her again but this tim just a little push.

"And choosing me doesn't give you the chance to shorten my name, I don't want any nickname from you not even from your next generation" Theoniel deadpanned pushing him self towards the bed.

"What princess in her right mind rejects a general for a cripple in a chair? You made me look like a fool!" Theoniel continue trying to reach the bed.

"I saved you! You should be thanking me!" Ixora shot back.

"Thanking you? You announced our marriage in seven days without asking me! Who does that?" Theoniel stopped trying to reach the bed to face her properly.

Ixora stomped in front of him, hands on her waist.

"Why are you shouting? And don't give me that cold prince act. I know you, Theo."

His grey eyes turned dark instantly.

"Don't," he said coldly.

"Don't what?"Ixora tilted her head.

"Don't call me that. Don't you ever shorten my name again."

Ixora frowned. "Why? Theo is Theo—"

"Theoniel," he corrected, his voice low and dangerous. "My name is Theoniel. Not Theo. Theo died in that -."

The air suddenly got cold and Ixora felt her scales prickle. He was using his power on her.

She glared at him.

"Stop it," she hissed. "Don't use your power on me again. Ever."

"You started it by—"

"I started what? I started by saving your ungrateful life by choosing you?"Ixora chipped in.

"You started by being stubborn as always!" Theoniel shot back.

"I'm stubborn? You're the one sitting on that chair like the whole world owes you!"

Theoniel's clenched his jaw his grey eyes is already black and Ixora's cheeks were red. They were so close that their foreheads were almost touching.

"Crippled Alien" Ixora spat.

" It's not new again but you can use that as your daily quotes"

She looked around for something to throw at him and her eyes landed on a small jade pillow on the corridor bench. She grabbed it.

"you dare not," Theoniel warned.

"Why? Scared, Your Highness?" she raised the pillow, aiming for his face.

And that was exactly when the side door slammed open.

"PRINCESS! I HEARD YOU SLAPPED DRAVEN AND STOLE A HUSBAND AND—"

Lenny ran in with her hair half-loose, holding her skirt, panting like she ran across the whole palace.

Then she stopped. Dead.

She saw Ixora standing with a pillow raised over her head like a madwoman, and Prince Theoniel in his wheelchair looking up at her like he wanted to strangle her.

Lenny blinked but her mouth was too fast." Granny Xhun is dead!"

The jade pillow Ixora was holding fell as she walked fast to Lenny.

"Tell me it a lie... It's isn't true" Ixora shake her head but Lenny nod her head telling her it's true.

Ixora did wait a minute before running out crying.