(The theme song for this chapter is Last night in Los Feliz by NIIA, the music especially is what comes to my mind the whole time when I write this chapter!)

I wear the dress as the eyes of the men glue on me, including Andrew's

I have never felt so humiliated in my entire life but then again I feel as my life has begun just now. My body feels sore as Andrew looks at me with lust in his eyes.

"See that's how obedient you should be" Andrew says as he throws back the Iron rod into the flames.

"I will make you so happy, Love" he says as he walks closer to me and kisses my cheek and I hesitate but I hold back enough to not show him my hesitation at all

"Now, MOVE!" He says as he grabs my arm and escorts me outside with him, Medusa follows us and with her are Andrew's 5 men. She is chained and quite, we exchange glances from time to time but nothing more than that.

"The Gods will never forgive you" Medusa finally says as she looks at Andrew while walking behind him

"Oh shut up, you pagan" Andrew says as he continues to walk with my arm in his hands

"A PAGAN?" I am baffled, I turn back and look at her, "You never told me, that you are a Pagan!" I say and she looks at me

The Wedding Dress

"Why does, what I call the Gods matter so much?" She looks at me and says. I can sense friction between us.

Now I know, why the Pagans in the blood woods never hurt me. It was all because of Medusa. She knew it, she was one of them. She never bothered to tell me.

"You worship the devils, make human sacrifices. Your religion is crooked" I say back to her as Andrew scoofs and says, "Why don't you both finish your talks before we reach the church, I don't want to hear it" He says and let's go of my arm. I run towards Medusa and walk by her side as she walks chained. I feel guilty to be free and her to be chained like an animal

"You could have at-least told me about it in all these years?" I speak

"For you to judge me? Like you judge Ivar" she raises her eyes to look at mine

Just by hearing his name, my heartbeat stops. Andrew is walking many feet in ahead of us and the men seem not to care enough to listen to our whispering talks

"Ivar? How do you know about him?" I ask in pure desperation

"I am the mad lady, I know everything" She smiles

"Then when you told me that The Gods have chosen a 'man' for me and that I would feel loved. How were you so wrong?" I say while pointing to Andrew who is walking while humming

"I wasn't. I don't know" She says and looks at the ground

"Look at this! Here we are" Andrew says and my heart drops, it's a small white church with candles lit round and inside it.. The forest has ended and plains lands are to be seen under the moonlight. I shiver in cold as my dress and cloak is not warm enough. I preted to smile as I look at Andrew who looks ecstatic like a child given a candy for the first time

I am that candy for him 

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Ivar's POV

Where did they go? My eyes burn with anger with wrath taking in every inch of my soul, I want to kill someone, brutalize someone.

I cannot find her but I won't quit either. I have sweared to The Gods to make her my wife. I will never lie to the Gods.

Ever

"Nothing here" One of my men come running towards me and say, "We have burned everything and the blue church too"

I clench my jaw in frustration as I sit by the fire and watch people burn and see their toddlers cry and howl while seeing their parents reduced to ashes. 

"We continue the search" I say

"Nobody sleeps or eats till we find them" I say as I look at the flames

"NOVA!!! NOVA!!! SOMEONE SAVE MY NOVA!" A woman screams as she looks at the burning house

But heart stops and I run towards her, and ask her, "Nova? Is Nova inside?" My eyes widen as I look into her eyes, 

"Yes! Please save her" The woman cries

I immediately run inside the burning house and look around, hoping to see Nova in those flames. Standing beautifully like an enchanting goddess, waiting for my rescue.

Maybe if I rescue her, she will know I have a heart too.

Instead what I see is a young child crying

"Help me please" The girl cries as I look at her and the wooden house starts collapsing under the fire, a burning pillar falls between the Child and I.

"Please, Save me" The child screeches

I feel numb, I feel nothing. I turn around and say

"No"

As I walk out, the mother comes to me and begs me, "Did you find her? Where is she?" 

I don't say a thing to her no matter how much she begs, I walk towards my horses and command my men

"To the North!"

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Nova's POV

"Hold this" A girl in the church says while handing me a bunch of wild flowers as Andrew chats with the priest and Medusa and men sit down to witness the wedding.

I look at the flowers and I smile. I remember the time I used to collect wild flowers and bring it back to the castle, my mother used to be annoyed by that habit of mine.

I miss those days, I hate these days

I don't wish to marry Andrew. The thought of it makes me nauseous but I have no choice.

If I don't marry Andrew, he would kill Medusa and Ivar would kill my family and I

If I marry Andrew then I will never love ever but at-least the people I love, survive

The chose is clear, maybe as a princess. I never really have a choice, I am just a puppet of the people and circumstances.

"Ready?" Andrew asks as he stands with the priest and I, at the start of the aisle. "Yes" I stutter but say it.

I look at Medusa and every ounce of her body says 'No', but I have to. 

I just have to, I wish I married a man I loved and I wish I was happy at my wedding

I hesitate but I still walk down the aisle and reach Andrew who is grinning like a child again.

I take a deep breath in, just to control the tears which are begging me to let go of them from my eyes.

1) Theme of the chapter