Chapter 11: Tides Of Change.

                                    

                                          
The king's words were calming, but his eyes betrayed his concern. He gestured to the guards, who quickly scooped up the princess's limp form and carried her out of the grand hall. Lord Lugard watched her go, his face contorted in a mixture of frustration and despair.
"I swear, your Majesty, I meant no harm," 
He protested, his voice cracking with emotion. 
"I don't know what's wrong with her. She just...faints every time I try to touch her."
The king's expression was stern, but his voice was measured. 
"We will investigate this matter, Lord Lugard. But for now, let us focus on the princess's health. We will summon the royal physician to attend to her."
Lord Lugard nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. 
"Thank you, your Majesty. I just want to make her mine, and make her happy."
But the king's eyes narrowed, his mind working with suspicions. He knew his daughter, and he knew she would never faint so easily. Something was amiss, and he was determined to uncover the truth.
The princess, still pretending to be unconscious, felt a chill run down her spine as she heard Lord Lugard's words. She knew she had to escape, and fast, or risk being trapped in a nightmare of a marriage.
As she opened her eyes, the princess was met with a sea of concerned faces. Her mother, the queen, was holding her hand, while her siblings, Prince Michael and Prince Michelle, stood by her side. The king, her father, loomed over her, his expression stern but worried. And then there was Lord Lugard, her betrothed, who was gazing at her with an unsettling intensity.
The princess's mind raced as she tried to recall what had happened. She remembered the ceremony, the kiss, and then...nothing. She must have fainted again.
"Welcome back, my dear," 
The queen said, smiling softly. "We were worried about you."
The princess tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her. Lord Lugard quickly moved to support her, his hand on her back. She felt a shiver run down her spine at his touch.
"Let me help you, my love," 
He whispered, his breath hot on her ear.
The princess pulled away, her heart racing. She didn't want his help. She didn't want him.
"So, that gives you the right to touch me without my consent?" 
The princess snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. 
"I am not your property, Lord Lugard. I am a person, with my own thoughts and feelings. And I demand to be treated as such."
The king's face darkened, his brow furrowed in displeasure. 
"Merrima, do not be disrespectful to your husband," he warned.
But the princess stood her ground, her voice firm. 
"I will not be silenced, Father. I will not be treated like a mere object to be bought and sold. I am your daughter, and I deserve better than this."
Lord Lugard's face reddened with anger, but the princess continued, her words tumbling out in a passionate rush. 
"I will not be held captive by your wealth and power, Lord Lugard. I will not be trapped in a marriage that suffocates me. I demand the right to choose my own path, my own destiny."