Chapter 5 5

As tradition dictates, Ceci had to return to her home with her family and wait for the wedding date, so she could return to the kingdom for the pre-wedding ritual and if she was approved in this ritual, she could finally get married and become the princess.

Her sister didn't say a word to her at all during the journey home, while her mother spent the entire journey lecturing her for what she had done, Ceci seemed to have committed a great crime by accepting the marriage proposal and her mother insisted to remind her of that all the way back, but she was convinced that she had done the right thing and even passing over her sister she didn't reproach herself, not least because Emanuel made it very clear that he would not marry Madeleine under any circumstances, it was either her or it was neither, it made her feel a little guilty, and the first time in years she was actually feeling truly happy. Back at home, her father didn't approve of her choice either, he reproached her, she didn't even have support from her father, who always supported her way of life, but this time he is against her and he made it very clear. The days at her house went by very quickly and thank God the day came to return to the kingdom for her wedding rituals and she had no idea what she would have to go through to get married. as soon as her fiancé arrived, she went to welcome him, but he didn't even touch her hand, her royal nannies were already ready to serve her, this already bothered her a lot because she was used to having her freedom and having to be surrounded by women all the time it left her very frustrated, it wasn't quite what she imagined, her clothes would also have to change, the bodice was so tight that she couldn't even breathe properly, but she would have to endure all that if she really wanted to get married.

Her mother-in-law made it clear to the housekeeper that she didn't make it easy for Ceci, her idea was that she couldn't stand the rules and gave up even before getting married, but she didn't know Ceci and how determined she was in the things she wanted. Ceci joined Emanuel for the rehearsal of the waltz they would have to dance at the wedding, the two were happy to have a moment together, but that wasn't enough, they wanted more, and they took a moment and escaped the rehearsal, they needed for a moment alone, but they were soon interrupted, there's nothing you can do hidden in the kingdom, there's always someone watching and the housekeeper caught them in the act, kissing, and ended their little party by taking her back to the preparations the engagement, which was not an easy journey, but Ceci held on. All the royal nannies wanted to stay close to Ceci, they wanted to guarantee their place next to the future princess, as there would only be 3 vacancies and they were 8, so 5 of them would have to leave. the most difficult moment, was when she had to undergo a test to prove her purity and prove that she was healthy enough to give an heir to the prince, Ceci went through a moment of such great humiliation, where a doctor would examine her in the presence of a priest and other people, to certify her virginity, that was too embarrassing, having to open her legs for two men to stare at her, at first Ceci refused, she thought that was too much, but when she found out that without this exam there would be no marriage decided to give in and lay down so that they could examine her and end it soon, the tears rolled down all over her face, her lady Adelia, remained at her side holding her hand, she doesn't know why, but she has become fond of Adelia since she was born. arrived in the kingdom, she seemed to be different from the others who were there to serve her, Adélia accompanied her on her walks and listened to her whenever she needed to, and now it would not be different, there was Adélia by her side holding her hand, and giving him all the necessary support for that very embarrassing moment, and however difficult it seemed it would soon be over, and at the end of the examination it was verified that Cecilia was pure and that her health was iron and she was capable of giving an heir to the prince.

While Cecília performed the rituals for her wedding, Emanuel tried to solve the kingdom's problems, and one of his big problems was his brother Maximus, who caused trouble wherever he went and now it would be no different, Emanuel was sought out by a desperate father, who had the lives of her two daughters torn apart by the same man, one died giving birth to a boy who abandoned her when he found out she was pregnant and the other tried to commit suicide after being dumped by the same man after taking her virginity and not wanting to get married- if with her, today she is locked up in the sanatorium and all this takes the person of the young Maximus who played with the lives of two sisters who had their innocence stolen and destroyed, Maximus even tries to take the blame, but his brother left very clear that he knows very well that he was the one who caused all this pain in this family, Emanuel proposed to the girls' father an indemnity and a title of nobility so that he would not take this accusation forward, and the poor of the father had to settle for that, because a fight with the royal family would not be nice. As soon as the girls' father left, Emanuel made it clear to Maximus that either he walked the right path and obeyed the rules or he would end up destroying everyone. What Emanuel didn't know is that this was just the beginning and that he would still have big problems with his brother, and that that was just the tip of the iceberg.