[Historical romance contest] She was a hostage princess sent from an enemy kingdom, the beloved of his sworn brother, and a thorn in his elder brother’s side. She was also the woman he loved.
He stopped at nothing to seize her by force, and at last brought her into his residence.
On their wedding night, she held the nuptial wine and waited barefoot for him. Her eyes shimmered, her features as beautiful as a painting.
His gaze burned, but he remained unmoved by her beauty.
He knew this was her seduction scheme. Otherwise, his kingdom wouldn’t have fallen, he wouldn’t have been driven by her into the desert, and he wouldn’t have been trapped in the quicksand, fighting for his life among heaps of bones.
Five years later, he came to her kingdom, where he rose to the highest ranks of government. His personality had changed completely; he was now sinister and ruthless.
When the ruler sent him a woman, he strangled her with his own hands. From then on, his infamy spread far and wide, and no one dared provoke him.
Once again, it was her. She stumbled into his arms and asked if he would marry her.
A mocking smile touched his lips, along with a hint of loneliness too faint to see. After a moment, he nodded.
On their wedding night, he wondered what she would do this time. Would she trick him into drinking poisoned wine, or stab him when he wasn’t looking?
But instead, she nervously blew out the wedding candles and reached for his sash.
(The leads have only been with each other, happy ending. She hurts him early on, and he torments her later. Mostly sweet, with a little angst.)
Ugly