Twice-Made Vows

By T.S. Dickerson

This short story combines horror and dark fantasy to explore what happens when a king loves too deeply. Author T.S. Dickerson takes us to the kingdom of Montesin, where Prince Giles has sworn his undying love to his sweet bride. But, when she and his parents are killed by sickness and Giles inherits the kingdom, he is forced to wed again. How can he love another? Can undying love conquer death? Can the power granted a king be too great?

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.S. Dickerson
• Release date: Jul 30, 2020

Book preview

Twice-Made Vows

Copyright 2020

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ONCE UPON A TIME, a marriage treaty united the kingdoms of Montesin and Samine. The bride and groom stumbled up the aisle into a stray miracle and were blessed to love the person chosen for them. For eleven glorious months, they adored each other thoroughly.

Then, an illness swept through the kingdom, claiming the King, the Queen, and the Princess. In the timespan of a death rattle, the prince was spared and cursed. Now, he would inherit the kingdom before his time. To do so, he would have to remarry, for no Montesin King could stand without a Queen.

His visited the grave of his beloved to beg forgiveness. Kneeling before her headstone, he let out a wretched cry. Thousands of people in his kingdom and a million or more in the world beyond, but he would always be alone without her. In that moment, he knew that loneliness was a fate he could not bear.

***

ONCE MORE, SIRE, I beg you not to do this.

Prince Giles Montesin sighed and looked away from the lovely woman across the ballroom floor to meet the priest’s gaze.

Once more, Father Draval, I’ll remind you that I have no choice. He spoke softly but did not whisper, and he straightened his posture as he added, And I assure you, if I have to tell you again, I’ll have your head.

Father Draval leaned away from the young man to better study the profile of a face he’d watched grow from childhood.