Chapter Text
Gabriel stared blankly down at the paper in his hands. He looked up at his father with panic, trying to make basic gestures, and the old man slapped him.
Gabriel fell back on his knees, tears in his eyes as he bowed his head. He'd only just turned eighteen, but already it seemed his father tired of him.
"You're grown," his father spat. "It's about time you contributed to this family." He gestured to the paper. "From now on you will be my daughter Gabriella, and you will marry the Prince of the North. You should be grateful. Most bastards would kill to have this opportunity."
Gabriel bit his lip, tears filling his vision as he stared down at the marriage contract. The prince was rumored to be cruel and sadistic, not to mention unpleasant to look at. And if he found out Gabriel was deceiving him...? Oh gods.
The servants worked in silence, too afraid to meet Gabriel's eyes. The morning light streamed the window of his barely furnished room, painting it in a pale gold. A scent of lavender hung thick in the air as one maid sprayed perfume on him, then picked up a brush and brushed out his long, thick chestnut hair. It was one of the few things he had ever been complimented on, and now it would be used to complete his disguise.
He grimaced as he held onto the leg of the bed as the maids pulled a corset tight around his waist. It grew tighter and tighter until his ribs ached and it hurt to breathe. He bit his trembling bottom lip with a whimper, staring at the mirror as they dressed his slender frame in fine lace and silks.
When the maids were finished, Gabriel hardly recognized the reflection staring back at him. His jawline was softened by the makeup, and his lips painted a rosy hue. The white gown he was dressed in trailed all the way to the floor, the corset forcing him to stand unnaturally. A veil obscured most of his features, but his blue-gray eyes, haunted and unsure, still showed through.
"You'll take his breath away." the older maid whispered softly, not meeting his gaze. Gabriel nodded slightly. He could see the fear in her eyes, the knowledge of what would happen to her if she said anything out of turn.
"Remember," his father said from behind him. The sound of his boots on the marble floor made Gabriel flinch. "You are Gabriella now. You will smile and obey the prince. And you will make certain he believes you are everything he desires."
When his father finally left, the maids packed Gabriel's trunks with jewels and dowry silks. Outside, a white and gold carriage waited, bearing the royal crest of the Northern Kingdom.
Gabriel lingered at the threshold of his room, his gloved hands trembling. He looked back at the room where he'd spent his childhood, dreaming of the things he would do when he became a man. It was all for nothing. Taking a deep, unsteady breath, he stepped outside into the cold.
The driver didn't speak as he helped "Lady Gabriella" into the carriage. The horses snorted clouds into the cool air. The heavy door shut behind him with a final click. As the wheels began to turn, Gabriel pressed a hand to his chest and whispered a single, silent prayer that the prince of the north would be blind enough not to notice the truth before their wedding night. Or kind enough to let him live if he did.