The Mute Girl and the Duke

A mute and a cripple. Quite the pair. He was right, I couldn't speak, the man beside me couldn't walk. What Halvard didn't know was that I could see everyone's future. That gift came from Norn, goddess of fate. And he knew nothing about the man in the wheelchair. Couldn't see the gold red thread. burning at the man's chest, the thread that belonged only to a king In my past life, I chose Halvard, the fifth prince, unwanted, powerless I spent years reading his fate, paid for it with my life, changed his destiny, made him king Then, the day my sister Astrid died, he forced poison down my throat. If you hadn't chosen me, I would have married her. She should be sitting beside me now, ruling this kingdom. Instead, she fell into my brother's hands. He tortured her to death. After I died, he put Astrid in my gilded coffin, called her his queen, buried her in the royal tomb like royalty. My body was wrapped in straw and left in the wilderness. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a woman's sigh. A tear fell on my cheek. I was reborn. Back to the royal engagement banquet, Astrid and I stood side by side before the princes. Halvard moved first. Walked straight to Astrid. I looked around the room, then I saw ita burning golden thread wrapped around one man's chest. "I have made my choice. I will only marry Astrid of the Vaughan family. She is my one and only. I ask for nothing else. " The room shifted. Sympathetic eyes turned toward me. "Every prince chose the Morte family's firstborn. Not a single one chose her. How sad. " "What did you expect? "She's a mute. I was the Duke's illegitimate daughter, born without a voice. A black cloth wrapped around my throat, hiding the scar left by the curse. At this banquet, Halvard ranked lowest. His mother had been a kitchen maid. Everyone assumed a prince with nothing would have no choice but to take me. But he walked right past me without a glance, stopped in front of Astrid. Astrid's cheeks flushed. She glowed. Her eyes drifted slowly across every prince in the room. In my past life, she chose the crown prince, the one most likely to inherit the throne. She hesitated. Last time, she chose the first prince. He was brutal, he tortured her to death. Halvard remembered that too, his expression changed, urgent. Marry me, Astrid, I swear I will make you the most respected woman in this kingdom.

Halvard glanced at me, contempt meaning behind it. He thought he could reach the throne alone, without me. He didn't know I kept my secret until the day I died—that I could prophesy, that I could change what was coming. In my past life, I used that gift to protect him. I saw the poisoned wine before he drank it. I sensed the monster attacks before they came. I read what was ahead, blocked every path that could harm him, won over every lord and noble. I put him on the throne. This life, he assumed I would chase after him. He wanted Astrid badly. Fine, she was his. I hoped he wouldn't regret it. I let the words form in the air where all could see them"I'm only a mute. "I deserve no prince, Astrid and the fifth prince are perfect together. Good, at least the mute knows her place. Even if you begged me, I wouldn't take you in.