I gently pulled the pins out of my twin sister's dark, rich hair to let her curls fall gently down her back. She stared absently into the mirror before her with a small smile on her lips, most likely thinking of the past 48 hours. She took a deep breath and met my eyes, "It hurt me to let those men down, but I just couldn't marry them."

The past two days had been filled with horse-drawn carriages, rose petals lining the streets, and sky writing all aimed at my sister. She had drawn the attention of suitors from all over town hoping to impress her enough into accepting their proposals and forever binding them. They had all failed. Just like I knew they would.

In any other circumstance, I would have been furious at her turning down these opportunities to raise her station, but I was privy to the big finale. I smiled back at her with one corner of my lip lifting and revealing that I had a secret.

She squinted her eyes at me, knowing I had no semblance of a poker face. "Out with it." She demanded, her eyes showing some interest.

I quickly weighed the pros and cons of telling her, but after holding this in for weeks, I couldn't keep this from her for a second longer.

"The King has been coordinating with Mother to put on a ball for you tomorrow, where he will propose to take you on as his new wife!" I exclaimed, hardly containing my enthusiasm.

Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head at the news, and her mouth dropped open with horror. "Me? I've never been in the same room as him." Her mind is working through all the possibilities and mutters," How could this be happening?"

Confusion hits me as I start to see the color drain out of her face. "You know he picks the prettiest woman out of the university graduating class. This is an honor! You would be able to own your own piece of land, fund your own endeavours, and remarry if you wanted once the seven years passed." I search her eyes as I try to understand where this is coming from. She knows that this is the fastest way to freedom in the kingdom. Being a self-made success takes generations.

Her eyes flare at this, and she quickly turns in her chair to face me, "Seven years? Oh, is that it? Because I distinctly remember the requirement of having to produce at least two heirs during my sentence at the palace."

I bite down the instinct to react to her outburst and instead try to reach her through reason. "You've always wanted a family. What's wrong with starting at the palace? We used to dream of this happening to us, and now that it's being handed to us, you're afraid? His past wives say he's a patient gentleman."

She sighs in defeat, "That is not my concern. But of course, you're right as always. I would jump on this opportunity in a heartbeat if my situation were different. But, I cannot accept the King's proposal." Her eyes glossed over with unshed tears.

A knot tightens in my stomach as I brace myself for what is to come.