Sai's heart was pounding in his chest as he kept his head down, his eyes fixed on the charred remains of what he assumed was once a grand royal bedroom. He was in the Royal Palace, escorted by a servant because the Princess had summoned him.

The Princess was going to murder him. It was a sense of impending doom, like being in front of a predator. It was a primal instinct, the fight or flight response. It was a horrible feeling, and it felt like it would never end.

The room was quiet, except for the sound of his own breathing. The ceiling was gone, if Sai lifted his head he would see the sky above.

"You may lift your head servant," Princess Ophelia said, breaking the silence. Sai lifted his head and saw her standing in front of him, along with a servant named Dimitri.

‘Where are the knights!? Are those cowards too scared to show up in the princess's current mood!’ Sai cursed the knights in his mind.

"You're probably wondering why you're here," she continued. "Well, the truth is, I need you for something."

Sai grimaced. He had heard rumors about Princess Ophelia's plans to start a war and he feared he was going to drag into it.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I want you to marry the daughter of a count," Princess Ophelia said, her voice cold and hard.

"I cannot do that," he said, trying to be as polite as possible.

Princess Ophelia's face twisted in anger. "You cannot refuse me," she said. "You are nothing but a servant, and I can use the Enslaving Cuffs to force you to obey!"

Sai tried to reason with Princess Ophelia. "The cuffs will kill me if you continue using them," he said, desperation creeping into his tone. "Every time you use them, my lifespan gets shorter and shorter."

Princess Ophelia's expression hardened at his words, and she looked visibly annoyed. "The last person who wore those cuffs was tormented by their power for five days straight before finally dying," she said, her voice cold and unyielding. "I will not hesitate to activate them for a full day if you disobey my command. Do you wish to suffer the same fate?"

Sai felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He knew that he had no choice but to agree to the marriage.

"I...I will do it," he said reluctantly.

Princess Ophelia nodded, satisfied. "Good," she said. "I will make the arrangements for the wedding immediately. You will be married to Count's daughter named Jasmine."

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Sai bowed his head in defeat, knowing that he had no other option. He prayed that he would survive long enough that he would find a way to escape the Princess grasp.

Sai wished that Slither was with him. He knew that his snake would have never let him face Princess Ophelia alone. Well he wasn’t hundred percent loyal.

"Also there will be a parade the appease the civilians and nobles," Princess Ophelia said.

Sai's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A parade?" he repeated, unsure of what she meant.

Princess Ophelia nodded. "Indeed, the nobles and other organizations have been quite vocal about meeting the hero," she said. "I trust that you will not disappoint them and will participate in the parade, won't you?"

Sai felt a lump form in his throat. He was still struggling to come to terms with his impending marriage, and the thought of a parade made him feel uneasy. “Yes Princess.”

----

Sai was angry, so angry that it would drive him crazy.

Dimitri was walking down the palace hall.

Sai pounced.

Thud!

Immediately grabbed the servant by the collar and slammed him harshly against the wall.

"Why am I being forced to marry Jasmine?!" Sai demanded.

Dimitri, the loyal servant of the palace, tried to calm him down. "Please sir, there's no need for violence. I'll tell you what I know."

Sai's grip on Dimitri's collar loosened slightly, and he waited for the servant to continue.

Dimitri explained, "The Princess wishes to marry the Northern Duke, but he has his heart set on Jasmine."

Sai felt his anger rise, "So, they're using me as a pawn in their political game?"

Dimitri nodded. "Yes, sir. The princess forced the marriage so that she could make sure the Northern Duke was available."

Sai let out a deep sigh. "I can't believe this is happening to me. What am I going to do?"

Dimitri looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, sir."

Sai nodded, realizing that it was not Dimitri's fault. "You may go."

Dimitri bowed and quickly left the hall, relieved to be out of harm's way.

Sai was left alone with his thoughts. He knew he had to find a way out of this mess, but he had no idea how. All he knew was that he didn't want to be a pawn in anyone's game.

----

Sai sat inside the steel bar wagon, feeling the jolts as it trundled down the parade route. He was confined to a steel bar wagon like a prisoner, unable to move freely and forced to endure the discomfort and indignity of being transported like a criminal.

The parade had been organized to honor the hero but it seemed to him more like a public display of his captivity. He could hear the cheers and shouts of the crowd as the wagon passed through the streets, but he couldn't help feeling like he was being paraded around like a circus animal.

As the parade wagon approached the center of the Sapphire Principality, the cheering and celebrations grew louder. Sai saw people waving flags, others giving him flowers, small gifts, and even rolled-up coins through the bars.

The gift piled up like a small mountain.

The people of the Sapphire Principality were a diverse group, representing all the races and tribes that inhabited the land. He saw the Dog Tribe, people with dog ears and tails, thumping their spears down in a rhythmic beat as he passed. He heard the chanting of the people who worshiped the Fairies, offering up their prayers for his safety and success.

As the parade came to an end and Sai was escorted back to the Royal Palace, he couldn't help but reflect on the strange circumstances.

“I will admit,” Sai looked over the pile of gifts. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling like a fool. “I love free gifts.”