"Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for what Ellena has done for our family. She is my good friend and I care about her deeply. However, she had gone for five years without news and I was mourning for her, thinking that she had died." Mars finally spoke. His words were clear and uttered in a calm manner.

"Ellena didn't talk to me before she went to search for the witch. Maybe she intentionally left without telling me because she didn't want me to stop her. She must know that I loved her as a friend and did not wish for harm to happen to her, just to free myself from the curse."

Mars could see there was a spark of confusion and disappointment in Ellena's eyes, even though her countenance still looked calm and timid as before.

He just knew her too well, after being friends with her for almost 20 years.

"When she left, I was distraught and for so many years I had to think about new ways to handle the pressure of having an heir to secure the throne within our family," Mars added. "Ten weeks ago, I met a woman who didn't die after we touched, and I thought she was immune to my curse."

He noticed the people around him were on the edge of their seats, trying to hear everything he uttered from his lips.

Mars could especially see the contempt on Lady Preston's face, and disappointment on Ellena's. However, he decided he should set things straight from the beginning.

"Now, this might be true... that she is immune to my curse, or she just happened to come at the right time, after the curse had been lifted. At this point, I will never know," he said calmly.

"However, it doesn't change the fact that I have touched her and she didn't die. Thus, six weeks ago, to secure our family lineage, I have asked that lady to enter into an agreement with me. She will produce for me three heirs, and I will reward her handsomely."

"Ohh..." Ellena pressed her lips in surprise and the other ladies all gasped in unison.

They had heard that Mars found the woman who was immune to his curse, but they didn't know he had asked her to produce for him three heirs.

"So, you see, Your Majesty... I have made a new agreement with Lady Emmelyn because Lady Ellena was nowhere to be found. I had waited for five years and I heard how so many people discussed that I am already 27 and it would be weird not to have even one heir at this point. I am now bound to Lady Emmelyn under our agreement."

He sighed and continued his words slowly, to emphasize his points. "I am a man and the crown prince of our great empire. I must keep my word. It will be so selfish and embarrassing for me to go back on my words just because it has become inconvenient for me."

The king stared at his son intently. He knew the prince was a valiant man and he was right with all the reasons he presented. He must always keep his words.

However, King Jared was a man too and he was madly in love when he was young, with the woman that was now his wife.

King Jared defied his father and offended a powerful witch because of his love for that woman.

So, now he was guessing that Mars might be in love with Lady Emmelyn. So, the words he uttered now might be his way of delicately refusing to marry Ellena.

The king understood this. However, would Ellena and Lady Preston accept it and not cause an uproar?

Lady Preston's husband was a very important duke and Ellena was in a way a hero for the kingdom. She saved the Strongmoors from the curse.

If they decided to make a scene, it would be hard to extinguish the fire caused by this incident. The king realized how sensitive was the situation they were facing right now.

"How could you do this to me, Your Highness?" Now, Ellena was struck with grief. She rose from her seat but soon she fell to the floor, looking extremely dejected. "I did so much for you... to make the witch lift her curse from your family.. I did it because I love you. I did it because you asked me to marry you..."

Lady Athibaud's daughters, together with their mother and Lady Chaucer were visibly shaken too. They knew Ellena was close to Edgar, Gewen, and Mars, and they had always thought she would marry one of the boys when they grew up.

Since Mars had that agreement with Ellena six years ago, they automatically assumed that once Ellena returned, Mars and she would resume the agreement.

They really didn't factor in the presence of a new woman. Lady Athibaud had met Emmelyn, and she actually liked Emmelyn better for the prince. However, she wouldn't voice her opinion for fear of offending Lady Preston.

"Ellena, I am so sorry. You were gone for so long. I was desperate for heirs and I made an agreement with Lady Emmelyn," Mars quickly came to Ellena's side and crouched down to grab her trembling shoulders gently. "I cannot toss Emmelyn away now that you return. She is pregnant with my child. I have to take responsibility."

He took a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I love you like a sister. I don't love you like I would a wife. I asked you to be my nominal wife because I didn't see any other way. Now, I realize it was extremely selfish of me to ask you to sacrifice your future to be with me. You deserve a man who will love you with all his heart and make you the queen in his life, so you both can build a family together."

Ellena looked up and stared at Mars with tears streaming down on her cheeks. "She is... pregnant?"

Mars nodded. "She is six weeks in and we will have the baby in summer. As I said, I asked her to enter into that agreement with me, and once she agreed, we proceed with it. I am already 27 and badly need my heirs."

"We can.. we can still get married and adopt the baby..." Ellena pleaded. "We can still go back to our agreement. You only want an heir from her, right? You can keep her baby. I will accept it and raise it like my own. We can still proceed with our plans... don't you think?"

Right at that moment, Mars suddenly felt pity toward Ellena. The girl was embarrassing herself to ask him to revisit their old agreement and proceed with it.

If only she returned two months earlier, maybe.. maybe things would have been very different.

It was too late now. There was no way he would toss away Emmelyn and just keep their baby.

"Lady Ellena, I am really sorry. I am a man of honor. I cannot go back on my word. I have already promised Emmelyn to see our agreement through until the end." Mars held Ellena's hand and squeezed it. "I hope, as my best friend, you will support me to keep my honor."