Suddenly, the ecstatic guests began to enthusiastically insist that the newlywed couple simply had to share a romantic first dance, loudly cheering and demanding that the bride and groom take the center of the ballroom floor.
Lucier's handsome face instantly lit up with a victorious, arrogant smile as he eagerly agreed, 'Yes, of course, why not?' before gracefully extending his hand toward his beautiful, quiet bride.
Isla stared blankly at his outstretched hand, her mind violently boiling with a dark, murderous rage as she thought, "I just want to ruthlessly snap this bastard's arm right in half... just wait until my ultimate, sacred goal is finally achieved, and I swear to the heavens I will make you suffer a fate so terrifying that you will remember it for the rest of your miserable, pathetic life."
However, flawlessly masking her suffocating hatred, she forced a beautifully sweet, entirely fake smile onto her pale lips and replied softly, 'Yes, why not, my dear husband?'
She delicately placed her trembling hand in his, fiercely thinking to herself, "Marrying you was an absolute, inescapable compulsion to save my kingdom, but dancing with a pathetic swine like you is absolutely not my obligation."
Lucier confidently placed his warm hand securely on her waist while holding her hand with his other, and Isla reluctantly rested her hand on his broad shoulder as they began to slowly, elegantly sway across the polished marble floor, quickly joined by dozens of other joyous couples.
Waiting for the absolute perfect, most subtle moment in the rhythm, Isla viciously drove her incredibly sharp, stiletto heel directly down onto Lucier's foot with every single ounce of her hidden strength.
'Ah! Ooo...' Lucier hissed in sudden, sharp pain, stumbling slightly and breaking his perfectly composed posture.
'Oh my goodness, I am so incredibly sorry, that was a complete, foolish accident!' Isla gasped immediately, feigning perfect, wide-eyed innocence and deep concern.
'Oh, it is perfectly fine, darling,' he strained through a forced smile, desperately trying to maintain his royal dignity as they resumed the slow waltz.
But Isla was absolutely not finished. Just a few moments later, as he stepped forward, she cleverly and swiftly tangled her leg right between his, forcefully hooking his ankle and violently sweeping his feet right out from under him.
'Oh my god, Lucier!' Isla shrieked dramatically as he violently crashed backward onto the hard marble floor, causing the music to abruptly stop as the panicked, gasping guests immediately rushed over to help the fallen prince.
Looking down at his pathetic, sprawled form, a wickedly triumphant smile violently bloomed in the dark corners of Isla's mind.
"You thought you were so incredibly grand, demanding a dance with me... well, this is only the absolute beginning of your torment.
Just wait and see exactly what horrifying things happen next.
I am going to make your entire existence far worse than the darkest, most agonizing depths of hell.
Originally, my sheer hatred for you was simply because you murdered the beloved queen in that ancient novel, but now... now my hatred is absolute and eternal, because you have completely stolen my true love, my Dorian, away from me. Even if you did it unknowingly, you still stole him. From this exact moment onward, my dear husband, absolutely nothing but pure, unadulterated tragedy awaits you."
The Queen frantically pushed her way through the crowded circle, her eyes wide with worry.
'Isla, where on earth was your attention, and how exactly did Lucier fall so suddenly?'
Isla muttered darkly under her breath, 'How much lower can a fallen man truly fall?'
'What? What exactly did you just say?' the Queen asked, deeply confused by her daughter's whisper.
'Oh, absolutely nothing, Mom; actually, he simply did not know how to follow the rhythm properly, so his foot clumsily tangled with mine and he tripped,' she lied flawlessly, maintaining her mask of sweet innocence.
'Are you entirely alright, Lucier?' the King asked as the servants helped the prince to his feet.
'Yes, I am perfectly fine,' Lucier replied smoothly, quickly brushing the dust off his ruined, expensive clothes.
'We are pure royals; a tiny, insignificant stumble like this is absolutely nothing to us.
Today is the magnificent, joyous day of our wedding, and yet you all look as though someone has just tragically died!'
"'Being married to you is going to be a terrifying, agonizing tragedy every single day," Isla muttered fiercely under her breath.
'What? Did you just say something, my sweet bride?' Lucier asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
'No, not at all, your ears must simply be ringing from the terrible fall,' she replied coldly, stepping back from him.
Suddenly, the King raised his hands high in the air to command the room's undivided attention, his booming voice effortlessly cutting through the lingering whispers.
'Today, I wish to present a magnificent, incredibly special gift to my beloved daughter and my new son-in-law!' he announced proudly.
'Isla is our absolute, one and only daughter, the brilliant future Queen of our grand kingdom.
Therefore, we desperately desire that Isla and Lucier remain right here, residing securely within our palace even after their marriage, rather than moving away! I have thoroughly discussed this matter with Lucier's parents, and they have graciously and happily agreed to this arrangement!'
Hearing this completely unexpected, glorious news, Isla's violently beating heart instantly soared into the heavens, a profound, secret wave of absolute joy entirely washing over her shattered soul as she realized that she would not be forced to leave her true home, meaning she would still be incredibly, beautifully close to her beloved Dorian.