Two

KELILAH’S POV

As the rest of the day blurred by, I kept myself busy; rearranging my room for what felt like the hundredth time. It has turned into a mindless undertaking I frequently do each time I was upset.

After what felt like an eternity, exhaustion over took me and I fell asleep, handiest to be woken through a surprising knock on my door.

It was Zara–my personal maid.

“Princess, dinner will be ready in thirty minutes,” she called.

I dragged myself to the bathroom, showered, and changed into my nightwear. The chilling of the night time air crept over me, matching the icy fact of the day. Before I should settle into bed, there has been another knock at my door. This time, Zara’s voice changed into something demanding.

What's it this time?

“Princess, you are needed in the main hall. The leaders are gathered.”

I stiffened, the weight of her words sinking in. This wasn’t about my family anymore; it had grown into something larger than I presumed.

I threw on a robe and made my way to the grand hall.

The grand hall was filled with the murmurs of community leaders and the royal family as they all gathered under the high vaulted ceilings.

The air changed into something heavy with anxiety, and the flickering mild from the chandeliers casted uneasy shadows at the walls. Father had called for this assembly to talk about the looming matter of King Korvus and the marriage alliance.

Loveth sat beside me, her face pale but set with defiance. She avoided my gaze, but I could feel the anger radiating off her, and of course I shared in it. Neither of us had asked for this– a twisted sacrifice disguised as duty.

Father rose to his feet, commanding the room's attention. His deep, authoritative voice echoing through the partitions of the corridor as although the spirits of our ancestors were stirring up.

“You all recognise the situation at hand. The king of Bazil has demanded a bride for our nation, my Household to be precise. And of route, refusing him isn't always an option. One of my daughters shall be given out in marriage to stable peace among both kingdoms”,

Murmurs of disapproval and concern spread through the hall, but father silenced them with a raised hand.

“This isn't a decision I take lightly. But it is the one we must make, for the survival of our kingdom”,

The room went silent as his words sunk in. My fists clenched under the table, my anger boiling it's way to my chest.

“So, what are you going to do, Father?. You can't just send one of us away like this!!”, i demanded, unable to remain silent any longer.

“Enough, Kelilah!”, father snapped, his tone sharp. “This isn't a matter of choice but duty”,

“But, why does it have to be us? Why does anyone have to go at all?”, I argued, my voice trembling with raw emotions.

Father’s eyes hardened. “Because the wrath of King Korvus will be far worse than the sacrifice of one life. Do you think I want to send my daughter away? Do you think this is easy for me?”

I opened my mouth to argue further, but his next words silenced me.

“Loveth,” he called, turning to my sister. “You will be the one to go. Prepare to be Korvus's bride”

The air was sucked out of the room. I heard a gasp—mine or Loveth’s, I wasn’t sure.

The wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, but none dared to oppose father openly, not until Loveth’s trembling voice broke the silence.

“No!” Loveth screamed, leaping to her feet.

Her voice cracked as she cried, “I will not go,” she declared, standing from her seat. “I refuse to be bartered like a piece of livestock.

Her words hung in the air, a bold challenge to the unspoken rules of their world.

“Loveth!! Sit down!” Father barked, his voice echoing through the hall as his face darkened with anger.

But before he could say more, one of the community leaders, a stout man with a graying beard, stood and pointed an accusing finger at Loveth.

“How dare you defy your father and our traditions?” he snarled. “Do you think you’re above the rest of us? Many daughters of ours have been sent before you, and none of them behaved with such insolence. You disgrace us!” the bastard spoke

Loveth didn’t flinch, Instead; she pointed a firm finger at the man, her eyes blazing with fury.

“Shut your mouth, old man!” she snapped, her voice cutting through the room like a whip. “You have no right to speak to me like that! You may have been content to sacrifice your daughters to that monster, but I am not like you!”

A stunned silence fell over the room. The old man's face reddened with indignation, but he said nothing more, cowed by her outburst.

Before Loveth ought to say another word, Father rose from his seat, his face a mask of fury. In a speedy motion, he crossed the room and struck her across the face with a resounding slap.

The sound echoed within the corridor, and I gasped in surprise. Loveth stumbled back, clutching her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief and pain.

“Father!” I cried, leaping to my feet.

Without thinking, I placed myself between him and Loveth, shielding her from further harm. My heart pounded in my chest as I glared at him, my own anger bubbling to the surface.

“You had no right father!” I yelled, my voice trembling with both rage and fear. “How dare you lay a hand on her? She’s your daughter!”

Father’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Loveth pushed past me, her hand still pressed to her reddened cheek.

Tears streamed down her face, but she didn’t back down.

“Why me? Why not Kelilah? Why am I the one being sacrificed?”

“Because Kelilah is soon to be married,” Father said, his voice cold. “She has a suitor, and this marriage cannot be undone. You know this, Loveth.”

“But she’s not married yet! She can still go!” Loveth cried bitterly.

The room erupted into murmurs again. I stood frozen, the weight of Loveth’s accusations pressing down on me.

Father loudly shouted, completely silencing the entire room, stating, “Enough! This discussion is absolutely over. The final decision has already been made.”

“I hate you,” she spat, her voice breaking with raw emotion.

I felt absolute dread when I saw all of the venom in her eyes as she looked at me.

“I hate every single one of you. Especially you, Kelilah. Do you truly believe that you are completely without flaws? Always playing the hero. Well, to me, you are nothing”,

Her words cut much deeper than any sharpened blade. Before I could reply, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the hall, leaving behind her a massive silence and huge heartbreak. Throughout all the corridors, her every sob echoed. I wanted to go and console her, but my feet felt rooted to the ground.

Completely frozen, I stood there, staring after her, and my heart was audibly pounding in my chest. I refused to let the tears fall, even though they almost did. Even with the room’s judgment weighing down on me, I didn’t care.

“With no warmth, Father stated, “The meeting is adjourned;” additionally, his tone acted as a painful reminder of the wide-ranging divide that had grown between the two of us.

Without another single word, I turned and stormed right out of the hall, my steps now heavy with total despair.