t. Mel laughed, her dark hair flowing as she ran around a corner, dodging past stunned servants and eyei

e exhausted cries behind

ted out of the way, not at all surprised by Mel's carefree attitude. Her chamber maidens chasing after her had become a routine th

ed around and listened closely with her ear pressed against it, her heart hammering in her chest. Soon enough

elves that stood with arranged books on them. Books belonging to her younger brother, Adam. She had never bothered to learn how to read. Most of the women i

g about that anyw

to the end of the room, sneaking past the last shelf to find Adam si

d him, walking barefoot to wrap her arms around

clasping her hands down on the headrest of

If you wanted to exercise that much, why not ask father to

et. I wanted to see the garden. They would not let me, and you of all people know that father would

is your running across the halls of the castle and engaging in a m

ridiculous, brother. I

"Still wonder when that hus

oyly. "That

debt so heavy, that nothing could cover it. When all hope had seemed to be lost, the Orions had then requested for it to be paid in terms of a favour, and

ssed the mature age of eighteen. They still had good relations with the neighbouring nation, b

tain about the alliance. With time, she decided to embrace the freedom her peers didn't have since most

but after seeing the stress and effort it took to raise their children and manage

dark brows quizzing. "In

d at him. "What sort of question is that? Of course

sband'?" he asked, s

p. "As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't exist. Or maybe he has passe

d placed the book he was reading

in his face. "This conversation is closed. I'm off to sneak away to the gardens before they

servant knew that. It pained him to an extent that his sister was more of an airhead and didn't even try to think things over. Even if she had no interest in pol

shuffled upstairs. She hid behind columns, statues, and within corners of the passage to avoid the

he heard voices from within. She then smiled, amused, and took back her hand, deciding to eavesdrop. Who was with her

.. not bod

onger, Father. We hav

e was higher than her father's hushed words. An unsettling feeling rose within her.

not agree

on into this matter when you offered her to the Orions. No

d time... pe

mad! She's passing twenty-two soon. Which man here in the kingdom would be interested in wedding a woman past her prime? Drag this out any

She had lived most of her life in the castle and its surroundings. It hadn't dawned on her that there was a certain age girls were

cannot be true

had to find her mother. She always knew what to say and how to comfort her. Surely, she had to know that her father was

o the manor's greenhouse. Her mother stood wearing transpa

er arms around her in a tight hold. This wasn't unusual on Mel's part, but the

stepping back, but holding her mot

th a puzzling gaze. The lady of the castle then waved away the servant

eard any of this?!"She grabbed her mother's arms and the woman st

ked, her dark eyes widening as a slow fe

ith her mother's tone. It then dawned o

No-Mel-I didn't know it

t curious servants and castle staff as she made her way back to her room, where he

Mel's presence and le

l just in case the young woman would run from them

take in the startled state of the chambermaids. He sighed and adjusted the folds of h

ill, waiting for her brother to speak. A slight fear grew within her as she knew jus

narrowed his eyes. "It

uspicious glare of her own. "An

he passages of our father's hall, but never mind that." He ignored Mel and faced her chambermaids. "Get rid of whatever dres

ned frown. She marched up to Anton, pointing a finger at his

e day, they all belong to Father. You will have yo

gazes at Mel and going deeper into the chamber to run her bath and prepare her clothes from her

Anton said an

ked back at her, a pained expression on his face. "You can't do t

learn of it this way, Mel." He squee

her brother's demeanour that rooted her to the spot. "Pl

ound his teeth. He cast a qu

a step back, she turned around to face the busy servants and sh

and scrambled out of the chamber, shutting the heavy

on her feet, eyeing Anton in expectation. "Go on."

th, the Orions." He watched her, mo

ng her nails through the sleeves of her

e he answered. "Three days ago," he finished i

he room. She burst into laughter. "Three days, Anton. Three days. Am I hearing right?!" She stopped an

pped forward, reaching a ha

m moving or saying anything further. She resumed her pacing. "Why? Why now? I

id and Mel stood still, ti

she wh

ite the nonsense you're spitting about preparation, it wouldn't be farfetched for you to run away the moment you hea

lence, unable to believ

ing to the agreement for years when deep down, you didn't want it. Do you think no on

kled from the lingering effect of Mel's palm and he looked down

"To hear all this rubbish from a family who 'supposedly knows me'! You do not know how long I supported all of you. This had no

marry. How did you think I felt when I heard nothing? Joy? What joy? For once, I had made new friends and I was

ess and turned away from Anton, a torn expression donning her face. "Get out," she whis

t the backdrop of the silent chamber. The door clicked shut behind him and Mel collapsed on her bed,

silence of Mel's tranquillity, followed by a w

coverings of her large bed. Was this the last time she would lay

Then anot

a weary sigh

ned to reveal Harriett strolling i

aze to her mother. As much as she tried to be annoyed, she couldn't muster the str

ts, not you," Mel simply said,

e she settled for clasping them at her stomach. "Y-yes." She nodded at the door in a silent beckoning and Mel'

the rest?"

round the bed chamber, as though seeing it for

tly asked, drawing a tired gaze to her m

motions, a trait Anton inherited. A torn smile pulled at the woman's lips, pulling slig

. in a few... hours..." she finally said, her voice a h