Chapter 2

• KELILAH’S POV
• As the rest of the day blurred by, I kept myself busy rearranging my room again and again—a mindless task I often did when I was upset. Exhaustion eventually overtook me, and I fell asleep, only to be woken by Zara, my personal maid, knocking at my door.
• “Princess, dinner will be ready in thirty minutes,” she called.
• I dragged myself to the bathroom, showered, and changed into my nightwear. The chill of the night air crept over me, matching the icy reality of the day. Before I could settle into bed, there was another knock at my door. This time, Zara’s voice was tense.
• “Princess, you are needed in the main hall. The leaders are gathered.”
• I stiffened, the weight of her words sinking in. This wasn’t just a family matter anymore; it had grown into something far larger.
• 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, all gathered under the high vaulted ceilings. The air was heavy with tension, and the flickering light from the chandeliers cast uneasy shadows on the walls. Father had called this meeting to discuss 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 I shared in it. Neither of us had asked for this—this twisted sacrifice disguised as duty.
• Father rose to his feet, commanding the room’s attention. His deep, authoritative voice echoed through the hall.
• Father rose, addressing the room. “You all know the situation we face. The King of Bazil has demanded a bride from our kingdom and refusing him is not an option. One of my daughters must be given in marriage to secure peace between our kingdoms”,
• The murmurs of disapproval and concern spread through the hall, but Father silenced them with a raised hand.
• “This is not a decision I take lightly,” he continued. “But it is one we must make, for the survival of our kingdom.”
• The room fell silent as his words sunk in. My fists clenched under the table, anger boiling in my chest.
• “So, what are you going to do, Father?” I demanded, unable to keep silent any longer. “You can’t just send one of us away like this!”
• “Enough, Kelilah,” Father snapped, his tone sharp. “This is not a matter of choice. This is about duty.”
• “But why does it have to be us? Why does anyone have to go at all?” I argued, my voice trembling with emotion.
• 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 said, turning to my sister. “You will be the one to go.”
• The air was sucked out of the room. I heard a gasp—mine or Loveth’s, I wasn’t sure.
• A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, but none dared to oppose him openly. That is, 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 her.
• “How dare you defy your father and our traditions?” he snarled. “Do you think you’re above the rest of us? Many daughters have been sent before you, and none of them behaved with such insolence. You disgrace us!”
• Loveth didn’t flinch. Instead, she raised a trembling finger, her eyes blazing with fury.
• “Shut your mouth!” 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 leader’s face reddened with indignation, but he said nothing more, cowed by her outburst.
• Before Loveth could say another word, Father rose from his seat, his face a mask of fury. In a swift motion, he crossed the room and struck her across the face with a resounding slap.
• The sound echoed in the hall, and I gasped in shock. 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 boiling to the surface.
• “You had no right!” 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 Loveth’s 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 sat frozen, the weight of Loveth’s accusations pressing down on me.
• “Enough!” Father shouted, silencing the room. “This discussion is over. The decision has been made.”
• “I hate you,” she spat, her voice breaking with raw emotion. Her gaze shifted to me, and my heart sank at the venom in her eyes. “I hate all of you. Especially you, Kelilah. You think you’re so perfect, don’t you? Always playing the hero. Well, you’re nothing to me.”
• Her words cut deeper than any blade. Before I could reply, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the hall, leaving a trail of silence and heartbreak in her wake. Her sobs echoing in the corridors. I wanted to follow her, but my feet felt like they were rooted to the ground.
• I stood frozen, staring after her, my heart pounding in my chest. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. The weight of the room’s judgment bore down on me, but I didn’t care.
• “Meeting adjourned,” Father said coldly, his voice a bitter reminder of the rift that had formed between us.
• Without another word, I turned and left the hall, my steps heavy with despair.