Up For The Test (Aru Shah AU)

Chapter Thirteen

"My heart isn't here, though," Aiden sighed. It's in Byburn, and maybe with Aru, he thought.

-Back in the cell-

"Mom?!" Aru smiled.

"Aru!" her mom sniffled, walking into the light.

"I'm so sorry," Krithika cried.

"For what?" Aru asked, trying to pull the chains so she could get closer to her.

"For being such a bad parent. I should've focused on you, Aru. But I was suffocating in self-pity, so I didn't pay you as much attention as I should've."

"It's okay, mom. I just like that you're admitting it."

Krithika walked over and hugged her daughter. "Why are you all chained up?"

"Suyodhana."

"Your father?"

"Yeah. Did you not see my whole fiasco over there?"

"No. I was asleep then I heard you scream. Did he hurt you?"

Aru looked down at the cut on her arm. She didn't want to worry her mother. "No, mom. I was just scared."

"Now, that's pathetic. Lying to your mummy," Sebastian said, leaning against one of the stone walls near the stairs.

Aru pulled against her chains, trying to tackle Sebastian.

"You betrayed Byburn!" she screamed.

"Why do are you so affected by this? It shouldn't bother you."

"I'm heir to that throne, Sebastian. What do something were to happen to the king and queen while I was here, chained up and in rough shape?"

"Rudra or one of the sisters could take care of Byburn. Don't you realize?"

"Realize what?"

"That they will forget about you as soon and news of Kara and Aiden breaking up hits the papers and television stations."

"Huh?" Aru asked.

"Did you not know? Aiden broke up with Kara for a special someone."

"Who?" Aru asked, her voice shaking from the pain.

"You."

Aru sunk to the floor. Her legs felt like jelly. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks. Her vision became blurry from the water that had welled up in her eyes.

"This-this is a joke, right?"

"Sadly, no. He deserves so much better than you."

Krithika made her way over to Sebastian slowly, staying close to the walls, so she blended in with the shadows. 

"Oh, and the reason I'm down here is that your father wanted me to tell you to get prepared for your wedding."

"I'm not marrying anyone. What are you even talking about?"

"Well, your father has arranged for us to get married."

"What?!"

The waterworks started. Tears streamed down her face, some running into her cut. Aiden finally liked her just as she was going to marry someone else. And just as she realized that maybe Aiden wasn't all that great. All she wanted was one of the hugs that Fischer gave to her when she was feeling down.