Betrothed

|| C h a p t e r 12 ||

The stares continued before the guests of the ballroom began to chuckle. It was quiet at first but as more people joined in, the sound became louder and louder as everyone but my mother seemed to laugh at my political opinion.

"We would not expect a young princess like yourself to understand 'Grown Men Talk'," Duke Johnson sniggered. "Why don't you run along and perhaps design a dress?" the statement caused even louder fits of laughter as I sighed, residing to my chambers.

"I want to be able to voice my own opinions!" All that rage came out faster than magma and just as destructive. It consumed all that I was, so delicate under that carefully ordered world.

"What is this nonsense!" My mother growled. "Women are supposed to cook, marry and have children! And that is exactly what you're going to do!" my mother exploded with a rage just as fierce as my own.

"I brought Soldiers and Resources for the War," I said, right hand gripping my Katana.

"But you're a woman!" A younger guard whom I have never met before bursted out without thinking.

Blinded by my rage, I hissed and punched my father five times. Twice in the face, one in the body, then another two times in the face. I watched with satisfaction as I saw an eye already beginning to bruise.

"Woo hoo!" Caspian cheered, breaking the icy silence. "Finish him!" I took one look at my broken father who was panting on the floor. And I just... I just... I...

"I can't do it," I whispered.

"Of course you can do it!" Tess spoke up suddenly. "He's your father! Good thing he's not mine," she shrugged. She punched him multiple times, his battered body falling to the ground with the impact. I heard someone rush in and their breath being drawn back sharply. I stared wide eyed with terror at my father on the ground who spat out blood at Tess's feet. "I'm going to finish the deed. Any last words?" She spoke quietly. No one said anything. "Rigorus Mortisum," she said clearly, watching as the red light surrounded his body. She turned to face me. "He's as dead as a doornail." He's dead. I don't know what came over me. I began to cry, large salty tears falling from my face. Why am I crying? What's wrong with me? Kaden embraced me a hug, sighing into my hair. Caspian cheered whilst Tess rubbed her arm shyly.

"Yes!" Caspian cheered. "He's dead! This heartless, manipulative, cold-blooded murderer is dead!" He began to cheer even more.

"Caspian!" Tess hissed. "Stop! Now is not the time," Caspian stared at her as if she were crazy. "Of course it's the time! The monster is dead!" Kaden allowed me to cry into his shirt, holding me tightly.

"Don't mind Caspian," he sighed. "From what the Commander told us," he began, looking down at me, wiping away some of my tears with his thumb gently as so not to hurt me. "Caspian never really had a real 'father'. The 'father' that he had in the Royaume King betrayed him and manipulated him. He just wouldn't understand how you're feeling right now," Kaden murmured sadly.

"He looked just like him, Kaden," I whispered brokenly. "He even sounded like him. But he just wasn't my father, Kaden, he just couldn't be!" I whispered, throat hoarse. Kaden's arms wrapped around me tighter and he breathed out into my hair.

"I know he couldn't be. That man definitely wasn't your father Damakos. Not at all," His voice was soothing but for some reason, it wasn't helping my aching heart like it usually did.

"I just can't believe that it was my own father who was capable of all this evil! That he's related to me! What if I am to become evil too? What if it's only a matter of time-" Kaden cut me off, fingers pulling my chin up gingerly to look at his Taupe coloured eyes.