The Wrong One

Chapter 4

॥The Wrong One॥

 The silence was deafening.

Ionido Nalad paced the room. His short brown hair was ruffled as he once again plunged his hand through it. Glancing sideways, he paused for a moment, watching Raian and Kayana as they sat side by side on the couch, stealing glances at each other in fear. Social etiquette was still strong within Kayana as she maintained her distance from Raian but he could see his son fighting to be next to her.

He rubbed his other hand down his face, stopping to pinch the bridge of his nose. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Raian move closer, apprehension clear in his eyes. He snorted. Stupid boy. 

Though he admired his sons valor he wished he’d shown this same vigilance when he decided to prey on Kayana. For that's what it would look like, that Raian had instigated this whole mess, though Kayana would have to bear the brunt of the shame and sneering.

Seating himself on an arm chair to the left of the couch, he simply looked at the two children he wished he could save.

He could see Raian’s attraction to the girl. She was pretty, polite and came from a well off family but what he didn’t understand was his recklessness. He knew better than anyone of her father’s standards and his strictness on the tradition and beliefs that was law, as Ionido himself was a personal friend of the man. 

“Pita ji, I,”

“Do you know what you have done?” Ionido started off quietly, softly. Like the calm before the storm. 

He understood the customs that ruled their lives and didn’t agree with it wholeheartedly, but this, this was unacceptable. This went against the most important belief in his family. Trust. 

“Tell me, Raian, did you even think of your family?”

“Pita ji, it’s not,”

“Did you even stop to consider,” Ionido’s voice rose as his anger at being betrayed consumed him, “Your sisters future?” 

Standing up from his arm chair, he towered over his son, his anger turning into a sorrow that only a father that has been misled can feel. 

“What self-respecting family will want to marry a girl whose brother couldn’t keep his hands to himself?!” 

“It’s not like-”

“Listen to me Raian, and listen carefully” His voice dropped to a normal level, airy, as if he were talking about the weather.
“I have always given you freedom. Never have I stopped you from doing anything.” His words imitated the harshness of a whip as it lashed out. “But today I regret that decision.” 

Raian’s face looked like he had just been slapped, his face draining of all colour.

“If you had just come to me from the beginning beta, there would have been a much more socially acceptable way to get what you wanted, but you didn’t. You leave me with no choice,” Ionido paused to glance towards Kayana, whose face was tilted downwards. Though it was bent to hide he still saw the traces of tears flowing down her cheeks. His earlier anger and sorrow developing into defeat as he thought about Kayana's bleak future, and in relation, his son's future. He couldn't believe what he was about to do.

Leaning forward he grabbed both of their hands, grasping them lightly yet firmly. 

“I love you both, but I can’t let this continue.”

Raian’s face twisted in pain as Kayana let out a noticeable sob. 

It broke his heart to see his children like this, but they didn’t understand the extent of the damage. Kayana’s father was very influential and not to mention his best friend. This incident went against all their traditions. Kayana was no more pure in their eyes. There was no redemption for her. Unless…

Ionido’s grip loosened on their hands and Raian’s arm immediately went around Kayana, giving her the small amount of comfort he could. A disregard for social dictation in his eyes, the look replaced with complete devotion when he looked towards Kayana. 

Could this work?

Girls in Kairya were married young as many felt there was no need for them to pursue higher education, seeing as it was the man's job to provide for the family. 
These girls were schooled until sixteen then taught to look after a household and maintain a family, many married by the age of 19. If Ionido approached this right, this situation wouldn’t be any different than another.  

No one had to know about what he saw, and since it was with his son, Kayana was still pure to this family. 
A sense of accomplishment filled him, a glint lighting his eyes. It would be hard, he knew, as socially ranking, he was below Ryda Drewett. But he also knew that Ryda would do what was best for his daughter, just as he himself would.

“Raian, do you love Kayana?”

Without hesitating, he answered, “Ofcourse pita ji.”

A smile still on his face he looked towards Kayana who was still tucked into Raian, seeming to try memorise his hold. “Beti, do you love Raian?” 

“Yes Nalad ji, I do” Her voice cracked with suppressed emotion. He admired her courage and consistency with her tradition. She would be an asset to his family.

“How would you feel about being his wife?” 

Raian jolted as Kayana sat straight up straighter.

“Ji Nalad ji?” Her hazel orbs widened a little in desbelief at his offer.

“You both know the repercussions of your actions children,” 
Looking straight into Kayana’s hazel orbs he continued, “You know what will happen to your reputation. You will not be fit to wed a single man, your choices will be limited to divorcees and widowed old men. Is that what you want Raian?” 

Raians jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth. 

“But Raian will be given no blame.” His son snorted at this, and Ionido could have copied him. Kairya’s hierarchy system sickened him too. 

“Luckily, it is not unusual for girls to marry at your age Kayana. There will be no questions asked and you and Raian will be able to live a happy, long life together.”

Kayana dabbed at her eyes as Mr. Nalad’s voice reverberated around her head. 
“What are you trying to say Nalad ji?” She needed to hear the words. The only words she knew could fix this mess she had made.

“Marriage beti.”

Kayana’s chest swelled with joy as she thought about the only good thing that came from Nalad ji catching them. He was right, it wasn’t unusual for girls as young as seventeen to get married and this could also save her family the embarrassment of her betrayal. If Kayana was a boy she was sure she would have jumped in absolute joy. 

She spared Raian a sideways glance and noticed a large smile on his face. Touching his arm lightly, she raised her eyes slightly to smile back at him.  She found him already scrutinizing her. Her cheeks flushed red as he winked and focused back on his father.

“Pita ji, are you sure?”

“Yes beta. This way, Kayana beti’s reputation will stay intact and you both will also get what you want.” 

Raian grasped Kayana’s hand and squeezed lightly. 
“This will surely work, right Pita ji?” 

“Of course beta.” 

The look of complete happiness on Raian’s face fueled Ionido's determination. Though his reservations about his idea were still present, he couldn’t let his uncertainty show.

Watching Raian and Kayana sit quietly, in pure bliss, he knew he had made the right choice. Though this wasn’t the way he had wanted his son to get married, he couldn’t have asked for a better choice than Kayana.

Tomorrow he would speak to Ryda. Tomorrow he would seal Kayana’s fate.

Turning around to leave the room, Ionido could’ve sworn that he saw a flash of blonde in the doorway.

॥The Wrong One॥