Word Count: 1833
~Akara
I stare out the window, fuming.
Tai hasn't explicitly said I cannot leave, but as I came up to my old room, I noticed the guards tailing me, now standing at the door. So much anger is rolling through me, desperate to come out somehow. My hatred for Tai is overwhelming, and yet I can't act on it. Not yet. Not until I have a plan.
I begin pacing across the room. It's not exactly like how it was a year ago, Vaia having changed it while she was reigning, and now Tai has tried to change it back. He missed some details, understandably, but it's eerie, how alike it is.
As if he is trying to recreate our past.
I shiver, looking toward the bed.
There's not much chance for me to get any sleep tonight. Marek is in the prisons, possibly already murdered, or about to be. And I'm stuck in this room, staring out at a forest I once adored. I fell in love in this manor.
But not to Tai. No matter how much he wants to force me into new situations expecting old results.
A knock on the door has me flinching dramatically, whirling around.
I don't answer, already knowing who it is. Sure enough, the door opens slightly and Tai looks in, only to see me glaring at him, arms folded over my chest. Regardless, he steps carefully into the room, closing the door tentatively, waiting for me to explode in anger.
"Don't even think about it," I growl, backing up until my back is against the glass door leading to the balcony. I would rather jump from it than have Tai come anywhere near me.
He sighs. "Come on, let's talk."
"I don't have anything to say to you," I snap. What could he say to remedy this situation? He's keeping me here against my will, forcing me to marry him. I'm standing before a monster, someone who not only doesn't love me anymore, or at least in the way they think they do, and who clearly want to cause me harm.
But for some insane reason, he doesn't see it. He believes he is doing me a favour.
"I want to apologise, okay? I know a lot has happened, but I still love you," he breathes, striding into the centre of the room. I remain plastered against the glass, ready to throw myself out while I need to, or make a run for the door.
"If you loved me, you wouldn't lock me up here," I remind him, motioning to the impressively sized room. Just because it's large and lavish, doesn't mean I want to spend the rest of my life stuck in it.
Tai tips his head back, having the audacity to look frustrated.
"I'm going to be honest with you, okay..." he says eventually. My eyes narrow. Honest? Is he truly talking to me about honesty? I'm not sure anything out of his mouth is the truth anymore, although I have no other choice than to stand here and listen to him.
"Are you even capable of that?"
A shadow passes over his gaze. "You are in danger."
"Really?" I say flatly.
The only danger I'm in his coming from him. He has been the only threat to me. He forced me to stay here, he put me in danger of Vaia, and then contributed to me becoming a Tani. I don't feel safe near him, not considering what he did to his brother, and what he wouldn't do to his father, despite everyone knowing what needed to be done.
"You're the first person who has truly survived the river from one of my cures. People are going to want that...The power to become any Tani they desire," he explains, looking somewhat flustered, desperate for me to believe him.
I shift uncomfortably. That might not be entirely untrue, but I'm only in this situation because of him. I should have the right to keep myself safe...
"Those are probably the people Vaia indoctrinated," I snap. "And she only got her information about a cure for the river from you. So in reality, this is still all your fault."
"I'm frightened of them getting to you, of them hurting you," he says, disregarding my harsh words.
He knows this is his fault. But rather than grant me freedom, he has it in his head that this is the right thing to do. But if he truly cared about me, he would never force an engagement on me, and he wouldn't have Marek locked away in a prison, where he may intend for Marek to be executed.
I grit my teeth. "I can look after myself."
"Maybe. But here, I know you'll be safe," he challenges.
I could explode with anger right now, but instead I settle my emotions with a calm breath, trying to focus on getting whatever I can out of this.
My hands roll into fists from behind me. "Why do I have to marry you?"
"It's the best way to keep you here, politically, I mean. If people believe we are no longer together, they will see me as weak. This way, we can help each other," he explains carefully. I'm bewildered, that he expects me to do his any favours, but I doubt there is anything I can say right now to get what I want.
Whether I like it or not, I have to bide my time until I can come up with a way to get out of here in a way that won't have me tracked down by Tai for the rest of my life.
"If you mean well, you'll let Marek go," I barter. If I'm agreeing to stay here, I need to ensure Marek's safety, otherwise Tai will have his way with him. I want him to think he's convincing me, that he is getting somewhere with me.
"He will kill me," he mutters flatly.
"He won't. Not if I talk to him," I assure him. And he won't. At least not right now. If it's for my safety, he will be civil, because he actually loves me, and he respects my decision. I just don't know how to convey that reality to Tai, who thinks Marek is still a traitor who stole me away from him.
Tai grits his teeth, battling with his internal monologue. "What if I promised to think about it?"
"I don't want to be here, Tai," I remind him.
"Let me keep you safe, even if it's just for a year or two," he murmurs.
A year or two might not sound like the end of the world, considering I'm now a Tani and my life span will be slightly longer than usual. But so much has happened in these past two years, that the thought of having to go through more, when I thought I finally had my life sorted out is terrifying.
"I want to live my life, not to be tied to someone I don't love anymore," I snap. Safe or not, an engagement has other connotations that he can't deny.
"I'm still in love with you, Akara. You're who I want to spend the rest of my life with. But that's not the main motivation for wanting you to marry me," he says. I believe it, but only partially. I wouldn't be surprised if he had hopes we would fall in love with each other like last time.
There is no way I'm letting that happen.
"If I have no other choice in this, then you must know that you will not be expecting any kind of typical wife duties, do you understand?" I tell him firmly. He wouldn't force me, I know that, but I won't even pretend for him, even if it is for my safety. I would rather be locked up in here then be forced to pretend to be in love with him.
He frowns. "Of course, but-"
"No. I will not be romantic with you, and I definitely won't fuck you," I growl. I need him to fully understand, to not expect it from me at any point.
"I would never force you into anything," he says gently, looking hurt I would even say that. If I thought there was much remaining of the old Tai, then I wouldn't have to. I never thought in the beginning of our engagement that he would do anything like this.
"And you're going to let Marek out." I'm firm. It's the only thing I want, other than his promise to stay away from me. Marek doesn't deserve to be dragged into this.
He tilts his head back and forth, considering it. "If I let him out, he's not staying here, though."
"Alright fine. But he can visit."
Him and I have just come back together. The thought of being without him suddenly after a month of being in close proximity makes my heart hurt. And to go through this engagement with Tai without his response makes my heart hurt.
"Maybe."
"You can go now," I mutter dismissively, turning back to look out at the view. Partially because I want him to know he cannot assume we will ever be friends again, that I don't want to talk to him other than what is completely necessary, and because tears start to gather in my eyes.
I can hear the conflict in his voice, the pain. "Akara..."
"Please send someone in. I assume you're going to provide me with clothing," I say. Just leave.
He eventually sighs, pulling back. "Absolutely. Goodnight."
The moment the door closes, I crawl into bed, pulling the covers over me. Marek is safe, that is all that matters. I can stay here, make it work. I've been through worse, and eventually, I will find a way out of here.
Even if I have to kill Tai...
An hour passes before I hear the door to my room open.
I barely look over my shoulder, noting the silent footsteps must belong to a staff member, delivering my clothing from Tai. The dresser drawers open, and then close again, but the footsteps don't retreat.
"Akara?"
Frowning, I turn around, sitting up in the bed. A man dressed in the usual staff uniform stands there, staring at me with large, deep brown eyes. They appear as though they know me, but I'm sure I've never seen them in my life.
"Sorry? Do I know you?" I ask warily, getting to my feet, suddenly feeling vulnerable lying in bed.
He says nothing in response for a long moment, before he strides toward me, and before I can question him, he grab me, and feverishly pulls me into him.
A gasp is all that has time to pass by my lips, as he leans down, and kisses me.
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Remember that you can always find this story 10 chapters ahead on Radish (:
You will find it under King's Possession Season Three!!
~Midika 🐼💜