Xandria and Elara strolled into the festival ground mixing with the other villagers.
"What if the king picks you?" Elara asked Xandria.
"That won't be possible. There are a lot of girls around I'll barely be noticeable." Xandria dismissed her sister's thoughts.
"What makes you think that? You are so beautiful that even I get jealous sometimes" Elara teased.
"You are really a drama queen aren't you Elara?"
"I'm just saying." Elara shrugged her shoulders.
"Let's move closer to the front, that way we can have a clearer view." Elara did not wait for Xandria to agree before she dragged her through the crowds to the front.
As Xandria was looking back to check if she had dropped anything while her sister drageed her towards the front, she accidentally bumped into someone.
"Ouch!" Xandria exclaimed rubbing her head that had bumped into the person's chest.
"Did I just bump into a rock?" She mumbled as she steadied herself and looked up to see who she had bumped into.
He was tall. He was towering over her like a mountain. She couldn't make out his features in the dark but what caught her attention was his red eyes. It was glowing among the fire lanterns that were lit up everywhere.
He wore a mask hiding most of his face except his eyes.
She felt the strong aura coming from him. She quickly stepped away and apologized when she realized that all's he had been doing was staring.
"I'm sorry." She quickly apologized running off to catch up with Elara who had reached the front.
The stranger's eyes followed Xandria as she ran off Into the crowd.
"Get her information." The stranger told the man who stood behind him int the shadows.
"Yes My king."
Xandria quickly met up with Elara who was watching the people dance on stage.
"Where were you?" Elara asked Xandria as she saw her panting.
"I just bumped into a stranger while you were dragging me." Xandria complained.
"Really?" Elara sounded amused.
"It's not funny Elara, you don't know how terrified I was " Xandria tried to calm her racing heart.
" I'm sure it's not a big deal Xandria, let's just watch the dance. I'm hearing rumors that the king might have arrived."
Xandria's heart skipped a beat the moment she heard that the king might have arrived.
"Can we start going home?" Xandria asked her sister.
"Of course not. The festival just started." Elara barely even glanced at her sister as she stared at the people performing.
"I'm feeling uncomfortable" Xandria whispered softly, afraid that anyone was going to hear.
"Let's just stay for a few more minutes. I promise we will go home soon" Elara pleaded.
Xandria finally agreed and she made sure she stayed with her sister all through the festival.
It was finally past midnight and Xandria's heart finally calmed down for the first time that night when their carriage pulled over in the front of their father's mansion.
"Thank God we are home." Xandria whispered to Elara as they both entered through the front door, quietly.
"I told you nothing was going to happen Xandria, you should not be so serious all the time." Elara teased.
They both climbed up the stairs and went to their separate rooms. Elara's room was right beside Xandria's room and opposite the room was where they took their piano lessons and that was where they had lessons from their governess while they were still little.
Because their father was an important official in the King's court, they received lots of privileges which most kids their age never got to have.
The both girls went to sleep not knowing that things won't be the same tomorrow.
The sun rose quickly the next morning, not giving anyone enough time to capture the moment.
Xandria was in the garden picking some vegetables which her mother would use to prepare breakfast this morning.
Xandria was almost done picking the vegetables when she saw Elara running towards her.
"What's the problem Elara?" Xandria asked her, trying to calm her down.
"Royal soldier... On his way... Here..." Elara tried to explain while catching her breathe.
Xandria was about to ask her to explain further when she heard the sounds of heavy boots on the cobbled pathway leading to their front porch.
Xandria and Elara exchanged looks with each other before they quickly rushed towards the soldier who had sighted them.
The blue crest embedded in his chest was unmistakable - it was the royal crest.
"I have a message for your father" the soldier sounded cold and devoid of any emotions.
Xandria and Elara exchanged looks with each other asking themselves the same questions with their eyes - 'what message?'
"Our father is inside. Why don't you wait out here while I go get him" Xandria quickly said as she dragged Elara along with her.
Xandria stood in front of her father's room door and knocked. She waited for a reply before she gently open the door.
"Papa, the Royal soldier is here with a message for you."
"I'll be down in a minute."
Xandria quickly left the door and rushed back downstairs to see the soldier standing inside the house.
"My father is on his way."
The air was so still that a knife could cut through it. Xandria and Elara kept on glancing at each other.
"To what do I hold this visit?" Their father asked the soldier, stepping down from the stairs.
"The king asked me to deliver a letter to you" the soldier handed papa an envelope that was sealed with the royal Crest.
Their father opened the envelope to read the content. Xandria's heart was beating extremely fast. What would be inside the letter?
Xandria stared at her father as he read the letter out loud.
'The king of Alderyn, his royal Highness, king Maltherion Duskthrone wishes to inform you that he has taken a liking to your eldest daughter and he wants to make her his wife."
A letter so short but extremely powerful. Xandria looked like she was going to faint. Her face became so pale.
" I'll ensure to reply to the letter as soon as possible." Their father told the soldier.
" There is nothing to reply papa, I'm not getting married to the king." Xandria shouted.
Right from when she was small, she was always the calm one. The one who never protested or argued about anything.
She turned to the soldier and looked at him with contempt. " Tell your king that I won't marry him. Not now, not ever." She spoke with so much anger in her voice.
" Alexandria! Have you lost your senses?" Her father shouted.
" I won't marry him papa and that's final." She said with resolution.
The next thing Xandria felt was a hot slap directly on her face.
" You will not disrespect the king, Alexandria. I won't allow it." Her father was seething in anger.
" I'm sorry for her outburst." Their father apologized to the soldier.
" I'll take my leave." The soldier stepped out of the door. Locking it behind me.
Xandria was still in shock as she held her face from the slap her father had given her.
" You will marry the king Xandria." Her father said with finality in his voice.
" I'm not going to marry him papa." Xandria took off and ran upstairs, banging her room door in the process.
" But papa, why do you want her to marry the king?" Elara asked, confused at her father's decision.
" Because the king is not someone to be trifled with. I won't take a chance with my family when I can simply avoid any trouble."
" At the expense of Xandria?" Elara asked sadly.
" If that ensures my position and my family's safety, then yes."
" I'm disappointed in you papa." Elara quickly ran upstairs to meet Xandria in her room.
Their mother who had been standing inside the kitchen all through this while, wiped the tears that had fallen down from her eyes.
" You can't marry Xandria off to the king" Janet, Xandria and Elara's mother said to their father inside their bedroom.
" What do you know woman?" The father questioned her.
" Xandria is just 18. She is not old enough. Elara too is just 16. You can't do this." Their mother pleaded.
" Xandria's mates got married last year. Besides she is ripe for marriage. I won't have this discussion any longer." The father shut the door to the room,leaving the house.