Hardly nineteen and already forced to marry. Yuliah hated the Capital, and the rules she had to live by. She watched patiently as her father; General Wey finished his dinner. Finally, when he retreated to his private room, and the door closed behind him. Yuliah stood up and slowly made her way over. Twisting the knob, she pushed the door open and let herself in. He sat behind a large wooden desk with that same stern look on his face — the look when things didn't go well at work. Papers rustled loudly from across the room as he sifted through stacks of it on his desk. She wondered why a General would have this much paper to look through.
When he still didn't look up from his desk. Yuliah cleared her throat. Did he not hear her? Or did he purposely ignore her? There were times she questioned if he was her blood father because the lack of affection between them. Yuliah's earliest memories of affection from him came down to a pat on the head, followed by reminders about being a filial daughter. A conversation about her feelings? How would she talk to him about it?
The truth that's what she would tell him in hopes it'd persuade his decision. If that didn't work, he left her no choice but to go to the extremes. She'd come determined to change her fate, even if that meant death. When he still didn't answer Yuliah, spoke. "Father. I wanted to talk to you about my arrangement. I - I can't marry Liang. I don't love him. Not anymore." she said but General Wey continued to sort through the pile of letters on his desk.
"Is that what you came to see me about?" he finally raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." She would be truthful and put all her feelings out there, hoping it would persuade him. "Liang is not a man I can see myself marrying and this Kingdom. I'm suffocating here. I will never be happy if I marry him and stay here." She would too because Liang would see to it. "I want to be happy."
"Happiness is finding peace with your thoughts Yuliah. If you are not at peace you will never be happy, and it doesn't matter where you go or who you are with. Did I not teach you that?"
"You did but my mind is not at peace here. Please understand me father. I want to live freely. If I stay here, I will die."
"We will all die if you don't stay here. There is nothing I can do," he sighed. "Learn to control your mind." His eyes went to the pile of papers, followed by more rustling.
The lack of care in his tone almost sent Yuliah away, but she would not give up that easily. Her life's at stake. She stood up taller. "I won't marry him, and if you force me, I'll kill myself. If not here than over in Biah Manor. You'll have a wedding and a funeral to prepare for." Yuliah's voice turned pitchy. Threaten him with death, that's the plan she came up with. She didn't want to go through with it, but he left her with no choice.
"I can't do that," his eyes met with Yuliah's briefly.
Her face grew furious. "Why not?" she shouted. Even with the threat of death he still didn't care. "Are you not my father and the General. You hold the clans in these lands, not the King." He did. From the elders, to clansmen, and people they all respected him. He could
"That temper will get you into more trouble then you need one day Yuliah... Keep your voice down before you get us all killed." his expression tightened.
Yuliah's face softened, knowing he was right, but she were so desperate to escape Liang. "I want to marry for love." Yuliah couldn't hold back the sadness in her heart any longer and tears brimmed in both her eyes. Love should be a dance man who did not beat and hurt her like Liang. "When I'm with Liang I only feel empty. If I don't do what he wants he yells and hits me. I want to feel alive - to feel more than pain... Then this emptiness..." Tears streamed down one cheek. "Why can't you hear me father?" Her voice in breaths. "I want to feel alive again."
He showed no emotion. "It's a man's world here Yuliah. Why can't you understand that? The King's decided. To defy his orders would be a death sentence to our family!" He looked up at her, and his speech increased in volume. "You only had two options. I explained this to you already." General Wey's balled-up fist lifted into the air, and he stuck out one finger. "One - marry Liang or two become the King's women," a second finger pointed up.
Yuliah took a few steps closer to him her voice pleaded again. "Then let me leave tonight. No one needs to find out." He was the General he could arrange for her to escape if he wanted too. Then make up a story that she ran away.
"Where will you go? The laws do not allow a woman to leave the Kingdom without a man's escort. Murai is as far as you'd get before Advisor Biah's men find you."
"Have Yujen go with me. We'll head south. Women are free to make their own choices and some can even decide who they marry."
"You will not survive the road through the Ethereal Forest. Do you know what lives there?"
"I don't care. I just want to start over."
"Yes, you can start over, but did you think about the rest of the Wey family here? The King and Advisor Biah will find it suspicious. The relationship between the current King and the Wey's have changed. If I allow this, he will not trust me."
"Then you'll die with no heirs," her face turned solemn. "I won't marry Liang. Do you know what he does to me?" Reasoning did not work with him; it's as though he didn't care how poorly Liang treated her.
"I've talked to his father. If you would stop refusing his affections for you..."
Before he even finished his sentence, Yuliah cut him off, "Affections?�� She stood aghast. "Beating me and forcing himself onto me is affection?"
"Then stop fighting him Yuliah. You are a woman learn to be one!"
"Are you serious?" Her voice imploded. "You mean be a whore to Liang?"
"Don't put words in my mouth, Yuliah. What more must I and my Wey family sacrifice for you?" he glared at her like a selfish child. 'It's not just about you. There's your stepmother, Yujen, our entire Wey clan, my workers, our soldiers, the Clans who pledge allegiance to me, and their families too!" His voice roared back.
"Yes, it's always everyone else over your daughter," Yuliah scuffled. What made her think he would listen? He's been this way since she could remember.
"Where would you go then? Do you believe there's a safe place for you out there!"
"YES. Anywhere is better than staying here as Liang's bitch! Let him rape me and birth his seed. A seed I'd rather have wiped from this world," her eyes bulged as she stomped closer to him. It angered Yuliah how he didn't bother to look at her anymore. She felt unimportant. Anger got the best of her, and she tore the stack of letters from his hands, then threw them across the table. Papers scattered into the air and drifted to the floor. "Am I even your daughter?" When General Wey didn't answer Yuliah shouted. "Do you know what Liang's doing right now?" Her eyes were ??? "He's fucking Corrin in our stables! He sneaks back here to fuck her on our property and then comes and harasses me afterwards." Yuliah tilted her head back in ridicule. "And you want me to marry a man like that? Never - I'd rather die." Her stomach churned as she watched her father slowly stand up. The stoic expression he wore frightened Yuliah. He'd never gotten this angry with her before.
He stood right up to Yuliah and looked her in the eyes. Smack! Swift and hard, the sting of his palm across her face sent her a step back. "Stupid girl. Is that how I taught you to speak and behave? Weak. You shame your Mother."
Yuliah glared at him, unable to say a word. He never hit her before. "No," both eyes filled with tears, and she placed a hand to soothe the stinging sensation on her cheek. He did exactly as Liang, beat her when she didn't agree. She hated the Northern Kingdom and its oppression. Defeated, Yuliah turned around to leave. But she wanted to hurt him back. "You taught me," her voice trembled, 'That cowards can't protect their own wife or children…" She wanted those words to sting as her cheek did.
The veins on General Wey's head turned visible, and his jaw tightened. "Yes, your right, I'm a coward who ran away and couldn't protect you or your MOTHER. Do you know why? Because you both have bad blood," he screamed.
She whipped around and disgust spread across her face. General Wey's voice rang throughout the room even though Yuliah stood but a few feet away.
"You have the same blood as your mother. That cursed blood that brings danger in the night! Go! Soon you'll see what hunts you. You can't even imagine!" His eyes bulged. "When it comes for you! There won't be a man in this world who can protect you!" he snapped. "Maybe then you'll wish you were back here warm and safe in my home!"
Cursed blood? Is that how he saw Yuliah and her mother. Burdens? "You should have fed me along with my mother to the darkness then! If you're that afraid. It's better than living here with you! A coward who sells his daughter like a whore." Yuliah's words hurt him, and she flushed with regret when General Wey's eyes went red. He turned to the painting behind him. The portrait of a woman with long black hair identical to Yuliah's smiled back. She couldn't remember anymore, but it stood as one of the few memories left of her mother.
"Times are changing for the Wey clan. You don't have a choice but to marry Liang. I don't expect you to understand. One day I hope you won't hate me." General Wey's voice lowered. 'I wanted to protect your mother.' He still had his back to Yuliah. 'I live with how I failed her every day."
"Then send me away, that's what you can do for your failure to protect her." The trembles in his voice tugged at Yuliah's heartstrings.
"You'll marry Liang by the end of this week. Prepare your things."
The anger inside her shout out. "You're not my father," she stormed away and slammed his door extra hard. He could help her but chose the clan instead, and in her eyes, that's not a father.
General Wey turned back to the painting on the wall. He didn't want to give Yuliah to Liang, but the King decided already. If she came to him sooner, things could have been different. Her fate rested in the hands of the Gods now. With dried eyes, he pushed the picture aside — a secret compartment opened behind the frame. General Wey reached in and pulled out a small box. Carved on top were two crimson birds made from jewels — jewels not seen in these lands. He flipped the lid back, and inside sat an amethyst ring.