"Your Majesty the sooner the marriage takes place the better." Said the king's advisor as he was standing on the side as the king sat up on his throne.
The king sighed and sat back in his golden decorated throne.
"Are there any other options than marriage?" the king said not liking the idea of marrying off his eldest daughter for the sake of keeping the peace between the Clans.
But right now, there wasn't much of a choice…or that was what he thought.
"My king, marriage for the sake of trust is something done since the old days." The advisor said.
He sighed. "What do you think of this?" he turned to look at the second Queen, mother of the princess that is being sold.
"If the king sees that this is the only way then so be it." She said lowering her head in so called sadness, "I'm sure the Princess will gladly do it for the sake of Your Majesty."
The princess was standing next to her mother, eyes blank, face pale. Her ears can't process the words that her mother was saying.
She was giving her up without even giving a fight.
The Queen poked her daughter in the rips when she found no response coming from her.
"I-I agree with Mothers words." She stuttered; her voice was weak as she forced the words to come out. Her brothers standing looking at her in shock as this was the first time for them to hear of this madness.
Except for one.
Joon Wo stood between his brothers his fist clenched hard beside him in anger till his knuckles turned white. His eyes not believing the acting that his mother is showing off in front of the whole court.
It was the complete opposite of the attitude that she showed him the night before as she filled him in on all this mess.
She held her head up to look at him right in the eyes with a wicked smirk that only he noticed.
"If you would allow me Your Majesty."
The whole court turned to look at him. Even his brothers looked at him with there eyes wide giving him whispers of protest and that he shouldn't do whatever that he was about to do.
"Go ahead." The king nodded at Joon Wo wondering what he is going to say.
"Send me instead Your Majesty."
"Alright…" the king said, "Wait what!?" his eyes widening at his brain made out the words.
"Instead of my sister send me to the Wangs." Joon Wo said his eyes not wavering for even a moment as he talked, he caught sight of his sister as she looked at him as well and from the look on her face, he knew that the Queen didn't tell her anything beforehand.
He gave her a reassuring smile before turning to the king, "My sister is still young. I can serve as an Ambassador of the throne; I'll be one of the Wangs."
His mother not caring anymore on hiding her smile. After all, her plan is almost completed.
To save her favorite daughter from marriage to a most probably a man old enough to be her father and her son to be known as the hero who stepped forward to save his sister and offer to leave everything he owns here instead.
You will leave an impression in your father's heart, that was what she said.
'Do you want your sister to live desperately for the rest of her life away from her family?' she said those words with a pitiful look on her face.
What about my life? He wanted to say but knew that there was no use in talking, his mother has already made up her mind and she would drag him there if that was what it takes.
"He has a point your highness." The advisor said rubbing his chin. "He will be considered a link between us and the Wangs."
"I don't want to send either of them honestly." The king sighed, "But it can't be helped."
"Joon Wo prepare yourself to move out of the palace and head to the Wang Clan in the south."
"Thank you for allowing me to help you Your Majesty." He bowed before stepping back to stand in his place.
He gave out a sigh, feeling all the courage that he gathered to talk up fading away.
"What do you think you are doing!" Yu Jun yelled in a whisper as he stood next to him.
"Please don't ask because I've no idea."
~~~~
"Joon Wo," Jae I called out as she hurried across the hallway to catch up with him, "Why did you do that!" she stood inch's away from him trying to catch her breath.
"What do you mean why?" he looked at her giving her the most innocent look.
The best thing his mother has done in this whole thing was to saving Jae I from going to the Wangs. If she didn't her about her side plan that involved him than he won't either.
"Joon Wo I am not dump!" she raised her voice gaining glances from the others passing by and clearly, she didn't care about it.
"It was mother right?"
He only held his head up to look at his sister's raven-black eyes that were glaring at him grabbing him by the shoulders. She wasn't angry at him; she was angry for him.
"I-it was my decision!" he snapped before breaking down in front of her and end up telling her everything, he pushed off her hands and dashed away leaving her standing there alone.
Right, this is the right thing to do. He kept telling that to himself over and over again to convince him that this is in fact the right thing to do.
Everyone knew about the Wangs and how cruel they are. There was no way he would throw his sister into their den. He will just have to be there for a couple of years and return.
It is fine right?
'You only have to be there for a couple of years. Unlike your sister who will have to be there for the rest of her life.' His mother said back then.
And with that his mothers gasp once again found his throat, forcing him to do what she wants.
He cursed the throne and the palace for its wicked games, the games that are played in the shadows.
~~~~
"Okay we are done for today!"
With that Azar collapsed on the ground trying to catch his breath after running 10 laps around the Palace.
"D-Do you find pleasure in torture?" he forced out from between his heavy pants as he looked up at the tall man standing above him.
"Well, of course I do!" Jaffar said looking down at Azar with a devilish smirk spread across his lips.
It sounded so real that Azar could feel the goosebumps starting to spread on his arm.
"Today is my day off!" Azar groaned and he sat up crossing his arms over his chest, "Just what is the definition of day off here!"
He looked around to see other knights laying in the same position on the ground, not giving a damn about the dirt and mud that was finding its way to their clothes and hair all they thought of was that they are finally done!
"Morning training has nothing to do with days off boy." Jaffar said holding out his hand to help him up which Azar took gladly, he needed all the help he could right now, he could barely feel his legs.
He ruffled his golden hair that has now turned dark from the dirt and mud.
"Yeah, yeah says the man who never joined us." Azar said sarcastically stretching his arms over his head, "I'm off then to save whatever time left of my day off. See you later."
He could hear the faint sound of the chuckling coming from his Captain as he waked heading to his room.
He was finally now navigating inside the palace without getting lost or at least he can find the men's dorms without getting lost.
But honestly, it's way to far from the training grounds which he thought that Jaffar must have had a hand in planning this out.
He reached his room surprisingly fast after he got lost in thoughts of how time has passed way too fast. It's almost been 2 months since he came here and he has already gotten adjusted to the palace, training and most importantly… Jaffar's torture.
"Home sweet home." He exclaimed as he pushed open the door to his room.
"W-what the…" he whispered as his eyes fell upon a female figure in front of him.
"I-I'm so sorry. I must've…" he stuttered frustrated thinking that he must have entered the female's dorms by mistake, but as he took a step out back to the hallway, taking a look around him, he is sure that this is indeed his room.
"Hey, I think you've made a mistake this is my room. The female's dorm is the other way." He said pointing to the left side of the hallway making sure his voice is low so that he doesn't get any unwanted attention.
"You are lucky all the men are…" he was cut off by her walking towards him pulling him inside the room and slamming the door shut behind him.
The room was dark except for the light that was coming through the small window in the wall opposite to him.
He was shocked to see how close she was leaning on to him, she was too close that he heard her breaths…was she laughing?
"Since you are here, it can't be a mistake. Ex-Persian Soldier."