(Azriel POV)
"No, Father! You cannot do this to me. I have not even made my choice of future and you would marry me off to this Northern man?"
My father sat in his armchair, in his private chamber looking at me with great sadness.
"Azriel, I have no choice. They have asked for your hand, not Eva's."
"But it is her turn to marry. She has had her debut. She has made her choice. Father you know I don't want to leave Andora. You promised I could wait two years before getting married. You promised I could learn a trade."
My father sighed, this was very unlike him. He was usually a jovial man who indulged me as much as mother was strict. Mother, in fact, sat in a corner, tears streaming down her face, biting her lips as she sniffed away.
"Vizriel, have you seen his face? Will you give your daughter to the rough men of the North? Have you no ambitions for her future? Will you bury her there?"
Father shook his head and said, "The Grand Duke of Ascan has asked for Eva's hand. He and his son are both in the Inner Council of the King and I have already accepted for her. It is important for one daughter to be at the court and push Andora's agenda as much as possible. And as for the Northern men. They are all that can help us now against the Blight. Alavar has washed his hands off, and no other state will step forward to help. You know the rules of the mines of Andora dear one!"
Mother sniffed some more and said, "So Azriel is the price we pay for getting rid of the Blight?"
"Yes," Father said in barely a whisper. He went to the cupboard and pulled out a decanter of wine and a goblet. He poured himself a generous helping and sat down again.
"You are turning into a lush, Vizriel!" Mother sniffed.
He didn't reply but looked at me beseechingly. I was too stunned to respond to my parents. But, I found my voice and asked quietly.
"What is this about the Blight?"
"It has reached the mines of Andora, my dear! Our only option will be to shut down the mines if it grows any stronger. I do not know what to do. Nothing stops it, neither fire nor water nor ice, not stone. Nothing. Two months ago, a magical beast stepped out of it and killed five soldiers guarding the area of the Blight. A month ago, three soldiers were sucked into a vortex that came out of the Blight and entered back again. It has already reached the third level of the mines, Azriel!"
An icy pall descended on me. Two more levels and it would be on the ground, able to spread as fast as it pleased. All would be lost then. Yet, I could not find it in myself to face my father yet. I was too hurt and disappointed.
"I will give you my answer tomorrow morning Father. At least give me a night to sleep over it."
He nodded as if resigned to fate.
I was feeling the same way as well, as I listlessly made my way back into the room. Too many thoughts were in my head, and they swirled around me all night like dark wraiths. I was terrified of marriage and the consequences of the discovery of my true nature. Perhaps, Irismus, which was more tolerant of magic would spare my life, but what fate would await me. Would the two bothers throw me in a dungeon once they found out. Irismus was not like the rest of the Kingdoms. It was a savage land, with savage customs. I would be mostly cut off from my family, my sisters and brothers and Andora itself. And what if I was a whisperer. A whisperer could not live too far from Andora, they fell sick and died. Their ties to the land were too deep.
I tossed and turned all night. But, I knew that the decision was already made for me. As I watched the dawn break from my room, I knew that my fate was sealed. I slowly and listlessly made my way to my parent's room to tell them my answer.