"Oh, no, Aella! This can't happen! Not to me, the witch can't kill me at this fledgeling age of mine, I haven't even been wedded yet! No, Aella, you need to save me. Save your beloved sister!" Aurelia cried out on the floor.
"Let go of me, you blockhead! You are the one who got yourself into this mess so find a way to get out of it before Mother or Father finds out!" Aella pushed her sister's wailing figure away from her.
"No!!" Aurelia grabbed her again.
"We just need to pay off the debt. That gem must have weighed a few golden coins, we just need to give the witch her money back, that should tame her anger a little!"
"Then go do it and stop pestering me, you bunker!" Aella whizzed, trying to get her sister's clamouring hands off her.
She pretended to be so fragile yet she had an iron grip in times of her need.
"You know I have no money! There's no way I can pay off that huge debt without Father finding out. But you, Aella, my wonderful sister, can help me out!" Aurelia's eyes shone with conviction.
"Have you gone nuts? I have no such money either!"
"Of course you do! I have seen you sneaking in the allowance we get every month in your room. Where is the money, Aella? We need it urgently!"
Aella felt speechless after hearing her sister's revelation. She didn't know someone else knew about her secret stash other than her.
Aella had been saving up some money to enlist in the imperial army by the next year.
Even though she knew her chances of getting in were slim because she was a lady, she wasn't going to give up so easily.
Aella's die-hard dream was to be a soldier, an honourable warrior who would defend her kingdom from any harm.
Right from a young age since she saw how people venerated brave knights when they returned from war, she found herself wanting to be like them.
She trained herself using a branch from the tree in the backyard and she would normally peep in when the guards were sparring so she could imitate their moves on her own.
Her years of hidden dedication paid off when she won a battle in the streets recently.
Her parents weren't exactly pleased about it but that was Aella's one and only victory in her mundane life.
So knowing that Aurelia knew about her bank and the fact that she was shamelessly asking to give away her longtime savings baffled her to the core.
"You want me to pay off your debt with the money I plan to use for my future? I see you have clearly lost your marbles, Aurelia. Get out," Aella pointed to the door with glaring eyes.
It enraged her that her sister could even think of such a thing.
Her selfishness was enough to disgust Aella up to the point she didn't want to see her anymore.
"No, Aella, please!! This is the only way to save me, to save our family!" Aurelia clasped her palms together with a plea.
"I was trying to help you but I won't drag myself down just to rescue you. Leave my room immediately!!" Aella grabbed her sister and pulled her up, about to throw her out of the room.
"No!! If you don't do this for me, our family will be ruined and it will all be because of your selfishness! Think of Mother and Father, you don't want to see them miserable after the witch takes me away, no? Please, Aella!" Aurelia clutched her sleeves direly as she implored.
Aella let out a breath filled with agitation and resisted the urge to slam her head against a wall.