When I woke up mother and Sarana were in the room but there was no sign of Timi. The image of last night flashed in my head. Timi did not sleep in our room I wonder where she had slept.
I quickly got out of bed.
" Muna your awake?" Sarana said, walking up to me.
"How are you doing dear" she asked.
"I'm fine." I reply shortly. Suddenly Timi came in she was dressed in a white and golden gown. Her dark hair was beautifully combed back, her face painted just enough to emphasize her natural innocent and maiden features.I stared at her quietly she looked so beautiful.
It had finally arrived the day of her wedding, the day Timi used to fantasize about, the day she would be gone separated from us for so long or maybe forever.
"Timi you look so beautiful" we all chorused.
" Thank you, with this looks of mine general Gandhi would not be able to resist me." She chuckled.
Mother and Sarana smiled sweetly at her.
" Why are you dressed up so early?" I asked Abit confused.
"General would be here earlier than expected, he said he has alot of works to attend to." Mother said this time
"Oh," that was my short reply.
The door at the entrance suddenly opened and someone walked in. We all titled our heads to the door just to see Ziya, Father's first wife, a beautiful young woman in her late 40's walking gracefully into our room.
" I can see your daughter is all dressed up for the wedding, let's see who general gets to choose when he meets my two beautiful daughters." She said with mockery boldly evidence in her voice.
Few seconds after her two daughters entered the room, they were beautifully dressed but their beauty could never be compared to that of my Timi.
Mother rolled her eyes.
" Ziya quit acting like a child this is my daughter's wedding and we both know the general has already chosen to marry her"
We all stood there watching as mother and Ziya exchanged words
" I see, Walimah did our husband hit you again? How sad, did your mother not teach you never to disrespect your husband? I wonder what 'my husband' saw in you when he married you." She grin wickedly, emphasizing the my husband.
" Quit it already Ziya, your present is not needed here, you and I are fully aware of that so kindly leave," Sarana said this time with anger boiling in her eyes. She has always hated Ziya from the very first day Father's younger brother had married her into our home as his fifth wife, the same day father married mother.
" And who are you to tell me to leave?..."
" Mother, aunt Sarana and Ziya please stop, I cannot believe you are doing this on my wedding day!" Timi quickly shut them up before they could start a fight and left the room.
Ziya left shortly after Timi with a satisfied smile plastered on her oval face, her two daughters quickly followed swiftly behind her.
General Gandhi finally arrived and the wedding ceremony had begun.
" Muna do me a favour, do not leave the room I don't want you ruining my marriage." Timi ordered
". But Timi today would be the last day I will be seeing you it's not fair."
" Life is never fair" with a sigh she said " still I don't want my newly wedded husband to have his eyes on you." With that she left. Leaving me there all by myself.
I held back the tears which were treatened to fall from my eyes and sat on the bed. I could hear cool music from outside the room. I truely understood Timi, Gandhi was her dream man but how could I just sit there and watch Timi leave without saying goodbye like how I did with all my sister's?
I quickly ran out of the room with a tray of sweet on my hand, I would serve the sweets to the visitors and use the opportunity to say goodbye. I thought to myself.
I danced gracefully to the music while I serve sweets to the visitors with the servants. I saw Father standing with general Gandhi not so far from me and I quickly steeled.
" Are you sure she is the one I picked?"
I heard general Gandhi's loud whisper.
" Of course she is" Father reply curtly with a forced smile, I saw him glare at Mother with 'he better choose Timi' all written over his face.
Timi blushes shyly as General Gandhi's gaze swept across her body gently.
"Hmm," he said then slowly shifted his gaze to where I stood. He was dressed in purple beautiful linen shirt and well fitted black pants. He would have been a very beautiful man if not for the scar that crossed down from his brow to his chin. He was 6 fit tall, had dark eyes and thin lips, slim and had a perfect body shape. He was a man that every woman would salivate just by standing before him, his oral was demonic, he had the most evil smirk and was obviously a man of so many words but even at that he was obviously not my kind of man.
His eyes darken, alot of unspoken words in them. That was not the first time I had seen him, I remember he came a year ago to attend Father's coronation as the most powerful general in the entire empire.
Timi quickly titled her head towards where he was staring at and our eyes met. I saw anger in her beautiful dark eyes. Mother and father also stared hard at me. I quickly ran to the room. It was never my intentions to be seen.
I knew my look was owful, I had not yet fully recovered, my face was still bruised and my body had little scars from the accident.
After an hour had passed. Timi and mother walked inside the room, I stared at the floor, my hands were shaking, I couldn't meet Timi's gaze, I knew she was so mad.
" I hate you Muna, and I never want to see you ever again!" She spat, collected the tray of sweets I held and throw them on me then left the room.
I allowed my tears to stream down chest. I was such a bad sister and I ruin my sister's wedding. Mother sat beside me and parted my back gently
"Don't cry Muna, you did not ruin your sister's wedding." When she saw me staring blankly at her she offered me her resuring smile and I calmed down.