"What's wrong with you Leonard?"Amira asked with raised eyebrows, slightly irritated. She was tensed when someone pulled her hand abruptly when she was leaving the event hall.
Amira's heart almost exploded as it pounded wildly inside her chest.She had thought that it was…she shook her head and heaved a long sigh of relief because she didn't want to think about it anymore.
Leon is Amira's childhood friend who works as the castle soldier, he's among those soldiers who protect the castle from intruders.
"I should be the one asking you that question, Amira," Leonard said through gritted teeth and his voice was slightly high.
He darted his eyes to make sure that no one was eavesdropping.It was dangerous to unleash Amira's true identity.
"What are you doing here?"Leon asked with creased eyebrows as confusion settled on his features.
His shameless eyes scanned Amira carefully as he tried to look for some hints.
"No!"Leon shook his head in denial as if he was conflicting with the idea that popped into his head.
"Please tell me it's not what I think Amira."He shook his head more vigorously, not entirely believing the ideas that crossed his mind.
"Assure me that you're not among those bride contestants, Amira."Leon grabbed Amira by the shoulder gently, he gave her shoulders a slight squeeze so that she could get answers from her.
Amira swallowed hard when she heard Leon's questions. She looked away as her eyes glistened with tears that threatened to flow from her eyes.
She hated the royal family to the moon and back because of what they did to her father, commander Adonis.
Amira didn't want to associate herself with any member of the wicked royals. However, there's no way she's going to stay away from them because her father is involved. Amira won't allow her father to serve life imprisonment because he's innocent.
She needs that power to prove to the entire universe that her father was accused wrongly, and the only way for her to get access to the power is to become the crown Prince's bride.
"I know you're brave enough to know that taking part in the competition is walking in hellfire Amira." Leonard said in a whisper, it seemed like he was convincing himself more than he was asking the question.
"I need to get going."An exhausted sigh escaped from Amira's lips. She was tired from all the dancing and everything.
"Grandma is waiting for me, I know she's worried."Amira stepped back and Leon let her go. One thing was certain, she was among the contestants.
It was hard for Leonard to believe that Amira was not among the contestants no matter how hard he tried. It was evident from how she dressed and how beautiful she looked.
Amira walked away with a heavy heart. She blinked her eyes when her vision became blurry because of tears.
She wiped tears from her eyes using the back of her hand. Amira hoped that Leon would understand her decision when he found out that indeed she was among the bride's contestants.
Amira didn't take part in the competition because she wanted to be the crown prince's bride, it was because of her father,she wants justice for her father.
Leon watched Amira as she walked away from him. One step, two steps, three steps and finally she disappeared from his eyesight and was swallowed by the crowd.
He could tell that everything was not alright. It was evident that Amira was not alright.
_____
"Grandma."Amira hugged the old lady tightly as soon as she laid her eyes on her.
Lady Serena was standing outside the castle gate as she waited for her granddaughter. The old lady hugged her daughter back tightly.
That was all that Amira needed at the moment, a long tight hug so that she could feel alive again. It was also an assurance from her grandma that she was not all alone in all the struggles that she's going through.
"Where are you coming from?"The old lady asked her granddaughter when she wriggled from the suffocating embrace.
"I bumped into a longtime friend who couldn't stop telling me about her progress for the time we have been apart."Amira shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as she tried hard to sound normal.
Lady Serena looked at her granddaughter with doubtful eyes, not entirely convinced by her lame explanation.
"So you have other friends apart from Leon?"Lady Serena asked with slightly raised eyebrows.
"And what are those tears for? Have you been crying?"Lady Serena asked her granddaughter when she noticed a drop of tear at the corner of Amira's eyes.
"Huh, What?"Amira's hand travelled to where her grandma had pointed, she wanted to wipe away the evidence.
"It's..."Amira stuttered as she tried to search for a reasonable explanation in her foggy mind.
"Serena..."Both Amira and Lady Serena shifted their eyes to the old man who seemed to be so happy to see Amira's grandma.
"Ignotious."Lady Serena said with a smile on her face as they walked towards the man who was standing beside the carriage which looked somewhat old.
Amira heaved a sigh of relief. She wanted to thank the old Mr. for saving her because she was certain that the old lady couldn't stop asking her countless questions until she found out the truth.
'What really made her cry some few minutes ago.'She thought.
"It has been a long time since the last time I heard from you."The old man said,happiness lingered in his voice as he talked to lady Serena.
Amira could tell that the man was happy to see her grandma. However, the man's face didn't ring a bell in Amira's mind because she had never seen him.
"It has been a long time indeed."Lady Serena nodded her head in agreement.
"Is she your granddaughter?"The old Mr.asked when he laid eyes on Amira who was tugging on her grandmother's hand as if she was afraid that the old lady would disappear into thin air.
Lady Serena turned her head gently to look at Amira with a smile on her face.
"Yes, she's my granddaughter,Amira. She's my son's daughter."Lady Serena said proudly and planted a light kiss on Amira's dark hair.
A small smile flashed on Amira's lips as she nodded her head to the old man, agreeing to her grandma's words.
"She reminds me more about you when we were young, about her age."The old man looked at Amira,as if he was mesmerising every feature of her face.
"You were so beautiful just like your granddaughter."Amira's eyes widened slightly when she heard the old man's compliment. She gave her grandma's hand a slight squeeze.