"What did you mean by marriage?" Dasya, who held Zale that was about to fall, asked curiously.
"Queen Aro wants me to get married. The marriage preparation is going on, and I have no option rather than to get married to whoever the lady is, or I will face the punishment of disobeying the royal order". Tears cascaded his face as he uttered each word with sadness in his voice.
Dasya could do nothing rather than just stare at him, and pat him softly. This is beyond what he can handle.
"Brother, please help me stop the marriage. I don't care if they all get burnt". He pleaded with his hand clasps as he went on his knees.
Dasya let out a deep breath before he squatted beside his kneeling brother. He pitied him, but is there anything he can do when he hasn't erased the fact that he wanted King Zayley dead?
"Zale, you know I would never watch you suffer if I can help," he paused, and cleaned Zale's wet face before he continued. "There is nothing I can do. You just have to get married because my royal rights were suspended".
In amusement, Zale raised his gaze to see his brother who just uttered those words without feeling bad, or sad. "What did you mean? What happened? Why did they do that?" He asked curiously.
"Haven't you heard about it?"
"I haven't. I was not in the kingdom for the main time. I visit a far away kingdom in the Arabian Empire ". Zale replied slowly.
For the past few days, he went out of the palace, he had learned many things, which included sword fights, the use of ice which he possesses the energy, casting a few spells which he also learned.
To him, he is ready to help Dasya get what is his, and bring back things to how they are supposed to be.
"Father was poisoned, and I was framed for doing that. Until I prove myself innocent, my royal rights are seized". Without feeling sad or angry, he echoed calmly.
"Poor you. I'm sorry it happened. I will make sure I do everything to prove that you are not the murderer. Trust me in this, okay?" Even though he's a young adult, he always acts like he is the older brother.
"Stop acting the role of my father! You are only twenty". Dasya scolded him, and they both burst into loud laughter.
"Before I forget, make sure you find out who the lady is. Maybe if we persuade her, she might disagree with marrying you". With that, the two brothers walk away.
****
After waiting for about two hours without Dasya, she slowly walked to the rock in the middle of the flower as she felt her leg aching.
"I know he will have one excuse or the other to make. He would never do things on time! What will he watch when it is almost sunset?" She asked herself as she sat gently on the clean rock.
"What are you looking for here?" She heard someone questioning her.
Slowly, she turned to face a lady. She is dressed in a silver color silk that fits perfectly her hair as it hued her brown skin.
"Aren't you the lady from—"
The lady did not wait for her to finish what she was saying before she interrupted her with her introduction. "I'm Princess Aara. The mother of the future crown prince of Bel-Hir".
A smile made its way to her face as she watched Aara echo those words happily. "Good for you".
Her response provoked Aara.
Aara who couldn't endure being insulted or looked down on by Luciana, took a brief step closer to her.
She was about to slap her, but Luciana was too fast to dodge it, making her hand hit the rock edge.
In pain, she winced before she brought out a small knife. Aara smirked dangerously before she bent over to Luciana, who was already afraid of what would happen to her.
"Aara, do…you… Want to stab me?" She stuttered as those questions came out from her parted lips.
"Since you stepped your filthy legs into this castle, I hated you, and wanted you dead! I badly want you dead!" Still holding the knife tightly, she yelled.
To her, she would not only stab her to death, but let her know that she hated her, and wanted her death from the beginning.
"Why did you hate me? Why should I die when I did nothing wrong? Or is it a crime to get married?" She asked as she let those tears that clustered in her eyes streamed down.
"You are nothing, but a thief! You just came from nowhere to take what belongs to another person. Do you deserve to live after causing pain to others?" Luciana isn't just confused, but going crazy as she heard more words from Aara.
"Aara! I don't care what I steal! Just go ahead, and kill me instead of making me feel pathetic over what I didn't know about or do!" She gathered all the energy in her before she could summon the courage to yell at her.
Aara chuckled at how easy Luciana gave up. If only she knew this was more than death because if her sister found out about this, she would not only hurt Luciana, but hurt all the people around her.
Ariana, who is Aara's immediate younger sister, used to be Dasya's friend, and the only lady who loved him for who he was.
Ariana could do anything just to be with Dasya. She could sacrifice her life for him— that is how much she loves him.
What pains Aara was all the warnings and advice she gave her sister. She knew Dasya would end up marrying a princess, and neglecting Ariana, but can Ariana do nothing about it?
'It is better to kill one person than watch her sister kill several people, and end up dying'. She raised the knife about to stab her, but mistakenly cut the hair which the wind blew to her face.
She just cut Luciana's hair!
She hissed as she removed the hair that flew to her face before she ran after Luciana, who was already running.