I couldn't process what was going on. I felt it wasn't real. That wasn't my life. I wasn't supposed to be the Prince's wife. It couldn't be real. I didn't want that. I didn't want it at all.
'What?' shout Prince Jonah, rising abruptly from his seat. 'You swore me that it would be my choice! You would choose who I would choose!' he shouted again with disappointment.
His father stared at him and said calmly.
'Milaia will be your wife, she is the one we have been waiting for. She is the one, son.'
Suddenly, his son's eyes changed from anger to complicity, he looked at me and I felt how he had understood that secret message his father had transmitted to him.
I was the one for what exactly?
What did they see in me?
'I'm sorry father, I shouldn't have questioned your judgment,' he came closer to me. 'Milaia, my darling, it will be my honour to marry you,' he took my hand and kissed it.
What do I do?
I didn't know what to do, I felt like I was falling off a huge cliff and that no one was going to come to my rescue.
I didn't understand, but when I saw my sister, the joy mixed with disappointment, I understood. That was the opportunity my family had been waiting for, the opportunity to have everything they've ever wanted. I felt used, but I didn't want to disappoint them.
By the Gods, how was I going to get married?
How was I going to marry a man I did not love?
Mena noticed my expression and said something that completely destroyed me.
'I know is not what you wanted Laia, but, don't you realize? You are our salvation. My sister, the princess of Bieno,' she hugged me and I felt a tear fall down my dress, although I wasn't sure if it was my sister's or my own.
I was speechless, I didn't answer anything, absolutely nothing. My precious words were drowned in the agony of despair. I sank into myself; I hid behind my shell.
Everyone in the room looked at me with disdain as I didn't respond. At this point they must have expected me to be thrilled by the offer.
I knew what it would mean if the word "no" came out of my mouth. If a woman or man refused an order from the King of Bieno, they were declared traitors. Betrayal meant getting our head away from your body.
Although I didn't want to lose my head, I could not help not wanting to marry. I wanted to be free and decide my own fate.
And if I ever wanted to get marry, I wanted it to be my decision, my choice.
The King knew, he read it in my face.
In a few seconds, some guards took me by the arms.
'What are you doing?' asked my sister. 'Let go of her,' her plead was in vain. My brother stopped her from helping me.
'Mena, it's okay, I'll be okay,' I said, before they took me away.
The guards led me into a different room, a dark place where I was given the order to wait. I heard how my sister begged them to release me.
They left me in there, in the dark.
I did not scream or cry.
I sat down on the floor, feeling the cold of the marble under my dress. I wrapped my legs around my arms and closed my eyes, trying to imagine that it was a nightmare, that I would soon wake up.
I felt alone, I felt the affliction of my heart writhing inside my chest.
What am I going to do?
That room was a simple graph of what my soul felt inside my body. Dark, everything was dark, I didn't deign to listen to my own voice, I oppressed it and locked it up, it hurt too much. I opened my eyes for a moment, looked around and tried to accept reality as it was. No one would rescue me, I was doomed.
I lowered my head again and looked at the necklace my mother had entrusted to me. I needed her, I wanted her to be there, she would know what to do. Why did they have to lock me up? Not a word came out of my mouth. How could they justify this? It all seemed so unreal.
I just wanted to be free again.
Suddenly, a light shone before my eyes.
It was the door that opened.
A mysterious young man lit up the room and came up to me.
He was tall and well-built. His back gave him a touch of superiority over the others. His hair was dark brown. His olive skin highlighted his special eyes, not too blue nor too green. A strange and impressive combination.
He looked familiar, as if I'd seen him before.
'Rise, princess,' said the young man, offering me his hands so that I could indeed rise. He held me tight and continued, 'the King is talking to your family, they must be arranging the wedding details.'
'Don't call me princess, and I can manage alone,' I said in a firm tone and let go of his hands. 'If the prince thinks this is the way he should treat his possible future wife, he is very much mistaken,' I said, taking a few steps around the room.
'Did you say possible wife? Do you have doubts about your marriage?' He asked, looking at me with what seemed like mockery. 'You know what would happen if you refused, don't you?'
'Say goodbye to my head,' I said, looking down. 'Yes, I know.'
'Then His Majesty will have nothing to worry about, right?' he smiled and walked back to the door. I couldn't let this opportunity pass. The Gods knew how long they would leave me locked up in there. I took courage and tried to deceive this mysterious man.
'Excuse me, could I go outside for a moment?' I hid my hands behind my back to disguise the sweat that was running down my body. Lying was not one of my best qualities, in fact I was too honest.
The man turned and looked at me carefully, waiting to see what I would say next.
'I just...you know, I really don't feel good, I haven't eaten anything and then the proposal happened and... and I think I could throw up at any time... I just need to go outside for a moment.'
Again, he stared at me and when I thought my little lie hadn't worked.
But then, he smiled and said:
'Polar!'
A young man came to the door and nodded. He was a redhead, with bright hazel eyes and a thousand freckles covering his face.
'Let's go with the princess to get some air,' he waved at me to join them.
I walked quickly towards this mysterious man, although that did not prevent him from grabbing my arm.
'How brave do you think you are?' He said with a smile.
'I don't know what you are talking about. And let go of me, now.'
He let go, still smiling.
'Alright, let's go then.'
I positioned myself beside the young man. We walked down a long corridor until we reached a small wooden door. I had time to study them both, perhaps for the simple reason that I had the idea that they would probably be the last people I would ever see in my life.
'This is the back door, let's go out this way,' the mysterious man told me, carefully opening that small door, which seemed more fragile than it should be. 'It's the door where the service comes out'.
'I see'.
It was time. I knew it the moment I felt the wind hit my face, and I saw the sky in its greatest splendor, the shining stars.
There was no other choice, it was either escape or condemn myself to a miserable life. Polar and the young man with intriguing eyes watched and waited for my next move. I had to create a distraction.
'If you don't mind gentlemen, I would like some privacy, it will only be a second I promise,' they looked at each other, so I decided to raise the stakes.
'I think...', I covered my mouth and pretended to gag. 'I'll throw up', they both took a step back at the same time.
'You have two minutes. Only two minutes, okay? Go,' the young man hit me lightly on the back so that I would walk a few steps away from them while Polar watched that no one saw them.
'Thank you,' I said, 'I'll make it up to you, I promise'.
'That's what I hope, princess,' I thought I heard him whisper.
I slowly walked away.
When I thought I was far enough, I took off my painful shoes and ran.
I ran like I had never run before.
I ran until I reached an enormous gate which, it seemed, would be responsible for the failure of my escape. At the possibility of not being able to get out of there, my heart pounded and I felt a message shoot out into my mind. I must escape.
I wished that the gate would allow me to escape, I wished it fervently. I stretched out my hand and touched one of the bars. As I touched it, and with luck on my side, I noticed that it was loose, almost about to break. Carefully, I moved through that small, narrow space.
Then, I kept running, not thinking about what was behind me. I reached the streets, the same ones I walked through every day.
It wasn't long until I heard the horses approaching me at full speed. Closer and closer to me, I kept running, I didn't stop for a second. I thought of going back home, taking my things and then running away, but it was too late, I had no time.
I was running as fast as I could, I felt like I was almost flying with every step I took. The heat of my blood hit the skin on my legs. My breath was mixing with the wind blowing against me.
And before I knew it, I was in the woods.