"Mother, you can't be serious," I said with my eyes wide open.
This is not happening to me after all I've been through. I am Chenguang Li, the last daughter of Liang Li. I'm a princess to say but a very lonely one. I'm the third and last daughter of Liang Li. Well I'm not so favoured because my mother was forced on my father for the sale of wealth and the same thing is about to happen to me, just that mine is for the sake of peace.
According to what I was told, my father married the woman he loves so much who happens to be the next Queen of Willand. Willand is a kingdom of sorcerers which is ruled by the Queen and not a King. Things were fine in our Kingdom until the long silent war between werewolves and witches was rekindled by who knows. This war caught our land unaware that we lost a lot of things. Both properties and lives. This almost rendered us wretched.
After a while, we began to be in dead need of resources to sustain ourselves. If not, our Kingdom will soon be desolate. Then my grandmother, who happens to be the Queen at that time, brazen up and went in search of help from a far away witch Kingdom. Being that witches are not too united, they wanted something concrete that would mark their bonding.
My grandmother has only one daughter and not a son. She would have thought of marrying her daughter to them but she was already married. She then decided to take one of their daughters and marry her to her son-in-law. This brought about a big fight between her and her daughter but at last, they gave in to her will. Not that it was easy for grandmother too but she had to sacrifice and that was how my mother came to be in that land.
My mother didn't wait to see me before she was said to be dead, so I also didn't get to see her. My grandmother always told me that I'm a replica of my mother. It was my stepmother that took care of me as a child because all others neglected me. Even my father. I have two elder sisters and one brother and none liked me save my grandmother. I wouldn't blame them but I still think they would treat me better.
After the death of my grandmother, my stepmother got on the throne and became the Queen of Willand. Truth be told, she's indeed a good Queen. It's only me she doesn't like.
The war between the werewolves and witches wouldn't stop, so my stepmother pleaded for a truce. She said she's tired of losing lives and properties.
I love the pattern and I admire her wisdom but what she wanted to use for the truce is what I object to. She wants a marriage between the Willand and Daye pack.
Daye pack is the largest, most powerful and most dangerous wolf pack around us. Daye us where the Alpha King resides. They are so terrifying. Just one bite, a witch is near death. No one ever jokes with the Daye pack, not even wolves like them. In fact they were the one that killed most of our people, my grandmother inclusive.
Now, that's the pack my mother wants to sell me into in the name of truce. I don't know what I've done to deserve all these.
Their current Alpha King is as worse as the devil himself. It was said that he killed his father with his bare hands so as to be on the throne. None could challenge him.
"I'm serious Chen and they are coming for you in three days time. So prepare to leave" she said blankly.
Since she walked herself into my room, I know something isn't going to be good. The Queen never stepped foot in my room except today. She has always acted as if I don't exist and I too try to be very invisible.
Tears rushed down my cheek. The only hope I have to live a happy life has been truncated. I had always thought all my loneliness and pain would end when one day a good man is attracted to me and asks for my hand in marriage. I've never thought of getting married to a wealthy or powerful man. I don't mind being married to a peasant as long as I'm happy. But now, I'm married to a strange land with a lot of evil. It's nothing but the Lion's den.
"I heard that he eats witches' hearts for breakfast," Lui, the second female of my father, said.
I looked up and saw that she was tested on the door frame, smiling at me. I know she's just here to taunt me as usual. I didn't say anything. I just looked down at my fingers.
"You are so dead if you provoke him" she said not minding if her words were hurting me or not.
I could feel her walking in but I didn't acknowledge her presence.
"This house will know peace once you are gone" she added.
As if the house even knows if I'm there. If not that I've been sent to that beast of an Alpha, I would be so glad to leave. I glared at her to leave me alone. Instead she sat beside me and took her hands. This was quite surprising.
"If you want to live in Chen, you have to do everything he says you should do. According to words that were said he's said to be a god reincarnate and we don't know if it's an evil god. Don't try to fight him. Your magic is useless to him" she said pitifully.
I don't know why she's suddenly been so nice, talk more of her giving me advice. My sisters don't seem to like me. They hurt me with their words whenever our paths cross. Them mocking me is the only pain they cause me. Now for Lui to be acting all suddenly nice, it simpleans they don't hate me totally.
"Jie volunteered to take your place but mother won't agree. She said it's all you and only you"
That wasn't a surprise to me. Jie has always loved the Alpha King. She has said it to my ears countless times. She will even want to go to war just to see him not minding if she could get killed but mother wouldn't allow her. I wonder why she's fallen for that beast of all good and mighty men around. Well it's Jie's problem not mine. I know she would be dead jealous of me and I just wish something could happen that would replace me with her.
"Isn't it too dangerous for Jie?" I said softly so that it wouldn't look as if I didn't say anything.
"So it is for you. At least Jie wants it but you don't. Well in all, just be careful. Longwei Shen isn't someone to toil with. I don't want you dead minutes after you get there. At least spend some time there" she said, patting my back gently.
I don't know what her last statement is insinuating. Does that mean she wants me dead but not too quickly? I didn't mind. At least she came to console me. I nodded my head.
"Milly will come help you prepare. You are going in grand style" she smiled at me.
I looked at her but didn't return the smile.
"Why?" I ask instead.
"So that the wolf pack coming to get you will think you are one of our treasures. Mother said it will make the truce more valuable" she explained.
I didn't need someone to tell me their intentions. It was obvious. Her answer is not for the reason I requested.
"I mean, why are you suddenly so nice to me?" I clarified.
" Oh that" she smiled stiffly. " You are leaving for the Lion's den and the least I could do is to come give you comfort little sis" she said, stood up and then walked away.
I watched her as she left and closed the door, then my tears began to fall again. If my grandmother wasn't dead, she wouldn't have allowed any of this to happen to me.
"I miss you so much grandmother" I wept.