**The Next Morning in the Scorching Land**
At the stable, Sia was wearing a simple robe suitable for desert life.
She headed toward the goats and sat on the wooden chair to start milking them.
I heard my brother Marcus's voice: "Hey Sia, good morning! Just like the birds that wake up early!"
I looked at my brother, whose kind features had strong eyes fixed on me.
I greeted him with a smile, "Good morning, dear brother."
He went to clean the stable, holding a shovel to start tidying the place.
The sounds of laughter came from two children entering: "You can't catch me!" – "Catch me, Aran!"
I noticed the twins chasing each other around.
Marcus sighed and then said firmly, "Aran and Nene, stop playing and help us!"
They both replied playfully and sweetly, "Sure!"
I watched them, six years old, as they took the bucket to fill it with water outside.
I chuckled lightly, saying, "Haha, they are adorable."
"Good morning." The sleepy voice belonged to the second brother, who looked different, with sharp eyes and messy hair, indicating someone who loves laziness and avoidance.
Marcus quickly responded, "Dam, where have you been last night?"
He seemed about to answer, but Marcus grabbed his ear, making him yelp, "Ouch! Why are you pulling my ear, good morning?"
Listening to his older brother, who was stern and angry, Dam yelled in pain, "Ouch, ouch! Sorry!"
I watched Dam, who was getting scolded by Marcus (once again getting himself into trouble).
I finished milking the goat and lifted the bucket, saying, "Good morning, Dam."
Dam, still with his ear in Marcus's grip, replied, "Good morning! Let me help you carry it."
Marcus, not letting go, said, "No! You won't use this as an excuse to escape from me! When will you grow up!"
Dam joked, "Maybe in the spring?"
I was surprised by his boldness in joking at this moment. I could still hear Marcus hitting Dam's head, saying, "Shut up and listen to me! Don't play smart! Let your clever mouth help you clean the whole stable! You won't have breakfast until you do!"
Dam complained, "What!!"
I laughed as i walk away
I entered the house and heard my mother thanking me as I placed the bucket in the kitchen (even though our situation was a bit tough, we all made efforts to stay in harmony and peace).
After a few days, this peace was shattered when the father received a message bearing the family crest: a rose with five golden petals.
His hands trembled as he opened it, thinking, "Why is this message bearing the family crest? Why do I feel uneasy? As if a shadow of darkness is about to surround us."
His expression turned serious as he read, his eyes widened, "W-what is this?"
His voice grew angry, gripping the message tightly, "This must be a joke!"
He began to cough violently: "Cough, cough."
Still holding the message, the mother came to him with a warm cup of water mixed with honey. "Calm down, why are you so agitated?"
She supported him to sit on the bed and made him drink the warm water with honey, rushing toward him, saying, "Calm down, dear. What has made you this way?"
She noticed the envelope containing the family crest, her heart pounding as she heard his trembling voice, filled with pain: "Sia…"
The mother face went pale, as if her heart dropped: "W-why do you mention Sia…"
The father clenched his teeth, his shoulders shaking slightly: "Why does she have to suffer more…"
She looked at him , confused, felt that something bad was about to happen to Sia. She looked down in silence: "…"
After a moment of silence, the father's tone softened: "You must tell them there's an urgent family meeting."
The mother stood up, her expression calm but clearly showing worry and fear.
At lunchtime, the whole family gathered. The two older sisters and their husbands, along with the grandfather and grandmother from the mother's side, who lived outside the house, were present.
Jessica, the second daughter, sat in the father's room, saying, "It's rare for our father to gather us like this."
I sat nervously, "What happened?"
Dam, entering with boredom, said, "Why the meeting out of nowhere? I have training!"
Lisa, the eldest sister, asked, "Dad, did something happen?"
We looked at our father sitting on his bed; his expression was not good, despite his attempt to hide it.
After taking a deep breath, he said, "I received a direct message from our leader."
Silence filled the room as everyone exclaimed in disbelief: "What?"
Laura asked anxiously, "What? Do they want to exile us?!"
Lisa tried to calm her, saying, "Laura, take it easy."
My father, gripping his hands tightly, spoke in a heavy voice, "No, that's not it. I wish it were."
We were all in disbelief at what he said.
My mother, hold my hand, i was surprised to see her sad expression (Mom? What's happening? I'm starting to feel anxious about what could make Dad say that exile would be better than what he read).
Dam intervened, still leaning against the wall nonchalantly, "So, what is it that scares you, Dad? If it's not exile, then what is it?"
My father looked at Sia, his hands clenching tightly as he said, "They are planning to make peace between our village and the kingdom of Verdal."
Marcus scratched his head, trying to understand what was happening, "Yeah, we heard about that, but what does it have to do with us?"
The grandfather, calmly joining the conversation, said, "Yes, it seems that it relates to merging our tribe's blood with the royal family."
Laura intervened, "Oh, so the chief's daughter will marry the ruler?!"
She then wondered: "But what does that have to do with our family meeting?"
Chuckling lightly, feeling tense,she said, "I mean, the atmosphere is strange here, Dad…"
I looked at the ground, my heart racing as the atmosphere became more suffocating, broken by my father's voice continuing: "The thing is, Princess Selina, the chief's daughter, will not marry him."
Everyone was stunned by what he said, but they remained silent as if they all understood and knew what he would say next.
My father continued in a heavy voice, not wanting to look in my direction, feeling the weight of what he was going to say : "They want to send Sia instead."
It felt as if the place around me was spinning (me?). I returned to my senses after feeling my mother's hand holding mine tightly, looking through the tearful expression in my my mother .
Laura and Lisa spoke nervously, "What are you talking about? Why Sia? We're just ordinary people!!"
Jessica, angrily intervening, shouted: "Why did the princess refuse? Isn't this peace important for getting water for the people? Why the sudden rejection?!"
Her husband calmed her down, Dam replied, looking more serious than usual as he stood away from the wall: "Because they know that the princess's life will be in danger."
Dam, holding his head in anger, continued: "Those bastards want to send her because she's not the princess!"
Marcus spoke, trying to keep himself together, his eyes blazing: "But why Sia specifically?"
I remained silent in shock, trying to understand what was happening (The princess refused, and this is an order from the chief… I will go to a faraway country I don't know, away from my family?).
I heard my father's painful, weak response: "Because of her eye color and her abilities…"
My heart raced as I remembered the violet eyes glaring at me, strong and frightening: *"One day, you will be useful, you pathetic impostor."*
My breath quickened in terror as I stood up: "I don't want to!"
Everyone looked at Sia who had shouted that, and I repeated with greater strength, looking at my father: "I don't want to, I don't want! I don't want to be away from you, Dad!"
Standing, my father gathered his strength despite his fatigue and walked over, embracing me tightly: "Don't be afraid! No one will take you away!"
I hugged my father tightly, closing my eyes (I don't want this! I don't want to be away from my family).
I clung to him as he held me close, saying: "Don't worry; your Grandpa and Marcus will go talk to the chief. I'm sure there's a mistake."
I felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I cried: "Mm." (I feel safe in my father's arms.)
They all looked at Sia, unable to believe what had been said.
The grandfather stood firmly and said, "Don't be afraid; I won't stay silent about this! Marcus, let's go now to inquire!"
I looked at my grandfather and Marcus with gratitude, and I saw Marcus smiling gently at me: "Don't worry; this is just a mistake."
I fell silent, still holding onto my father, watching them leave: "… But why do I feel this way?"
I imagined a green butterfly flying far away in the vast golden desert: "I will have to leave."
I walked outside, looking at the swing to sit on silently: "…"
---
I raised my gaze to the blue sky and the relentless scorching sun in this desert.
I thought to myself (My father was exhausted, so he went back to sleep for a while, and my mother was taking care of him, while the others decided to return to work until news came from Grandfather and Marcus).
Dam stood at the doorway: "So here she is…"
He looked at her as she stared silently at the sky, her violet eyes sparkling like crystals, but he clenched his fist, remembering something from their childhood, searching for his little sister. He saw her sitting alone, crying, her hand and arm bandaged. {Why am I different? Why am I called a fake? This hurts!}
He clenched his hand, his eyes narrowing (They always treated her poorly! And now they want to use her so shamelessly! I won't allow it!)
Dam approached, reaching out to touch her head.
I opened my eyes from the warmth of his presence, lifting my gaze slightly to see Dam calmly say, "Hey, you foolish girl, don't be afraid; no one will take you away."
I smiled a little and said, "Oh, okay." (Yes, I don't want to be away from their warmth; no one will accept me like my family does.)
A surprised voice chuckled lightly, "Haha, Dam is acting like an older brother; that's very rare."
Dam's face flushed with embarrassment at our mother's presence as he said, "I wasn't; I was just hitting her."
He gently patted my head and said, "See?"
I held my head, laughing lightly: "Haha, you won't manage to hide that!"
He acted as if annoyed, yet he was happy to see his sister laughing.
My mother spoke: "Your father has awakened and wants to see you."
I went back inside to sit beside my father, who held my hand and asked, "Have you eaten anything?"
I smiled at him and said, "Yes, don't worry, Dad." (I shouldn't add to his worries; this situation is difficult enough.)
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