3. Brother-princes and love

"So....let me get this straight," Isaiah grabs another biscuit from the basket and drops it into his mouth. " You have to marry Prince nincompoop from the kingdom of big birds to seal a treaty that was signed before we were even born?"

".....Yes."

"......Huh..." He turns away from me and shifts his gaze to the red clay gazebo floor. His ice-blue eyes, wide and calculating.

We sit in silence for a while. As we do, I let my thoughts drift.

Marriage.....

Barely, anyone ever goes into marriage in love. Many who do go into a love marriage, come out with divorce. Or worse.

I think of all the women who have been scarred by their former husbands. Women who have been ostracized from society because of their husbands. Women who-

" No loopholes, eh?"

I look in my brotherʼs direction, with a rough voice I reply, " none. I read over the treaty five times. Absolutely, no loopholes whatsoever."

He cocks his eyebrow at me," These people really wanted you to marry the prince, eh?"

I give him a weak smile, " Indeed, they did.....Indeed, they did."

But why? Why go through so much trouble to make sure that the prince and I got married?

They wanted the kingdoms to unite. That way, there would be no more prospect of war. Remember, a multitude of people died over the last hundred years because of this war. The people in charge don't want a repetition of what happened during the war.

Hmm, I guess youʼre right.

I'm always right.

And you are me. How fortunate we are.

Yes, yes.

Anyways....

" I'm so bored."

He raises his head and cocks his eyebrow. Man, why am I the only person in this family who can't cock their eyebrows? "You don't say."

"I do."

Silence.

".....So."

"So."

"Are we still doing the thing we do on Tuesdays?"

"Don't you have schoolwork to finish?"

Isaiah shrugs. "So?"

"So?"

We stare at each other for a while. Him searching for mercy in my eyes. Me searching for obedience and a teeny-tiny amount of scholarly passion.

As if we were going to find either.

I sigh. Perhaps we could come to a compromise...

"Tell you what. We have another council meeting in the evening. I can't wait for you to finish your work so we'll have to sneak out right now. Is that alright with you?"

He grins at me but his eyes don't stop searching mine. "What's the price?"

I laugh. " You know me well."

"You're my sister. Of course, I know you well."

I give him a sad smile. He knows the falsehood of that statement and yet he still says it. Why?

But then again, the past is in the past. As of now, nothing could be more true.

"What's the price?" He repeats.

I look directly at him. Into his ice-blue eyes. I know the next few words are going to piss him off so I have to make myself clear and firm.

Breathe in....

Slowly I take in a breath. Not taking my eyes off my brother for a second." You have to attend the welcoming ceremony today."

As I had predicted his face contorts in disgust. "Ew."

I laugh. "I know, I know. You hate humans. I get it. I hate them too." Not really.

He feigns heart failure and dramatically falls off the circular bench that circumnavigates the gazebo. The warm light of early afternoon dances off his snow-white hair and onto his chiselled features, as he makes his slow descent onto the red-clay floor. I notice his broad shoulders and large biceps that bulge out of his tailcoat. The result of three, long years of rigorous military training.

Unnecessary training. Training that should have never been needed, in the first place. Because it was my job.

Isaiah's back hits the floor and he flails his arms. "God have mercy! My dear sister has something in common with me!"

I laugh again but my thoughts are elsewhere.

He looks like a university graduate and yet he's only sixteen....

Come to think of it, I didn't look my age either. In fact, many people say that because of the dark circles around my eyes I look more of a twenty-something-year-old queen.

Which... if you think about it... I was.

The queen part, you shitheaded bufoon! I can't change my age!

Well... I could... if I could harness all the power in my body.

Which, I can't. Even after several years of training with the royal mages, I still can't. It's so.....pathetic!

You're so useless! Weak! How can you possibly hope to be a good Queen if you're like this!? If people found out they'd have you dethroned in the blink of an eye! You're so stupid! Something is seriously wrong with you!

"Mia, what's wrong?" Isaiah's words drag me out of my thoughts and back into reality. Out of the darkness of my thoughts and into the bright light of day. To the scent of freshly baked buns and flowers.

I should say something or else, he's going to get the wrong idea. Something that doesn't involve me.

"Sorry..." I give him a fake smile. "I wasn't listening, what did you say?"

I watch him cautiously, as he props himself up on his elbow and gives me a questioning look. Well... if you call puffed-up cheeks and finger tapping questioning.

My fake smile is replaced with a real one as I scan the kid that only a few seconds ago, looked like a university graduate.

Expressions are the face and the face is the appearance. Also, I really need to stop overthinking things.

Damn, it had been two weeks since my mother had broken the news that I was going to be married to the prince of Borelis and I still couldn't process it. I was getting married to the man I swore not to fall in love with.

Does love even exist?

Well, yes but no.

Huh?

You know what I mean.

Love exists, but it is only temporary. One can never only love one person for their whole life. Especially not men, though women are just as likely to cheat. Which is why marriage is nothing but a sham. Truly, if I was one to choose, I would never get married.

First of all, why would I tie myself to a man who I know for fact, is going to fall out of love with me? As I just said, no one can love someone forever. Love doesn't work that way. Love is fleeting. Like a moment in the setting sun. It only lasts a few seconds. But you'll remember that moment for the rest of your life. Isn't that wonderful?

Don't be sarcastic.

Aye, whatever.

Second of all, with marriage, comes the irritating expectation of children. And...

For a small, tiny fraction of a moment, darkness descends onto my mind. Sad, lonely, cold, painful darkness that twists at my stomach and makes my whole body go numb.

.....Never again. I promised myself that two years ago. That I would never again lower myself to being another man's-

Stop. Enough. I'am not going to think about those thoughts. Not now.

Abruptly, I get up and head to the entrance of the gazebo. "I'll see you in a few minutes. I need to get changed. Meet me at the north entrance near the stables."

He stares at me blankly. "Finally got your thoughts together?" He grins.

I just laugh. "My thoughts will never get together. I thought you knew me by now." I walk away.

*****

Isaiah: Vote and comment if you hate school.