20

"What's there to talk about?" Alden asked, trying to play innocent. He knew exactly what she was talking about but he just didn't want that position.

 "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You know right, at lunch, grandpa is going to announce him as the next heir and ruler of our empire and there won't be any changes once he announces. We still have time Alden, do something" Kiarah pleaded, her eyes turning teary. 

Alden palmed his face before he held her hand softly and caressed the back of her calm, trying his level best to control himself. It was the dream of their mom to see him as the heir. And Kiarah knows what it means to her. 

"Alden please" Kiarah pleaded again but he shook his head. "We know the answer and it's grandpa's call. We can't change his decision no matter what" Alden said with a sorry face even if it's killing him from inside to see her like that. 

Kiarah sighed knowing him very well. "But you are elder and you deserve that position, you sacrificed alot for this Alden" Kiarah tried again that threw him about Ida. 

He sacrificed her and snatched her everything for this mission in which he failed. He failed his mother and also the one he loved so much. Now his sister too if he doesn't do anything but he felt he didn't deserve it after playing with Ida's heart.

 "It's not about who's elder it's about who is capable of doing it, who could rule the empire better and Matthew deserves it" Alden said in a no nonsense tone which meant no more talking and Kiarah knew it's waste of talking with him. He would keep on giving excuses and answers for everything she says and asks. 

Shaking her head, Kiarah snatched her hand from Alden's hold and walked away without speaking anything. She doesn't know what happened and no one is telling her. 

She is angry and sad at the same time, her emotions all over the place as she realised her brother is distancing himself from everyone. 

She walked straight to her dad's room when she bumped into Kelen in the middle who immediately caught her before she fell down. she straightened herself and looked away but she had a hope that Kelen may help her. 

"You look stressed," Kelen exclaimed as he tried to analyse what's wrong with her. "I'm thinking about Alden," Kiarah mumbled as he raised his eyebrows. 

"What happened to him? Did he break things or harmed himself? Or is shouting at you? Tell me" Kelen exclaimed looking at her sad face but her face snapped at him when he talked about self harm. 

And seeing the change in her expression, he realised what he spoke and bit his tongue. "What did you say?" Kiarah asked, frowning , to which he shook his head. "What do you want to know?" Kelen asked, diverting her mind. 

"Matthew's Throne ceremony" Kiarah pressed on Matthew's name making Kelen gulp his saliva. "Yeah it's before we start our lunch. Why didn't you get ready?" Kelen asked as she glared at him. He smiled nervously at her. 

"I don't want him to get the throne, I want Alden to be the next king. He deserves it and that's what I'm trying to explain to him but he is not even hearing me out let alone talk peacefully" Kiarah complained like a kid. 

"Kirah you know right, your grandpa is strict" Kelen said, trying to make her understand. "That grumpy old man" Kiarah murmured under her breath annoyingly. 

"I don't give a single shit whether he is strict or not, I don't know why Alden changed like this, he was never like that" Kiarah said, sighing sadly as Kelen's expression's changed at her words. 

He hates Ida for making him like that. He hates her from the core of his heart for turning him like this and making him distance himself from Kiarah. The wish to kill her just increases whenever he sees Alden sad. 

"Kiarah, I'm just a worker here and you know I can do nothing and Alden is not hearing me," Kelen said softly. He knows if Alden had killed Ida and her family last time, Alden would have been ruling the empire by now. This just increased his hate for her more.