The Chosen One

I stayed in the fortress of my room, as I remained locked away from everything and everyone else.

I had sat in silence and cried for a long moment after Jordan left my room that afternoon. I wept so hard that my eyes became bulgy, and I even refused to eat when Ma Nana brought me my lunch that afternoon. I felt even more awful as I still could not figure out the reason why I was feeling so sad. No matter how much I thought about it, I could not understand why I was getting worked up.

I had no right to be sad for any reason. The only thing I could mourn over was the fact that I was being held captive against my will. But I had already mourned that enough and I had come to accept my new reality. Even then, I could not lie to myself that I was sad about my captivity. The weight I was feeling on my shoulders had nothing to do with that.

If I was being honest with myself, maybe I would have realized that my sadness was born from the fact that Jordan had showed up truly as Aggela had promised.

After Aggela boasted about Jordan's return because 'she had called him', at first, I had been nervous and anticipated his return. But somewhere along the line, I think I had hoped that Jordan would not return. Especially not in the time Aggela had promised. As much as I wanted to see him again, I had come to admit that I was infact dying to see him again, I guess I had hoped that he would not show up, just to disappoint Aggela.

But he did. He showed up, giving her a big win.

I had been excited that he was back, God knows I was super excited when I saw his face again. But then, the disappointment didn't let my excitement last.

This was the actual reason why I was holed up in my room. I didn't want to go downstairs and see them together. Jordan and Aggela. I was dying of curiosity, wondering what they were up to. But I wasn't brave enough to find the answer to that. I didn't want to dare to confirm my fears. My imaginations were already haunting enough.

Why? They were a couple. Maybe nothing serious, but from Ma Nana's narrative, they were a thing. So whatever they were up to, it had to be something along the lines of what couples do. I didn't want to see that.

Surely, my presence had no importance whatsoever to them. They could care less.

Whatever I had going in my head, this madness that had me acting and feeling wild, it definitely wasn't the case for Jordan. So, he had no reason to hold himself back. To him, I was just a captive, in his prison. Infact, for some reason, I believed that if Jordan found out that Aggela's presence was discomforting to me in the slightest, he would go extra miles to rub it in, just to torture me.

It was safest to remain in my room.

Ma Nana showed up with my dinner that evening, and when I tried to turn her away again, she refused and insisted that I must eat.

"I do not see why you must starve while that vile wench dine and wine!" She argued. "Eat kallos, you will need your strength. Do you plan to stop eating now? For why?" She asked.

"I just don't have the appetite, Ma Nana. I promise, when I'm hungry, I will eat." I said weakly.

"Look, your voice has loose strength. You sound like an evening bird singing in the distance. Your lips are gone pale. You have not had anything to eat since the morning, omorfi. Is this a fast?" Ma Nana asked.

"I had breakfast, remember?" I said.

"Nonsense! What was breakfast? That bird meal you perked up? If you live on that, you will faint at this rate." She cried, feeling up my face. "Look, the heat has left your face. You are going white and cold, like a corpse. Eat omorfi. I will not leave here until you do!" The old lady insisted.

Seeing the resolve in ma Nana's eyes, I knew she had no plans of letting me be. So I reluctantly complied. I began to slowly munch on the meal, but it tasted like sawdust in my mouth. And when I tried to swallow, it felt like I was shoving concrete down my throat. I tried too hard, and I almost choked.

Ma Nana poured out a glass of water and lifted it to my lips when she saw me gasping for breath.

"Easy kallos. Here, drink." She offered, rubbing on my back.

I drank some of the water and heaved a heavy sigh when I regained composure.

"Do I have to keep eating?" I asked Ma Nana, pleading with my eyes, so that she would let me be.

"Yes, omorfi. You must keep eating. You are still very pale, and you had only one spoon." She insisted, looking straight into my eyes.

I groaned in devastation.

"This might continue. I might choke on every single spoon." I threatened.

"And I will be here for you, omorfi. With a glass of water. I promise." Ma Nana promised me with a clever smirk on her face. "Now, continue eating."

I groaned again. This time, longer. Knowing that there was no escape, I resumed eating again. Chewing more slowly and swallowing in little bits.

"Good. Good." Ma Nana mumbled as she sat beside me watching with trained eyes.

When I had had a good amount of the food, Ma Nana  struck up conversation.

"You must leave your room soon." She said suddenly.

"I don't want to. I don't have to." I said. Then looking up at the old maid, I asked. "Why should I?"

"You have to, omorfi." Ma Nana insisted. I became slightly curious.

"But why do I have to?" I asked again. "When did you ever have a problem with me staying in my room?"

"Kallos, you know from the start, I have never been happy with you inside." Ma Nana said. "And especially now that that wench, Aggela is around the mansion. We need you out there."

"We? Who's we?" I asked.

"Dimitra and I have never ever been on the same page before, but this time, we are. And she does not really like you still, but she prefers you over all the others." Ma Nana said. I was confused. I had no idea what she was going on about.

"Prefers me over?" I asked, prompting her to continue.

Ma Nana sighed deeply, and then moved closer to me.

"If anyone must get pregnant for Anax, we want it to be you." She said.

I choked on the food I was trying to swallow, coughing vehemently.

"Here, water." Ma Nana offered gently, as if she acknowledged that she was the cause of my discomfort, but she didn't care. She rubbed my back and patiently waited for me to recuperate.