She walked towards the great hall where the King awaited, Alara's thoughts tangled restlessly. The pendant, the mysterious surprise, and the king's long-lost friend who had reappeared after so many years.
As she stepped into the great hall, its vast chambers echoed with the deep voices of her father and the mysterious friend who had arrived the night before.
When the king noticed her approaching, he turned to his guest with a proud smile and said, 'This is my dear daughter.' Alara offered a polite greeting, though her uneasy glance betrayed the discomfort she felt in the presence of the man.
As she sat down in the coach near her father, That man said to her, "I always hear rumors about your beauty but now when I see it myself, I get it that those rumors are true about you".
"Oh! that's really kind of you". She said to him!! trying to not make an eye contact.
The king turned to alara and said, "Daughter the Surprise that I told you is actually related to my friend here !!".
Alara's eyes bewildered after hearing, what the king just told her but she was also puzzled!! As she murmured softly to the king, "I can't fathom it!! Father."
"My friend has come for something of great significance. Though he was meant to arrive after the masquerade ball, I urged him to come sooner. But what he brings is far more than I expected… a proposal, one that concerns you and his son." The king said with a pleasant smile that sends chills to Alara.
She stood frozen, shocked, torn, and disheartened by his words. Her heart battled against her mind, refusing to accept what she had just heard. And in that instant, the great hall, once alive with echoes of their voices, seemed to collapse into a labyrinth of shadows around her.
She said with a shaking voice, "But why father?? You already know that I have no interest in getting married!! ". As the words slipped out of her tounge, She stood up because she couldn't resist to be there anymore.
The king looked towards his friend, who was already staring at him, as he said, "I apologies for this way of acting of my daughter!! actually she's always a kid, who never has any friends!! so it must be why she act like this!! but don't worry I will convince her!!".
As Alara stepped out of the hall, her father's words clung to her like chains, echoing in her mind with every breath. She fought against the rising storm within her, but as she ran through the endless corridors toward her chamber, the weight of it all broke her resolve, until her tears spilled freely, drenching her cheeks like a silent rain of despair.
When she reached her room, she shut the door behind her and collapsed, breaking down into tears of despair and sorrow that refused to be silenced. Her mind was playing tricks with her and The only thought that had been roaming around her mind was this, "If only Mother were here… she would shield me from Father's cruelty, never letting my heart bear this torment alone."
~~~~~
Abrum's heart thundered wildly, as though some unseen bond tugged at his soul—someone out there, bound to him, was drowning in pain.
~~~~~
Later in the evening:
Abrum threw a black rose towards alara's window, but there was no response as if she never saw it, He waited for her to come on the window, but still no response!!
At last he gave up, he looked around to see if there was anyone but to his luck, no one was there and he climbed up the wall!! When he reached alara's window, he opened it quietly and sneaked inside the room, he saw alara in a deep sleep!! But when he looked at her face, he immediately sensed that she cried!!.
He didn't wanted to disturb her sleep, but he was worried, Just when he was looking at her with worried eyes, She woke up and grasped in shocked to see Abrum, sitting near her bed.
But before Abrum could utter a word, she hurled herself into his arms, clinging to him as though he was the only thing keeping her from shattering.He was taken aback to see Alara like this, but instinctively, he drew her into his arms and embraced her just as tightly.
After a while, she pulled herself back from his embrace. Abrum's gaze lingered on her, her eyes swollen from relentless tears, her cheeks and nose flushed with sorrow. With a tenderness that contrasted the storm inside her, he wiped her tears away, though the ache in her heart seemed far beyond his touch.
"I'm sorry!! and thank you!!" Alara said with a fragile voice.
"Sorry? And thank you for what?" Abrum replies with a soft smile.
"For making you worried and thank you!! For everything!!" Alara murmured softly.
"Can I ask!! What happened??" Abrum was trying to avoid asking her this question but he knows that it's necessary to ask.
"Last night, my father's long lost friend who I haven't seen!! not even once in my life had come, now this afternoon Father called me to come and greet his friend, when I goes there! I greeted his friend and my father told me about the surprise!!".
The surprise?? What is it??. Abrum asked alara with bewildered eyes.
"A couple days ago! My father told me that there's gonna be a surprise for me, I asked him about it but he told me that, I will see it myself on the day of the masquerade ball".
Alara told him.
"Ohh!! I see so what's the surprise that got you like this?" Abrum again asked her.
My father's friend, came with a proposal from his son for me!! I told my father that I'm not interested in getting married yet, but when I was walking out from the great hall, I heard my father saying this to his friend, "Don't worry!! I'll convince my daughter!!".
"Your father has turned your life into a web of chains, Alara, but I won't let you face it alone. Crying won't break those walls, action will. And I swear to you, I'll stand by your side, fight for you, and protect you in every way I can." Abrum said to alara trying to make her feel better.
"Abrum! Can you help me escape tonight?"
Alara asked him with a ray of hope in her eyes.
Abrum looked into Alara's earthy eyes
, swollen with pain, and whispered, " AS YOU SAY PRINCESS".