IMPERIUM

Chapter 5

As Alayna and her aunt were waiting outside of his majesty's work office Aunt Mara abruptly questioned Alayna about her wounded palm.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

"Uh, I accidentally scratched it during sword practice."

"From now on you will stop training with your cousins."

"What, why?" Alayna exclaimed

"It's time you start acting like a real lady and princess."

"What! But why now?" Alayna demandingly asked.

"You will understand why after your meeting with his majesty. I hereby forbid you from practicing"

Alayna opened her mouth to argue but the doors to his majesty's office swung open. It looked like he had some company with him. Inside there was a man that looked like he was in his middle age. Behind the man were what looked like his own personal guards because they didn't wear the royal guard uniform. 'He must be someone of high importance,'Alayna believed. As she and her aunt were entering the man exited with his guards following his steps.

"I'll leave her to you now," Aunt Mara told her husband before she left them alone.

Her uncle's face was as cold as her aunts. 'What a perfect match' The room went silent for a few seconds. The only thing Alayna could do was patiently wait for him to disclose this important matter he was keeping from her.

"You may take a seat," he said while gesturing for the seat in front of his desk. Alayna nodded and proceeded to sit.

"As you may know your coming of age ceremony is coming up in a few weeks. Soon you will be 19 years old. I hope you are also aware of what it means, many of your female relatives have already been through with this process."

Alayna sucked in a breath. she had guessed what this was about. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it instantly, she was speechless.

"I have arranged a marriage for you. You will be betrothed to a partner I have chosen for you. He is a man of wealth and can be very useful for..."

As his voice faded away, the dots finally connected. Alayna felt her heart sink. Her greatest fear was about to become reality. Was she really about to get married off to some old rich bloke.

"No, I refuse, " she interjected.

"What do you mean by you refuse, you are a woman now. At this age you should have been married a long time ago!" He exclaimed.

"I will never accept this. You cannot just choose who I marry. That right belongs to me" Alayna defended.

"Are you out of your mind crazy girl, I am your king and therefore I choose what's the best for you and our kingdom!" He loudly yelled.

"This is not the best for me, it is only the best for you!" Alayna exclaimed, "You are the only one that will benefit from this, not me, not them, but you! You are- " A slap cut her sentence off.

"How dare you talk back to me!?" He roared.

Alayna, still in shock, was unable to answer his demented question. The only thing she could feel at the moment was the stinging pain from his palm meeting her face. Alayna averted her eyes from his face trying to stop her tears from running down her face. She refused to drop a tear in front of a tyrant like him.

"You are not my father nor my uncle and will never be" she painfully muttered.

He replied with an evil laugh, "Oh, I never wished to be one to you either."