The Path of Four Magi

Marriage?

You sighed. The party had so far been exactly as you expected it. Gorgeous and amazing men were scattered throughout the hall, just how Zaina had said they would be. But you didn't think they were very handsome or amazing at all. There they stood, bragging about how much money they had, about their welfare, about all the luxurious food and tons of servants they had, trying to impress all the women. They didn't once think about the poor families that were forced to live in the slums all day, having almost no food or money. Those families didn't even have their health. These men took the small things they had for granted. They were just a bunch of selfish and stupid pigs.

You were forced to mingle for a little while, and you couldn't help but admit that not all the guys looked that bad. Of course, these were the young ones around your age, not the old men wandering around.

You were supposed to find someone to try and hook up with, but no one seemed right. Soon, your father and Zaina would drag you over by everyone else and force your to flirt with some rich and powerful, yet horrifying man that you would eventually marry. You were already pretty sure who they would force you to be with. An older man whom you had seen walking around earlier.

He wasn't too old, probably about 28, but he still wasn't very close to your age. You had heard rumors that he was a very prosperous man with lots of power and charm. Normally the eldest would be betrothed to someone like that, but father had wanted Zaina to marry someone who would help us with an alliance of some sort.

Surprisingly, there had been quite a few boys around Takisha's age who she got to flirt with. She also had to marry, but that was the only rule for her. She could marry for love if she was able to find it at this party. You continued to look out the window, sighing even more. You didn't want to return to that jumble of people. You just wanted to soak in the power of freedom for a little while longer.

"You'll never get a husband looking out that window," called a voice from behind you.

Zaina had finally come to fetch you and hook you up with the man you knew she would.

---time skip---

It had been days since the party, and every day you were forced to dress in flattering clothes and hang out with "Mr. Charming", as everyone had called him. Life was terrible. He lived up to everything you had heard, but that wasn't necessarily good. Yes, he was rich, powerful, and quite charming, but he wasn't very charming towards you. He was only being charming towards himself. Always flattering himself and going on and on about how great he was.

Today was no different. You were spending every hour of the day listening to his self-centered talk, just as you had done for the past two days. It was your third day spending time with him and you wanted to strangle him even more than the second you met. Things were going great for you.

You two had just sat down next to each other on a bench when one of your maids, Savannah, showed up, breathing heavily, probably from running all the way from your house.

"Miss," she breathed, "I am sorry to break up your alone time with him but.."

"Oh, it is no problem at all, Savannah," you said as you mouth thank you because she had just saved you from one of his stories. A story that he had told you five times already.

"It's your mother," Savannah continued, "she is... Uh..."

"Oh no.." You managed to whisper while trying to hold back your tears.

"What? What's wrong?" Mr. Charming asked.

You ran, he didn't know, and he didn't deserve to know that your mother had been in a sickly state for a long time now, and that her time had finally come. Savannah ran with you, telling you that you shouldn't be running in the outfit you were wearing. Mr. Charming was no where to be found. What a relief.