Hard To Love #1 | yyyeodang

18

what now?

SOFIA's POV:

The Queen sighed, "And now Valeria has imposed sanctions on Eldorria. And honestly, I had always feared that it'd be Valeria to cause any strife within the global order."

A wave of anxiety rushed over me as I heard Menquez's Queen. All of Menquez's major allies were called to their royal castle just an hour ago, saying they needed to discuss something important.

Everything was fine just yesterday, and now we all were here suddenly discussing about a possible conflict. King Robert III of Eldorria had been assassinated this morning. And now all his six children - who've often been called incapable of ruling the kingdom; are fighting each other for the throne. Not only that, but their general public is also totally confused with whatever is going on and Valeria - the enemy kingdom of almost every kingdom on the Realm imposed economic sanctions on Eldorria. This has left every royal family anxious.

If I talk about this to one of my friends in village, they'd shrug it off, saying it's just some succession argument and a few sanctions here and there. But it's so much more than that.

My mother always told me about this. The last time a major global war broke out in the Realm was in 1988.  A famous magician and philosopher of that time - Lilliana Wordsworth then at the end of that war predicted that almost 30 years later - another global war would break out - which would be way brutal than the 1988 one. It's 2018 now, 30 years have passed. Ever since that prediction, royal families all across the globe always seem to be on the edge, since it was Wordsworth who also predicted the war of 1988, but no one took her seriously. And now, every royal clan is always prepared with weapons and allies, just in case the prediction becomes real just like it previously did.

This was the sole reason of arranged marriages between royals. To strengthen ties and create stronger alliances, so that kingdoms stay united and face less damage in case of war.

I had read about the 1988 war in history lessons at ERA. I felt a sense of deja-vu as I sat in silence, carefully listening to whatever each royal had to say. The previous war started in the exact same way. Niamajra's King was assassinated, which threw the entire kingdom into a state of frenzy as his children fought with each other for succession. Rival kingdoms saw this as an opportunity to attack Niamajra - which was popular for its rich land and resources. Things escalated and turned into a full-blown war - killing millions of people in the process.

My grandmother, or step-grandmother - rather; sat right beside me. She had participated actively in the previous war, and I could practically feel her heart racing in sheer panic right now. I saw her hands shivering from the corner of my eye. The scars of the war in her hands were barely visible now, but it seemed like the scars that the war left on her heart were still freshly wounded.

I am scared. I'm just eighteen years old, sitting here in a room full of royals debating and planning about a potential war. Nor me, or my mother know what the war was like. My biological family never experienced it first-hand. But all the other families here knew. They knew what it felt like, losing their loved ones and their people to a brutal war. 

All their scars were still not fully healed - yet a potential new war seemed to slowly become a reality not too far away. I do not know what they know, I cannot feel their sorrow, but I can feel fear. Mine, and theirs.

"I think you children should go and . . . you know, talk and relax. We need to discuss something else in private." I snapped out of my trance at the voice of King Alexander. There was a hint of fear in his voice, as he glanced around at the other elder royals - as if wanting to discuss some more things about the potential war.

The other kings and queens nodded quickly, almost too immediately, like they didn't want us to know anything more. We, the younger royals, hesitantly got up and left the room silently. Everyone around me looked too lost in their thoughts. Even Zandar and James, who always had something to say, were silent. No one even made an effort to speak anything and silently headed towards the guest rooms that the staff directed them into.

I silently followed a maid who showed me a guest room. I bowed down to her as a gesture of thanks and looked at her shock at what I just did. Royals don't usually bow to anyone except other royals, but I was way too tired and absent-minded to even utter a thanks to her.

I shut the door behind me and slid down to the floor right in front of the door. My mind was trapped in a chaos. What if things escalated like they did previously? What if a war actually breaks out? So many lives are at stake right now. People would lose their loved ones, again.

What do I do? What now?

{REVISED}

a/n: OKAY OKAY PLS DON'T @ME RN this wasn't worth the wait of like 4 months smth I GET IT I GET IT SORRY but hey i need to show you a few emotions and start building the conflict. but don't worry babes, hugfia will be back soon ;)