Kenna

01. KENNA: The Chains of Duty

' Let duty and responsibility be your creed...'

                                  ~*~

In the quiet confines of her bedroom, Kenna stirred from her slumber, disturbed by a familiar voice whispering in her ear. Reluctantly, she emerged from her dreamscape, grumbling and turning away, only to be met with a splash of cold water that soaked her clothes. It was Donna, her mischievous friend and maid, teasing her with a playful smile.

"What do you want?" Kenna groaned, her voice laced with both annoyance and amusement.

"Good morning to you too," Donna chirped, her grip tight on an empty basin. With a laugh, she escaped the room, leaving Kenna to curse after her. As the cool air brushed against her skin, Kenna begrudgingly rose from her bed, her thoughts consumed by the mundane routine that awaited her.

At the Musewitz House, where Kenna resided, every day felt like an echo of the previous one. The weight of societal expectations loomed over her, dictating that finding a suitable suitor was her sole purpose. But Kenna despised the idea that her life should be defined by marriage and conforming to tradition.

As she prepared for the day, Kenna couldn't help but wonder what her late mother would have said about her predicament. Would she have offered comfort or encouraged rebellion? Lost in thought, Kenna was interrupted by Donna's head peeking through the partially open door.

"Your father wishes to see you in his office now," Donna relayed.

With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, Kenna made her way downstairs, each step bringing her closer to a conversation that could shape her destiny. As she entered her father's office, she noticed his slouched figure behind the desk, engrossed in his work.

"You should wait for my permission before entering, Kenna," her father reproached, momentarily breaking his focus.

"I apologize, Father," Kenna replied, aware of the necessity to adhere to certain formalities. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You wanted to see me?"

With a stern expression, her father leaned back in his chair, quill in hand, ready to deliver news that would forever alter Kenna's life. "I have decided to accept Mr. Christobal Reese's offer for your hand in marriage."

Kenna was taken aback. "Accept? Father, I was not even aware of any proposal!"

"Do not take that tone with me!" her father snapped, his frustration palpable. "You will wed Mr. Reese, and that is the end of it."

Inwardly seething, Kenna confronted her father's stubbornness. "But Father, I do not even know this man."

His brows pinched at her words. "What more do you need to know? He is wealthy, and he has promised to expand my fields. It is all but settled, I am afraid." He waved her off.  “Leave. Go do something to make yourself useful."

Disappointment. The word echoed in Kenna's mind as she stormed out of her father's office, her emotions mingling into a storm of frustration and fury. His voice chased after her, warning of dire consequences if she dared to resist her fate.

The weeks leading to the wedding were a mess of wedding preparations, frilly dresses and escape attempts which were — unsurprisingly foiled at every turn.