Marrying The King Was Never Her Dream | Book 2

Chapter 1

| Chapter 1 |

Twelve years after the battle of Lahm,
Jamya,
Runaria.

Raina

There is a pinned silence in the kitchen as Mama watches me, daring me with her eyes, stance, and silence, to repeat what I had just said, but I can't. My mind is frozen. In all of our fights, it has never gotten this ugly.

It is early in the morning when I come into the kitchen to find her cooking. I greet her good morning, and continue to look around the kitchen. I hadn't seen a spec of dust in the house when I passed to come to the kitchen to greet my mother, and so am quite surprised when Mama asks me to clean the house. Didn't I just clean it yesterday?   

"Mama, the place is sparkling clean, there is no need for me—"    

She doesn't let me finish before she interrupts, leaving her cooking to face me, "If there wasn't a need, I wouldn't have asked you to do it," her voice leaves no room for objection as she continues making what looks like stew.    

"But, I cleaned it yesterday," I argue, still not believing she is asking me to clean it. It's not like we even have guests. The house is almost always empty apart from Mama's customers who hardly stay for long after giving their cloths. Mostly, Mama goes to their house, not the other way around.   

"And you are to clean it again today." I know exactly the tone of voice she is using and I shouldn't continue arguing my case, but I get my stubbornness from her and I am not backing down.    

"Why do I have to clean it? We're the village outcasts. It's not like anyone comes here unless they have to," I snort, looking around for something to eat. I'm famished, having been working since the break of dawn.    

"Well, what if someone did come?" she says, but even she can hear the disbelief in her voice. "What will happen then?"   

I can't help but rub my face. "Then the place is already clean, because I cleaned it yesterday!"    

"You need to get rid of this laziness, Raina! Do you think you will continue portraying this sort of behavior when you go to your husband's house?" she lets out a laugh. "Unheard of. You'll have to clean your house yourself and do everything yourself, so it's better if you learn now or else you'll take time before getting used to it."    

It's like the woman hasn't been living with me my whole life.

I had a feeling it was about getting married. "I already told you I am not getting married, especially not in this village! Besides all the things you mentioned, Mama, you never did them back home, when you," I pause, "were with Baba. You had maids to do everything for you, so you have no right to tell me such."    

"You need to grow up, Raina! This is not Lahm, we're in Jamya and it has been your home since you were a child and this is where, God willing, you shall get married," she looks at me, her eyes matching the fiery blaze in mine. Her tall figure looks down on me, daring me to do or say something.    

"Jamya will never be my home and I will never get married here, or ever!" I spit out. "God forbid I end up locked up in a harem with nothing better to do than follow the rules of some man who doesn't give a second damn about me after he has gotten what he wants." Like you.

I could have added the last part and it still wouldn't have made a difference. It's the same thing. I had meant it even if I didn't actually say the words out loud.    

And this is why Mama is still watching me while I stay frozen in my spot. What is wrong with me? What did I just do? Why couldn't I have kept quiet, backed down and be the obedient daughter that I know she prays for everyday?