The Reason for Marriage

Iveca nodded blankly, all she had to do was hide, spy on the royal siblings, and report back without leaving any traces of her existence. After her last conversation with Daniel, she’d avoided him, and he hadn’t called on her either. She understood that he didn’t want to burden her with his feelings, and of course, she hadn’t managed to write a single line of the report he’d asked for.

Still, that couldn’t stop the tiny tingle of excitement that surged through her body when she realized she’d be seeing him again, albeit behind shadows. It also made her feel pathetic but she couldn’t control her emotions. Viewing him from a distance, longing to run her eyes on his beautiful sculpted face and hearing his vaguely sweet words pour from his mischievous smirk. She would then remember his words; “Love me.”

He’d commanded her even then, although his tone had wavered slightly. “You came into my heart even if you didn’t try, but I’m more determined to try than ever to get into your heart.”

How could she explain his words to herself? How could she tell him that he didn’t need to try either? He was already in her heart and she was in his. It wasn’t that she couldn’t write her report, she didn’t want to. He didn’t need a report, he was in her heart, claiming it as his.

***

Iveca hid and watched from the background as the King met his sister Ashe at a luxury inn in Amenity. She was beautiful like her brother, her blue eyes shining brightly like Daniel’s.

Ashe, the royal daughter, killed the man who had proposed a political marriage to her. Daniel was suddenly made the King, despite his disinterest in the throne. Ashe was detained and there she’d borne the child of a rebel governor. Daniel couldn’t beat the child to remain in Amenity so he’d banished his sister and her child to Lizst. Iveca had read it all in the report on the siblings.

The Princess of Amethan, once rumored to be the most beautiful woman in the continent, now stood with choppily cut hair and a worn-out old dress. She looked at the King and smiled wearily, “You should’ve put some grain in the way if you feel sorry.”

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The princess wasn’t able to grow her hair long since she had to preserve soap. Living in the poor Republic of Liszt had done a number on her. Although her tone was cheerful as she conversed with the King, it could’ve been a tactic to extract sympathy from the King. She was still a royal daughter below the layers of her defenses, and one could be completely unbeknownst to her inner thoughts.

“I’ll send along sanitary products this time,” Daniel sighed.

“I don’t need high-quality products, but do send a lot of cheaper products so I can share it with the other residents,” she replied earnestly.

Daniel clenched his jaw, letting out air slowly. He looked like he was truly sorry to view the state of his closest half-sister.

“Don’t look at me that way, I’m completely happy,” Ashe urged and she reached out to her brother. He didn’t reply in return, instead looking at her with serious contemplating eyes.

“Lord Ergon doesn’t touch me and I’ve found happiness in my freedom. You always knew that, didn’t you? A place where I could be utterly free, where the size of the house I lived in, or the clothes that I wore didn’t matter. Cannon is the land of my dreams; a place where there are no struggles because it is okay to remain contented, a place where there is no loneliness because it is okay to remain isolated.”

Even Daniel, who’d sent her away to Cannon in the first place, and he, could not have foreseen this. Her words seemed like a polite thank you to him.

“It’s all thanks to you, my brother. You did well by me by sending me here, I am indebted to you,” said the princess.

An intimate conversation ensued between the brother and sister. Iveca looked at the two of them with a strange feeling. They looked at each other as if they were staring in a mirror. Their attractive appearances and their irresistible personalities were similar. They looked at each other with compassion and longing.

Despite the warm smiles and sighs, there was no actual trust to support this conversation. They still cared for one another though, that much was apparent. Both the participants in the conversation had no trouble hiding their actual feelings and thoughts with smiles and small gestures. Which was why Iveca was uncomfortable. She understood they would never be the same again despite their efforts to be painfully polite to one another.

Iveca understood a little more about Daniel and his aversion to companionship. He’d lost people in life- people like his sisters who did not value their relationship with him and chose to betray him. How did it feel like, to resemble a brother so closely and be thick as thieves with him- only to be banished to another place far away?

“Oh and Daniel? I have something to say,” Ashe spoke.

“What is it?”

Ashe looked at him, her face indifferent as she said;

“The child- the child is dead.”