The Kingdom Of Stories And Lies

Chapter 7

A letter was dispatched from Alynthi to Rava. A letter from Caroline to her brother and Niran received it first thing in the morning when he was in the terrace, discussing some matters with Callum. 

Arya spotted the messenger before he reached Niran. "you!" he stopped at the door leading to the terrace "who are you here to see?" he bowed a little, avoiding her eyes "your majesty, I am here to deliver a letter to Prince Niran." 

He is a young man, a short one with dark hair and eyes. "what's your name?" asks Arya "I'm Elio, your majesty" still not looking her in the eyes. "from who is this letter, do you know?" he shakes his head "I am just the messenger, my lady" she gestures to him to enter the terrace and deliver his letter, he enters and he leaves the door open, she caught a glimpse of Niran. 

He took the letter and dismissed the guy, and once Niran opened the letter he smiled. He actually smiled. Arya snapped out of it and turned to leave but he caught her eye, he was looking at her. He put down the letter, laid back in his chair and looked straight at her without blinking; she stood there for a while but then she turned around and left.

Arya entered her rooms as quickly as possible "what is wrong with me?!" she said to no one, her hear is thrumming in her chest and it's something new to her. she shakes her head and heads to the window to smell some fresh air. 

Her room overlooks the whole palace, if not the whole kingdom. She spots Niran in the terrace, still in the same place yet now he was reading the letter, still smiling and Arya couldn't believe her eyes. His smile is contagious and wholesome and how lovely would it be kissed by those lips. She is so shocked by her own thoughts right now that she leaves the window and closes the drapes, shakes her head at herself as if to say what the hell is wrong with me?!

A knock snapped her out of her thoughts. "come in." A guard. He bowed "your father requests your presence in his room, my lady." Arya rolls her eyes "okay, thank you. I'll be right there." He turns and leaves. Arya heads to her father's rooms.

Once the guards on her father's rooms spot her, they bow and open the door without saying anything. He is sitting in an armchair near the fireplace holding a glass of bourbon, as usual. It's not even past eleven in the morning and he started drinking already.

 He was never like that before her mother died but it seems that after she was gone, he became a totally different person. 

"what?" Arya says sharply as she enters. "Is this how you speak to your father?" he eyes her with something like disgust. Hatred even. Arya chuckles "Did you just call me here to teach me some morals?" he stands up and looks like he might trip if he moves one more step. 

Arya continues "and for god sake it's eleven in the morning and you started drinking already? I wish mother was here to see how much of a drunk you've become!" she struck a nerve and he threw the glass at her, it missed her by an inch but a tiny piece of glass struck the inside of her forearm.

Arya stood there, did nothing and she was somewhat glad she struck a nerve. He was so unbearable sometimes and she got used to the breaking glass and everything else. It did not hurt, at least not in front of him it didn't. 

"you done?" she asked and noticed that the piece of glass is still in her forearm but she ignored the pain. He looks up at her angrily "NO". Arya crosses her arms, still ignoring the pain, and waits for him to complete. "what's your progress with the prince?" he asks 

"none of your business, you assigned him to me then let me handle it, won't you father?" 

"get out!" he shouts, she smiles at him "with pleasure, sir."