Royal(ties)

13. The Secret and The Spillage . 13

"Pardon?" Akira asked, her voice sounding shriller than she would have liked.

"What do you mean?" Lady Charlotte said, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. "You are getting married to my grandson this summer, right?"

"I, uh-", Akira stuttered as she frantically glanced at her grandmother in wild confusion. The corner of Grandmother's lips lifted as she stared down at Akira with a condescending look. Akira felt the floor fall out from underneath her feet.

What on Earth was going on?

Akira felt her heart beat anxiously and the leering faces of the people around her swarmed around her, taunting her.

This was her grandmother's punishment. This was why Grandmother was so smug. Akira was backed into a tight, hard corner. If she said now that she didn't know about the wedding it would damage relations between the Astley's and the Byron's and Grandmother would probably kick her out right now. She would lose everything. Her family home, her childhood, her parent's legacy. All of them were tied, dangling on a string by Grandmother, taunting her like a carrot to a donkey.

The blood drained out of her face. She couldn't lose everything. She couldn't. She would have to play along, she had no choice. Akira clenched her fists together.

Bilal was working on building a court case. As soon as she gained a substantial foothold, she could leave safely. The engagement would be void.

Akira took a deep breath, her chest heaving slightly and pushed aside her growing anxiety.

"Never show your weaknesses, even when you're on your last leg and the world is against you, don't give them the satisfaction of knowing they really and truly have won", father had always said. Akira would play along, for now.

"Right?" Lady Emmeline asked with a hint of maliciousness.

Akira narrowed her eyes. It appeared Lady Emmeline knew exactly what was going on. This was a game to her, wasn't it? She could get the man she wanted so she would try to trap his daughter instead. It would bring this vicious vengeful cycle to a close.

"That's right", Akira smiled, placing on a facade of happiness. "Pardon me, this dress is quite heavy so I was acting absentminded and very rude".

"Oh, that's alright dear", Lady Charlotte gushed. "We are to be family soon, you can feel comfortable with us".

"Thank you, My Lady", Akira laughed graciously.

She cast a look at her grandmother who spitefully smiled. Grandmother thought she had won. She thought that she had trapped Akira into saying yes but Akira still had some cards up her sleeve. But why was a marriage between the two ducal families so important that Grandmother would try to sell out her son first and then her granddaughter?

"I'm sure you must be very excited to see my son", Lady Emmeline giggled.

"Of course, I am", Akira responded cheerily. "I think I am quite lucky to marry such a good man".

"And we are happy that he has married you too", Lady Charlotte beamed. "Although your... exotic looks are different to what we expected, you are quite fair, aren't you?"

Akira went quiet and the smile dropped from her face. There it was. There was the subtle racism she had been expecting. Because of her South Asian heritage, she had tanned skin, fuller lips and almond eyes which she had never had a problem with but it seemed it would be a point of discussion against the mostly English powerful nobility.

Grandmother cleared her throat to break the rising tension as Akira stared at the group in anger. "It seems we have held you up for too long, Akira. You may socialise now".