Grey Tinted Lenses

Chapter Two

(Audra)

***

I was the first female heir in the Kingdom of Waterfall's extensive history. It was custom for a king to keep reproducing until he had at least one or two sons. And if he failed to come up with a son, then a uncle or brother or nephew would take the role as next in line for the throne.

But my father broke this tradition.

My mother is a forest nymph, and leaving the forest wasn't easy on her or her body. She was ill for months after, constantly breaking out into fevers, coldsweats, coughing fits. But despite my father pleading with her to return to the forest so she could be healthy, she refused.

To rival this problem, my father had a few of the trees from the forest brought over to be replanted into the castle's garden. My mother remained frail but made a partial recovery. Unfortunately, the experience took its toll on her. She was left infertile.

Or nearly at least.

When I was conceived, it was seen as a miracle, my birth was celebrated throughout the kingdom. My father was so prideful of having a child, he changed the law that originally only allowed males to obtain the crown. Because of this change in laws, I was spared of the fate that every other princess before me had. They were married off to a neighboring king, prince, or high classing duke.

Since I would be the next ruler of the Kingdom of Waterfalls, my partner would gain nothing in marrying me besides a title. A title which held power only in name.

This was the reason I was so stunned by what my father had said. An arranged marriage never even crossed my mind.

I felt tormented, I didn't know how to react. Part of me wanted to burst out into tears while another part of me wanted to scream at my parents for even suggesting the idea. Another part of me thought that perhaps I was misunderstanding what they meant because surely they didn't mean to marry me off to some lowly duke or snobbish prince. I truly wish I could handle the situation the way a queen would, with grace and bravery. In a way Galen would have wanted me too. But I couldn't. Not yet.

"Absolutely not. I refuse." I stated point blank. I wanted to storm out of the room and pretend this conversation never even happened, but my feet refused to move. I had a feeling that this was something I couldn't just run away from.

But still, I couldn't just lay down and let it happen.

"Audra please, let's talk about this," my mother's pained voice guilted me into calming down. I know this was hurting her too. This was far from the future she had dreamt for me.

My father glanced sympathetically from me to my mother, his silver grey eyes looked tired. For the first time, I noticed his age. His chestnut hair was streaked with grey and white. And next to Galen, he looked almost frail, small even. I had never considered that my father was aging.

I couldn't do this to them.

"Okay," I took a few steps foward until I was only a few feet away from them, "Let's talk."

"Audra, you are familiar with the Hidden Mist Kingdom," My father spoke slowly, as if to give me time to process his message before it was even delivered, "Well, I must admit you've been sheltered from much of what's been going on."

"What do you mean? I have not. I know things aren't great but they're not so bad..." It came out more like a question then a statement, I stared at my father in questioning disbelief.

"No, Audra. Things aren't like you think." My father spoke tentatively, like he was walking on eggshells.

Well, no matter how carefully you walk, the eggshells are bound to break.