Denial

II

"I choose pain over your side"

Breakfast was unusually quiet. The royal family ate in silence. Well everyone except Vasílissa Ismena Aria Ariti. The queen just played with the food, her plate and the cutlery amidst stealing glances at everyone else.
She felt uneasy mostly because all what had happened a while ago was too much of a lie to her.
She was way beyond eighteen and that's exactly when one finds their mate. Yet she'd lived way beyond eighteen and had been without a mate since so there had to be some mistake.
She feared the council was planning to go against her for the first time.

"Ismena, you can't keep this up. It's Thea Seléni's will"

"No. It's not. Please stop feeding me these lies, Mom.
I'm way way past eighteen and I know everyone in this kingdom and nobody here is my mate nor is any outsider.
And eighteen is the exact age you find your mate. If by twenty years, you still haven't found your mate then you're destined to be without one.
And just wait till I find out what game you're trying to play.
You may be my parents but if I find out this is some way you're using to defy me,then you've got another thing coming"

"Ismena!" Her father stood, hitting his fist on the table making her jump together with her mom and sister but that didn't deter her.

"Father" She called in a surprisingly calm tone.

"Ismena we raised you better than this. Don't be disrespectful!"
Her mother scolded but it didn't do anything to the glare she held for them.

"And if I may ask. Have I ever been disrespectful?"
Aria bit back and her mother stood up hastily. Too shocked to remain seated after her mate left.

"Lina. Won't you tell your sister how disrespectful she's acting?"

"I'm sorry mother but she's still the Vasílissa and my loyalty lies with her. Forever and unwaveringly" Lina replied.

"That's it. I've had enough. You girls are not my daughters". The past queen said and turned to leave

"We're being obedient children. You raised us to be strong, resilient, brave,loyal and firm in what we believe in. If acting according to your teaching is disrespect,then so be it".
Aria gritted out making her mother stop in her tracks to give her a sharp look.

"This path will lead you to Thea Seléni's wrath.". Her mother said harshly and she nodded slowly and walked past her mother and went to her chamber as her she stared wordlessly at her retreating figure.

"Lina. As her bodyguard you're to protect her from every form of danger. Including the wrath of Thea Seléni. And you know very well there's nothing dangerous than that. If you let her down this path, you've failed". The past queen,Winitai gritted out slowly.

"I take orders from no one else but the Vasílissa".
Lina said looking directly into the eyes of her mother.
At that moment, Winitai wanted to crumple on the floor and cry. She couldn't be a proud mother at that moment. She had taught them the very same values they were exerting but not in this manner. Not in such a dangerous manner.

Lina hurried to her sister's room. Their mother did have a point despite how they acted towards her. They definitely didn't want to displease Thea Seléni. She had to make her reason with her.