The Kiss Of Death

1.

                                                                                             AVA

"You are engaged now, you need to stop all these childish habits now. Your father will not be happy looking at you spending your time reading those useless books", Mary sighed.

"He is never happy with me, no matter what I do", I tell her.

"Child!! Don't say these things out loud. He may hear it", Mary hissed.

"Mary, at this point I no longer care. Books are the only thing that gives me an escape. And I know if he sees me enjoying them, he will take it away too"

"I know", she whispered.

"Come with me to the temple of light today. Pray with me, maybe one day you will get what you wish", she says with a sad smile.

Prayers have never worked. I had prayed every day, I prayed for things to get better. I cried and begged yet no one listened. I begged the light gods to save my mom's life when she was getting weak day by day. I cried and begged them to bring her back to life when the disease took her. I cried and begged when my stepfather forcefully gave my hand to the merchant who was accused of killing his first wife. No one listed and no one cared. I begged for a friend, I begged for a companion but my prayers were answered with silence. I no longer believe in prayers. But Mary does. I go with her to give her some company. Though she doesn't consider me her friend yet I go with her. She was the one who took care of my mother when she was sick and she does care for me too. She just can't stand up for me, as she is poor and she needs to work for my father to feed her children.

"Okay, I will go", I tell her.

Aurenville is a small town situated on the outskirts of Revendale. Aurenville connects Revendale, the capital of Verendale to Aronmore the second-biggest city. These names always confused me but now after years and years of listening, I finally have a grasp of these names. Aurenville survives on the trade of farm goods. And my step-father is also a trader. We belong to the elite rich class of Aurenville. But my father is facing one business loss after other. So he decided to try a new business, a business to "deal" with his daughter. Yes, I call it a "deal". To survive the losses he tried to merge the business with a rich businessman but the twist was he wanted to marry me. Accused of murdering his first wife, Mr. Tucker was too desperate to have an heir but his reputation prevented families from handing their daughters to a monster. Only my father wasn't. My father gained a business partner and I gained a fiancé who is a murderer. My wishes were never respected nor were they asked about. I am chained in my own house now and tomorrow I will be chained in someone else's.

Will my prayers ever get heard?