Isekia Reverse

Family Betrayal

My whole life changed the night before my wedding. It started when I went to check on my wedding dress. The dress in the room was different from the dress I had picked out a year ago. I looked at it and wondered what happened. Perhaps Raella helped father pick out a different one. I held the dress up next to myself and realized it was far too short for me. I was frustrated. How could this happen to the dress I am supposed to wear tomorrow? I stormed off to get some questions from my sister. She would tell me the truth. I walked down the hall to her side of the wing. I noticed a few servants waiting outside the door; two of whom I had never seen before. I would get some answers from her about all of this.

I walked into her room. There was a sound I had never heard before. I looked towards it and saw my sister on top of my fiancé. The two of them were grasping at each other without any clothes on. My sister was sleeping with my fiancé. I honestly never would have considered them capable of something so foul. I stood there like an idiot. I didn't know if I wanted to scream and shout at them or to storm off. Does this mean I am going to marry this man who is sleeping with my sister? As I take a second to decide my next step, my sister's eyes flash to where I am standing. She stops them. She slides down off of Galenus and walks towards me. She is still naked while she tries to explain. She isn't even trying to apologize. She just starts saying that the two of them are in love. I look at Galenus and he gives me this look that says that I am the one standing in the way of their happy ending.

I cannot believe this. In love. What does that mean for my marriage? It was one thing to think about marrying Galenus knowing he sleeps with others. It's a whole other problem to know that he loves my sister. That is something I cannot overcome. I stomp off to my father's chambers. He will be appalled at Raella's behavior. Once I get there I am called inside, father is drunk and laughing. He tells me that Raella and Galenus have fallen in love. Raella has been begging to be the princess that Galenus will marry. And father decided that this was the best course of action. Raella had pointed out that once Galenus fell in love with her, there was no chance he could produce an heir with me. Tears start streaming down my eyes. My father tells me to not mess up this wedding for my sister and Galenus. He will kill me if I do anything. I cried. I lost my future in a new country along with my sister. I felt like I had nothing to live for.

I walk back to my room with tears in my eyes. I cannot stop crying. I keep wiping away tears in frustration. She has taken my chance at freedom. I cannot believe that this is Raella. Once in my room I begin to think about how the last year, Raella has changed. She started taking more care in what she wore. She criticized the servants for mistakes that had never been a concern of hers before. I assumed it was because she had just turned 18 and wanted to appear as an adult. She had also started distancing herself from me. She began making new friends. I had assumed it was because she was preparing herself for when I would leave. So she wasn't alone. I had no idea that all her changes meant something much deeper. I continued crying for the rest of the night. There was no way that I could fall asleep. Not after I saw Galenus and Raella together. And the way my sister responded had been so cruel. Like she didn't realized how much this wedding had meant to me.

The morning came sooner than I hoped. There was no way I could sit through their wedding. I refused the servants that came to my room with my clothes. When father heard this, he sent my brother into my room to force me to obey. My brother, Talon, whose life was only possible because I choose to save him. Saving his life had ended mine. And that same brother came into my room that morning and forced me to get ready and attend the wedding. He grabbed me by the wrist and overpowered me. He held me down as the servants put on a dress. Not my dress, because that was supposed to be a wedding dress. I wondered where they even found this dress. Everyone must have been planning this for months. I couldn't look at Talon. I walked out and sat down and watched the marriage I was supposed to have play out with my sister.

The wedding itself was beautiful. The bride and groom were desperately in love. Their smiles said that their worlds were just starting. The kiss at the end was passionate and deep. For me, each new moment lasted forever. It was the longest day of my life to sit there and act like I was excited for my sister. My tears had already run out from the night before so I sat in silence while this spectacle played out. The realization that my future has crashed down around me. I began the realize that I wanted to leave the castle. To run away from this life. To find my own happy ending outside of the power of my family. And with all the coming and goings of visitors for the wedding, it would be the perfect opportunity to sneak out. I began to grow my resolve to leave as the dinner for the wedding was served. I didn't eat anything because I was too busy planning my escape. As soon as the plates were cleared, I would be able to excuse myself. My father would be drunk and distracted, and I could escape. The two kings made toasts for a future of happiness for the new couple. I raised my glass but refused to drink to this marriage of betrayal. 

I walked down the hallway back to my room. The echoes of my footsteps had me reflect on how alone I truly was. No one was in the hall because everyone was at the wedding celebration. It started to occur to me that I felt alone within my family. My father who hated me, my brother who could care less about me, and my sister whom I loved the most just stole my life from me. I didn't want to see any of them ever again. I said goodbye to them for the final time. After I got to my room I began to frantically pack up a few things. I grabbed my things and stuffed them into a bag that would hopefully not call too much attention to itself on the run. I didn't have much time to prepare so instead of money, I packed jewelry that I hoped I could sell to pay for my new life. I was almost ready to escape when my door opened. I instantly dropped and landed on top of the bag to cover it up from whomever was entering my room. I needed to send them away as soon as possible so I would still have time to escape.

 I looked at the intruder and saw my sister, in her wedding gown. She smiled at me. I was so shocked I honestly didn't know what to even say to her. "You are never this quiet with me, Ana." She looks around the room and notices the disarray. "Are you planning on running away?" She places her hand on her chest and giggles to herself. She looks absolutely tickled to be in this room with me. I notice that she is carrying a bottle of champagne and has two glasses in her hands. "Well, I was going to have a farewell toast with my sister before I left, but I guess it will be a farewell toast before we both leave." She puts the glasses on my desk and starts pouring them. She looks at me with a permanent smile on her face. "Come on Ana, this could be the last time we see each other. Let's not say goodbye with you angry at me. I didn't mean to fall in love with Gale, it just happened. I want nothing but happiness for you too. Happiness like I found with Gale." She sits there holding up the glasses waiting for my response. It begins to sink in that this will probably be my last time seeing my sister, I don't plan on ever returning to the palace. And even though she stole my finance from me, I wasn't in love with him. He was just my freedom. I sigh, giving into the fact that she is right. We shouldn't part on such horrible feelings. I slightly smile, "Fine. You and I have been close longer than we have known Galenus. I wish you every happiness in your new home and your new position as crown princess. I probably would have hated it. I will miss you so much, little sister. Please don't tell Father I have left until morning?" I look at her pleadingly. She continues to smile and hands me a glass, "but of course. Cheers to our new lives. I hope you find somewhere you truly fit in." With this, she leans in to hug me. After, I kiss her head. I clink my glass against hers and say, "Cheers." I drink it down with a smile. Raella keeps eye contact with me while I guzzle down my drink. She smiles in a more sinister way. She puts down her glass without drinking from it. I stare at the full glass for a second and then back to my sister. The realization of what just happened starts to sink in. I ask her as I begin choking, "What have you done?" I fall to the floor and I am foaming at the mouth. She looks down at me and says, "I don't want to be a side character in my own story." And with those final confusing words, my eyes close as my life slips out of my body.