Forbbiden Love Princess & Guard☑️

Chap #8 Sister Bonding Zara & Lila

The early afternoon sun bathed the palace gardens in warmth, a gentle breeze rustling through the vibrant flowerbeds. Zara and Lila Evernight River, the inseparable sisters and Elara's devoted ladies-in-waiting, strolled through the lush pathways. Lila twirled around playfully, her soft laugh filling the air as Zara watched with an amused smirk.

"You're going to knock over those roses if you're not careful, Lila," Zara teased, folding her arms as she walked.

Lila stopped mid-twirl, feigning a dramatic gasp. "Oh no! The horror! What would the gardeners say?"

"They'd probably say you're an absolute menace," Zara shot back with a grin, rolling her eyes.

Lila giggled and bounced to her sister's side, linking arms with her. "A menace? Me? I'm the most graceful lady in all of Valorian, thank you very much."

Zara raised an eyebrow, shaking her head in amusement. "If by graceful, you mean the most chaotic, then sure."

The two sisters walked arm-in-arm, the vibrant greenery of the gardens surrounding them. Though their banter was light and playful, Zara could feel the undercurrent of something deeper in Lila's carefree demeanor. After all, they were sisters, and Zara always knew when something was on Lila's mind.

"You've been unusually quiet about all the recent court drama," Zara commented, glancing sideways at her sister. "What's going on in that little head of yours?"

Lila gave a small shrug, her expression turning more thoughtful as she gazed ahead. "I don't know, Zara. Everything feels... different lately. Elara, the pressure she's under... Prince Lucien being here..."

Zara nodded, her own gaze growing more serious. "Yeah, it's a lot for her. The king and queen are pushing this marriage alliance hard, and Elara—well, she's doing what she always does. Smiling through it."

Lila sighed. "But she's not happy. You can see it in her eyes. She doesn't love him."

Zara tightened her grip on Lila's arm. "She doesn't love him, no. But love isn't exactly high on the list of priorities for royal marriages, is it?"

Lila bit her lip, her brows furrowing in thought. "That doesn't seem fair. She should be able to choose—shouldn't she?"

Zara stopped walking, turning to face her younger sister. "In a perfect world, yes. But you and I both know the crown doesn't care about love. It cares about alliances, power, stability. It's all about duty, Lila."

Lila's bright eyes met Zara's, a flicker of frustration in them. "But Elara is more than just a princess, Zara. She's our friend. We can't just sit by and watch her be pushed into something she doesn't want."

Zara sighed, brushing a stray lock of hair behind Lila's ear. "You're right. She is more than just a princess. But you know as well as I do that the only person who can fight this is Elara herself."

Lila's shoulders slumped slightly as they resumed walking, her head resting against Zara's shoulder. "I hate seeing her like this."

Zara smiled softly, planting a gentle kiss on Lila's head. "Me too, kid. Me too."

For a while, they walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps and the distant hum of birds the only noise between them. But even in that quiet, Zara felt the weight of Lila's worries, the concern she had for Elara—and for their future as well.

"You know," Zara began, her voice softer now, "it's not just Elara who's facing these expectations. It's going to come for us too, eventually."

Lila's eyes widened. "You mean... like, marriage and all that?"

Zara shrugged. "Eventually. Maybe not in the same way as Elara, but we're part of this world, Lila. We'll be expected to make alliances, play the political game."

Lila wrinkled her nose. "I'm not ready for that. Can't we just run away and live in the forest or something?"

Zara chuckled. "Tempting, but I don't think we'd survive a week."

Lila pouted. "Speak for yourself! I'd make an excellent forest dweller. I'd befriend all the animals, and you'd be the grumpy one chopping wood."

"Grumpy?" Zara raised an eyebrow. "I think you've got that reversed."

They both laughed, the tension between them easing slightly. Lila's playful spirit always had a way of lifting Zara's mood, even when the weight of their world bore down on them.

After a few more moments of walking, Lila spoke again, her voice more serious this time. "Zara... do you ever think about what you want? I mean, for yourself?"

Zara was quiet for a moment, her gaze distant. "Sometimes. But it's hard, Lila. We're caught between what we want and what's expected of us."

Lila nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Do you ever think... maybe we don't have to choose?"

Zara smiled, though it was tinged with a bit of sadness. "I hope you're right, Lila. I really do."

As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, the two sisters found a bench beneath a large oak tree and sat down together. Lila leaned her head on Zara's shoulder, and Zara wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.

"We'll figure it out, Zara," Lila said softly. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

Zara looked down at her sister, her heart swelling with affection. "Always, Lila. Always."

The sisters sat in comfortable silence, the bond between them as unbreakable as ever, even in the face of the uncertainty that lay ahead. Whatever trials awaited them—and their dear friend Elara—they would face them side by side.