Court Of Shadows and Lies

1. Silent Rebellion

I sat at the big dining table, my little legs swinging beneath the heavy wood, barely able to reach the floor. The smell of roasted meat filled the air, but my stomach twisted in knots. My father’s laughter boomed around me, drowning out the voices of his wives, but I couldn’t join in. Something felt wrong.

“Father,” I said, my voice shaky but firm, “why can’t women rule? Why is it always you?”

The room fell silent. I could feel their eyes boring into me. My father’s smile disappeared, replaced by a dark glare. “Because men are superior, Cessalie. That’s how it is,” he snapped, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“But women do all the work!” I protested, my heart racing. “They take care of everything!”

In an instant, he shot a look at my mother, who was sitting quietly at the table. She rose from her seat and came toward me, her expression unreadable. I trembled as she grabbed my arm, her grip like iron.

“Enough!” she hissed, dragging me out of the dining room. I looked back at my siblings—Rylan was pale with fear, Meliora’s eyes were wide, and little Kaelen just stared, confused.

Once outside, she spun me around and slapped me across the face with a force that sent me stumbling back. My cheek burned, and tears sprang to my eyes. “You will know your place!” she snarled, her voice low and fierce.

“Please, stop!” I begged, but my words only seemed to make her angrier. She slapped me again, harder this time, and I cried out in shock and pain.

“Stay in your limits!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the empty halls. Each slap felt like a knife cutting into me, tearing at my spirit. I pressed my hands against my burning cheeks, wishing I could make the pain go away, wishing I could disappear.

But all I could do was stand there, trembling and broken, feeling the weight of her hatred crushing me. I hated her for this. I hated him for making her this way. All I wanted was to be seen, to be heard, but in that moment, I felt more invisible than ever, trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t escape.

****************

I opened my eyes and gazed into the mirror, watching as the maid delicately applied blush to the right cheek where my mother had struck me for the first time.

“Lady Cessalie, you’re ready to go,” she said, her eyes lingering on my cheeks for a brief moment before she stepped back.

I turned my face toward the mirror, scrutinizing the reflection. “Thank you. The scar needs to be covered,” I replied, my voice steady despite the memories swirling in my mind.

My mother had always worn her wedding ring backward, with the stone towards her palm. Its cold, unyielding surface left its mark with each harsh slap—a cruel reminder that the bruises would fade, but the bleeding scar would never disappear. It was a testament to the love I once craved but never received, etched into my skin like a permanent reminder of her fury.

As soon as I left my room, I was met with my mother, elegantly dressed, her soft expression an unchanging feature that offered me no comfort. It was a mask of vulnerability and oppression that only fueled my resentment. I hated her for the way she accepted her fate, never raising her voice or fighting for her rights as my father's legitimate wife.

In Valkathra, a man cannot take more than one wife unless he divorces or his spouse passes away. Yet my father, a man of indulgence and deceit, had three mistresses. The very thought twisted something inside me, an anger that burned fiercely for all that he took from her without a second thought.