War Through Love

1. Chapter

Thara

My father had been in the room with Lord Tully for far too long. I walked back and forth in front of the massive wooden doors of his chambers, biting my nails from the tension.

What could Lord Tully want from my father?
Yesterday, I received a letter from my brother about him gathering an army and his plan to surprise and defeat the Brackens at Red Fork. Perhaps Lord Tully had learned of this act and it angered him. Or maybe he wants to redirect my brother's army elsewhere, away from the Brackens. I don't know, I have no idea. The only thing I know right now is that I need to stop biting my nails, or my mother will punish me again.

But why?
Lord Tully is young, but not foolish. He must know that the Brackens will never back down from a fight with us, and we will never back down from them.
It's all a vicious circle. Throughout our history, many marriages have been arranged with the Brackens, but it never made us reconcile.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of the door opening, and the young lord stepped out.
His deep blue eyes, like a well, fixed on me and examined me from head to toe. He was as old as I was, maybe even younger, but he commanded the respect of an old lord.
"My lord," I curtsied and lowered my head.
"Lady Thara," was all he said before he left with an indifferent expression.

As soon as Lord Tully disappeared from sight, I stormed into my father's chambers. "What did he want, father?" My father sat at the table with a defeated expression, shaking his head.
"We must unite our armies, even with the Brackens. We must arrange a marriage, again."
I was silent for a moment, wondering how my sister would take this news.
"Alysanne won't be pleased..."
My father interrupted me with a wave of his hand. "Not Alysanne, you."
After those words, a ringing began in my head, and I couldn't focus on anything other than the sound of my heart, which felt like it was about to leap out of my chest.
"No! You can't -" my voice trembled.
"But I can!" My father immediately stood up from his chair. "What I can, I must! There is no other option! You are the youngest, and your role has always been and always will be obedience!"
I wanted so badly to resist, to flip the table or break something. But the only thing I did at that moment was clench my teeth and dig my nails into my flesh. Finally, I turned on my heel and ran out of the room.
I didn't want my father to see me cry or pity me. No, not that.

Bracken, Bracken, Bracken... that vile name echoed in my head for the rest of the evening.