Love comes in many forms.
Speaking about it, imagining it, and melting at the mere prospect of it can leave you giddy with its richness.
But defining it, expressing or experiencing it - that's a different game.
Elijah - the heir to the throne of...
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A tsunami destroying a wildfire.
A crumpled paper cutting through rock.
An eruption of silence bringing down a fiery cry.
Everything came to a standstill, and no one was able to believe it happened.
But it did, didn't it?
It really did.
"What have you done?" I whispered to my sister, struggling to keep my head high.
She refused to respond, facing the crowd with a strong stance and a tight smirk.
In the midst of the speechlessness flattening every other emotion, Zyanna slowly came to the front, going to stand next to Aaliyah.
I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Zyanna's face was completely blank with every expression concealed as she stared at the people who were staring up at her - absolutely shell-shocked.
I switched my gaze to Lia again, too stricken to pay attention to anything else.
What the hell has she done?
"Is this a decision collectively made by the whole kingdom?" A villager - the fish distributor - questioned, fixing a suspicious glance at Zyanna.
This should not be happening.
I cleared my throat, prepared to say something and—
"Yes. The decision has been a strong idea in progression, but it hasn't thoroughly been run by the royal council as of yet." My mother stepped in before I could, coming to stand between me and Aaliyah.
I narrowed my eyes at my mother, slightly confused.
"By 'thoroughly', do you mean to say you haven't discussed the thought with us at all...or am I hopefully getting it wrong here, your majesty?" The training royal advisor queried, appearing to be stuck between confusion and surety.
"The hierarchy suggests that though your title is of royal significance, we are still at the top of the chain, Seldon. That means we are not completely obligated to inform you of our decisions beforehand all the time," Lia cut in and presented him a tight-lipped smile, turning back to the crowd. "Besides, this is something we want our people to stand by and accept before anyone does.
"Hence now, we ask you, with all our hearts and minds. Do we or do we not accept Zyanna Samaria Karas - a female representing the people of Yandestine, royalty be damned - as the future Queen of Yandestine?"
Not even a whisper.
Tiny pebbles and stones painfully rolled through the sand, fleetingly pressured by the wind, and at that moment, I wished that was the only thing that mattered.
Slowly, without any certainty in the way she crept forward, a woman spoke.
"Z-Zyanna? Is that the Zyanna we know? The female that showed us through the palace during the night of the ceremony?"
