January 23rd
Arabella's POV
His words still rang in my ears. Marry me. How can I marry this man, who has killed dozens of my own people. I knew the Eastern Lords had betrayed me, but I never expected the ruse to run the deep and be over a century old.
I think a small part of me knew this was coming. I was never supposed to marry for love, never allowed to. My father followed his heart, and he died of plague. His fiancee indirectly murdered my brother, who had also tried to marry for love. Isla loved my brother so much, losing him drove her mad.
My bloodline has been cursed to walk this earth alone. When we fall in love, we either die or lose everything we have. Honestly, I'd prefer the first option to the latter. At least that way I wouldn't go on a mad crusade like Isla.
I have to accept Darrius's offer. If I refuse, he will no doubt kill me, or worse, kill more of my people. If I die, nothing stops him from his reign of terror. Nothing except Louis.
Louis needs to stay alive, if not for Luania, then for Yazmin. She cares about him so much, and she is so pure and innocent. Losing him would destroy him. I have to accept Darrius's offer.
"Ari," Sylvia whispers. I turn to see her standing at the entrance to my tent. "Have you made a decision?"
I shake my head. "He gave me 24 hours to decide." She sits next to me and runs her hand through my hair. Sylvia is the only mother figure I ever had. She helped me through everything, from scraped knees, to my first period, to learning to dance.
"How are you feeling?" She asks, her voice like velvet.
"I can't do this. All I ever wanted was to marry for love," I tell her. "But look where that got my parents, brother, and hell, even Isla. Love is cursed."
"No, it's not. Your father loved your mother, and she loved him back. Your birth was one of the happiest days of their life. They lit up fireworks all across the kingdom, and everyone celebrated. And they were happy," She whispers to me. "James and Isla loved each other so much, but it wasn't the love that drover her mad. It was her father. You've only met him in passing, I stayed at his castle. He is stone cold and emotionless. Isla was taught that she was nothing without a husband. The two of you are so similar, you were just raised differently. That doesn't excuse her actions, but please take a moment to know where she's coming from," Sylvia explains.
"I can't do this," I whisper.
"Yes, you can." She brings her hand down and rubs my back. "The country looks up to you. If they see you stay strong and power through, they will do the same. If they see you break and collapse, Darrius will be the least of your worries. You have to do this for them."
"So should I accept him?" I ask.
"I'm saying that sometimes you need to put your people first and make the choice that is best for them, whatever you think that is."
"And when we have an heir? He will grow up with Darrius breathing down his neck."
"I don't know. I've never been a mother. But I would tell you to be fiercely maternal. Keep your heirs as close to you as you can, and try to preserve their innocence."
"Have you reached a decision, your majesty?" Lord Fallik asks. I enter the tent, where he, Lord McCaffrey, Lord Valos, Horatio, and Darrius sit at a table.
"I came to adjust our arrangement," I tell them.
"The deal was final. You agreed to it," Darrius says. I take a deep breath.
YOU ARE READING
The Queen of Luania
Fantasía"A weak Queen is a dead Queen" When Arabella became Queen of Luania, she thought it was all ballgowns and dancing. 4 years later, she has learned that it is quite the opposite. As she and her allies play a complicated game of love, hate, peace, chao...
