16 Nightmare (Part-1)
The banquet ended without any incidents as Hanson led Kaia back to her chambers as soon as they finished with the meal. They can socialize for the next two days, anyhow.
When they reached her room Kaia asked Hanson "Wouldn't it be rude that we left so soon Your Highness?"
"Don't bother about socialising with the Nobles Princess; they are just a bunch of pests who will try at any opportunity to climb the ranks." Hanson had told Kaia.
"Besides you will meet them at the ball in the following two days. Do meet me in the study tomorrow morning. I would like to brief you on whom you should look out for, even though Catherine can indeed explain it to you well but it would be more preferable that I do so myself."
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Kaia prepared to head to bed after a short bath while pondering over Hanson's words.
She sat on her bed after dismissing Alexandra and the curious two girls before brooding over her thoughts. Although she had been uncomfortable in a new environment, Hanson's welcoming attitude made her feel at ease. At first, she believed he had motives behind this marriage but now that she knew, it's most likely something the king forced down upon him just like the title he doesn't seem to want or need.
She now knew Hanson does not wish to be the Crown prince. Rather, it seems that he wants his brother to have the throne.
It subtracted the fact that he might have married her to secure his standing.
Clarines is a country whose royal family heavily depended upon Nobility and Aristocrats as the pillars that support the kingdom. It has a highly different system compared to Wales which follows an absolute Monarchy where the Monarch's word rules. Wales is a country in which the Nobles and Aristocrats depend on the Royal family, thus making the Royal family uphold the power over all its subjects.
The King and Queen of Wales must undergo a selection trial if they want to sit on the throne. Even if there was only a single heir, they must undergo vigorous training to be worthy of the throne. And if they need a partner, they must pass the trials to marry the heir. In case the heir had insufficient talent to govern or fight, their partner should have the talent to make up for it. Be it noble or commoner, anyone with talent and sufficient bearing can participate in the trials. The only rule was that they were a citizen of Wales.
Kaia's mother was selected from the trial. As a well-established ducal household's daughter, she came out as victor from among many talented noble women and commoners.
She was well respected and was the envy of women all over Wales when she married her father.
Kaia sneered at the thought. She had two older brothers. One borne of her birth mother, the queen, five years before her and another borne of his father's true love two years before his marriage to her mother.
Her full brother died in the cot, a few days after his birth. He was said to be poisoned to death and that eventually led to her being locked up and raised in the castle like a well-protected exquisite breed of pet.
Her half-brother...
Kaia frowned in bitterness.
Her half-brother was called Nora Draken, from a low ranking Nobility. His mother was a well-revered beauty, although not as much as Kaia's mother but she had a cheerful and pure temperament that even Kaia herself loved.
Nora was much like his mother.
Kaia met the two by a coincidence. They were a considerably well-to-do family, even though their rank was humble but they were not extravagant.
Kaia loved that woman more than her mother and she was loved by that woman more than her mother did her, but that was only for a measly three years.
When Kaia was ten, Nora's mother was murdered.
Kaia knew full well who did it without needing to think. She was afraid and devastated. If not for Leortes and Charlie she would have completely broken down.
She was afraid to meet Nora.
But Nora never blamed her. She cried in his arms, calling him brother over and over. She knew that he knew her identity. Only he and his mother knew, after all, Kaia was the daughter of the man she loved. Even Leortes did not know at that time.
That was when she began to truly realise she had a family. She decided to become strong to protect those she cared about. She was made to face the cruel world by the tender age of ten by none other than her parents.
But she did not know that that was only the beginning.
Kaia smiled wryly thinking about the events of her life. Almost everyone she held dear was taken away from her. Even now, the reason she's clinging to her life without the desire to live was only to protect those few people left.
She did not want this life, yet she had to live it.
She had long given up, yet she had to persevere.
Now she just lives like a mere puppet.
A wave of exhaustion passed through her mind. Kaia lay down on the bed before pulling the blanket over her.
She was tired enough already and just wanted to sleep it off.
