‹ Prequel: The Pauper Princess
Status: Currently undergoing renovations.
The Game
Eight
"You stupid girl!” my father punctuates with a sharp slap to my face. I bite my lip to keep from crying out. Without regular sparring drills, I’m not used to controlling my reaction to pain.
“Father-“
“Don’t interrupt me, boy!” Kahlin shuts his mouth and steps back. My father tightens his grip on my arm as he turns his attention back to me. “Before, I could excuse this nonsense as youthful indiscretion. But now,” he pushes me away as if I disgusted him.
“I don’t even know where to start. You both have disobeyed my direct orders to be done with this foolishness.” I glare at Kahlin. When he finally glances my way I see that his entire cheek is purpled and his eye slightly swollen. I smirk with satisfaction.
“You think this is amusing?” My father stands uncomfortably close, invading my personal space, but I refuse to back down. I realize my error a moment before he slaps me again. I wonder how bad the bruises will be as I lay numbly on the floor.
“I see now I was right in my decision,” he says mostly to himself, but it catches both my and Kahlin’s attention.
“What decision?” Our father spares him an irate glance before continuing back to his seat.
“I’ve negotiated a treaty with Lequin. All trade routes along our borders will be opened,” -he pauses and looks meaningfully at me- “following the marriage of the prince of Lequin to an heiress of Kyshia.” I look to Kahlin and find him staring back at me. This was our joke, just part of a stupid game. But now it’s real, and I hate him for it.
“Father-“
“Don’t interrupt me, boy!” Kahlin shuts his mouth and steps back. My father tightens his grip on my arm as he turns his attention back to me. “Before, I could excuse this nonsense as youthful indiscretion. But now,” he pushes me away as if I disgusted him.
“I don’t even know where to start. You both have disobeyed my direct orders to be done with this foolishness.” I glare at Kahlin. When he finally glances my way I see that his entire cheek is purpled and his eye slightly swollen. I smirk with satisfaction.
“You think this is amusing?” My father stands uncomfortably close, invading my personal space, but I refuse to back down. I realize my error a moment before he slaps me again. I wonder how bad the bruises will be as I lay numbly on the floor.
“I see now I was right in my decision,” he says mostly to himself, but it catches both my and Kahlin’s attention.
“What decision?” Our father spares him an irate glance before continuing back to his seat.
“I’ve negotiated a treaty with Lequin. All trade routes along our borders will be opened,” -he pauses and looks meaningfully at me- “following the marriage of the prince of Lequin to an heiress of Kyshia.” I look to Kahlin and find him staring back at me. This was our joke, just part of a stupid game. But now it’s real, and I hate him for it.