Chapter 3 Two
ELEANOR’S POV
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I barely remembered eating….Barely remembered speaking. It felt like my body was moving while my mind remained trapped inside that temple, standing before the glowing orb while Nathan announced our family’s doom.
To distract myself, I began rearranging my room. Again. And again. And again.
I folded dresses that were already folded. Rearranged books that didn’t need rearranging. Opened drawers only to close them minutes later without touching anything inside.
It was a habit of mine. Whenever I was upset, I cleaned. Mother used to say I organized things because I couldn’t organize my thoughts.
Maybe she was right.
By evening, exhaustion finally began settling into my bones. My head ached terribly, and my eyes burned from holding back tears all day.
I had just fallen asleep when a knock sounded at my door.
I groaned softly.
“Princess?”
Zara–one of the palace maids.
“My lady, dinner will be ready in thirty minutes.”
“I’m not hungry,” I muttered tiredly.
There was a brief silence before she answered carefully, “Your father insists everyone attends.”
Of course he did.
I dragged myself out of bed reluctantly and headed toward the bathroom. The cold water did little to calm the heaviness sitting inside my chest.
Nothing could.
After changing into my nightwear, I sat quietly at the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor. Everything felt different now–The palace. My family. Even the air itself felt heavier.
Then another knock interrupted my thoughts. This time, Zara sounded nervous.
“Princess… you are needed in the courtyard.”
I frowned immediately.
“At this hour?”
“The community leaders are gathered.”
My stomach tightened. Something told me this wasn’t going to end well.
Quickly, I grabbed a robe and followed Zara downstairs.
The courtyard was already full by the time I arrived.
Nobles.
Community leaders.
Royal advisers.
Servants standing quietly by the walls.
Everyone had gathered beneath the massive vaulted ceiling while chandeliers flickered overhead, casting uneasy shadows across the room.
The atmosphere felt suffocating. Like everyone was waiting for an execution.
Maria sat beside Mother at the long table, her face pale and emotionless. The redness around her eyes told me she had been crying again.
The moment our eyes met, she looked away. A sharp ache settled in my chest.
Father stood near the center of the hall speaking quietly with the elders before finally turning toward everyone.
Instant silence followed.
“You all know why we are gathered here,” Father began heavily, his voice echoed across the hall, deep and commanding.
“The King of Bazil has demanded a bride from the Anderson bloodline as part of the alliance between our kingdoms.”
Murmurs spread immediately across the room.
Father raised a hand..The noise died instantly.
“Refusing King Argus is not an option,” he continued firmly. “One of my daughters will be given in marriage to preserve peace within our kingdom.”
My fingers curled tightly beneath the table.
Marriage.
That was what they called it.
Not sacrifice. Not condemnation.
Marriage.
The hypocrisy almost made me sick.
“This is not a decision I make lightly,” Father added, though his expression remained unreadable. “But the survival of Namalia comes before personal desires.”
The room fell silent again. I could actually feel my anger rising now.
“So that’s it?” I suddenly spoke.
Every head turned toward me.
“You’re just going to send one of us away like livestock? We are going to die father!!!”
“Eleanor,” Father warned sharply.
But I couldn’t stop.
“Why does anybody have to go at all?” I demanded emotionally. “Why must we keep sacrificing innocent girls to monsters?”
A few people gasped quietly. Father’s jaw tightened.
“Enough!!!.”
“No!” I snapped back. “You keep calling this duty, but it isn’t! It’s fear!”
The room became deathly still. For a second, I thought Father might actually yell. Instead, he inhaled slowly before speaking in a frighteningly calm voice.
“You think I do not fear for my children?”
His eyes locked onto mine.
“You think this is easy for me?”
Pain flashed briefly across his face before disappearing again beneath the mask of a king.
Then suddenly.
“Maria.” father called.
My sister slowly looked up. Father’s next words shattered the entire room.
“You will be the one to go. Prepare to be Argus’s bride”
Silence. The air left my lungs completely.
Beside me, Maria froze.
“No…” she whispered faintly.
Then louder.
“No!”
She shot to her feet so quickly her chair nearly toppled backward.
“I won’t do it!” she cried.
Her voice cracked painfully as tears filled her eyes.
“I refuse to be handed over like some animal!”
The room erupted into whispers instantly.
“Maria!” Mother gasped.
But Maria was already shaking violently with rage and fear.
“You cannot force me into this!” she screamed at Father. “I am your daughter!”
“Sit down,” Father ordered coldly.
“No!”
One of the elderly councilmen suddenly stood up angrily.
“How dare you speak this way before your king?” the old hag barked. “Many daughters have been sacrificed before you. Yet none behaved with such disgraceful selfishness! You disgrace us!” the bastard spoke
Maria slowly turned toward him.
And honestly? The look in her eyes terrified even me.
“Shut your mouth, old man,” she spat.
Gasps echoed around the hall. The man looked stunned.
“You have no right to speak to me like that. You gladly sent your own daughter away years ago, didn’t you?” Maria continued bitterly. “So perhaps it’s easy for you to sit there pretending sacrifice is honorable. I am not like you or your miserable daughter!”
“Maria!” Mother cried again.
But Maria was beyond calming now.
“At least admit the truth!” she shouted. “You people are cowards hiding behind traditions because you’re too afraid to fight back!”
The old man’s face turned red with fury.
“You insolent child…..”
Before he could finish speaking…
SLAP!
The sound echoed brutally across the hall.
I gasped.
Maria staggered backward, clutching her cheek in complete shock.
Father stood before her, breathing heavily.
For a second, nobody moved. Nobody even breathed.
“Father!” I shouted, immediately rushing toward Maria.
Instinctively, I stepped between them. My heart hammered violently inside my chest.
“You had no right!” I yelled.
Father’s expression darkened.
“She forgets herself.”
“She’s scared!” I snapped back. “We both are!”
Maria suddenly pushed past me. Tears streamed freely down her face now, but there was still fury burning inside her eyes.
“Why me?” she cried brokenly. “Why not Eleanor?”
The entire room turned toward me instantly.
I froze.
Maria laughed bitterly through her tears.
“Wasn’t Eleanor’s orb brighter than mine?” she demanded emotionally. “So why am I the one being sacrificed?”
My chest tightened painfully. Father’s face hardened again.
“Because Eleanor is already promised to Jackson. She has a suitor, and that arrangement cannot be broken.” he answered coldly.
I blinked.
Maria stared at him in disbelief.
“But she isn’t married yet, is she?!!!!!” Maria shouted desperately. “She can still go instead!”
The room exploded into murmurs again. I felt sick. Absolutely sick.
“Enough!” Father roared suddenly.
Instant silence followed.
“The decision has been made.”
Maria stared at him for a long moment. Then slowly…She looked at me. And the hatred in her eyes nearly broke me.
“I hate you,” she whispered.
The words sliced straight through my chest.
“I hate all of you.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably now.
“But especially you, Eleanor.”
My lips parted shakily.
“Maria…”
“You all planned this from the beginning. If not why did the selection become due on the very day of my arrival?!!!!!” She yelled.
“You always play the perfect daughter,” she continued bitterly. “Always pretending to care. But Father chose me because he loves you more.”
“Maria!” Mother shouted sharply.
But Maria only laughed weakly through her tears.
“You stayed here with him all these years while I was gone. Of course he’d protect you first.”
Every word hurt more than the last. I couldn’t even defend myself. Because part of me suddenly wondered…
Was she right?
Before anyone could stop her, Maria turned and stormed out of the hall. Her sobs echoed painfully through the corridor.
I wanted to run after her. I wanted to hold her. But my feet refused to move. I just stood there frozen while everyone stared at me with pity, judgment, or silence.
Father finally spoke again.
“The meeting is adjourned.”
His voice sounded cold and distant. Like none of this had destroyed our family only seconds ago.
Without another word, I turned and walked out too. And for the first time in my life…Home no longer felt like home.
