ONE

Eli

Perhaps I just wasn't born for this.

All the royal banquets and the flowing gowns and the bitter grape wines— I certainly would not want to be born for this. It tires me out, and while I’m grateful to not be living under the ground like my grandmother’s childhood, I want something more than this.

My thoughts were halted after feeling my mother’s elbow on my waist after passing by me. My head automatically shot to look at her and she gave me the look— I know that look. Chin up, chest out, lips stretched. I frowned even more. My back is hurting from being a noble’s daughter and attending these dreadful banquets in hopes of catching anyone’s attention to be my potential husband.

The mandatory marriageable age of those from noble families is 16-18, but tradition calls for women age 14 to 15 to be in the Harvest, where families look for potential pairs for their children when they reach 16 until 18. Once anyone passes that age without a wife or a husband, there are several consequences. Sometimes, some of them are taken away, and then The Council decides which household they are married to.

That’s why families are desperate when one child reaches 18, lest they want them taken away. It’s like a time bomb. Of course, the law exempts those in the military and first-born males who ascend as the head of the family, but they still need to marry off before the last legitimate child in the family enters the Harvest.

My family has fourteen children— nine girls and five boys, while four are illegitimate ones. I am the seventh child of the Hales. I am fourteen almost fifteen now, and so by tradition, I’m part of the Harvest.

The old books I’ve read say that in the Old World, a man could go behind bars for marrying a woman below 18. But such law does not exist in the New World anymore. If it did, I would have been in bed at home by now, and not entertaining old noblemen who ask for dances and slide their hands under my pelvic bone. I guess when you’re halfway to extinction, people become desperate and they’re left with no choice.

I trailed my mother’s figure as she disappeared into the crowd, with her untouched champagne in her hand. It’s all for show, of course, my mother never drinks during these banquets, especially when someone in the family is part of the Harvest. I guess alcohol can easily cloud her judgment of choosing a potential son-in-law.

My mind continued to wander off when I felt my sister Yula beside me. “I can feel your grimace from across the room,” she softly quipped as she rubs her hand across my arm in an embrace. My guard instantly relaxed and I smiled in response to her.

Yula is the oldest sister in the family, born only a year after our brother Alexei, the eldest among the Hale siblings. As the two eldest Hales, Alexei and Yula are both responsible and strong-minded, but other than that, they’re almost the definition of opposites. Alexei is intimidating, cunning, and aggressive, whilst Yula is soft-spoken, sensitive, and very motherly like.

“Aren’t you scared?” I asked her.

Yula paused for a moment, as if contemplating well to answer my question. She just turned 18 a month ago, which means she should get married anytime now, as per the mandatory law. Should she pass the year without a groom, she might become an Export, a property of The Council, which is the governing body of the empire of Amaenia.

“I am,” she responded. “Very much.”

“Can’t you run away?” I asked back. Yula has a very weak body, so she was often sick her whole Harvest years. No groom would want a sick wife in his household, sick wives don’t give healthy babies, so Yula would always become the least option.

“You can’t run away from responsibilities, Eli.”

I know that, but I wanted to hope for something for our Yula. Had we been born in another time, she would have been able to make her own choice for her own life. I know Yula deserves more than just being collateral for our family.

I saw Alexei walking towards us with his usual cold aura. He stopped inches away from Yula. “Mum’s looking for you.”

His eyes squinted and Yula gave an acknowledgment nod, as if they were both expecting something to happen tonight. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on, but it’s always like that with Alexei— he likes things discreet.

Yula gave my arms one last squeeze before walking away, leaving me and Alexei alone in the corner. “Your time will come, Eli. Be ready,” he said to me in an almost hushed voice.

My eyes automatically rolled. “Trust me, I’m the least excited.”

Alexei has always been my least favorite sibling, and it’s not because he rarely bonds with his younger siblings, but because he has been such a controlling maniac ever since he took over as the head of the family after our father, Gregory Hale, died in battle a year ago. When his body arrived at home wrapped in a blood-stained mantle, I remember everyone endlessly crying for days, but Alexei just stood quietly in the corner, with his dead tired eyes and grim expression as he watched all of us cry.

I watched as Alexei followed trail with Yula. I took that as my chance to get out, so I sneaked out of the banquet hall and into the garden as quietly as I could. I gave out a loud sigh of relief as soon as I inhaled the fresh scent of spring outside. “Finally,” I breathed out with exaggeration.

And then I heard someone near me laugh.

My eyes instinctively turned to look for the owner of the sound, and my breath hitched as I recognized his silhouette in the dimly lit patio.

“Hade.”

His eyes gleamed as he heard me say his name. He was leaning on one of the tall patio statues overlooking the garden. “I see you still haven’t taken a liking to banquets,” he said, slowly averting his gaze from the garden to look at me again.

My head instantly lowered so I wouldn’t meet his look. “They’re never my thing,” I commented back.

Thaddeus Vandenberg— or just Hade, as he likes others to call him, is basically like royalty. He is the same age as my sister Yula— 18. His father is one of The Council and holds judicial power, so his family is automatically powerful on top of being influential. That said, he has no business going to Harvest balls like this. His bride is automatically chosen from the children of The Council. It’s not the law, but that’s how their seats stay to them and their families. I don’t like it, but it’s how politics work.

And… okay, so I have been in love with Hade ever since I first met him three years ago, when The Council held a promotion ball for my father to celebrate his rising to the ranks. From Captain-General to Captain-Commander, specifically, which holds the highest rank in the military, which means he answers to The Council directly. My whole family was there, and so are the entire families of The Council.

I was merely but a 12-year-old Hale then, so I just watched him silently from afar during family banquets. The first time we talked, he lost his way around the house and I had to show him back to the dining hall. But that was hardly enough to make any impressions at all. I wasn’t allowed to join any royal banquets or Harvest balls back then, like all other children below 14 years old, so I only got a chance to make conversations with him during my first Harvest ball almost a year ago, where I, and eight other 14 year-old girls, was introduced to The Council and to the whole Upper Castles. He must have noticed my lack of enthusiasm for the tradition, so he tried to make small talk when we were paired to dance. I remember trying really hard not to stutter, but he carried the conversation all the way through, and frankly, I didn’t mind. I didn’t know what to say, anyway.

Hade stood up straight and started walking towards my direction. He is a lot taller now than the last time I saw him. His golden brown hair is combed in place, and there's not a speck of imperfection in his perfectly sculpted face. His light brown eyes were locked onto mine as he walks to me. My mind panicked for a bit, but he stopped just a meter from me, creating a safe distance between us so he wouldn’t be able to hear my chest beating loudly.

“They’re not my thing, either. I don’t enjoy it that much,” Hade said as soon as he stopped walking.

I was still trying to calm my beating heart so I couldn’t quite catch what he said. “I beg your pardon?”

“Banquets,” he answered. “Balls, and parties, and… all these political gatherings.”

To think we would be on the same side made me automatically smile, so I looked away to hide my gladness.

“I’d rather see the world, even though it’s in complete chaos right now,” he continued. “But of course, you can never run away from responsibilities.”

Tell me about it, my mind thought. But I dared not say it, knowing how we all are burdened by our duty to our families, one that I’m willing to give up everything just to get away from.

“I want to see the world, too. Learn more about the Old World. I’d probably learn to punch a guy, but hey, I’m not worthy a person if I don’t give the world an offspring, right?” I joked. He laughed in amusement, and something about him laughing gives me more butterflies than the garden in front of me.

The night breeze passed by and slid my hair to my back, and I was welcomed with the cold Spring wind slowly creeping to my system. Oh, how I hate the cold.

Hade might have noticed me shivering, for he took off his blazer and closed the distance between us to place it on my shoulder. His fingers slowly caressed my skin, and the physical contact made me shiver more than the cold. Huh, I guess the cold isn’t so bad after all.

I turned around to thank him, and he smiled in response. We were silent for a moment.

“So why are you here?” I tried to break the silence enveloping us.

“My father brought me. He said something about a promise,” he replied.

“Did he have to drag you here?” I joked. He laughed.

Be still, you beating heart.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, milady, but I’m a willing victim,” he teased back.

“I thought you don’t like banquets.”

“My father doesn’t ask for favors that often, so I couldn’t quite say no to him.”

“And you’ve been hiding here since the start of the banquet?”

“Yes, I have been hiding here since the start of the banquet,” he replied in amusement, tilting his head in my direction. “Don’t snitch on me now.”

“I won’t!” I blurted out.

He laughed harder. “I was kidding.”

I softly punched him in response while he was laughing at me. It made me laugh, too.

“So why are you here?” he asked back.

I gave out a big sigh before answering. “I’m part of the Harvest now, unfortunately.”

“Right,” he nodded in acknowledgment. “And you haven’t chosen your prince charming yet?”

I turned to look at him to see if he was amusing me, but he was just looking directly at me while patiently waiting for my answer.

I tilted my head a bit as I looked down at the ground. “I don’t know… Nobody has yet to dare sweep me off my feet. Why do you ask?”

He shrugged in response. “I don’t know.”

We went back to silence. The awkwardness was starting to get to me so I started rummaging my brain for anything to say when he spoke again after a while.

“Maybe I’ll choose you.”

I froze. I felt the warm feelings in my stomach as it climbed to my cheeks. I must have been as red as the banquet wine by now. I swallowed the feelings I had back inside me. I couldn’t dare look at him— I wouldn’t want my flushing cheeks to give him a hint of what I was feeling. I couldn’t say anything.

It must have been a full minute when the midnight bells rang, saving me from the loud beating in my chest. Right, it’s my birthday now.

Hade inched closer towards me, towering me with his height. He moved his face closer towards mine and planted a long kiss on my cheeks. “Happy birthday, Elizabeth.”

I hitched my breath as he stepped away from me, still shocked by what he did. I could hear my heart singing. Nevertheless, I tried with all my might to calm my smile.

Yes, Elizabeth. Happy birthday, indeed.

We heard footsteps from behind so we automatically looked back. I saw Hade’s mother approaching us, which made me look down in embarrassment. Did she see us a while back?

His mom must have been oblivious because her face was as unreadable as ever. Or if she did know, she’s good at hiding it.

“Hade! There you are, darling. Your father and I have been looking everywhere for you,” she said in her graceful, high-pitched voice. She immediately noticed me as she walked closer to us and her eyes shined in acknowledgment. “Eli, sweetheart, you’re here too! Happy birthday!”

She got to me first and hugged me. I hugged her back and responded, “Thank you, Lady Dahlia.”

Then she turned to Hade and said, “Go look for your father. I’ll bring Eli back to her family.”

“Yes mother,” Hade said and excused himself.

“How are you, sweetheart?” She said as soon as Hade left. She continued to make small talks with me as we slowly walked the corridor that leads back to the banquet hall. After spotting my family in the crowd, Lady Dahlia ushered me towards them, smiling and shaking hands with them before walking away. My mother, brother Alexei, and sister Margie took turns in greeting me a happy birthday, but I was already all smile as I entered the hall earlier. I noticed Yula was nowhere to be found, so I looked around to see if she was near.

“Where’s Yula?” I asked my mother.

She was about to respond when I heard the clicking of glasses. I saw Councilman Jacob, Hade’s father, in front with his wineglass raised in the air. As soon as the crowd went silent in attention, he started to speak.

“A year ago today, I sent a man to the front line of the war, where he died. Before he went, Captain Commander Gregory Hale asked me to look after his family should he perish in battle. Today, I seek to fulfill that promise with all of you present as witnesses. Please join me as we toast to the marriage of my son, Thaddeus Vandenberg, and Captain Hale’s eldest daughter, Trotula Hale.” Councilman Jacob then turned behind him where my sister and Hade stood very still side by side, and raised a glass towards her. “Yula, darling, welcome to the family.”

I felt the room spin for a moment, so I tried to take a step back. My legs were suddenly wobbly, but Alexei was quick to catch me from behind before I lost my balance. I turned around to face him, but he was already looking at me with his eyes filled with difficult emotions, almost as if he was apologizing to me as silently as he could.