THREE

Eli

I wasn’t able to process everything at once.

One minute I was being dragged out from the scene by Nikola, and the next minute I was in my room surrounded by my three elder sisters— Yula, Rebecca, and Margareth. They helped me undress out of my ball gown and back to my silky nightgown. Yula started to brush my hair while Margareth kept rubbing my back. Becca went downstairs to get me a glass of warm milk. 

The room was filled with deafening silence. My sisters tried their best to make me comfortable, but earlier scenes just kept replaying inside my head. I punched a seat holder of The Council— that’s enough to put my whole family in trouble, not to mention a separate offense for me.

And then Hade came to my rescue.

My head ached at the thought. I don’t understand why he did that. The Vandenbergs and the Langstons have been good allies since both families took seats in The Council. What he did would jeopardize the good relations their families have all these years. And the Hales would be caught in between since I started this mess. I grimaced at the thought. 

I am so dead.

“No, you won’t be.”

My thoughts were halted when Yula spoke. She has this calm but furious look on her face as if she’s ready to pick a fight. She continued to brush my hair as I stared at her from her reflection in the mirror of my dresser.

“Won’t what?” I asked her.

“You’re imagining the worst case scenario, your face says it all,” she said. “I promise you, you won’t be. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

I kept quiet at what Yula said. I could have tried and told her I’m not thinking of anything negative, but we both know I’d be lying. Attacking a seat holder or their family is a big offense. It’s a law The Council mandated to keep anyone from harassing them and I understand why. 

The Council is made up of ten council seats, one for each of the ten most powerful families in the country— the Caddels, the Whitlocks, the Vandenbergs, the Barringtons, the Hogwoods, the Hansleys, the Silvius, the Castellans, the Langstons, and the Albertines who stand at the very top of the hierarchy of power. To be a seat holder means you’re basically one of the powers who control the whole country, and who wouldn’t fight to be in that power?

Currently, the heads of each of those fore families are the ones who are currently the seat holders. Councilman Wilbur Barrington, Councilman Cyprus Caddel, and Councilman Cornelius Whitlock are the seat holders who control state affairs. Councilman Jacob Vandenberg, Councilman Alistair Hogwood, and Councilman Renan Hansley are the ones who hold the court. Councilman Silas Silvius, Councilman Finley Castellan, and Councilman Simon Langston, my supposed-to-be fiance whose face I broke, are the ones who head the military.

And then there’s Chief Councilman Rowan Albertine, who leads the entire council. His family is like the royal family, so he’s basically the king of Amaenia. I saw him once, on my first Harvest ball. His vibe feels like Alexei on a bad day who thinks the whole world is after him. But then again, that’s partly true.

“Margareth, can you get Eli some more pillows? She likes it when the bed is crowded,” I heard Yula say to Margareth, who nodded and went out of my room. As soon as she was gone, I turned to Yula.

“I’m sorry for what I did. It’s all my fault. Now the Langstons will be coming after our family,” I started my apology.

“No. It’s not your fault, you hear me? It’s never your fault. So don’t you blame yourself for this,” Yula insisted.

“But everyone saw me attack him—”

“And I saw him harass you. If he’s going to treat you like that as his wife, he deserves more than a punch. I’d be happy to break up the marriage proposal myself. I know Alexei will agree with me on this. There’s no way I’m giving you up to that sleazy Langston crook,” Yula answered in a hard tone. I felt comfort in her voice, but I still worry for our family.

“What will happen now?” I asked her, trying as hard as I can to hide the worry in my voice.

“I don’t know. But the Vandenbergs are also involved since Hade threw a punch, too. So I don’t worry much. And I know Alexei will take care of it, too. He’s gonna protect you, just like how he protects all of us,” Yula said and I smiled at her. I’m just not sure if the smile is to assure Yula or to assure myself.

The mention of Hade’s name gave me flashbacks. His eyes were raging mad, as if he was ready to kill Simon in that instant.

The door creaked and Yula and I turned to Alexei as he stepped into the room. Yula immediately asked him the question in my mind.

“What happened?”

Alexei sighed a tired one, and he looked at both of us for a while before answering, “The Vandenbergs took care of it. And you’re needed downstairs, Yula. The Vandenbergs are leaving, and I need you to talk to them. Make sure everything will be alright.”

There was emphasis when Alexei said everything so I knew he was referring to the wedding, making sure Yula still gets to marry into the Vandenbergs after tonight. I worry about that, too. If the Vandenbergs retract their proposal because of what I did tonight, I will never forgive myself.

Yula gave a quick nod and turned to me, “I will be back, okay?” She patted my head before she turned to the door, but I held her hand to stop her from leaving.

“Tell Hade—” I stopped in my tracks. Yula stared at me waiting for what I was about to say, so I resumed my sentence. “Uhm… tell them… tell the Vandenbergs I’m sorry.”

Yula gave my hand a squeeze. She smiled and nodded, and that was my cue to let go of her hand. Just as she reached for the doorknob, I spoke again.

“Yula,” I called out.

She turned her head towards my direction, anticipating my words.

“Thank you… for the food… earlier.”

Yula gave me one big smile and said, “Of course, anything for you my Eli.” And then she was out of the door.

Alexei walked towards me as soon as Yula left. He sat at the foot of my bed. I gave out a loud sigh. Not wanting to prolong the anticipation, I started to speak.

“Just tell me. I can take it,” I said, trying to get Alexei to tell me my punishment.

“Councilman Jacob sorted it out, he got Hade out of trouble, but not you completely,” Alexei stated.

I closed my eyes. Am I gonna live the life of an Export now?

“Don’t worry, you’re just banned from the Harvest, that’s all.”

I quickly opened my eyes. That’s it? Because if yes, that’s the best punishment in my entire life. Why didn’t I punch a seat holder sooner? Could have spared me all the agonizing balls I had to attend.

I pursed my lips to stop the smile that was threatening to form. “And the marriage proposal from the Langstons?”

“Cancelled. Besides, you two aren’t officially engaged yet. It hasn’t been announced yet, so it made it easier for Mother to retract the proposal. Saved a lot of embarrassment and hassle, too,” Alexei said.

My eyes slightly widened. I turned to face Alexei. “Mother retracted the proposal?”

The mocking glint in my eyes might have hinted Alexei that I couldn’t believe what he just said. He straightened his back and raised his eyebrow. “Mother is not the evil stepmother in your story, Cinderella. She might have made a mistake in her judgement to marry you off to Simon Langston, but she doesn’t wish to harm you.”

I grinned at Alexei, and just like that, the anxiety inside me vanished.

“And the Langstons? They hate us now?” I asked Alexei.

“Well that’s automatically given,” Alexei responded. And then he went silent.

“What’s gonna happen now?” I broke the silence. 

“I’ll figure something out,” Alexei said, and I could hear he was trying to reassure himself more than me.

Not being part of the Harvest means you can no longer attend Harvest balls, which means no potential husband for you. Which also means it’ll be hard for me to get a husband, considering I’m an enemy of the Langstons now, but it’s not entirely impossible for me to marry. Thank God the Langstons don’t rule Upper Castles.

In Amaenia, there are ten regions, and each region is ruled by a seat holder. Upper Castles, where we live, is ruled by the Caddels. Our neighbour, The Capital, is the central region of the country and is ruled by the Albertines— the country royalty. The Vandenbergs rule North Ventrise, and then the Barringtons in Barnsley, the Whitlocks in Wells Spring, the Hogwoods in Hillstone, the Hansleys in Hathbourne, the Silvius in Southcove, the Castellans in Chesterfield, and the Langstons in Lancastre.

I saw Alexei stand up from the corner of my eye. He walked towards me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Rest, Eli, everything is gonna be alright.”

I doubt that, but knowing Alexei, he has never let our family down, and I know I can always count on him, so I decided to put my mind at ease as well.

Alexei started walking towards my door when I spoke, “Thank you, brother.”

He turned to me and nodded, and then he exited my room. A few moments later, Becca and Margareth arrived in my room with my milk and about five pillows, which I do not mind. They gave me a small reassurance talk just like Alexei, and then they both left. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t find any peace inside me for me to be able to doze off to sleep.

After an hour of trying to sleep, I heard Yula enter my room.

“Hey,” I softly said as she walked towards me.

“Hey you,” she smiled back. “Did I wake you up?”

I shook my head. Yula sat in the bed beside me and started mocking the pile of pillows all around me. “I still don’t understand how you’re comfortable sleeping with crowds in your bed,” she joked.

“They make me feel less alone, I guess,” I laughed and answered.

“You’re not alone, okay? You have us, your family, and you will always have us,” she reassured me. 

I nodded. “I know.”

And I mean it. I know my family will always be with me.

“How did it go?” I hesitatingly asked Yula. I wanted to know if I needed to start hating myself.

“Well, I’m still gonna be a Vandenberg, there’s no escaping that one,” she said in an amusing manner. I felt a hint of pain inside my heart, but I forced a smile because as long as my sister is happy, then I am happy.

“Councilman Jacob reassured me there’s no going back on his promise to our Father before he died. So no, whatever happened tonight, it won’t change his mind regarding the marriage. And, well, he knows Hade’s at fault, too. So, there’s that,” Yula added, and then she went on. “Which reminds me, what happened the other night? Are you okay? Did someone do something to you? Tell me.”

Yula bringing up what happened the other night felt like my fresh wound had been reopened, and I could feel it hurting all over again. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell Yula the truth. I don’t want her to have hesitations on her marriage, and I’m done causing trouble for this family. Not after what I did tonight.

I slowly smiled and shook my head, “Nothing, I drank on the wrong glass. I thought it was mine, but I tasted a very strong wine. It made me dizzy, is all,” I lied.

Yula didn’t seem convinced, so I added in another patch of lies. “I know, I know. It was clumsy of me. Alexei already gave me the scoldings the whole ride home last night, and it gave me headaches. I’m not gonna do it again, I promise.”

Yula smiled. “Well, it seems you already learned your lessons, and your first hangover, so I’m gonna let you go. Tomorrow, I’m gonna make you some stew. What do you say? It’ll help if you still feel unwell tomorrow.

“Seems like a good idea. Can’t wait,” I smiled at my sister. Everyone knows Yula is the best cook in this house, so everyone kinda looks forward to her cooking from time to time.

Yula gave me her biggest smile and kissed my forehead. And then she left the room.

As soon as I was alone, tears came running down my cheeks. It hurts, everything hurts. It feels like every day is a heartbreak, and I can’t do anything about it because the first rival I have with Hade is my sister, and God knows I’ll always choose my family, but this is too much to ask for. Before I even knew it, I lost my chance with Hade before I could even have that chance.

I cried and cried and cried. I lost count of the hours that I have been crying, and frankly, who cares if I look horrible tomorrow morning with my puffy eyes and swelling cheeks. I just feel like if I don’t cry some of my feelings tonight, it's going to overflow tomorrow.

Not that I’m ready for tomorrow.

Hours later, the sun rose into a golden sunrise, but just like how I was yesterday, I felt too drained to get up for breakfast. I had only about three hours of sleep, but I promised Yula she’s going to make me stew, and I can’t worry my family any longer. So I forced myself out of bed to go take a bath and go down for breakfast. 

“Eli! Eli!”

I was greeted by the twins, Marie and Pierre, when I entered the dining hall. Pierre came running towards and raised his arms high, so I stooped down his level to carry him. I pinched his nose and he giggled. Marie held my hand tightly and pulled me towards their seats. I put Pierre down his seat and helped Marie climb up on hers. I kissed my other siblings good morning before I walked back to where the twins were sitting. It is customary that children sit on their chairs in the order of their birth. But there are special days, like family days every Sunday, where we don’t have to follow that and we can sit wherever we want. And today is a Sunday, so I chose to sit beside the twins.

Nikola was already sitting on the seat beside me and he gave me a big smile and a hug. “Good morning. You ready?” Nikola asked.

I raised my brow in confusion. “Ready for what?”

Nikola was about to answer when we heard Mother, Alexei, and Yula enter the hall. Each of them greeted us with a kiss, and we started eating. Yula served me with her stew, as promised, and I knew my day just got better. The twins have the same taste buds as mine, so I shared the stew with them. We were about to finish eating when Alexei spoke.

“Elizabeth.”

I turned my head towards Alexei, my mind suddenly filled with anxiety thinking that I might have made another mess again. The room slowly went silent. Everyone’s attention was solely on Alexei, who rubbed his hands a few while before he opened his mouth.

“You will be enrolling at Nikola’s boarding school in the country of Arkenvale. You both leave before nightfall of today.”