2 days later, Lara's Birthday Eve

"Once upon a time, there lived a Princess, caged in the tower of distress, held prisoner by the mean Sorceress, living off the magic of longevity and life which was captured in the hair of the Princess. The princess had no human friends who she could talk to except the birds, the wind, the mice, the walls….."

"And the Brave Prince came to her rescue and they lived happily ever after…. Blah blah blah… Stop it already with these stories because I'm not 5 anymore." replied the angry Princess, who was standing on the huge balcony of her huge royal bedroom, looking at the gates of the palace, listening to the rhythmic foot thumps of the horses carrying the carts inside the palace.

The carts were carrying gold, pearls, sequined clothes, bottles of wine, and exotic food items many of which the Princess had never seen in her 17 years, 11 months, 29 days, 23 hours, and 48 minutes of life that she had lived.

"Does it make the sacrifice worth it?", she asked Sharon, standing with her head lowered by her side.

"What, Princess?", with a meek voice her personal maid replied.

"The luxury, the food, and the clothes? Are they worth the sacrifice I'm going to make tomorrow?"- asked the princess with a calmness that was not known for how long it would survive.

"LARA, IT'S YOUR MARRIAGE."- the maid, who could no longer hide the fact of being friends with this Princess, finally raised her voice at her.

Lara turned to face her, un-alarmed by the change in tone of her friend, who seemed more and more like her personal maid lately. Sharon was a sleek-looking girl, and with those light grey eyes, she was looking sharply towards Lara.

It was hard to tell whether it was anger or fear Lara saw in those two big eyes. She moved her eyes down to look at her friend, who has been her only constant companion and friend since childhood. She doesn't know whether she will be able to see her again after her marriage. 

Sharon noticed a shift in the air and her hands came together on their own the moment she realized that the girl standing in front of her was soon going to be the queen of the Aether Kingdom.

But Lara didn't just notice the shiver that overtook her friend, she also paid attention to the colorless life of her friend, the dull pink and black hanbok she was wearing, and the way she was free from all the burden of the golden ornaments and linings which were engraved on her own Jeogori.

"I feel like a goat, Sharon.", with the effort of removing the stiffness in her throat which was taking over her voice second by second Lara continued, "The goat who has been raised, well-fed and taken care of just to slaughter her one day in the name of sacrifice. They say it is a sacrifice on the part of the person who sacrifices the goat, but what about the goat? Did that goat ask to be sacrificed? What if the goat never received love? What if the goat doesn't feel that it's an equitable sacrifice? What if the goat wants to live? Does it still make the sacrifice, a sacrifice which is worth it?"

Lara's voice became more firm and resolute this time, and it sent a chilly wave down Sharon's spine. She knew if she didn't stop her friend right now or change her mind, then something huge could take place.

"Lara, you are not supposed to talk about such things. If someone hears you, they will…"

"No one can do anything, Sharon. They won't harm me because they have to show me to the citizens tomorrow. THEY HAVE TO MARRY ME OFF," continued Lara, turning towards the balcony from where the carts are visible again, "They have to load me with all those ornaments, which is why they can't harm me tonight."

The light of this free speech was burning bright in Lara's eyes, brighter than the light of the chandelier hanging in the main hall of the palace.

Sharon knew that the flame flickers the brightest before it dies down and she knew that her friend was dying inside too. She knew that she couldn't tell her otherwise because deep down she was also aware of the unfairness of the deed.

The only thing she could do was to put her hand on the back of Lara and tell her that she was there… that she was there for her.

*knock-knock*

Both the girls turned to look at the door...

"YOU MAY ENTER," said the Princess with the same authority she has always seen in her father. A guard entered through the door after permission and said, "Lady Sharon, you have been called by the Security General to provide you with the details about the Princess' time schedule tomorrow."

"Okay, you may leave and I'll follow.", said the companion of our Princess, who then turned back to her friend.

"I can't wish you before it's time, Princess, but I promise to come back as soon as I can... to congratulate you on turning 18."

The Princess gave her a nod with a slight smile and saw her friend leaving, closing the door behind her. Right after that, her feet moved towards her bed as she no longer found the will to stay awake and see herself turn 18.

Suddenly, when she was about to lay down on her big, round, royal bed, she heard a sound…

*thump*

And as she turned around, she saw the shadow of a person quickly hiding behind the big curtains, hanging around the door of her balcony which she forgot to close.

"WHO ARE YOU?", she commanded the invader, whose figure was still distinct behind the golden curtains made up of semi-transparent fabric.

"I ASKED WHO ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF, OR I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD.", this time her loud voice was not commanding, the fear was noticeable too. "If you don't come out before I count back from 3 to 1, I'll call the guards in. THREE……….. TWO…………. "

And she turned to call the guards, but before she could speak, she felt a hand on her mouth and another wrapped around her body, right above her waist, keeping her hands together, pinned to her body.

The panic starts to take over her body as she tried to set herself free from the hold and take a look at the person who had just tried to hold the Princess of Wincia.

*drums beating*

Suddenly, somewhere far in the kingdom, the drums started to beat, reflecting on the beginning of the midnight hour, celebrating the moment when the Princess turned 18.

With those voices reaching the ears of the Princess, a sudden sensation took over the back of her neck too. It was the breathing of the invader that made the hair on her neck stood up.

Slowly, she felt the face of the invader coming close to her left ear and all her body was falling into the fear of the unknown. This was the first time she was this close to a man. 

"Happy Birthday, Princess." The voice of the invader fell into the ears of the Princess. But that voice wasn't harsh or scary, it was as soft as a lullaby and a voice that she had heard before too.

Suddenly, it calmed down the Princess and she turned a little to look at the face of the man holding her captive.

The invader didn't resist her as she turned, he gently removed his hand from over her body and mouth. He knew there was no need to do that any longer.

Even though his face was covered with a red cloth, he was still recognizable by those sharp, golden eyes. Not everyone has those eyes in all the five kingdoms.

In fact, NONE could have those eyes of gold… it was just a privilege for the crowned Prince, who was now… THE KING OF ETHIOPIA.

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