I ask mother to come look and taste the sausages I'm offering to Nillin.

"It looks appetizing alright," she's a strict mother and never really sugarcoat anything. "But it also looks like it's poisonous."

I nod my head. I'm glad that's how it comes off as. Nillin ‘has’ to eat this trash.

"Make something else," mother purses her lips. "Go have your lunch quickly otherwise you won't have two more hours."

My head lowers feeling a bit disappointed. I really wanted to give Nillin rainbow sausages—because it will be funny to see his awkward face.

After getting a plate of lunch, I sit under a tree looking out to the lush green mountains with misty peaks and valleys.

Griflet and his men eats their lunch in quite the distance behind me. Maybe they're scared that I'll bite or something.

I hear footsteps walking closer and closer to me.

"May I talk to you for a moment?" It's father.

I put on a smile and nod my head making space for him under the shade of this small tree in the brilliant sun.

"Your mother and I are very sorry about your sister, so we won't stop you from marrying the person you love albeit a man," his eyes are teary even when they're lost in the green mountains.

If I don't marry my sister or Nillin, I'm sure there will be someone else coming along before my rich boy. It's probably inevitable.

I place my plate on top of the tree's roots and lock my hands together. Trying my best to hold in whatever that is trying to get out.

"Sorry running away for I'm before," I mutter like a child who didn't want to apologize, believing so strongly that he has done just.

Father places his massive hand on top of my head and pats it, "If anyone's at fault here, it's me... But enough about that."

"I want to give you some advice before you go start your own life," his face softens with a smile as sweet as honey. "You're a man, Maeve."

"Yes, father."

"Prince Nillin is… Also a man."

"Yes, father."

He shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. I'm not good at beating around the bush. Maeve, don't stop Prince Nillin from trying to have heirs... It's his duty."

Although I wasn't planning to, hearing it from someone else kind of hurt my pride—I'm sure I have some.

"Come on, don't pout like a child. I know you both love one another, but we can't change the fact that you're both men."

What happens when I actually want to have a kid with that homophobe?

Wait. Why am I so angry? He can do as many girls as he want. It doesn't relate to my goals.

Maybe I just hate hearing people saying what I can and cannot so.

"I'm also sending Trieu with you."

"Why? Shouldn't I be staying here with you while... my hus–band try to get his throne?" I really stuck on there with realizations happening all over the place for me.

Father laughs at my struggles—mostly for laughter’s sake, "Of course not. He will be your husband. You two shall walk the path of life together. Work things out together. Through thick and thin until the very end."

So poetic, I forgot to feel anything since it's so cliché.

"Alright, I won't argue with that." Then under my breath, I add, "Unless you want them to use me as a figurehead for ransom, bargain, or whatever else."

He must've heard what I said under my breath because we stay in each other's silent for a while.

Father is angry at me and I am also. Why did I have to go live with him when he's still doing his hero journey?

It's so dangerous being with him and especially with Cassiopeya always staying by his side.

"You will soon understand the importance of being each other strengths."

Same old, same old.

Yet, I continue to nod my head like I'm listening to his words and planning to apply them in my life.

"I know he forced this marriage onto you," my heart stops and I turn to see his face. Is father being serious?

I want to admit it, but I decide that it's better that I marry Nillin. For if a war breaks out between Aarth and Kalor, even with dangerous mountains, our home will be flatten like a pancake. It’s the least I can do for this family that raised me when no one wants to.

"You're wrong. I do love Prince Nillin. We love each other," I speaking slowly so that my words are clear and coherent.

He lets out a long, "Hmmmm."

"I didn't think he would ask for my hand in marriage since I know I can't give him children," I play around with the same concepts father just gave me.

"Is that so," he still doesn't believe my words.

I really don't want to talk about Nillin anymore so I ask, "Why is big brother Trieu coming with me?"

"To be a commander for Prince Nillin," father's lips turns up for a suspicious full smile.

"So that is," I try to mimic his tone from earlier for sarcasm.

"Is that so," he corrects me.

I roll my eyes dramatically since I hate people correcting me, but not as much as those people who just laugh, "Is that so."

"So this is where you've been?" Father and I turn to greet mother with her hands on her hips and knitted brows that replace her once unibrow with wrinkled skin.

We couldn't help but smile awkwardly. Father excuses himself, "Then I shall return to my work."

"You better be," mother snares behind him. "If one of the people that is getting married today runs away, I'm holding you responsible, Lozen."

I don't even think father heard it since he's so quick to get out of mother's line of sight.

On the other hand, mother glares into my soul and her brows still as knitted as ever, "It's already two in the afternoon! Where's your dish?"

I look away and scratch the back of my head, "Not done?"

She grunts and I continue, "But I did made a backup dish just in case you rejected my rainbow sausages."