Thirty-Three

Tatiana We have been traveling for weeks, never staying in a place for too long. Too many people were able to guess that I am a noble-born even when I argue that I am not. What would make a noble daughter go on the run? That was the question on most people’s minds and sadly, noble daughters are few as it is. It would be easy for those who were looking for me to see me and so Garnet has to do the majority of the meeting people meanwhile I was hiding so they would not see me.

“My queen, I think we are far enough from both kingdoms, we could rest for a while,” Garnet suggested, and I looked around, the plains of this kingdom were rocky, and as much as I know about kingdoms which my father has shown us where his allies, this was not one of them and that made it better than most kingdoms which we had passed.

“You are right, we need to make a stop and hear the news around us, so we can learn what is going on and how to stay ahead,” I suggested, and Garnet nodded in relief as she helped me down and we started walking towards the settlement which was not so far from us.

“Before we get there, there are some necessary actions which we need to take.” I started. The thought had been in my mind, and although it would hurt me, I needed to do it.

“What are they, my queen?” Garnet asked.

“You have to stop calling me your queen.” I started and Garnet started to refuse but I ignored her complaints. “I cannot be referred to that or as Tatiana, I have given this a lot of thought if I am asked my name. I would give the answer to be Tia or in full Tiana.”

“But neither is your name, my Queen.” Garnet protested.

“And that is the point of it all. I know that you are not comfortable with it, Garnet. I am sorry for dragging you into my mess, but I promise that I will try my best to ensure that you will live a happy life even if it is not among royals.”

“My queen, you are my life. You have been for more than six years.” Garnet replied, her voice quiet and I nodded with tears in my eyes.

“Your name is Garnet, and my name is Tia, and we are sisters… My queen should not come from you again.” I stated firmly and Garnet opened her mouth to protest immediately.

“My Q…” She started and when I raised an eyebrow, she corrected herself. “Tia, but I cannot be your sister that is impossible.”

“It is our new reality,” I replied, and Garnet looked like she would complain but we had other things to still discuss and as much as I would like to argue this with her, it was definitely going to be easier than arguing with my next request, but we were getting closer to the town.

“I would also like you to cut my hair,” I added.

The agreement like I hoped for did not come, instead, she froze looking at me. “Garnet…” I started but she shook her head.

“No, I will not!” She protested sharply.

“I cannot keep my hair long anymore. Everybody knows that the god-king bride has long black hair which is usually braided. I cannot keep it that way anymore. People would know it is me since that is the feature which I am known by instantly.”

“Your hair should not be touched, it is your pride and your beauty my queen, please,” Garnet begs.

“That is how people suspected that I am who I am even when they have not seen me before, I do not want that anymore. Garnet please, I am asking this of you not as a mistress but as a friend and someone who I consider my sister.” I begged, Thirty minutes later, we stopped beside a large rock, and there, using the only knife we took with us as protection, my hair was cut. Garnet crying silently along with me.

****************

It’s been two weeks since we came to the same settlement where my hair was cut, and we made a home. It was not much, but at least we had a roof over our head, food on our plates and a small amount still left for us if we want to make a quick getaway. But that meant that Garnet had to work, and I was left alone in our small run-down house for most hours of the day.

And that in turn meant that I was alone to fight off the advances of the son of the village chief who somehow got it in his head that I like him that way has been doing nothing except making my life harder with his unwanted attention.

No matter how much I had told him in clear concise statements that I do not want him, he does not believe it. I could not very well tell him that he makes my skin crawl since it was his father who gave us our home, and he has a lot of pull over who get the small resources in the village.

However, when I saw him standing in front of me when I turned after brushing our horse's coat, I knew that today would be the big ending to whatever has been happening since.

“Sir, what are you doing here?” I asked when I could calm my heart down and I was not as startled as I was with his sudden appearance.

“I am here to invite you for the celebration, the god-king has won against King Louvet. This is good news, is it not?” He asked, his voice still deceptively cheerful.

“Yes, it is,” I replied with a tiny smile, happy that Chandler was no longer in danger and then my smile was wiped away when I realized what he would meet in his home when he returns.

“So, if you would follow me Madam while we go for…”

“Thank you for personally delivering the news sir but I am inclined to rest as my health is not too strong, you can see yourself out,” I stated instead, trying to muster a small smile for him to reduce the sting of my words.

He grabbed my hands in a punishing grip. “I have had enough of your teasing and the way you look down on us from your nose. Your sister is much better than you and I wish she were the one I felt something for, but instead, it has to be for an uptight wrench. The signs of your pregnancy are slowly becoming visible to all. I am sure that you slept with a lord and ended up with his bastard in you. I am willing to accept being the father of your child and being the male protective figure in your life, your husband. That is the best option you will ever get and all you need to do is let me have a taste of you even though it is clear that you are already discarded by someone els…”

I spat in his face in response to his words as I tried to free myself from his grip while tears fell from my eyes. There was no way I could scream for help and be heard, not when this place was far from every other part of the village. We liked it because of its privacy, and now it was coming to bite us.

“I am not discarded by anybody, you have no right to talk that way to me,” I yelled at his face.

“Did you just…” He asked shocked.

“Yes, because that is what your kind deserve…” I started only for him to let me go and hit me on the face with a slap that threw my body on the floor.

“You know nothing of my kind because you are not up to me.” He spat at me. “I am leaving you here to think about your actions and your words and how to apologize to me because I do not want to discipline you every time you talk out of turn. I will return with my father tomorrow evening and we will discuss the marriage that you have agreed to today.”

He sneered. “You are lucky that I am getting married to you with no family member present except Garnet, with nothing to your name, and you still act like you are worth gold when you are nothing. Your reasoning is something which I cannot understand.”

And with those words, he left me on the floor, crying silently because of the way I have been reduced to live my life.

An hour later, Garnet came home to see that I have already packed our things. when she saw the bruise on my face, the bruise which made me believe in Chandler's words about him truly holding back then, she did not utter a word and took her own sachet of belongings. We left that settlement heading for the capital because there was little chance of this happening there and right now. Even with the news that Chandler had won, and he would be coming after me soon, it was not enough for me to keep hiding in small settlements like before.

Not when the new monster I faced was more fearful than the old one.