Freedom

The grand ballroom was still alive with chatter and laughter long past midnight. Khari made her way around the room, grinning in wonder at all the different people she encountered, feeling like she belonged. Everyone wanted to get close to her, to bask in her presence as the new Atea. The irony of it all wasn’t lost on her. Just a few months ago, she was nothing more than Prince Wren’s blind mistress. An outcast who was barely given a second glance. Now, all these people wanted was for her to acknowledge their existence.

The courtiers turned to Prince Wren, their eyes glittering with awe. “Your mistress is an Atea! You must be joyous.”

“Actually, she’s no longer my mistress,” he said, his voice firm and sure as he corrected the royals. “Ateas are their own people above all. Khari is her own woman,” he said, his face softened as he looked at her. His eyes seemed to radiate warmth and acceptance, and Khari felt her shoulders relax as she took in his words and the sincerity of his gaze.

“I see,” The Earl’s face crinkled with surprise as he spun around to face Duke Reign, his mouth opening and closing rapidly. He cleared his throat and attempted to shift the focus away from the uncomfortable topic of conversation. “I can only imagine the amount of gratitude you must possess that your daughter has been bestowed with such an extraordinary gift from the moon goddess herself,” he directed towards the Duke.

Duke Reign’s face lit up with joy, and Khari felt a wave of nausea pass through her. He beamed at her with pride as if he had just won a prize, “Yes, yes. I am elated. She is a true blessing to our family,” His eyes lingered on her almost hungrily, and Khari felt a chill run down her spine. How her father looked at her made her feel like an object, something to be bought and sold. She had the distinct feeling that he saw her in a new light, sizing her up as if she were a valuable prize cow. The Duke held his back straight and chin high as he spoke, his voice resonating in the grand hall. His eyes darted around the room as he boasted, “I’ve always known that Khari was extraordinary. I told her she was destined for greatness.” The Royals exchanged smiles and murmured appreciatively as a burst of laughter echoed through the room. The Duke’s eyebrows knitted together with confusion as he turned to the source of the laughter. “Did I say something funny?”

Prince Wren’s laughter turned into a wheeze as he fought to compose himself, leaving a heavy silence. He stepped closer so his face was just inches from the Duke. His eyes were blazing with intensity. “No, no. It’s just-” His voice was deadly calm as he spoke in a low, menacing tone. “It’s just that you don’t care about Khari. You only care about what she can do for you,” his words hung in the air like leaden stones. “You told me she was useless, but you had to give something for your favor.” His lip curled in disgust, “Don’t be a hypocrite. It’s unsightly,” he stood tall, his words lingering between them.

Duke Reign’s face twisted with rage, the flush of his cheeks growing brighter by the second. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. He finally managed to splutter, “How dare you-” before being abruptly silenced.

“I would watch who you are talking to,” Prince Wren crossed his arms and glared at the Duke with an intensity that sent a chill through the room. Wren’s ruthless, vindictive side came out, and for once, Khari was happy that it wasn’t directed toward her. His voice took on an eerily low timbre as he spoke, “Everyone knows the rumors of how she was raised,” Wren continued. “Yet despite all that, the moon goddess saw something in her that NONE…” he roared, directing it to the Duke, the crowd, and himself, “….of us saw. Now she is her own person and doesn’t require your permission for anything she does.” His words were weighty with meaning, and he paused for a long moment before finally breaking eye contact with the Duke.

The entire court fell silent, eyes darting between the Duke and Wren. The Duke’s face turned an alarming shade of red, his eyebrows shooting up in fear. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. The only sounds were the stuttered words, “Now…now…wait a minute.” He felt the ground shifting beneath him as he realized he had nothing if he could no longer control Khari, and his sway in court would disappear as fast as it came.

Azim stepped forward with a determined look on his face. He fixed his gaze on the court and spoke with measured intensity. “My brother is right. All Ateas in the past have been their own entity, and just because Khari is a woman, it should not change that,” he looked at the judges peppered among the crowd, silently pleading for them to understand.

Prince Wren and Azim exchanged looks, and the room tensed in anticipation. A voice emerged from the shadows in the corner, “I agree.” Encouraged by the first person, one by one, members of the court expressed their support. The low murmurs of approval grew stronger into a chorus of voices.

The King stepped forward and cleared his throat, the somber atmosphere in the room weighing down on everyone. He looked at Khari’s father with regret in his eyes and said, “I hate to say it, dear friend, but my sons are right. I hereby decree that Khari is no longer under your care. She is truly her own.” King Nashir commanded, and everyone bowed their heads in respect.

Duke Reign’s face flushed with fury as he shouted, spittle flying from his mouth, “This isn’t fair! She’s my daughter!”

“One that you never wanted,” Khari’s voice reverberated around the walls of the room, and everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her to finish her thought, “Now you have your wish. I think it may be time for you to leave.” There was an unspoken agreement among them that Khari’s words were final.

The Duke slowly scanned the room, his gaze finally resting on the sea of faces staring back at him. He saw pity in some eyes and judgment in others. Whispers filled the room as everyone seemed to know what he had done. He was ruined, and he knew it. His shoulders dropped in defeat, and he quickly turned away, trying to make his escape. He stumbled through the crowd, not daring to look back but feeling the weight of every set of eyes burning into his back as he ran out of the room in disgrace.

The door clicking shut echoed in the room, cutting off the group from the rest of the world. King Nashir shuffled his feet and cleared his throat, hands clasped behind his back. He glanced around at everyone in the room, but no one could make eye contact. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck as he forced a lighthearted grin, trying to save the moment. “Well, that was certainly a party,” he said, drawing out the awkward silence and eliciting a few chuckles from the group. “Please, give Khari some space, and let’s enjoy the remaining night!” The music started up again in the background, and slowly people began to drift back together into conversations. The tension seemed to melt away as they laughed and enjoyed each other’s company.

As the crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow on the last guests, Khari watched the crowd, her chest expanding with a deep breath of relief. The violinist hit the perfect crescendo, and now the harp joined in with its own mellifluous notes. Everyone was in high spirits, and Khari smiled, knowing it was no ordinary night. Even the Duke’s absence had been completely forgotten in light of the fact that an Atea lived in their kingdom, and the crowd couldn’t help but rejoice in dance and conversation.

As for Khari, she finally felt free from the nightmare which was her father. She felt unburdened and free, no longer worrying about how to please her oppressive father. As she scanned the room, she noticed the silhouette of Prince Wren standing in the corner. His arms were crossed, and his back was rigid, as if he was bracing himself for something. When Khari stepped close to him, she could see the muscles in his jaw were tense and heard the quiet intake of his breath. Neither spoke for what seemed like an eternity until he finally broke the silence. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

“You know why,” Khari responded.

Wren was stunned. His eyes darted around the room and landed on Azim, standing still in the corner, observing their interaction. He asked weakly, “But you told him?”

Khari examined Wren with a new intensity. She’d only seen him from her balcony in the evening, but now that he was close, she could really take in his features. There was so much pain and hurt etched onto his face, and it felt like his hunter-green eyes were boring into her soul. For a moment, she saw something she never expected to see from him - vulnerability. Suddenly, all her thoughts and doubts about rejecting him were no longer so easy to dismiss. She swallowed and looked away, remembering why she was there. “Azim found out,” she replied meekly. “I planned on not telling anyone.”

Wren gazed upon Khari, and his mouth twisted into an agonizing smile. “You know, seeing you this way,” he said with sadness, “I would have rejoiced because I always said if you could see, you would be perfect.” He shook his head and stepped closer to her, “I was wrong because seeing you this way, I realize that you have always been perfect.” He reached up and tenderly touched the side of her face with his index finger, his voice unwavering as he said, “I won’t give up on you.”

Khari’s heart thudded in her chest as she met Wren’s gaze, too aware of the intensity of his stare. His eyes said more than he had been willing to admit with words, and she felt the familiar tug of guilt in her chest. She took a deep breath and softly spoke his name, “Wren.” She stepped back, her voice soft as she continued. “I just came to say thank you. I never thought I’d be free from my father’s control.” She avoided his gaze, refusing to acknowledge the unspoken feelings that hung in the air between them.

He smiled brightly from ear to ear, “You’re welcome.”

A mysterious smile tugged at the edges of his lips as if he knew something she didn’t. She narrowed her eyes, and her head tilted to one side as she asked, “Why are you smiling like that?”

“You called me Wren,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

Khari felt an increasing warmth in her cheeks as she opened her mouth to reply, but she couldn’t form a thought. She shut her lips quickly and fidgeted nervously. Taking a few steps backward, she forced a smile and looped some free hair strands behind her ear. “Don’t get used to it,” she said hastily, her voice barely audible over the thumping of her heart.

Wren watched her walk away, her hair bun bouncing with each step. He couldn’t help but smirk, and a small chuckle erupted from his chest as he whispered, “I wouldn’t dare,” watching her fade into the distance.