Chapter 11

I don’t know how long I’d been crying, but I heard a knock on the door and someone trying to talk to me on the other side, “Immy, it’s me and Celia.” It was my brother. “Please let us in, we know how shocked you are and we just want to talk. Please Immeryia?” My brother was almost begging. I walked over and opened the door for them to come in. It was just the two of them. I closed the door and locked it behind them. “We both went to dad after you ran off after the announcement.” Tiberius started and then continued, “He said the reason for the engagement is because we are on the brink of war with garrets kingdom and they are both trying to avoid that. Seeing how garret is being crowned king on his return home, he offered an alliance with father through marriage. And you are the closest to him in age.” Tiberius went quiet after he finished. Then Celia chimed in, “It’s not all bad though! Prince garret asked for you to train his army and offered me a place as an officer so I could come with you.” She tried to smile but the look on my face wiped it from her. I was still crying.

“But why would father agree to any of this if he was planning this marriage. He didn’t even give me a heads up!” I shouted. Celia answered me “When your brother and I talked to the king, the queen was also there. Apparently she had been trying to explore options while keeping this from you and told your father he wasn’t allowed to tell you unless they exhausted their other options to avoid the war.” I thought about it for a second. It made sense. Especially since she was pushing me towards the prince all day. I probably looked like a fool to him. Completely oblivious to what my parents were doing behind my back. “Will you both stay with me tonight?” I asked. My head still hanging. When I raised my head they both nodded in agreement and climbed onto the bed with me. My bed was big enough to fit at least two more people on it so there was plenty of room. Celia was in front of me holding my hands, while Tiberius lightly touched my face, shoulder, and part of my back. He knew it relaxed me. And Celia started humming. I was asleep in no time.

Tiberius POV

Celia and I woke up the next morning, we quietly got off the bed and left my sisters room. I really wish I’d have known about all this so I could have at least given her a heads up about it. Especially after all she’s done for me. After we silently closed Immyria’s door Celia and I faced each other, “We need to talk to my father again.” I told her. She nodded and we went back to our rooms and changed then met up at his office door. I knocked on the door and heard a “come in”, so we opened the door and saw my father sitting across from a stranger in a hood.

“Apologies for interrupting father, but I need to speak to you again about Immyria.” I was blunt with him. The stranger rose and said, “It’s alright brother, we can speak again later. You should attend to your son and heir.” He briefly looked at me and walked out of the room. My father looked at me and squared his shoulders. “What about her?” He asked directly.

“Her tournament? Her engagement? The secrets? The potential war?” I started and then began to get really annoyed, my father usually never kept anything from his family. But I continued, “did you have any inclination of telling any of us anything about what’s been going on? Or are you just going to keep more secrets? I was clearly upset at this point and my mother walked in after that. “What’s going on?” She asked but my father spoke up, “I don’t have to tell you everything going on Tiberius. Immyria should know her place at this point and weather or not she can continue to be in the army while engaged is not your decision.” He said. My mother decided to interrupt, “This again? Tiberius we told you as a courtesy last night. We exhausted all other options to avoid this and there was nothing else we could do.” “That’s a lie and you know it!” I started but my father slammed his fist on the desk.

“That’s enough Tiberius! You will not talk to your mother that way. We owe you no explanation. I am the king! And I decide what is best for this kingdom. And if it means I have to marry Immyria off to avoid a war then I will do it!” My father was not taking no for an answer. So I coolly told him, “So you let her have and do what she’s wanted her whole life, make her dream come true for a day, then strip her of it and send her away to another kingdom? That’s some parenting.” Then I waked out the door back down the hallway to the library to do some research. I completely forgot that Celia was with me and she startled me when she started talking “That was amazing! They would have my head if I spoke to them like that!” I laughed and led her to the spot that Immyria showed me to be alone and study.

“What is this place?” Celia asked me. “This is a space that Immyria and the librarian created for her to study and be alone. I’ve been using it for my studies lately but now it’s going to serve as my headquarters while I do some research into this prince and supposed war that we were threatened with. Immyria already gave up everything before for me and rose. I won’t let that happen again.” I told Celia. She nodded her head and asked “How can I help?”

Immyria POV

I woke up to an empty room. Celia and my brother probably got hungry and went to eat. I still hadn’t changed from the party and my makeup was smeared on my face. I began to cry again. I finally got everything I ever wanted. And now I’m engaged which probably means I’ll have to give it all up… No one told me we were on the brink of war with anyone. As the eldest princess it is technically my duty to do such things if all else fails with negotiations.

By why wouldn’t my dad just tell me? He tells me everything. Maybe he was scarred I would refuse to help my kingdom? It was still my job to protect them especially when I’m now in the royal army. I decided I had to put my dreams aside and talk to my father. I walked to his office but before I could go in I heard Tiberius yelling at our mom and dad. I don’t know what he said exactly I was still numb. But he stormed out and walked down the opposite hallway, Celia bumped into me while walking out and saw the state I was in. All she did was hug me tightly and whisper “we will figure this out” then she tried to catch up to my brother. I saw my parents at my father’s desk.

I walked in and asked “Will this prevent a war?” They looked up at me in shock. “Immyria, please understand,-“ I cut him off and asked again. “Will this protect the kingdom and prevent war?” He nodded and added “we tried everything else we could think of” my mother pitched in “We really did try everything Immyria.” They both looked sad when they finally looked at me. I didn’t think about it anymore.

“I’ll do it.”