Mirelah;
"Goddess!! Why does she look like that? "I hear a woman whisper as I walk across the podium, and I hold my breath while struggling to maintain my steps.
Today is a big day for me, and big as it is, I wish I wasn't being forced to go through with it.
"Shouldn't all dragonborns have white hair?" I hear another woman whisper, and I can't stop myself from turning to look at her. My eyes land on a woman who has her hands cupped over her mouth, and eyes wide like she's staring at some otherworldly abomination.
I force a smile at her as I continue my walk to the centre of the podium, with anxiety squeezing my lungs.
I don't blame the people for their shock. For the first time in 21 years, they are finally getting to see my face, and it isn't what they expected.
"No wonder her father hid her all these years. If I had a child that looked like that, I'd drown it in a lake. "A woman mutters, and on hearing her words, I almost trip. Thankfully, I don't.
On getting to the centre of the podium, in front of a sea of white hairs and golden eyes, I ignore their appalled expressions, and curtsy with my heart pounding like a battle drum in my chest.
"I can bet with my life that she's not truly King Solrath's daughter. "A man murmurs and my heart stops.
"I mean, Look at her eyes and hair… What dragon-born have you ever seen with such? And to crown it all, she's powerless. Her mother must have had an affair and pushed the girl on the king. "The man continues, and my fists clench as his words go right for my heart.
I can take any insult thrown at me. But not questions regarding the morals of the woman who died while giving me life. I glare at him, and the stout, pot-bellied man goes rigid.
I keep my gaze on him as I stand up straight with anger threatening to steal vision from me.
"What did you say? "I question in a tone that is surprisingly calmer than I expected, but filled with malice.
The man gulps as he looks, at me and I step forward.
"Would you like to repeat what you said so the king would hear!? "I demand and silence falls over the crowd before murmurs begin to ripple through them.
"Mirelah! "My father scolds, and I turn to him with anger still flooding my mind.
"He- "I begin, but stop when I see that look on his face.
That usual look of disappointment Father always gives when I fail to meet his expectations. That look of annoyance I always get each time I frustrate him. I shouldn't have reacted. I shouldn't have acted like I heard that man, but I couldn't. When he mentioned my mother, I just…
Father brushes past me, and my head drops in irritation with myself. I had one job. Just one job and I fumbled it.
"Pardon my youngest daughter. She is not very good with crowds. Her emotions must have gotten the best of her. "Father apologises to the people, and I swallow before walking over to my sisters.
I stand beside my immediate elder sister, and her annoying voice flows into my mind.
"Wow, little sis… Your first interaction with the people and you've gotten yourself the title of a bitch. "She mocks, and I shut my eyes.
Azra is the most annoying creature in the world. She always gets on my nerves, and to be honest, if I could swap sisters, I would happily give her away… Not like she wouldn't do the same.
Of all my sisters, Azra is the one who constantly makes me question life. A perfect example is the shit stunt she pulled this morning. She came into my room earlier, insisting on seeing my dress. I found it fishy but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. I showed her my dress and she 'accidentally' spilt her orange juice on it. On my pearl white dress, 10 minutes before the event.
She put on a whole show of how it was an accident, and how sorry she was, but I know her tricks when I see them. She did it to get me in trouble with our father. Father got us all white dresses to wear for today's event, but because of her, here I am standing in a black dress with gold trimmings beside my sisters who are all dressed in white.
She knew very well that I didn't have any other white thing to wear. There's no way she didn't know. And still she…
Sometimes I wonder if she just doesn't know where to draw the line, or if she hates me and is disguising it.
"Today, as we can see, my daughter Mirelah is without a veil. That's because I thought it was high time you all finally met my youngest treasure. "Father says to the people, and I look up at him with a scoff.
He's lying right through his teeth. If he had his way, his people would probably never see my face till the day I die. When I was younger, he used to tell me that I had to hide my hair and eyes because I was too beautiful, and he didn't want kingdoms to go to war over me. But as I grew older, I got to understand the real reason. He never wanted anyone to see the abomination he had somehow created.
He didn't want people to see just how disturbingly different I was from my perfect elder sisters. All three of my sisters have beautiful white hair and golden eyes to match. Just like the rest of the kingdom. But me?
I look like something some Phoenix shat out.
I have orange hair that looks like pulsing lava when light hits it, and orange eyes like flames of hell. Not only do I look like something goddess Nyzvara created out of boredom, but I am also powerless. Unlike my sisters and father who are powerful dragons… I have nothing. No dragon, and no powers… I am the stain and shame of this family.
And no day goes by where I don't remember that. My sisters are constant reminders of my failure as a dragonborn princess. With their imperial dragons and positions.
Seraphina, the eldest, is a 28-year-old Tempest/Storm dragon and is married to Shawn. The prince of the Sun kingdom.
Veylira, my second eldest sister, is a 26-year-old Tecton/ earth dragon and she is the leader of our army.
Azra, my third and immediate elder sister, is a 24-year-old Celestial/ light dragon. She is the golden daughter of the family. Beautiful and flawless. Daddy's right-hand princess and the girl men from every kingdom could truly go to war for.
Then there's me. 21 years old, with nothing special to boast of...
"You've made quite a grand entrance. Please try not to cause any drama when the Varkaines get here. If you mess up my chances of being with Darven… You'll regret it. I don't know why King Damarion insisted on you not wearing a veil today. He just opened the doors for so much drama, and I can't stand it. "Azra chimes in my head, breaking through my thoughts, and I shut my eyes in annoyance.
The Varkaines… They are the royal family of the most powerful empire in the realm. The Blood Crescent kingdom. King Damarion, the head of the Varkaine family is the reason I am standing before my people today without a veil. For some reason, he was very adamant about me not wearing a veil today, and Father couldn't refuse him.
We all have questions as to why King Damarion made such a weird and specific demand, but we also have no answers. King Damarion gave no reason. He just stated his demand, and Father had to comply.
I guess that is a perk of being the most powerful king in the realm. Everyone does what you want, even if they don't like it.
Looking above the people's heads, I decide to let my mind drift to avoid all the eyes I can feel on me, and all the whispers even though Father is addressing them.
We are gathered here because one of the Varkaine sons wants to pick a bride from my family. We don't know which of my sisters he intends to marry, but I have a guess.
Seraphina is not an option because she's already married, and quite frankly, I'm not an option either… for obvious reasons. The girl that would get chosen by the Varkaines today is either Veylira or Azra. I have my bets on Azra, though. In fact, I prayed last night for it to be Azra. With her gone from the palace, life would be much easier for me. I can't wait.
I don't think Veylira would be the one to get chosen. She has no intention to marry. However, Azra on the other hand has had her eyes on Darven Varkaine for months now. She's been training, reading, practising and preparing to be his wife and the next queen to the Blood Crescent throne.
I roll my eyes at the thought of how big her ego will be by the time she becomes queen and thinking about how worse her attitude will get, sends an unwelcome shiver down my spine.
As the two most powerful kingdoms in the realm, this marriage is a political arrangement. The excuse is to unite against the rising rebellion in some kingdoms of the realm, but the real reason is so both our kingdoms won't ever have to fight over power in future. It's pure politics, but Azra doesn't mind.
I don't understand how she's okay with marrying a man she has never met.
If I were in her place... I don't know how I'd feel. Maybe it'll be a reprieve. I'll finally get away from the cold stone walls of this castle. I'll get to meet new people, see new people, and hopefully live life.
I smile a bit at the thought of freedom, and Veylira's voice chimes in my head.
"Stand straight and stop smiling like an oaf. "
My smile instantly vanishes, and I keep my head straight. Just then, the sky suddenly darkens. The wind picks up slightly, and I can't help but squint my eyes as a gust of wind hits us. I don't need anyone to tell me. I know what this is. It's a wordless announcement of the Varkaine's arrival.
They're finally here.