A Tense Meeting
The flickering torches cast long shadows across the chamber walls. The air was heavy with unspoken words, thick with tension that could be cut with a blade.
Selena sat rigid in her chair, arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on the man standing before her.
A tall, silver-haired noble dressed in an expensive black coat stood across from her, his posture controlled, calculated—yet there was something in his eyes that betrayed his desperation.
Seated beside Selena was Lord Asha, the one man in the room who had yet to choose a side in the growing conflict. His face was unreadable as he observed the interaction, a silent judge to the trial unfolding before him.
The huge dark skinned man dipped his head respectfully toward Asha.
"Greetings, Lord Asha. My name is Lord Oreos, ruler of the eastern territory. I am here today to seek an audience with you and my niece, Selena."
Selena's fingers dug into the armrest of her chair.
Her eyes burned with barely restrained anger.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice cold as steel.
Oreos sighed, shifting his weight slightly, as if choosing his next words carefully.
"I won't waste time," he said, his voice even. "I need your help and the help of Lord Asher's territory."
Selena let out a bitter laugh. "My help?" She leaned forward, her expression twisted in disbelief. "You have some nerve coming here."
A flash of something unreadable crossed Oreos' face, but he quickly masked it. "I am facing a crisis in my territory. I have been framed for the murder of Lord Valvador's son."
Asha's brow furrowed slightly. "Lord Valvador?" he echoed.
Oreos nodded grimly. "He is rallying the other noble houses against me. Claiming that I am a murderer—that I have no right to rule. If he succeeds, my title, my land, and everything that our family has built over generations will be stripped away."
Selena's eyes darkened.
She could feel the words forming on her tongue before she even realized it.
"Oh, now you care about family?"
Oreos flinched.
Selena stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the stone floor.
"You chased me out, uncle," she spat. "And now you come crawling back, expecting me to fight your battles?"
Asha, who had been silent until now, finally intervened.
"Selena," he said, his voice calm yet firm, "I understand your anger. But this is not a simple matter of revenge. You cannot let personal emotions cloud your judgment."
Selena turned on him, her eyes flashing. "You don't understand, Asha."
Asha met her gaze evenly. "Then help me understand."
---
Selena's body tensed.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
She didn't want to talk about this.
She didn't want to relive it.
But the words forced their way out, as if years of silence had only made them stronger.
"My father, my brother, and my uncle led our army into battle," she began, her voice lower now, heavy with restrained pain.
"They fought to protect our homeland."
Asha remained silent, listening intently.
"The war was brutal."
Selena's fingers tightened into fists.
"My father—the rightful lord of our territory—was killed in battle."
She swallowed hard.
"My brother, the heir, fell beside him."
The room felt colder somehow.
"With them gone, there was only one man the rest of the ministers choose to rule the my father's territory."
She turned, her gaze boring into Oreos.
"My uncle."
Oreos did not look away.
"And instead of honoring our family's sacrifices, and protect the heir he just left their cowardly and let him died."
Her voice trembled with suppressed rage.
"He took the seat that belonged to my brother."
She exhaled sharply. "And when I challenged him, when I demanded answers, when I fought back—he banished me."
Silence.
Asha exhaled slowly, digesting her words.
"…So you believe he let them die?"
Selena's jaw tightened.
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"But I do know that he never mourned them. He never even tried to avenge them."
---
Oreos' lips pressed into a thin line.
"I understand your resentment," he said finally.
Selena scoffed. "Do you?"
"I warned you father to retreat from the battle when we were at a disadvantage until we had reinforcement, but he insisted on going with his son,which is why I decided to retreat with my soiders and called for reinforcement ."
Oreos continued, his voice steady with a regretful face. "But this is bigger than me. If Valvador wins, our land—our family's legacy—will be lost forever."
Selena folded her arms, staring him down.
"I don't care," she said. "Get out."
A muscle in Oreos' jaw twitched.
For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes—regret? Frustration?
Then he sighed.
"If you change your mind," he said quietly, "you know where to find me."
Then, without another word, he turned and left.
---
The Weight of the Past
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Asha leaned forward, watching Selena carefully.
"What will you do?" he asked.
Selena turned away, walking toward the balcony. The cool night air brushed against her face as she stared into the dark horizon.
A choice loomed over her like a shadow.
--
In the quiet of the night, memories came rushing back.
Her father's warm smile.
Her brother's laughter as they trained together.
The banners of their house flying proudly over the city walls.
And then—
The day of her exile.
She could still see her uncle standing before her, his face unreadable, as the guards dragged her away.
"You are no longer welcome here, Selena."
She had fought, she had screamed. But in the end—she had been powerless.
Now, years later, her uncle was asking for her help.
The irony was almost suffocating.
But then Asha's words echoed in her mind.
"Is this about getting revenge? Or is it about protecting your family's legacy?"
---
Selena took a slow breath.
Her hands trembled.
She hated Oreos.
But could she truly allow their land to fall into the hands of a man like Valvador?
She had a choice to make.
Would she let the past define her?
Or would she fight for the future?
---
To Be Continued…