My whole life changed the night before my wedding. It started when I went to check on my wedding dress. The dress in the room differed from the one I had picked out a year ago. I looked at it and wondered what happened. Perhaps Raella helped our father pick out a different one. I held the dress up next to myself and realized it was far too short. I was frustrated. How could this happen to the dress I am supposed to wear tomorrow? I stormed off to get some questions from my sister. She would tell me the truth. I walked with the dress in my hands to her room. I noticed a few servants waiting outside the door; two of whom I had never seen before. I would get some answers from her about all of this. The servants tried to stop me from entering my own sister's room. I pushed past them insisting on speaking with Raella.
I walked into her room. There was a sound I had never heard before. I looked towards it and saw my sister on top of my fiancé. The two of them were grasping at each other without any clothes on. My head started trying to put together what I was seeing and hearing. The dress dropped from my hands onto the floor. My sister was sleeping with my fiancé. I honestly never would have considered them capable of something so foul. I stood there like an idiot. I didn't know if I wanted to scream and shout at them or storm off. Does this mean I am going to marry this man who is sleeping with my sister? I am frozen in place as my mind tries to process everything going through it. As I take a second to decide my next step, my sister's eyes flash to where I stand. She sees me and finally stops whatever it is that she is doing. She slides down off of Galenus and walks towards me. She grabs a blanket off the floor and covers herself. She tries to explain to me what is happening. She loves Gale and he loves her. She isn't even trying to apologize. She talks about their love story. I look at Galenus and he gives me a look that shows how much he sees me as the invader in their lives right now.
I cannot believe this. In love. What does that mean for my marriage? Relationships outside of marriage are somewhat common for royals. But the thing that I can't seem to get over is that he LOVES my sister. That is not just some physical relationship. That is something I cannot overcome. I stomp off to my father's chambers. He will be appalled at Raella's behavior. She gave away her innocence to someone she wasn't engaged to, he will be the one to make everything right. Once I get to the hall outside his room I am asked to wait. Eventually, I am called inside, father is drunk and laughing. He tells me that Raella and Galenus have fallen in love. Raella has been begging to be the princess that Galenus will marry. And father decided that this was the best course of action. Raella had pointed out that once Galenus fell in love with her, there was no chance he could produce an heir with me. Tears start streaming down my eyes. My father tells me to not mess up this wedding for my sister and Galenus. He will kill me if I do anything. I asked my father about what he would do about the fact that his younger daughter was getting married before his older daughter and he said that some traditions are bound to get broken. He shoos me out of his room. I am not sure why I continue to cry at this point, rage or disgust. I lost my future in a new country along with my sister. I felt like I had nothing to live for.
I walk back to my room with tears in my eyes. I cannot stop crying. I keep wiping away tears in frustration. She has taken my chance at freedom. I cannot believe that this is Raella. Once in my room, I begin to think about how much Raella has changed over the last year. She started taking more concern over what she wore. She criticized the servants for mistakes that had never been a concern of hers before. I assumed it was because she had just turned 18 and wanted to appear as an adult. She had also started distancing herself from me. She began making new friends. I had assumed it was because she was trying to find friends to fill the hole that would be left by my leaving. I had no idea that all her changes meant something much deeper. I continued crying for the rest of the night. There was no way that I could fall asleep. Not after I saw Galenus and Raella together. And the way my sister responded had been so cruel. Like she didn't realize how much this wedding had meant to me. When I had spent hours sharing how scared but hopeful I was for it.
The morning came sooner than I hoped. There was no way I could sit through their wedding. I refused the servants that came to my room with my clothes. When our father heard this, he sent my brother into my room to force me to obey. My brother, Talon, whose life was only possible because I chose to save him. Saving his life had ended mine. And that same brother came into my room that morning and forced me to get ready and attend the wedding. He grabbed me by the wrist and overpowered me. He held me down as the servants put on a dress. Not my dress, because that was supposed to be a wedding dress. I wondered where they even found this dress. Everyone must have been planning this for months. I couldn't look at Talon. I walked out and stiffly sat down to watch out all the events for a wedding that was supposed to have me in it.
The wedding itself was beautiful. The bride and groom were desperately in love. Their smiles said that their story was beginning. The kiss at the end was passionate and deep. For me, each new moment lasted forever. It was the longest day of my life to sit there and act like I was excited for my sister. My tears had already run out from the night before so I silently sat while this spectacle played out. The realization that my future has crashed down around me. I had nothing to stay at the castle for. My father who has never said a single kind word about me, my brother who owed his life to me but treated me like I was nothing, and my sister who I trusted more than anyone who took everything from me. I had no reason to stay. Instead, I decided that I should run away from this life and my family. To find my own happy ending outside of the power of my family. And with all the comings and goings of visitors for the wedding, it would be the perfect opportunity to sneak out. I began to grow my resolve to leave as the dinner for the wedding was served. I didn't eat anything because I was too busy planning my escape. As soon as the plates were cleared, I could excuse myself. My father would be drunk and distracted, and I could escape. The two kings made toasts for a future of happiness for the new couple. I raised my glass but refused to drink to my sister's happiness and good fortune.
I walked down the hallway back to my room. The echoes of my footsteps caused me to reflect on how alone I was. No one was in the hall because everyone was at the wedding celebration. It started to occur to me that I felt alone within my family. I don't think a single person in this entire castle will miss me once I am going. After I got to my room I frantically packed up a few things. I grabbed my things and stuffed them into a bag that would hopefully not call too much attention to itself on the run. I didn't have much time to prepare so instead of money, I packed jewelry that I hoped I could sell to pay for my new life. I was almost ready to escape when my door opened. I instantly dropped the bag on the floor and consciously moved to stand in front of it. I am trying to hide my intentions of running away from whoever came in. I needed to send them away as soon as possible so I would still have time to escape.
I looked at the intruder and saw my sister, in her wedding gown. She smiled at me. I was shocked that she had left the excitement of the wedding to see me. Had she noticed I had left? I didn't say anything to her. "You are never this quiet with me, Ana." She looks around the room and notices the disarray. "Are you planning on running away?" She places her hand on her chest and giggles to herself. She looks tickled to be in this room with me. I notice that she is carrying a bottle of champagne and has two glasses in her hands. "Well, I was going to have a farewell toast with my sister before I left, but I guess it will be a farewell toast before we both leave." She puts the glasses on my desk and starts pouring them. She looks at me with a permanent smile on her face. "Come on Ana, this could be the last time we see each other. Let's not say goodbye with you angry at me. I didn't mean to fall in love with Gale, it just happened. I want nothing but happiness for you too. Happiness like I found with Gale." She sits there holding up the glasses waiting for my response.
It begins to sink in that this will probably be my last time seeing my sister, I don't plan on ever returning to the palace. And even though she stole my fiance from me, I wasn't in love with him. He was just my freedom. I sigh, giving in to the fact that she is right. We shouldn't part with such horrible feelings. I slightly smile, "Fine. You and I have been close longer than we have known Galenus. I wish you every happiness in your new home and your new position as crown princess. I probably would have hated it. I will miss you so much, little sister. Please don't tell Father I have left until morning?" I look at her pleadingly. She smiles and hands me a glass, "But of course. Cheers to our new lives. I hope you find somewhere you truly fit in." With this, she leans in to hug me. After, I kiss her head. I clink my glass against hers and say, "Cheers." I drink it down with a smile. Raella keeps eye contact with me while I guzzle down my drink. She smiles in a more sinister way. She puts down her glass without drinking from it. I stare at the full glass and then back to my sister. The realization of what just happened starts to sink in. Just at that moment, I began to choke. I couldn't breathe. I was grasping at my throat. I looked over at Raella and managed to choke out, "What have you done?" I fall to the floor and I am foaming at the mouth. She looks down at me and says, "I don't want to be a side character in my own story." And with those final confusing words, my eyes close as my life slips out of my body.