The Asika household.
The North of the Capital.
A knock came to the door of Jobe Asika's house and after a few moments passed, a young maid reached for the door and opened it.
“Is your master home?” the man bearing the royal message asked, his voice proud and high.
“Yes, he is,” she responded, rather timidly.
He dipped his hand into the inn of his jacket and handed the neatly folded piece of paper to her.
“This is for him. Tell him it’s from the Royal Palace,” he instructed and walked away.
The young maid closed the door and moved to the garden where Master Jobe of house Asika and his eldest daughter, Ariel Asika, sat talking and Jobe kept cracking up almost every time.
Ariel was the first of the two daughters in the Asika’s family. She was blessed with beauty, radiant and fair skin, and it was obvious the moon goddess had a favourite. Her beauty made many maidens in the kingdom feel insecure but unlike many of them, Ariel’s beauty wasn’t the only reason she was loved. She also had a noble character. This made many feel at home and this brought not only respect to Jobe, but made him known amongst other fathers in the kingdom as a man of character.
“Master, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but this letter came from the Royal Palace.”
The smile on Jobe’s face vanished, almost sensing something bad was about to happen.
He lifted his hand, and the young maid handed the letter to him. “Thank you, Riley.” he nodded, and she took her leave.
He broke the Royal seal on the letter and read through it. His eyes hardened at the paper and his brow pulled together.
“What is it, father?” Ariel asked, becoming concerned at the mood her father had switched to since reading the letter.
“Remember the alpha King’s punishment was to get him a bride?”
When she nodded, he sighed, “Well, the lot fell on my house. The council of alphas have chosen you as the future bride of the alpha king.” he announces with bitterness in his voice.
Who could blame him? Almost everyone knew the alpha king, and he was ruthless, cold and problematic, which made everyone avoid him at all costs.
This was a royal decree and as much as Jobe hated it, he knew there was nothing he could do.
The royal bride maker, which was the company of over six women and two men, arrived at the Asika home and were all welcomed into the house.
The wedding, although its notification came in this morning, would take place at the central temple tomorrow as decreed by the council of alphas. And the Royal bride makers came to make sure the bride would be ready for her big day of becoming the queen.
Mia Asika, the youngest and most rebellious Asika who has been out of the house since the break of dawn in search of a better scholar, returns home only to find it crowded with strange faces she’d never seen before.
She glanced around at each of them while moving along to the study where she knew her father would be. Once at the door, she pushed it open and stepped in and, just as expected, her father sat at his favourite table, reading a book.
“What are all these people doing in our house?” she demanded, her voice rising higher than it should.
Jobe sighed and beckons to Mia to come sit down and when she did, he explained everything to her. “So you see, your sister will be queen tomorrow and that’s why they are here.”
..
Mia stood at the door looking in while the bride makers tried to fit Ariel into a white gown that appeared too small for her.
“She won’t breathe in that!” she snapped, making her presence known.
Ariel had felt discomfort in the gown she had on, but being too nice to hurt anyone’s feeling, she kept her silence.
“Who are you?” the older woman with brown curly hair asked with squinted eyes.
“I’m Mia Asika, I’m her sister! And she can’t breathe in that.”
They readjusted the fabric and robes and when they put it on her the second time; it fit perfectly.
“We will be back before the first cockcrow tomorrow, so please get all the rest you can.” the curly-haired woman informed Ariel before taking her leave with the rest of the crew.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Ariel’s face broke into a wide grin and she beckoned to Mia, who ran over and hugged her tightly.
“Thank you for speaking up when you did, Mia.” she said.
“You’re welcome. Father told me everything. Tomorrow you will be queen. How do you feel about that?”
Ariel shrugs and climbs onto her bed. “I’m not happy or sad. I’m just going to go with the flow and expect only the best.”
“I’m happy as long as you’re happy. At least one of us will make a father proud.” She giggled.
Ariel pulled herself onto her elbows to watch Mia properly. “And your plan? How’s it coming along?”
“So far, so good. After months of searching, I’ve been fortunate to find a scholar that would leave for the southern world in the next few weeks.”
Ariel’s eyes widened, her happiness matching that of her sister’s. “Great!”
Mia nodded and moved to sit beside Ariel in bed. “I was going to break the news and my other plans to father today, but the news of your wedding stopped me. I am going to do that once you get married.”
Mia had a dream of leaving the kingdom when she turned fourteen. It was at that age she realised there was nothing for her here and developed the courage to seek something more. She knew she would always be in her sister’s shadow and, despite loving Ariel and holding her on a pedestal, she couldn’t bear to live such a life.
Ariel was the definition of perfection. Her long golden hair swept perfectly to her back and highlighted the diamond shape of her face. And her sky-blue eyes made so many feel at home. Her perfectly shaped full red lips, down to her long neck, screamed perfection in the flesh. She also had the perfect body and height of five feet seven inches, which made her stand out from the crowd and this made men drool over her.
Mia had a tanned skin that sometimes looked as though burnt by the sun. She also had amber eyes, and it appeared golden than copper and so far she had met no maiden or man in the kingdom with the same eyes colour as hers. Her nose was long and pointed and her lips pale and small. Her hair was curly and as red as rose, while everyone else in her family had golden hair. She had the petite height of five feet two inches and a curvy body shape.
While the image of Ariel would scream perfection from head to toe, hers screamed opposite whenever she stared at herself in the mirror. Whenever she stepped out of the comfort of her home, she met with people who reminded her of that as well.
Knowing her chances with beauty had been limited from birth, Mia opted off that carriage and pursued enlightenment and after her fourteenth birthday. She started on her quest to leave the kingdom and find knowledge even till the ends of the earth, and her sister was her biggest supporter.
Ariel takes Mia’s hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. “Sure and I will support you the best way I can, but promise you will share whatever knowledge you find in the other part of the world with me.”
Mia bobbed her head, grinning happily. “I will and if your marriage to the alpha king doesn’t work out the way you plan, you can write to me and I’ll come to take you away.”
Ariel shook her head, but still laughed. “I doubt I’d want to leave this place. I was born here and I will die here.”
“I know, and you will be a wonderful queen.”
They shared a hug again, and Ariel kissed her forehead.
...
A loud knock came onto Mia’s door, which dragged her out of the state of sleep and sends her eyes flying wide open. The cock was still yet to crow and she would have known because that’s when she always woke.
“Mia, please open up.” her father’s voice came through the door and the broken tone of his voice had made the hair on her skin stand, sensing bad news.
She hurried out of the bed and raced to the door, opening the door wide as soon as she got there. Jobe entered the room, his eyes filled with sorrow and tears.
“Father, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Ariel, Mia.”
Her stomach tightened in a bad way, even as she waited for him to finish what he had to say.
His lips trembled and for a man that barely showed his vulnerability when his wife died, he was doing a very poor job now. She took hold of his trembling hands, almost wincing when she felt how cold they were.
“What happened to Ariel? Where is she?”
“She’s dead, Mia, Ariel is dead.”
The day was already bright, and the cock already crowed twice, yet the alpha king was yet to leave his chambers. His manservant and maidens didn’t dare enter his chambers without his permission, despite today being his wedding day. Edward, who had his red royal robe on for the Royal wedding, noticed the servants standing around aimlessly and he drew closer to them. They saw him approach, and all stood at attention. “Why do you all stand aimlessly on the morning of the King’s wedding?” “He hasn’t beckoned to us yet.” The male servant holding onto the golden robe of the alpha king replied. Edward’s brows narrowed at their response and he headed to the door, pushed it open, and stepped in. The bedroom with its thick window curtain drawn looked as dark as ever and it was no wonder his idiot brother, the alpha king, was yet to wake. Guid
*****I saw 50 reads on my book and I flipped! Thank you for encouraging me! Here's another chapter!! ❤️❤️Xavier along with Edward arrived at the temple to see it crowded with people both on the inside and out, and their sight made Xavier grunt in displeasure.Once out of the carriage, they made their way into the temple, which now had a narrow pathway that led to the altar. The wedding planners had readjusted the sitting pattern to accommodate the crowd of people expected and it still wasn’t enough, despite it being an unexpected wedding.Yes, a royal wedding no matter how sudden has always seen much crowd, but he thought his would be different. He knew almost everyone present at the temple hated him and he hated every one of them right back. They knew of his feelings towards them, so he didn’t understand why they were still so many.Perhap
Unlike the ritual of most newlyweds in the kingdom, the Alpha king did not ride on the same carriage with his queen.Mia knew he still felt the resentment of being married to someone different. She’d seen the look on his face all the times he had glanced at her during the marriage ceremony earlier. Or perhaps his withdrawal could be because she wasn’t as fair or beautiful as he had expected... She wasn’t beautiful at all.It had been a long day and the worse day of Mia’s life. It had started with her losing her sister, her biggest supporter, and then losing her freedom.Flashback***“What happened to Ariel? Where is she?”“She’s dead, Mia, Ariel is dead.”Her heart sank, overwhelmed with pain at his word, and a raspy cry of agony left her mouth, already knowing the fate that awaited her but not wanting to believe it.
Thank you so much for hundred reads!! Hurray!! 🎉🎉🎉Mia felt the alpha King’s intent gaze on her as she moved her hand to the small hand of the white gown she had on. She shook from fear from the inside out because not only was he much older, he also terrified her.He was obviously hoping to see what was underneath the garment, though, but the look on his face already said he wouldn’t be impressed either way.She didn’t have the body that would blow anyone away. She wasn’t the right height or shape and she hadn’t felt insecure about it in a long time, but now, standing so vulnerable, she did.Getting married was never on her agenda, not since she turned fourteen, freedom and knowledge was. She remembered the first time she shared her dreams of travelling to the other side of the world to get an education with Ariel, and how her sister felt happy for her and su
Xavier ran his hand over Mia’s legs before letting it sink into her skin, and she shivered at his touch, whimpering in silence. This was even harder than he thought it would be. He’d had to force himself into her room after a few drinks because, according to the customary rites, they had to consummate their union on their wedding night for it to be valid. Yet, he couldn’t make his cock come alive and do the simple job. The fucking thing had a mind of its own. Perhaps it didn’t. Perhaps his cock was responding to how he felt. He didn’t want to touch her or hold her. She wasn’t his taste or class; she was the opposite of what he normally longed for in a woman. He had always picked them beautiful and fair until he met Zara, who was everything he wanted and he had cleaved to her ever since. He thought by thinking about Zara, his lover, and by replaying the images of her in his head, he’d be able to get into the moment. How wrong he was.
The chilled breeze blowing through the window brushed over Mia’s face, and her lashes fluttered to see the dawn of the day. She moaned and turned her head to the side, getting acquainted with her territory. The light illuminating her room got her better acquainted with everything in it. This was her chambers, where she’d stay unless needed and beckoned on by the king. At the thought of him, she felt a little tightening in her chest and she dragged herself to sit up in bed. Last night wasn’t a wedding night, at least it wasn’t a blissful wedding night. It was filled with heartbreak, but in the end, she fell into an ocean of confusion. Her husband had left a few marks on her skin with his claws, his teeth, his fondles, his grip. His touch was unloving and forced. He had moved to take every bit of what was his, only to change his mind without saying why. The voices in Mia’s head told her why, and it was the reason she’d known for a while now. She
Mia had since stopped crying and had got better control of her emotions, which were previously all over the place. After she returned to the living room, Lydia moved to bring her homemade remedies for her red and puffy eyes and they did magic after she used them. A knock came on the door while Lydia helped her put on the scarlet robe. She let go of the robe and headed to the door while Mia finished with the buttons of its sleeve before turning around to see who it was. “Good morning, my queen.” the tall king’s guard with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes stepped in and bowed his head. “Good morning to you, too. What can I do for you?” she asked with her tone polite. “The alpha king has summoned you to his chambers.” She felt a jolt of panic in her stomach at the words of the guard. Her eyes, however calm as she asked. “Whatever for?” “He didn’t disclose, my queen.” She nodded her head, permitting hi
“I didn’t think you would make it,” Jobe said, gratitude in his pale blue eyes as he stepped up towards Mia, pulling her into his arms for a comforting hug. “I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I missed it.” She didn’t think the alpha king would grant her permission to leave after she got words from her father informing her that the family would hold last rites before cremation tonight. She ran into Edward, the crowned Prince, on her way back from the garden where she had received the news. He saw the torn look on her face and pressed her until she opened up. She told him about her need to be at her sister’s funeral in the evening. After spending less than ten minutes with the alpha King, he returned and informed her she had his permission to leave. Edward then offered to come along as a representative of his brother, the alpha king, who had his hands filled with royal duties, and she couldn’t say no. Although he had helped her, she didn’t trust him; he